YOUR IMPACT
ALAN L. TEMKIN
‘There’s a reason why you’ve got two ears. Listen.’ BY SONYA VARTABEDIAN THE CHAMBER.
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lan L. Temkin spends his days preparing for the future — his and his clients. As an entrusted senior financial planner with close to four decades of experience, he builds relationships with clients while managing their most personal details as he prepares them for life’s eventualities. It’s not a role the longtime Beverly resident takes lightly. He’s seen how the value of financial planning not only affects his clients’ lives, but, more importantly, their families. And he aims to ease some of the stress and responsibilities that can overwhelm loved ones at their most difficult times. “There are very specific things that people want to see happen with their lives, and we can make sure those things happen,” says Temkin, who operates Temkin Financial Group, based in Wakefield. “That feeling that we’ve made a difference is important to me.” Temkin’s desire to build security for families may stem from his being a devout family man himself — a husband to wife Francine; father to two grown daughters, and grandfather to three granddaughters, who are the joys of his life. He also values community — as a Chamber member, a member of the Beverly Rotary Club and a board member of Harborlight Community Partners, which helps to put roofs over the heads of some of the region’s most vulnerable so they can build their own family memories. An avid bicyclist who enjoys the warm weather and says he’s more regimented now with his health than he’s ever been in his life, Temkin turns 65 this year. He says his priorities have shifted since he entered the financial services field in 1977. But he’s still committed to making an impact in people’s lives. What advice would you give a young professional? It’s the same advice I’ve told my youngest daughter since she was a girl. I don’t care how many degrees or certificates or achievements you put on your office walls, if you can’t get along with people, you are not going to go anywhere. … Figure out how to work with people. Figure out how to get along with people. And beyond that, as you get into leadership, figure out 80
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Everybody has a motivator. Know what that is.” Alan L. Temkin what’s the motivator. Everybody has a motivator. Know what that is, and the only way you can know what that is is to sit and shut up. There’s a reason why you’ve got two ears. Listen. What skill do you consider your biggest asset? My ability to communicate is pretty good. I’d like to think my listening skills have gotten a lot better over the years, and if they haven’t, I want them to. What quality do you admire most about yourself? I look back now at my age and think of some of the things I’ve been involved with that maybe I should not have done or should have done differently. The good thing about getting some gray hairs on your head is you learn. Learning from life’s experiences and putting those lessons to use is a quality I strive for. What one thing can you not live without? On a personal level, nowadays, I would say my grandchildren (a 7-year-old and 4-year-old twin granddaughters). I’d also have difficulty living without routine. Spontaneity can be fun; I’m very open to that. But I can’t imagine waking up without any idea how I’m going to spend my day. How do you make an impact? I love contributing and donating and getting the feeling — for whatever the reason is that I’m in a position where I have the ability to do so — of helping others. I like to do that very quietly. I don’t need anybody to know about it. It makes me feel very good to know that what I’ve given is going to help somebody do something. Knowing that hopefully someone remembers when I’m gone that I made a difference for them makes me very happy. I IMPACT MAGAZINE