James Allan Myers

Narrative Resume for James A. Myers

1959-1962

My interest in investing began in May, 1959 when I was 16 years old and my stepfather took me to an investment forum sponsored by the Cleveland Financial Analyst Society.

There, I met Dr. Jacob Camm, who was a security analyst and was promoting his new book on investments. I also met Bill Craig, who was an institutional salesman for a major brokerage firm. Bill was also the president of the Financial Analyst Society. I made up my mind that very evening that I wanted to be all three, a security analyst, an institutional salesman and president of the Analyst Society. Maybe I should stop now, as I eventually made it to all three.

My "quote" career began a month later, when I started my first summer job. I was a messenger for a very large law firm. While waiting for the buzzer to deliver a message, I began reading every investment book there was available. I read Graham and Dodds book, Security Analysis twice that summer. That book remains today, the most classic work on the subject ever written. I had a problem though, as I could not read fast enough. I spent three hours driving time for a one-hour private tutoring lesson on speed reading every Saturday. I mention this only because it became significant later in my career. I had the same job every summer until graduation from high school.

1962-1967

I graduated from Ohio University with a BSED degree. That was significant as I graduated from the college of education, not with a business degree. The reason I graduated from the school of education instead of business was due to shyness. Shyness and becoming an institutional salesman were not compatible. Public speaking courses just would not do. I had to become a very accomplished speaker every day and teaching was a way to force myself to accomplish that goal.

Marriage took place my senior year and I decided to stay and attend Ohio University's Graduate School of Economics.

1968-1969

I became involved with the Ohio Council on Education while in graduate school. That led me to a teaching position at the only school in Ohio and one of about forty schools nationwide that taught a real economics course at the high school level.

What a wonderful and exciting experience that turned out to be for me.

1969-1972

I joined the National City Bank of Cleveland and became a security analyst in the trust department. I was very successful there and just prior to my leaving was offered the position of assistant director of research.

1972-1977

In 1972, I moved on to become director of investment research at the First National Bank of Tampa. This was a significant position at the second largest bank, in the fastest growing state in the nation. Because of the growth occurring in Florida, nearly every investment brokerage firm simultaneously decided that they wanted to have institutional market share in Florida. Because of my position, I became the center of attention of all those brokerage firms. I had a private presentation by Wall Streets best security analysts at least once a day, and frequently as many as two or three time per day. That went on for about 2 years, as they all tried to compete for the bank's securities business. What an education I received!

1977-1997

I completed the third part of my goal when I joined Smith Barney in Tampa as an institutional stockbroker. I remained with Smith Barney for twenty years. In 1996, I became the manager of our institutional office, which turned out to be the last year of my career. I became disabled in December in 1996 and had to retire for health reasons.

Civic Activities The Tampa Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 included me with 20 other young executives to participate in "their tour of Tampa". I visited every major institution in Tampa over the course of a year, i.e, the Port Authority, Mayor's Office, Sheriff's Department, etc. The objective was to involve us in Tampa's infrastructure, with the hope that we would become future community leaders.

Governor Graham, now Senator Graham, appointed me to the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Hillsborough County School Board. I served for about 3 years on this committee.

I served on the Board of Directors of the Financial Analyst Society of Florida for ten years.

In 1977, I was president of the society, one of my three original goals.