40 Under 40 The Class of 2013

Danny Kates

Partner, Wealth New England, Age 29

Kates-DanielDanny Kates takes great pride in his work and the strong relationships he forges with people.

“I enjoy interacting with the community and giving back, and I feel pressure is a privilege,” he said, explaining that, although he often works an 11-hour day, if there are still 70 e-mails waiting to be answered, he reminds himself that they represent 70 people who need his help.

“I always strive to be the person my clients need me to be, and it has really come back to me,” he said, adding that most of his clients are referrals. “They tell me that the work we have done together makes them feel like they have more confidence, clarity, and control over their assets — and that ultimately helps them sleep better, dream bigger, and accomplish more personally, professionally, and financially”.

Kates is a partner at Wealth New England, a non-proprietary insurance and financial-services group. His clients include Fortune 500 companies, prominent business leaders, and more than 200 families. “I work with a great team of people, and put them and my family before myself. It’s the right pattern for living my life.”

As a newlywed, devotion to his wife, Erin, and his closely knit family is foremost in his life, but Kates is also passionate about giving his time to causes he believes in. He has served on the board of directors for eight organizations locally, including the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Center, and dual terms as the executive chair of Northampton Area Young Professionals.

Kates is also passionate about planting seeds of financial hope at the microeconomic level, granting microloans to underprivileged and deserving business people in Africa and South America, including a young man in Peru who has repaired a greenhouse that now feeds his entire community. “I can go to sleep at night knowing I’m part of something larger than myself,” he said. “Someone in this world can now feed his village because of something I contributed to. How cool is that?”

When he is not working or volunteering his time, Kates enjoys spending time with his family, dogs, waterskiing, sailing, and anything related to boats or classic cars.

— Kathleen Mitchell