I write for people who want to do their own stock investing, but who are overloaded with other commitments, or don't know how to get started. My books are step-by-step guides that present a straightforward system for picking, valuing, and managing stocks. (See MIssion Statement for this site.)
I am a former business executive, legal analyst, and rocket scientist (literally). I have spent years developing successful stock investment principles and practices for the individual investor. I retired early, in 2001, to research and write my first book, SENSIBLE STOCK INVESTING: How to Pick, Value, and Manage Stocks. It was republished in March, 2008 as an iUniverse Star edition. (Click on the cover image to the right for a complete description of this book.)
My mission from the beginning has been to help self-directed individual investors profit from the stock market. I believe that my extensive experience working for publicly held companies combined with my analytical abilities give me a unique perspective on investing.
I am firmly convinced that famed investor Peter Lynch was correct when he said that “the amateur investor has numerous built-in advantages that, if exploited, should result in his or her outperforming the experts, and also the market in general.” All individual investors should take heart from Lynch's sentiments.
My books and articles are not meant to dazzle. They are meant to inform, educate, and guide. The comments from readers on Amazon.com—where SENSIBLE STOCK INVESTING has a perfect 5-star rating—suggest that my goal has been achieved.
In May, 2008, I released my second book, THE TOP 40 DIVIDEND STOCKS FOR 2008: How (and Why) to Build a Cash Machine of Dividend Stocks.
Education
I hold an undergraduate degree in physics from Holy Cross College and earned my JD from Georgetown University Law Center in 1974. I received formal business training in the MBA program at Rochester Institute of Technology and also in the executive development program at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, one of the world’s leading graduate business schools.
Career and Experience
My "first career," prior to law school, utilized my physics degree as a rocket scientist and systems engineer.
My "second career," following law school, included positions as a legal analyst, author, and editor; editor-in-chief; general manager with profit-and- loss responsibilities; and business development and strategy planner. My employer—a global information and publishing company—supplied "must- have" information to lawyers, accountants, scientists, and the investment community.
While these two careers were not directly in finance, I think that they contributed greatly to the successful methodologies that I have developed. I know how to think critically and analytically, understand how public companies strategize, decide what projects or acquisitions to pursue, deal with financial issues, and compete. I understand what separates great companies from mediocre ones.
As a published analyst and author, I have extensive experience in taking complex subjects, often involving contradictory points of view, and blending them into a reasonable and readable presentation.
More important than my educational background or career experience is the fact that I am a successful individual investor. I developed the principles, step-by-step approaches, and investment tools through years of research and practical experience. They work.
Contact Me
I can be reached at this email address: dave.vanknapp@SensibleStocks.com