Professional Biography

Jeffrey R. Carlson is a founding principal of Carlson Capital Management. His primary responsibilities include managing client relationships and helping to lead the firm’s business development initiatives. Jeff also develops and sets the vision for the firm. Jeff is a 1983 graduate of St. Olaf College, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, with specific concentrations in finance and accounting. Jeff began his career with IDS/American Express and shortly there-after earned his Certified Financial Planner™ designation. Jeff has been providing wealth management advice to clients and their families for three decades and has developed specific areas of expertise in retirement and early retirement planning, stock option management, estate planning, insurance services and developing integrated plans that include philanthropic giving.

Jeff is an active volunteer with numerous organizations including Hastings Area Rotary Club, St. Philips Lutheran Church, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Hastings Area YMCA, Green Lake Lutheran Ministries and the Hastings chapter of Let’s Go Fishing for seniors. Jeff is also an active alumnus of St. Olaf College, and currently serves as the Class of ’83 Correspondent and Class Fund Agent. In maintaining family tradition, Jeff is an avid tennis player and enjoys serving as a volunteer coach with the Hastings High School Tennis Team. Jeff also enjoys golf and spending time with his family. Jeff and his wife, Stacy, live in Hastings, Minnesota, where they raised their three children.

Personal Thoughts

Sports have and always will play an important part in my life. It is through these activities that I have learned hard work, discipline, and teamwork. Let me provide a few examples.

As a sophomore on the St. Olaf Basketball team, I was disenchanted with my playing time and the lack of opportunities to prove myself. With my speech to my coach memorized, I walked into his office to make my case for increased playing time. Before I was even able to say my opening line, I was presented with these words: “You are slow, you make poor decisions, and have an inability to score!”

So, I asked myself, “Do I quit or do I try to prove him wrong?”. By the end of the season, I was the first guard off the bench, lettered, and was given the “Mr. Hustle” award by my teammates. I may not have been the most talented, but I understood the value and reward in working hard and doing my best to help the team.

Another example recalls how I always wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps as a strategist and coach. I can picture my dad, days before a tennis match, shuffling and re-shuffling line ups to get the best opportunity for success against the opposing team. To a degree, what I really enjoy doing at Carlson Capital Management, I learned from my father. First, I know that to best serve our clients requires expertise and strategy from many different angles, including tax, estate, and investment perspectives. Understanding data and information is important, but it is the ability to put information together into a cohesive plan and structure that requires true expertise, experience and leadership. Second, to meet the needs of our clients, I am able to act as a coach to incorporate the best game strategies to “prevent unsuccessful outcomes” and create the best opportunity to win – that is, how to best accumulate, manage, and distribute their assets in such a manner as to help them accomplish what is most important to them.