Kevin Callagy

Originally from Bethesda Maryland. I graduated from Walter Johnson HS and then University of Maryland (1987) with a degree in in Geography (Cartography - Map making).

My first job out of college was on a government research ship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin NOAA (www.noaa.gov/charting)  After graduating from the NOAA officer training school and becoming an Ensign in the NOAA Corps, I received my first assignment in the Gulf of Mexico charting the ocean floor. The ship used side scan sonar to collect the depths and send the data back to the home office in Rockville Maryland to make nautical charts. My ship, the NOAA ship MT Mitchell, pulled into Tampa Bay in 1989 and I fell in love with the Tampa - St. Pete area. As it turns out, a career at sea was not in the cards. Little did I know I would go from charting the Gulf of Mexico to charting the financial markets. 

My initial exposure to the financial markets came in the mid 90’s when I receive a small inheritance. On the advice of a friend, I started trading tech stocks. At the time, there was a stock market bubble brewing. From 1997 to 1999 it seemed like any tech stock I bought went up in value. I thought it was easy and discovered a love for trading stocks. But there is an old saying...a rising tide lifts all boats. My account tripled in less than a year, I thought I was a genius. Turns out not. 

After the tech bubble bust of 2001, and after giving back all my gains, I then realized I needed learn more about the capital markets and go to business school. It was during my graduate program (MBA/Finance Keller Graduate School of Mgmt. 2003) that I was exposed to various career paths within the Wealth Management industry. I considered a career in Financial Planning, and Financial Analysis. And later trend analysis or Technical Analysis. 

Callagy Wealth and Planning is a small boutique firm. I run my firm as a solo practitioner. I’ve been a Financial Advisor for 24 years and through three large market corrections. The tech bubble of 2000-2001. The great recession 2008-2009. The covid crash of 2020.

I chose LPL Financial as my partner for both my Broker Dealer (B/D) and my Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Currently, LPL is the largest Broker Dealer in the US with close to 20,000 advisors, as reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2022, based on total revenue.

I've done enormous amounts of due diligence on other B/Ds and RIA's and LPL is the best fit for me and my practice.