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111 Nature Walk Pkwy.
Suite 105
St. Augustine, FL 32092
Why Choose James Russell?
If you would like to work with an experienced independent investment professional who will teach while looking out for your best interest, please call or e-mail me.
Developing investment strategies takes know-how, life experience, and far more importantly, hands-on trading experience.
I was first licensed in 1986 through First Investors Corporation. In 1987 I took a position with the brokerage house Dean Witter Reynolds (now Morgan Stanley) as a fully registered stockbroker. Shortly after beginning my carreer with Dean Witter, the stock market crashed. I learned at that time that life’s catastrophes are sometimes inevitable; it’s the opportunity that you find within them that is important.
I quickly learned in 1987 that I have the ability to interpret economic data. Today's economic data needs to be used to benefit clients through strategies aimed at what they believe economics could look like 10 months down the road.
Over the past 25 years I have broadened my knowledge of how the market reacts.
In the early 1990's, I was able to see great opportunities to work as an entrepreneur and consultant. By 1994, I started Vanguard Mortgage Group which was designed to capitalize from the new lending laws which were enacted by congress. These were the same laws that forced Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac to loosen lending standards and later caused there collapse.
Yes, I witnessed the very beginning of the sub-prime mortgage market. In 1997, I sold Vanguard Mortgage to Delaware Savings Bank, FSB. I stayed with Delaware Savings Bank after the transition as the president of the bank's financial division.
In 1999, the first signs of problems within the sub-prime market started to appear. Delaware Savings Bank started to realize that they would need the financial markets to grow ,to survive. Subsequently, they sold themselves to Lehman Brothers (yes, the same Lehman Brothers that were the focus of financial turmoil).
Realizing that the sub-prime market had financial possibilities, I started a company that purchased credit debt for pennies on the dollar. The money could later be collected for the full amounts through the use of specialized law firms in selected states.
In 2000, I moved to Florida and continued managing my own investment portfolio's using my 25 years of knowledge to implement time tested hedging strategies. During this time I continued to operate the (Chase Alliance) collection company until it was sold to a funding partner in 2002. Additionally, I had started consulting with small business owners to help them understand ways to hedge their own cost. This was done by assisting them to analyze their own companies data and then using the results to outsource payroll and human resources to enhance the year-end results.
In early 2006 many people were asking me for advice on their own personal finances so I decide to re-register as an Investment Advisor agent and take on clients once again. After taking a position again with Morgan Stanley, I began to realized that I could help my clients better by being independent. By practicing independently my loyalty is to my clients, not the large brokerage firm’s bottom line.