Navigating the world of finances is strategic. Once a person has weeded through all the acronyms and confusion, it takes a well-thought-out plan, the self-discipline to execute it and the fortitude to see it through.
Well-versed at navigating those challenges – and navigating in general – is Patrick Huey, a former naval flight officer-turned-financial planner now living in Camas. Huey is the owner and principal advisor of Victory Independent Planning (VIP), and he draws directly from his decade of naval experience to offer a unique perspective to his clients.
“As flight officers, we had a mantra: ‘Plan the flight, fly the flight, debrief the flight,’” he said. “Just because you have something on paper, doesn’t mean it’s over. You have to do the work on the paper to be successful.”
After leaving the Navy, Huey began his financial career at UBS Financial Services in San Francisco. A transfer by another company brought him and his wife, Dixie, to Clark County in 2008, where he eventually took a position running the investment department of a local credit union.
Looking back, Huey said it was the time spent working for a handful of reputable financial organizations that allowed him to hone in on the roadmap he sees as the most effective and comprehensive strategy for individuals and institutions seeking financial integrity.
Huey’s professional education includes a master’s degree in business administration from Arizona State University, certification as a financial planner and status as a chartered advisor in philanthropy.
Although his background is impressive, Huey believes it’s his character that makes him approachable.
“I came out (of the Navy) with an interest in investing because, basically, I made all the mistakes possible as an individual,” he recalled. “I wanted to refine how I did it and, along the way, I found that I had an affinity for finances and enjoyed it.”
With his wife at the helm of operations, marketing and administration, Huey is free to concentrate on his customer base.
According to Huey, the skill set of a flight officer is directly applicable to the financial realm. For example, he said, a check list – crucial when operating the advanced electronic systems and weaponry aboard the F-14B Tomcat he used to fly— is an essential financial planning tool. As is developing a logical thought process in the midst of a volatile situation (i.e. the stock market); being able to figuratively see the bigger picture, as a pilot with a 30,000-foot macro perspective would; and analyzing and deciphering day-to-day market corrections to identify relevance over the long haul.
Along with financial planning and investment services, Victory Independent Planning has an ancillary philanthropic focus. Since moving to the Northwest, Huey has developed a personal interest in organizations that are devoted to human welfare, and he serves as treasurer on the board of Portland’s Sunshine Division (a nonprofit that offers food and clothing assistance to those in need). With his clients, he takes a more results-oriented look at giving, to best maximize contributions for the cause, or causes, they feel most drawn to.
An undergraduate in history led Huey to author the blog “History Lessons.” In his writings, he helps prospective clients understand his financial approach through entertaining yet relevant historical moments. Recently, he has drawn from the Buffalo Bills, Andrew Jackson and Lewis and Clark.
The word ‘victory’ is two-fold for Huey. It harkens back to the radio call sign of Fighter Squadron 103 – the unit he flew with – and sets the tone for his business.
“Our mission is to take the challenges that people are going to come across in their financial life, accept them and get past them so that they can enjoy life,” he said. “Whatever victory means to them, we want to be the folks right next to them providing the groundwork to make it happen.”
Victory Independent Planning
P.O. Box 532, Camas www.victoryindependentplanning.com
