Stephen Freidell:  

I have accomplished many goals during my life. As some of you know my twin brother Dave and I lost our father at age 14. In addition to that, we drew spot #4 for our selective service number. We were wild boys when we were young and it really all came to an end when we got that draft number. We both went to Juco for two years and then to Emporia State for 2 more years. We had to pay for ourselves, food, rent books,tuition, and anything else we needed. After graduation we both took jobs at K-mart. The harder you worked the faster you were promoted and after 18 months I had been transferred 5 times. I left in mid 1975 and joined First National Bank of Kansas City which is now the Downtown Public Library. I managed many aspects of the bank including the wire transfer department, the Federal Reserve bank account and 52 other bank accounts the bank had. I also sold cd's and bonds to our banks customers and helped manage many other of the bank's investment portfolios'. After 6 years there I joined Commerce Bank of kansas City for 24 more years and managed the Trading Desk. After 6 years I moved to sales and within 3 years I was the Top salesman for the rest of my duration at Commerce. in 2006 I left Commerce and Ultimately joined p with a group of other guys like me and we formed our own company Central States Capital Markets. I continue to work there although my son-in-law has taken over my book of business and does most of the work. I still talk to clients new and old every day. Helping people at a time of their greatest needs is what kee4ps me going and working. In 2023 I formed my own company EchoGong LLC and I produce and sell AR500 metal target shooting gongs which ring different sounds depending on w...Expand for more