Jim Zientara is a native of Whiting, Indiana, near Chicago. He received his B.S. Degree in mathematics from Purdue University in 1966. While teaching math, he became licensed in securities and insurance in 1968. He received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in finance from Indiana University in 1970.
His investment career continued in 1970 at the Trust Department of the Continental Bank of Chicago, the 10th largest bank in the US at that time. He was an Investment Advisor for charitable and retirement plans.
In 1972 Mr. Zientara moved to Florida and joined the Palmer Bank of Sarasota. As Senior Investment Officer, he managed $100 million in trust accounts and $75 million in the bank’s own municipal and government bond portfolios. He was on the Investment Committee of the Florida Bankers’ Association and published a weekly newsletter called "The Bond Market at a Glance," that was sent to most bank trust departments in Florida.
In 1975 Mr. Zientara joined Dean Witter, now Morgan Stanley, at the Sarasota office, and moved to their Bradenton office in 1986.
In 1989, he received the title of Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) through the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania. There are about 7,000 CIMAs worldwide.
He was the senior Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley’s Bradenton office and a Retirement Planning Specialist. In 1994 he earned the title of Senior Consultant, Investment Consulting Services, of which there were only about 200 in the firm.
In 2009 Mr. Zientara joined Raymond James Financial Services and opened his first branch office on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard just south of State Road 64 in east Bradenton. In 2018, he opened his second branch office inside financial Access Federal Credit Union in Bradenton. He holds Series 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 63 and 65 registrations, as well as his life, long-term-care, and variable and fixed index annuity insurance licenses. He is a Registered Principal, a Registered Investment Advisor Representative through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., and a fiduciary.
Mr. Zientara is a member of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance. In 1990 he joined the Kiwanis Club of Bradenton, named Kiwanian of the year in 1999, and on the Board of Directors for 2000-2001. He is a United Way Volunteer and a founder in 1986 of the now 700-member Manatee Personal Computer Users Group. In 1990, he became a full member of the Bradenton Country Club.
Interests include personal computers, golf, ham radio, and is known as “Engineer” Jim at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish, FL. Licensed in 1958 as an amateur radio operator, his call sign is W4MAN. He is a life member since 2000 of the National Model Railroad Association. Married since 1966 to his wife Fran, a former high school English teacher at Riverview High School in Sarasota, they have two children. Daughter Amy, a graduate of the University of Florida and a master’s degree in education from the University of South Florida, has 2 children and lives in St Petersburg. Son Jeff, a graduate of the University of South Florida, has 3 children and lives in Bradenton.
Wealth Management article "At the Junction of Work and Play":
http://wealthmanagement.com/client-relations/junction-work-and-play
Investments & Wealth Institute™ (The Institute) is the owner of the certification marks “CIMA®” and “Certified Investment Management Analyst℠.” Use of CIMA® and/or Certified Investment Management Analyst℠ signifies that the user has successfully completed The Institute's initial and ongoing credentialing requirements for investment management professionals.
Raymond James is not affiliated with the above organizations and/or charitable causes.