About Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly is the founder and portfolio manager of Kelly Investment Management and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional.
A Career Built in the Markets
Before becoming a financial advisor, Tom built his financial career in a fast-paced, high-stakes trading environment.
After earning his Master’s degree in Finance, Tom joined one of the nation’s largest retail brokerage firms, where he served clients ranked among the firm’s top 1% by assets. He executed stock and options transactions throughout the trading day, with many orders involving multi-million-dollar positions and some reaching tens of millions of dollars.
The work demanded speed, accuracy, sound judgment, and close attention to risk. Markets moved quickly, clients had substantial capital at stake, and even small mistakes could have significant consequences.
That experience gave Tom a foundation that differs from that of many traditional financial advisors. He began his financial career directly in the markets, developing hands-on experience with stocks, options, order execution, margin, cash management, market mechanics, and portfolio risk.
From Markets to Financial Advice
Tom later expanded his work beyond trading into financial advice and comprehensive planning.
He saw that investment decisions rarely exist in isolation. Portfolio strategy is connected to retirement, taxes, debt, cash flow, major purchases, and the broader decisions people make throughout their financial lives.
That perspective ultimately led him to establish Kelly Investment Management, where he combines investment management with financial planning and direct client advice.
A Problem-Solving Background
Tom’s path into finance was not conventional.
He supported himself through college and graduate school working as an auto mechanic and eventually operated an automotive repair business. The experience reinforced an approach he still uses today: understand the problem, examine the available information, determine what is actually causing it, and develop a practical solution.
That analytical mindset carries into both portfolio management and financial planning.
Kelly Investment Management Today
As founder and portfolio manager of Kelly Investment Management, Tom works directly with clients on investment management, retirement planning, financial planning, student loan strategy, and other important financial decisions.
The firm is built around independent advice, direct access to the person managing the relationship, and recommendations based on each client’s circumstances rather than a standardized financial product.
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®
Master’s Degree in Finance
Independent Investment Advisor
Founder & Portfolio Manager, Kelly Investment Management, LLC