Courtesy of Tom Hulick

Tulane alumni, Tom Hulick has emulated this core value throughout his career as an investment advisor.

One of Tulane University’s core values is opening up new opportunities through innovation and ambition. Tulane alumni, Tom Hulick has emulated this core value throughout his career as an investment advisor. 

Originally from Los Angeles, Hulick came to Tulane hoping to attend medical school upon graduation. However, after a semester of a particularly rough biology class, Hulick decided to major in political science. 

“I went down the poli-sci route and life has its turns and there’s a plan for everybody,” Hulick said.

Hulick was also a member of Sigma Chi fraternity on campus in which he met lifelong friends that he still communicates with today. 

Upon graduation, Hulick wanted to pursue banking and finance like his father who was then an executive at Dean Witter Reynolds, a Morgan Stanley branch. He got his first jobs in finance working at banks such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America. While working during the day, Hulick attended night classes in pursuit of his MBA at the University of Southern California. 

In October 2011 Hulick was let go from his job just days before the alumni weekend at Tulane. 

“It was an ego blow and a financial blow,” Hulick said. 

Then, Hulick saw this crisis as an opportunity to start his own company. He quickly drew up a business plan and flew down to New Orleans for alumni weekend to show his friends what he had come up with.

“I needed the pat on the back and needed the support, you can do this. And I took a risk,” Hulick said.

From there, he received support from some of his former clients and grew his business. Now, Hulick is CEO of Strategy Asset Managers, a SEC-registered firm that has over $750 million in assets and has received very high investment management rankings.

“There’s always tomorrow and you just need to get up and do the right thing and the Tulane network helped me with that,” Hulick said. 

To Tulane students, Hulick advised taking the first step in creating a network. 

“Try to be first, first to say hello, first to offer help,” Hulick said. “Try to be first at making the call to reach out to Tulane alumni and talk to them. So being first is helpful to propel you into a situation of opening up communication.” 

Hulick said the empathy and kindness that surrounds the Tulane community is what helped Tulane get to where it is today. 

“That’s what got Tulane into such a strong position when Hurricane Katrina happened. The empathy and the kindness that [Tulane] reached out to the community to help out first, not when asked.”