Drake is a philanthropic planner who works with clients in 40 states – from his practice in Normal, Illinois. Drake acts as both a money manager and a comprehensive financial planner. His real passion and specialty: helping philanthropically-oriented people to “connect their money to their meaning” and reorganize their estates so as to give a lot more to their favorite nonprofits and a lot less to taxes. Drake says, "I strive to help families turn money into meaning, goals into numbers, and dreams into actions." We can all give, Drake believes, in ways big or small. By planning our finances in light of our ideals, we can make a bigger difference more effectively, while meeting our many other obligations.
To that end, Drake has become a highly trained specialist, earning designations including JD, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, Chartered Financial Analyst, Accredited Estate Planner, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, and Family Wealth Counselor. He is contributing author to “Giving: Understanding How and Why to Do Charitable Planning” (2002). Additionally, Drake completed his coach certification from International Teaching Seminars, London.
Drake is passionate about his philanthropic causes, and he “leads out loud” by acting both locally and globally. He co-founded the Community Foundation of McLean County (now known as Illinois Prairie Community Foundation) and Rotarians Against Malaria. Drake authored “Enduring the Darkness” (2000) – a compilation of the inspiring letters of South Korean human rights prisoner Kim Seong Man. Drake and his wife, Jan, helped form an organization working to protect their local watershed, Friends of Kickapoo Creek, which was named River Steward of the Year for 2005 by the Prairie Rivers Network.
For several years Drake taught Investments and Business Law at Illinois Wesleyan University as adjunct faculty. He speaks and writes frequently on financial and charitable topics, including Socially Responsible Investing and Making A Difference. Drake Zimmerman is a registered principal practicing ‘Life-Work Planning' in Normal, Illinois since 1982. He offers securities through First Allied Securities, Inc. and owns the local branch office.
Drake and Jan live on 36 acres close to Bloomington, Illinois. There, Drake restores a few acres of prairie and keeps bees. Drake is fluent in many languages, including German and Spanish.
Credentials
- Certified Wealth Strategist
- Full Registration/General Securities Rep. (Series 7)
- Future Registrations (Series 3 or 31)
- General Securities Principal (Series 24)
- Registered Options Principal (Series 4)
- Uniform Investment Advisor Exam Registration (Series 65)
- Uniform Securities Agent State Law Exam Registration (Series 63)
- BA Simpson College (summa cum laude)
- Masters in German, Middlebury College
- Law Degree from University of Iowa
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification 1986
- Chartered Financial Analyst 1988
- Family Wealth Counselor 2001
- Fellow, Masters Program for Multidisciplinary Practice in Wealth Transfer through Esperti Petersen Institute 2003
- Certified Coach through International Teaching Seminars in London 2003
- Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy 2003, (the first person ever to take and pass the exam!)
- Advanced Estate Planner 2003