Shawn D. Pacanowski, CIMA®

Wealth Advisor | Director & Partner

“Like so many, my clients are seeking a more predictable future and best possible outcomes for their lives. Guiding people through our custom planning process empowers our clients with confidence in their financial security and frees them to live a more fulfilling life. They gain clarity and knowledge in their quest to get the most out of their finances.”

With CapTrust Since

2004

College / Degrees

Calvin College – B.A. Pre-law, Business and Political Science

Professional Certifications & Equipping

Certified Investment Management Analyst^® Professional certification administered by Investments & Wealth Institute^™ and taught in conjunction with the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate – Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association

Family Wealth and Business Leadership Transition Planning – Institute for Preparing Heirs

Applied Behavioral Finance Certificate – MIT Laboratory for Financial Engineering

Strategic Acquisitions – Association for Corporate Growth W MI

Experience

CapTrust, Advisor, 2004 – Current

Recognition

40 Under 40 Business Leader Honoree, The Grand Rapids Business Journal, 2014

Hometown

Holland, Michigan

Travel

Our family loves visiting National Parks and downhill skiing in the winter.

What got you interested in this field?

A desire to serve people. Linking people’s wealth to the bigger purposes they want in life is what attracted me to the field of personal finance. In essence, serving as a conduit for people to discover the life they want to live and the impact they want to make with the money and talents that they have.

Through a deep interest in financial markets and decades of experience, I have honed an intuitive understanding of the variables needed to create meaningful financial strategies out of complex situations. Money and other forms of family capital are amplifiers of the bigger things in life we live for. In reality, few families and organizations have a truly comprehensive approach to planning and investing their wealth for the future they desire—as such, I love guiding them through our process of discovering the influence and impact they want to make in life, designing the necessary steps to accomplish those priorities, and then deploying the most effective investment, tax, asset protection, and estate plan strategies to attain the life they want for themselves.

The ultimate aim is for clients to have greater confidence and clarity about their future than ever before and as a result rest more easily knowing their entire financial situation is now more predictable and has been optimized for their success.

Family

Married to my wonderful wife for 25 years. Together, we have three children between the ages of 16 and 21…plus an energetic goldendoodle, who keeps life interesting and full of energy.

Hobbies and Relaxation

When out of the office, you can find me fly fishing for trout, hiking just about any trail around Michigan or most definitely cheering my kids on as they either kick, swing at or shoot a ball for their sports team.

Community Service

Community Foundation of Holland/Zeeland Area, Investment Committee Member 2016 – Present
Grand Rapids Economic Club – Member since 2006
Investments & Wealth Institute^® – Member since 2004
Michigan’s West Coast Chamber of Commerce, Board Chair 2009 – 2015

Crain’s Grand Rapids Business Journal selects 40 Under 40 honorees from nominations received. Nominees are evaluated by outside judges on business success, professional recognition/awards, breaking stereotypes, new endeavors or industry emergence, community involvement and leadership. Candidates must be 39 years of age or younger on October 16 and live in West Michigan to qualify. No fees have been paid to nominate candidates or to accept this award.