The other job never materialized — Hamner actually stopped looking. He enjoys the freedom and flexibility afforded by his career, and likes working with people. “Financial care is the second most important thing after healthcare that people should worry about,” he said.

Hamner has worked for Piper Jaffrey for five years; the company was acquired in August by UBS Financial Services. He is the manager of the office, which is located in Poulsbo. He sees a big part of his work as educating people how to take care of their money.

“There is a lot of satisfaction with it, and a lot of stress with it,” he said.

Hamner believes the profession has a lot to offer, and feels that not enough people enter the field. He acknowledges that it can be hard to get started, especially for young people with families, since the pay is usually fee-based depending on how much money the advisor manages. Laws like the Do Not Call list are making it more difficult for people to market themselves. Because in most households the women are the ones controlling wealth, he also feels there are a lot of excellent opportunities in the industry for women.

Dealing with clients who do not take his advice is the most frustrating part. He said there is no perfect investment and no financial advisor knows everything, yet he still finds it difficult to work with clients who think they know best. “Approving something you know in your heart is not right for them is challenging,” he said.

Outside of work, Hamner keeps busy with extensive community service. He is former president of the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce, the local chapter of American Red Cross, and the Symphony Association. He has also been involved with the Puget Naval Base Association.

“Some people will tell you you’ll get a lot of business this way but it’s not really true,” he said. “It’s just the right thing to do.”.