Fair Oaks Citizen of the Year
Apr 23, 2024 11:27AM ● By Judy Andrews
FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) - Dustin Buck is a numbers geek who knows a thing or two about money. The Fair Oaks native has dedicated most of his life to helping others learn how to value money. Buck is a certified financial planner and owner of Buck Wealth Management, a company he opened in Fair Oaks 10 years ago.
As a 20-year member of the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce, Buck’s “give-back” attitude extends outside the office to the community where he grew up.
Earlier this year, Buck was named the chamber’s 2023 Citizen of the Year for a second time. Last year, he was recognized as the 2022 Business Person of the Year, and for the sixth year in a row, Buck’s business has been voted Best Financial Planning Services in the community.
We recently met up with the busy business leader and philanthropist to find out more about him.
Early ambition
Buck said he knew that he wanted to be a financial advisor at a young age.
“I remember driving down Madison Avenue as a teenager and picturing my own wealth management firm in my head,” he said. “I knew it was just a matter of time until I created the right opportunities that led me to my lifelong goal of owning my own business.”
With a knack for numbers and some positive guidance from home, Buck put his dream to work. At 20 years old, Buck became the youngest financial advisor at Edward Jones Investments, where he then knocked on roughly 7,000 doors in the greater Fair Oaks area. In 2014, after gaining experience in the industry, he opened his own firm in Fair Oaks.
Dustin Buck sits in his office. Photo by Judy Andrews
Although he has clients throughout the country, Buck said that having an office is essential for local clients who prefer a personal connection. He makes house calls when necessary.
“I am a professional investment manager but I’m really in the customer service business and act as a fiduciary for my clients,” he shared. “Being able to see my clients face-to-face definitely helps bring the relationship to a deeper level. For me, it’s about establishing long-lasting relationships with my clients and being there for them through life’s transitions.”
Dustin Buck poses in his office. Photo by Judy Andrews
Mentoring others
Buck spends countless hours volunteering his time to help others.
As the welcoming ambassador for the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce, Buck is committed to helping new members be successful by stressing the importance of giving back to the chamber wherever possible and building solid business relationships.
“I like to tell folks that good things will happen if they trust themselves. It just takes time,” he said.
Buck volunteers to support the chamber in a variety of ways, including sponsoring community-wide events and serving multiple terms on the board of directors.
Another aspect of his mentorship role involves networking.
“I’m passionate about connecting people who have good synergies and can work together from a business standpoint,” Buck said. “I try to connect new members with power partners in the community who I think can be helpful.”
Serving the community
Financial literacy needs to begin at a young age, Buck said, and he volunteers with Junior Achievement to visit local classrooms and teach students of all ages about the value of money.
“It’s unfortunate that schools aren’t set up to teach financial literacy to children,” he said. “If children were taught about money early, both at home and in the classroom, they’d be able to make wise decisions about money and avoid many of the pitfalls that happen later on in life.”
Another one of Buck’s passions is supporting the low-vision community. About six years ago, after receiving a diagnosis of a rare inherited retinal disease, Buck embarked on a quest to assist others facing similar conditions. He immediately partnered with the Society of the Blind to help provide mentorship and free financial counseling to those with low vision in the greater Sacramento area.
“I find great personal satisfaction in using my financial expertise to assist the underserved members of the low-vision community,” Buck said.
He also gives back by teaching blind and low-vision people how to play golf. An avid golfer, he was instrumental in bringing the United States Blind Golf Association’s 76th Annual National Championships to Haggin Oaks in Sacramento in 2022. It was the first time the event was held in California in 76 years.
In addition, Buck volunteers on a strategic council with the Foundation Fighting Blindness, a national organization focused on finding treatments and cures for inherited retinal diseases. A Strategic Council founding member, Buck is one of a dozen volunteers across the country working directly with the foundation’s executive leadership to solve high-level problems, while helping the organization better serve those with low vision and inherited retinal diseases.
Family life
Buck’s wife, Christine, helps manage the company’s operations and client events. Married for 10 years, they have an 8-year-old daughter, Jocelyn. The family lives in Fair Oaks and owns three dogs: a 10-year-old rescue Great Pyrenees, a 14-year-old rescue Golden Retriever and a mini Goldendoodle puppy.
The Buck family, from left, are Christine, Jocelyn, and Dustin, with two of their three dogs, 10-year-old Eve and 14-year-old Cody. Photo courtesy of Dustin Buck
Buck said that he “feels incredibly lucky” to have been born and raised in Fair Oaks.
“I believe in giving back to the community that gave me so much as a child growing up here,” Buck said. “Fair Oaks is an amazing community and I’m always looking for ways to make a positive impact.”
