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Roland D. Kelly is
the recipient of
this year’s
Distinguished
Alumnus Award from
the College of
Business and
Economics. A true
native, Roland was
born in downtown Los
Angeles and grew up
just two miles from
Cal State L.A. With
the early deaths of
his parents, 11-year
old Kelly started
working to pay
room-and-board.
After
Roland graduated
from Garfield High
School, he worked as
an iceman and gas
station attendant.
Roland decided to
better his life
through higher
education and began
attending classes at
East Los Angeles
Junior College. He
later transferred to
Cal State L.A. and
graduated in 1956.
In
the seven years to
graduating from Cal
State L.A., Roland
worked full-time,
was active in the
Naval Air Reserve,
met his wife Xochie
Alaniz, and had his
first two children
Eileen and Marc.
After
college, Roland
became a stockbroker
in Whittier. Though
a top producer, he
felt the work was
not a fit for him.
He gave his long
list of clients over
to other brokers and
joined the firm’s
Investment Advisory
Department, which
was based in
downtown Los
Angeles.
Over
the course of
twenty-five years,
Roland served as
president and
vice-president for
several national
investment
management firms.
Around that time, he
also earned his
California Teaching
Credential, and
began teaching
investments in local
high schools, and at
Saddleback College.
Life
was good as Roland’s
family grew with the
birth of his two
youngest children
Stace and Ryan. A
major headwind hit
the family when
Xochie became ill
and passed away five
years later. As a
single father in
need of additional
support, Roland
began managing
branch offices for
investment firms.
In
1987, Kelly founded
Spectrum Asset
Management, which
now controls $300
million in managed
assets. Spectrum’s
clients are
individuals and
trusts with liquid
assets of $1 million
to $20 million. As
a Chartered
Investment Counselor
with 55 years of
investment
experience, Roland
continues to
practice full-time
in the profession.
In
1992, Roland married
Kay Mortenson. At
the age of 79, he
went back to college
to fulfill a
life-long dream of
earning an MBA from
Pepperdine
University. His
Capstone covered
Spectrum, which
confirmed his
conviction that
Spectrum is an
outstanding firm.
In his free time,
Roland embraces his
passion for
handball, skiing and
yoga.
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