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| Justin Stevens, '09 President, O’Keefe Stevens Advisory, Inc. Trustee, Nazareth College |
Stevens knew Nazareth was the “right” fit for him at this very first visit to campus. Everyone he encountered said hello or shared a smile. His relationship with the soccer coach led him to connections with the business school professors. Stevens formed quick friendships with his peers too; in addition to playing soccer, he served as Class Treasurer for one year. He took advantage of many College-sponsored volunteer opportunities which grew his desire to give back to the community and offered him chances to explore Rochester.
The initial rapport Stevens developed with his instructors led to his success at Nazareth. He took advantage of office hours to discuss the ins and outs of his program and brainstorm solutions when he needed assistance with assignments, and that resulted in positive outcomes. He specifically remembers seeking out opportunities to meet with his advisor, Roy Stein. Because Stein’s office was next to Jerry Zappia’s, the three often talked; Justin felt like he was “getting two advisors for the price of one,” which, in his opinion, was invaluable.
Stevens had the benefit of knowing that he wanted to be involved in financial advising when he started at Naz. He found mentors on campus and in the Rochester community, and while not required, he completed three internships during the course of his program because it “seemed like the right thing for me to do.” Stevens’ first internship was an informal position at a Buffalo company owned by his friend’s father, and the second position, more dynamic in scope, he worked at an office in Penfield. For his third internship, Stevens worked for Fortune 100 firm Northwestern Mutual. While at Northwestern, Stevens was licensed and that led to more advanced work responsibilities. He took advantage of additional training and traveled nationally. Working for both small and large companies allowed for professional reflection and gave him an idea of what he wanted to do next. Stevens advises that seeking out mentors and building relationships with individuals who have navigated a particular field of study make for rich, real-life learning.
Shortly before completing his degree, Stevens accepted a full-time position at Sage Rutty and Co., Inc. He advanced over a period of eight years, and at one point, he was one the youngest shareholders of company stock. For Stevens, Sage Rutty was a “terrific fit ... at that time.” He enjoyed a successful career start, and he credits both the Holley family of Sage Rutty, who extended opportunities for him to “stand on the shoulders of some people that were much taller than me when I was getting started,” and his early mentor and current business partner, Peter O’Keefe, for his accomplishments.
Having benefited from supportive mentorship experiences at Naz, Stevens recognized that his relationship with O’Keefe would further support the progression of his career, and the two entered a formal partnership in 2012. Together with their team, they broke off and formed O’Keefe Stevens Advisory, Inc., in 2017. Stevens recalled that starting the business seemed like a monumental task at first. Using the business plan model he created in his entrepreneurship class at Naz, he broke down his big “project” into “baby steps.” Today Stevens is looking ahead with the goal of growing his business into a billion dollar advisory firm. The company is growing organically, and acquiring and bringing on more people will soon be necessary. He knows that there will be more challenges along the way, and he believes those challenges are really just opportunities to continue learning.
Through all of his professional achievements, Stevens stayed closely connected to Nazareth College. He committed himself to being a donor soon after graduation, contributing what he could whenever he was asked. He participated in conversations with College leadership and the Advancement Team and showed further support by attending community events hosted by the College, speaking to students in entrepreneurship classes, and serving on advisory committees for young alumni and School of Management (now School of Business and Leadership) graduates. “Any time there was a chance to engage with the college, and it fit my schedule, I made a point to show up.”
The relationship was reciprocal, “Nazareth has always been there, and I think … Nazareth has provided me with great opportunities to get connected in the Rochester community. That’s important because I stayed here.” In January 2018, Stevens was invited to join President Daan Braveman and a member of the Advancement team for a conversation. While he assumed the topic of discussion would be the College’s appreciation for his contributions, he was taken aback when he was asked to join the Board of Trustees. Believing that the Board was composed of highly-esteemed business people in Rochester, he was unsure of how he fit in the group, not seeing himself “in the same light.” Knowing that the voices of new Rochester alumni are important to the future of the College and to provide age diversification in alignment with the College’s commitment to a culture of diversity and inclusion, Stevens embraced the offer and is fully committed to serving his alma mater.
Stevens’ leadership roles, being the president of his company and a member of Nazareth College’s Board of Trustees, are closely linked to his quality Nazareth education. His experience followed him through commencement and into his professional career. Focused now on “setting the tone and direction” for O’Keefe Stevens and giving a voice to his fellow alums while serving on the Board, Stevens continues to find ways to practice the art of learning new things and find ways to be involved, which is his advice for all Naz students along the various stages of their own journeys.
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