Michael earned his professional designation as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) from the College for Financial Planning, his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance from San Diego State University.
Michael holds FINRA Securities Registrations Series 7, 24, 63 & 65 and is a Registered Principal and Investment Advisor Representative with LPL Financial. He is insurance licensed through the State of California, Hawaii, and Louisiana. Michael is the founding principal of Lerner & Lerner, LLC.
Michael is a member of the San Diego Chapter of the Financial Planning Association and served on the Professional Advisor Council for The San Diego Foundation in 2005 and 2006.
Community oriented, Michael donates his time to local high schools as a guest speaker and for ‘Job Shadow’ programs. He has been a guest financial-host during several San Diego Union-Tribune call-in shows and has been featured in the Union-Tribune ‘Money Makeover’ column.
Michael and his wife Kelley have three children- Madison Brianna, and Nolan. Michael enjoys tennis, golf, and running and has completed several half and full marathons.
Getting to Know Michael:
Favorite Quote: “Try not to become a man of success but rather a man of value” Albert Einstein
Best Piece of Financial Advice: Define success, then achieve it
Favorite Food: Beef Stroganoff, Chicago-style deep dish pizza, rib eye steak
If you could meet anyone past or present, who would it be?: Abraham Lincoln
Favorite books: Unbroken, Seabiscuit, Girl with the Red Dragon Tattoo, Fred Factor
Favorite movie or TV show: Seabiscuit, A Good Year, Sienfeld, Chicago Blackhawk History
Place you’d most like to travel: Italy
Hidden talent/skills: I love to cook and experiment in the kitchen. To me, food and wine are such wonderful social tools that bring friends and family together that stimulate conversation and laughter. I’m always in a happy place cooking with or for family and friends.
Favorite holiday: Thanksgiving
Bucket list item: Travel to Italy for a month and stay in a small village taking cooking classes, eating local foods, sipping local wine and espresso, taking hikes, and developing relationships with the locals.
Biggest accomplishment: Being in a marriage for the past 20 years and raising three healthy children that share common core values keeping them centered, loving, generous and striving for personal growth.