Glen is the firm’s president and specializes in planning for transitioning into retirement and tax efficient investment management. His clients include executives of public and private companies, business owners, and retirees. Glen is the co-founder of West Financial Services and has over 40 years of experience in investment management and personal financial planning. Previous positions at West Financial Services include chief investment officer and director of financial planning. Glen is currently a senior vice president of Sandy Spring Bank, serving on the bank’s Investment Committee and Retirement Plan Investment Committee.
Glen earned his bachelor’s in Political Science at West Virginia University and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and the Washington D.C. Estate Planning Council.
Glen was recognized by Washingtonian magazine as a member of the Top Wealth Adviser Hall of Fame for being named a Top Fee-Only Financial Planner1 (2022) at least 8 times out of the past 14 years. He was also listed a Top Financial Professionals2 in Northern Virginia Magazine (2022). In April 2018, West Financial Services was honored with the Above and Beyond Award3 presented by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (a Department of Defense program) State Committees to recognize employers at the local level who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
Glen has served the profession in a number of capacities: a CFP Board of Practice Standards member; vice president and member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (now called the Financial Planning Association) and chairman of the board and president of the Maryland Suburban Society of the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (now called the Financial Planning Association).
Glen lives in Potomac, Maryland, and enjoys spending time with family, reading, going for a run, practicing yoga and cheering on the Washington Capitals.
1Washingtonian: Top (Fee-Only) Financial Advisers
To arrive at the names of the area’s top financial advisers—the fee-only financial planners, fee-based advisers, estate attorneys, tax accountants, and insurance advisers marked with a “best adviser” tag—the Washingtonian distributed surveys to hundreds of people who work in the local financial industry, asking them whom they would trust with their own money. Washingtonian also did their own research, consulting industry experts and publications. The “best adviser” names on this list are the people who received the strongest recommendations. Most of the “best advisers” are at smaller, independent firms. The surveying process does not turn up as many names at large banks and brokerages. One reason is that banks and brokerages sometimes keep more work in-house—and if a financial adviser isn’t referring clients to outside professionals, that adviser might not have a network that earns peer votes.
2Northern Virginia Magazine: Top Financial Professionals
To compile the Top Financial Professionals list, Northern Virginia Magazine enlisted input from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. which grants and upholds the CFP® designation as the recognized standard of excellence in personal financial planning. Using data provided by the CFP Board, they asked CFP® certificants and other finance professionals in Northern Virginia to nominate peers.
3Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Department of Defense: Above and Beyond Award
The Above and Beyond Award is presented by ESGR State Committees to recognize employers at the local level who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits such as differential or full pay to offset lost wages, extended health benefits, and other similar benefits. The award is given in limited numbers by State Committees to employers who have had at least one of their supervisors/managers recognized with a Patriot Award, and who have signed or agree to sign an ESGR Statement of Support.