Forty Under 40: Joseph R. Boskus, 39

Joseph Boskus started out in the health care field, but as he realized he had a knack for growing his personal balance sheet, he wanted to do the same for others.

The Chicago native first came to the region in 1990 to run cross country at Arkansas. He earned a degree in respiratory therapy in 1994 and moved to Ohio, but in 1999 he got a second bachelor’s degree, in economics, and came back to Northwest Arkansas with his wife to raise a family.

Starting at Morgan Stanley, Boskus joined Merrill Lynch in 2006. He now manages about 20 financial advisors in the region and a support staff of eight.

Boskus is the first, and so far the only, Certified Private Wealth Advisor in Arkansas. He’s built an impressive client roster, but he’s also proud of helping establish, along with his wife and another couple, the Arkansas Music Pavilion in Fayetteville in 2004.

“My wife and I wanted to be part of something bigger, and the area lacked in outdoor entertainment venues,” he said.

“I realized the financial risks were really high, but we wanted to take the leap because it took someone to build the brand. We sold the AMP in 2008, and it recently sold to the Walton Arts Center.

“The one thing that hasn’t changed is the name, the AMP. It’s still a well-known brand in Northwest Arkansas.”