Jerel Yates transitioned from the Army in 1998 at the rank of corporal. He says enlisting was one of the best decisions he ever made because it taught him humility, discipline, and how to give orders and take orders. He thanks the Army for the global perspective it provided. “Growing up in ...more

Jerel Yates transitioned from the Army in 1998 at the rank of corporal. He says enlisting was one of the best decisions he ever made because it taught him humility, discipline, and how to give orders and take orders. He thanks the Army for the global perspective it provided. “Growing up in North Philadelphia, you start to believe that is what the whole world is like,” he says. After earning a degree in accounting, he had a few good years of industry experience. After the 2008 financial crisis, “everything changed” he says. He made a few bad financial decisions and left the profession for a job in sales. Eventually, he took a teller position at Citizen’s Bank and has since worked his way up to a licensed banker position. In this role, Jerel can provide financial guidance to a population that could really benefit from the help. He has learned from his own mistakes and wants to prevent his clients from making the same ones. Jerel completed the Chartered Financial Consultant^® (ChFC^®) program and became a Certified Financial Planner^® (CFP^®), realizing a longtime goal.less