On Camera with Larry Glazer ’86

As a regular business commentator on CNBC, Glazer enjoys the change of pace from his “real” job as co-founder of and partner at Mayflower Advisors at Advest, Inc. With a client base that is split between corporate and individual accounts, Glazer’s work at Advest ranges from consulting on employee retirement plans to offering comprehensive one-on-one financial planning and investment management. “What we do here is very rewarding on both a personal and professional basis. Helping people and organizations with complex financial matters is critically important and gives them the peace of mind they need to focus on their primary tasks,” said Glazer.

During his appearances on CNBC, Glazer has been asked to comment of topics ranging from breaking business stories to market outlook and investment strategies. “I do enjoy the change of pace. It is exciting and a nice distraction from my every day responsibilities,” he notes. “Sometimes it is tricky trying to convey an idea or opinion in a snappy soundbite. Especially on the roundtable or debate shows, where you can have words put in your mouth. But that is part of the fun.”

Before Advest and CNBC, there were stints for Glazer at a subsidiary of the Bank of Tokyo in Boston and then at Trammel Crow where he was a senior vice president responsible for the marketing of real estate projects and investment sales. “To be honest, the thing I miss most about Trammell Crow is the people. I made some very good friends while I was there. But my passion was really in the investment world, so I knew that I would regret not making the career change to Advest,” he remarked. “Also, joining Advest gave me the opportunity to work with my father. His advice was recently recognized by the Boston Herald for beating the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the past 30 years!”

When asked about their approach to financial advising through the recent ups and downs of the market, Glazer replied, “Our approach really has not changed – it has always remained consistent in the areas of asset allocation and protecting against the downside. Those who change their approach are oftentimes simply chasing performance, and that is how they get hurt. We actually have trademarked our “Belt and Suspenders” investing strategy! The ‘belt’ is the asset allocation component while the ‘suspenders’ are the hedging aspect of this strategy. This has outperformed the traditional buy and hold investment approach over time, but with less risk. The lower volatility with this approach has given our clients peace of mind to say the course with their investment plans throughout the market’s ups and downs.”

Another focus at Advest is their work with not-for-profit organizations in a variety of capacities, especially as managers of corporate 529 Plans. Their expertise in the field is widely recognized. “Our group pioneered research comparing 529 Plans and we have reviewed, compared, and tested 529 Plans for cost, reputation of the investment manager, and features. We have been asked by banks, trust companies, and leading national employers to consult with them on 529 Plans,” said Glazer. “I also founded the website 529educationplan.com to increase public education on this subject.” Glazer was a frequent commentator, both on radio and television, when 529 Plans were receiving a lot of media coverage in recent years.

In spite of this bifurcated life, Glazer has found time to become involved in a number of community efforts. Close to home, he is involved at Rivers as an Alumni Council member and member of the Alumni Excellence Award Committee. He has also been a reunion chair and decade chair for the annual fund. “You know, I didn’t really plan on becoming so involved. It just happened. I knew I wanted to help and it slowly led to me taking on more responsibility over time. But it doesn’t feel like responsibility. I enjoy it,” he said. He also gives his time to Duke University, where he earned a degree in political science, serving in a variety of capacities in their alumni organization.

On a personal note, Glazer was married this summer, and he and his wife Suzanne are living in Cambridge. A number of Rivers alumni attended the Falmouth wedding then it was on to Australia for their honeymoon. “Seeing the exotic sights of the Barrier Reef was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we’ll never forget,” said Glazer. “Looking around in the water I felt like I was a character in the movie Finding Nemo. Ayers Rock gave us a taste of the outback and the “Red Center” of Australia. And Sydney is a terrific world class city.”

When asked about his spare time, he replied, “Spare time? What’s that? I took up golf last year and have sort of caught the bug. But I can’t say that I’m good at it yet.” It sounds as if Larry Glazer already has plenty of things he’s good at!