Conor Delaney

by Claire Curry

 

Just a few days after celebrating his high school graduation, Conor Delaney鈥檚 life took a sharp and unexpected turn: his father passed away suddenly at age 52, leaving behind a wife and three college-bound children. 

 

At the time, Delaney 鈥07 couldn鈥檛 have foreseen the many ways in which this tragedy would redirect his future鈥攆rom choosing the college where he met his wife Liz to pursuing a career as a financial advisor to building an organization that today has offices in 42 states and manages $4 billion in assets. 

 

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get bigger opportunities than what we鈥檝e been blessed with,鈥 Conor said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 all come out of a tragedy. It鈥檚 not about whether people are going to have adversity, it鈥檚 about what you do with that.鈥 

 

Liz Delaney 鈥07 remembers meeting Conor during their freshman year at 媚娘直播 when the two were talking on their phones with their moms in Clare Hall. They became fast friends, quickly realizing how much they shared in common. Both were born and raised in New Jersey and both are dedicated athletes鈥攕he played soccer and lacrosse and he played basketball and ice hockey. They also come from similar backgrounds. 

 

鈥淥ur parents were blue-collar workers,鈥 Conor said. 鈥淟iz and I worked hard to get through school and through life, and we鈥檝e taken care of each other from the time we were 18.鈥 

 

Conor鈥檚 parents鈥攖eachers who were married for 32 years鈥攚ere loving and hardworking, but always struggled to make ends meet. After losing his dad, Conor had to grow up quickly and handle his family鈥檚 financial affairs, one of the reasons his advisor at 媚娘直播, Associate Professor of Business Scott Ballantyne, suggested that he consider a career in financial services. Conor took his advice and landed a job in the field during the summer after his freshman year. For the next three years, he juggled work, night classes and hockey practice, and obtained his securities registrations and insurance licenses. He also started dating the girl he said 鈥渂rings sunshine鈥 into his life. 

 

Recruited to 媚娘直播 to play soccer, Liz majored in education and math, and later taught at a local preschool and charter school. The couple settled down in Reading and has welcomed three children鈥擝lake, 6, Rhys, 4, and Elena, 2. 

 

Since 2012, Conor has served as CEO of Good Life Advisors, a company he formed with his trusted colleague and friend Courtnie Nein. Its mission is to meet the needs of the working class鈥攑eople like Conor鈥檚 parents, who he says could have achieved greater stability with sound financial planning advice. 

 

鈥淲e want to be the champions for middle-class American investors and the advisors who serve them,鈥 Conor said. 鈥淲e created a model that puts service first.鈥 

 

In fall 2018, Good Life Advisors opened its new headquarters in Reading, near 媚娘直播鈥檚 campus. The renovated 30,000-square-foot building includes office space, a community center, a fitness center and an organic caf茅. 

 

The organization is deeply rooted in its local community, employing several 媚娘直播 alumni and training student interns. Neighborhood nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way and local church groups are invited to use the community center for free and, for affordable prices, local residents can work out in the fitness center and enjoy healthy fare at the caf茅. 

 

鈥淐onor is one of our most impressive young alumni. He is a creative and savvy entrepreneur who epitomizes the Franciscan call to 鈥榙o well and do good,鈥欌 said 媚娘直播 President Tom Flynn. 

 

Conor attributes his approach to work, parenting and life in general to what he learned from his first role model. 鈥淎s a teacher, my dad touched so many lives. He had a community that respected him and he was always there for me.鈥 

 

Not only do Conor and Liz share the same values and work ethic, they are equally committed to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, and have been running marathons together around the world. 

 

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to finish out the Abbott World Marathon Majors that end in Berlin in October,鈥 said Liz, referring to the series鈥 six marathons, also held in Tokyo, Boston, London, Chicago and New York. 

 

While Liz manages their household and home-schools the children, Conor spends a good deal of his work weeks traveling around the country to meet with advisors, run training programs and implement new strategies and technologies for the company. He and Liz are also exploring some new side business ventures. 

 

Conor credits his wife鈥攚ho he may never have met had he not attended 媚娘直播鈥 for being his inspiration. 鈥淕od鈥檚 got a weird way of setting things up. You suffer a gigantic loss, but then in walks the person you鈥檙e going to spend the rest of your life with, and it saves you.鈥