To Chris Simcho, service is an essential value

Chris Simcho has been in finance for nearly a decade. As a director within Investor Services in Westlake, Texas, he oversees 10 teams and leaders, approximately 100 people – all who spend their time supporting clients seeking answers and advice from Schwab.

Service is an essential value to Chris. Before he started his career in financial services, he was a Marine from 2002-2006, inspired to serve, in part, because of the September 11th attacks on the United States. During those four years, he learned the importance of camaraderie, acts of service, and what it means to show up for people who depend on you; values he aims to instill in his teams.

"It is important to show up to work to support your peers and the people who sit next to you," he says. "Teamwork is the only way to get the best results for your clients. I encourage camaraderie and constant self-improvement, whether that is personal or professional. As a Marine, I wouldn't turn my back on someone, and I won't let that happen to my team now. That isn't how good work gets done."

Chris has landed on Schwab as his “home” in financial services after experiences in other financial firms and cultures that sometimes left him nonplussed, both from a leadership and teamwork standpoint. 

"Schwab is a company that values high caliber work and managerial intelligence," he says. "Meaning, you can't let your peers fail if you want to succeed. This mindset was something I looked for in a company but hadn't found until I got to Schwab." 

Chris connects his success to his direct manager, who emits the “through clients' eyes” strategy. Getting exposure to working with someone who simultaneously and successfully balances Schwab's business goals with clients’ needs, and the needs of his team, is something Chris is driven to master. 

"When I think of Schwab, I see a company that's blazing the trail," he says. "When I think about where I came from, there were times when it was difficult for me to wake up and go to work every morning – my moral compass did not match my employer's. Being at Schwab, I know my values and compass align with the company's, and I'm excited to do my job." 

Outside of work, Chris enjoys being with his two sons, and getting in a good golf game when time allows. He’s also a patient practitioner of mastering Texas barbecue; he smokes and cooks pork shoulders and brisket—sometimes for 15 to 20 hours at a time—in the "ridiculously large" smoker in his backyard. Now that is some delicious dedication!