BIO
DAVID A.WOOD
David A.Wood is a writer, teacher and adviser on the subject of faith-based financial literacy. He is also a retired banking executive of 30 years with a leading financial institution.
GENERAL INFORMATION
My mission is to help you discover freedom, stability, and peace in your personal finances through the word of God. I am passionate about financial literacy and believe the road to financial health must come from combining biblical principles of money with practical financial tools.
I began my career over 36 years ago, receiving training on Wall Street and rose through the ranks of banking and commercial real estate finance. Along the way, I also started and ran a small business and endured my own journey from financial ruin to financial restoration and health.
Through bible study and a complete renewal and commitment to practice new behaviors spiritually, professionally and financially, I have dedicated my life to helping men and women critically think, effectively dialogue, and engage in strategies that will help them avoid bad decision making in their finances that derail and distract from achieving their God given destiny.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In my past banking career, I was an Executive Director and Senior Client Executive with JP Morgan Chase in the Real Estate Banking Group. In that roll, I cultivated and oversaw relationships with top tier institutional and private real estate developers/investors in which I helped provide comprehensive solutions for their debt, capital markets and commercial banking needs. Over my 30 year tenure with the firm, I also served in a variety of senior positions within Real Estate Banking including participation on leadership teams that started loan production offices, serving as lead manager of California and West Coast production teams, and as a principal in creating and leading a nationwide support function as the National Head of Underwriting for Real Estate Banking.
Early in my commercial real estate career, I also served as Director of Finance for a major national shopping center development company as Director of Finance where he was responsible for raising debt and equity capital to finance shopping center properties. Along the way, I took a break from banking and real estate finance to pursue my passion for food by attending culinary arts school for two years and then creating and running a small business. In my various roles professional and personally, I have also mentored many young men and women to help them move forward, as well as navigate the challenges and issues that come with success, promotion and advancement.
Outside of business, I have been a leader and organizer of capital campaign programs, a small groups leader and an active dedicated contributor to homeless ministries, all within his church, the West Angeles Church of God in Christ Pastored by Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. West Angeles is the leading church within its 6 million member denomination and one of the largest churches in the West.
I have a personal testimony of triumph over mistakes and failures experienced managing my own financial affairs. I came to understand the subject of money and the bible by combining years of knowledge and experience in banking with lessons learned during a time when I abused, wasted and mismanaged money. God gave me a second chance, which I matched with a promise and commitment to start over by applying biblical principles and perspectives to the 7 ways we use and think about money.