River Forest resident Larry Macy, 60, was recently named to Forbes’ annual list of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors. Macy, a wealth management advisor and senior portfolio manager, is a founding senior partner of The M&M Group with Merrill Lynch in Chicago, where he’s worked since 1987. He served for 10 years on the board of directors and executive committee of The Cradle, a human services and adoption agency. On March 18, he answered a few questions for the Forest Leaves.
Q: How does it feel to be named to this list?
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A: I’ve dedicated my life to helping clients and helping people plan ahead, whether it’s for their child’s college education or their retirement, so it’s a real honor to get the recognition from Forbes. I was really thrilled to be a part of that group and on that list.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?
A: [Helping people] is part of what we do here: helping people prevent the big mistake — an investment mistake, or a planning mistake. … I enjoy what I do, I love talking to a new client. Finding a new area of investment is probably the biggest source of dopamine. I love hearing comments from clients.
Q: What do you most often help clients with?
A: Probably the main thing is a healthy and happy retirement. You not only need to think about whether you have enough income, but also what you’re going to do in retirement. You’re planning the financial part … but you also need to think about how you’re going to spend the extra time.
Q: Hidden gem of Oak Park or River Forest?
A: I do like The Little Gem Café, it is a gem. I love the food. Also, Sen Sushi is probably my favorite sushi place. … I love that I can take either the Green Line or Blue Line into the same part of the city.
Q: Fun fact?
A: I want to take my wife and daughter to every continent. Well, maybe not Antarctica. We’ve been to Europe, Asia and Africa. I think South America is next. … I think it just gives you perspective, to see how other people live. I was bitten by the travel bug when I was 21, backpacking across Europe for five weeks.