Five Questions With Thomas Walsh

Thomas Walsh, CFP®, is extensively involved in Palisades Hudson’s asset management, personal financial planning and tax practices, and has been a client service manager since 2015. He is a member of the firm’s investment committee and its Entertainment and Sports team. A Florida native and a graduate of the University of Florida, Thomas began his career in Palisades Hudson’s Atlanta office in 2011. He currently resides in Palm Coast, Florida with his wife and two children.

1. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I have always had a passion for music and wanted to be a musician or help create music in some way. I grew up listening to my mom play the piano and took lessons while I was young. I then played the trumpet in a variety of roles and competitions throughout elementary and middle school, until sports took over in high school. I still have a collection of different instruments including a violin, a saxophone and a production piano that I enjoy playing and hope to one day become more accomplished with.

Finn; photo courtesy Thomas Walsh

2. If you have a pet, what kind? What is their name and how long have you had them?

Our dog Finn is a special part of our family. Finn is a six-year-old golden retriever mix that we rescued as a puppy. Weighing in at only 32 pounds, he is mixed with Chihuahua, among a variety of other breeds. Finn was diagnosed with lymphoma earlier this year and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. As of his most recent visit with the veterinary oncologist, he is now in remission.

3. What’s one place in your city you’d suggest to an out-of-town visitor?

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park and The Rocks. Both attractions sit adjacent to each other, very close to my home. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park has beautiful trails and some of the largest oak trees in Florida. It is a popular location among photographers and offers a unique history of this area. Across the street is a section of beach that is covered in large coquina rocks. My family frequents this part of the beach to climb on the rocks and explore tide pools. You can always find people searching for shells along the shore, and we often see sea turtles in the surf.

photo courtesy Thomas Walsh

4. What’s a typical weekend day look like for you?

Most weekends begin with a Friday movie and pizza night with the kids. Our Saturdays and Sundays often start off with grilling bacon and eggs. My wife and I are working on teaching our son to swim, so we spend a lot of time in our pool. Many afternoons we will take a short golf cart ride to the beach before cooking dinner together. I usually wind down in the evenings by fishing off of our dock (aka my "happy place") for speckled trout, flounder and mangrove snapper.

5. What’s a piece of advice you’ve received that mattered to you?

I was always very close with my grandfather. As I was growing up in my large Italian family, he was the glue that held everyone together. While he provided countless life lessons, one of the most impactful was the way he instilled in me the power of a sharp mind. He would often tap on my head as a reminder that my mind was the key to my success. Whether it was related to school, work or personal goals, that simple gesture reinforced that I had everything I needed to achieve what I wanted in life.