As a University of Mary Washington senior, Dan Clendenin ’07 accepted a position with wealth management firm Cary Street Partners, where he’d been an intern just a year earlier. Soon after earning a degree in business administration, he found himself guiding clients through the financial crisis as banks failed and the real estate market collapsed.
“It was such a stressful time, but I learned so much about the emotional intersection of personal finance and psychology,” said Dan, who’d planned to become an orthopedic surgeon. But at UMW, he discovered a different calling that also required a steady hand. “When other firms stopped picking up the phone, I was answering calls, holding hands, and offering our clients sound advice.”
Nearly two decades later, Dan still leads with that personal, hands-on approach. Now a managing director and financial advisor with Cary Street Partners’ Fredericksburg location – one of 20 offices nationwide – he oversees a team serving more than 400 families and representing over $1.5 billion in assets.
As his success grew, so did his commitment to his alma mater. The firm’s competitive internship program has welcomed numerous Mary Washington students, providing a promising professional start, just like the one he received in his own college career.
“We all want to see our students and alumni succeed,” said Dan, whose annual gifts to Mary Washington have earned him a place in the President’s Circle since graduation. He serves on the UMW Foundation Board of Trustees and the College of Business Executive Advisory Board, completed two terms on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and collects updates for Class Notes. “It’s all about paying it forward, staying connected, and paving the way for the future of the institution.”
Dan and his wife, Ginny Tapscott Clendenin ’08, M.Ed. ’09, whom he met through a fellow Mary Washington alum, live with their three children in Fredericksburg, further rooting their family in the community that shaped them.
His dedication also fuels the strong pipeline he has helped build between the University and Cary Street Partners. About 2,500 applicants vie annually for 10 internships within the entire firm, with many awarded to UMW business majors and recent graduates, several of whom have become full-time employees.
That’s what happened to Brittany McBride Doughty, CFP® ’18, who connected with Dan while earning a business administration degree and minoring in economics. “The role felt like the perfect mix of analytical work and caring for personal relationships,” said Brittany, now a vice president and financial advisor with the firm.
“My responsibility is to understand what matters most to our clients and help them navigate their financial lives,” she said. “That means talking through their goals, helping them evaluate trade-offs, and building a plan that supports them through expected milestones and unexpected moments.”
Dan’s own college experience began on the pre-med track, but a business class taught by Rob Strassheim ’96 changed his direction. He began loading up on coursework in accounting, finance, and management.
College of Business faculty recognized his drive. When local financial advisor Doug Stewart needed an intern to help with his firm’s upcoming merger with Cary Street Partners, Professor Ken Machande ’94 recommended Dan.
“I started off moving boxes and quickly fell in love with the business and my colleagues,” Dan said. He turned down offers from major accounting firms in Washington, D.C., and Richmond, instead opting to stay in Fredericksburg. “I saw the promise and opportunity of joining a growing company.”
He became the company’s youngest partner within a decade. Along the way, he helped recruit nearly half a dozen Mary Washington alumni.
Lee Murray ’04, rector of UMW’s Board of Visitors, also joined the Fredericksburg office a decade ago and leads his own wealth management team. “It’s really meaningful that we get to collaborate as colleagues and friends while advancing Mary Washington,” said Dan, who co-hosts a tailgate party with Lee and another local alum, Jamie Scully ’04, at Homecoming each year.
Dan also keeps close ties to the College of Business, recently co-teaching a personal finance course with Brittany and Savannah Green ’20, a vice president and client service and operations supervision manager at Cary Street Partners. Using their professional networks, the adjunct professors brought UMW graduates who are real-world practitioners into the classroom to mentor students, Dan said.
“Spreading financial awareness and literacy is a passion for all of us, and teaching college students from all different majors who are about to enter the workforce, and at our alma mater, was such a special experience,” Brittany said.
Grateful for the alumni who supported him, Dan is proud his own team – which also includes Ashley Carpenter ’12 and Marina Bonanno Lampiris ’14 – is paying it forward to Mary Washington and the Fredericksburg community.
“Seeing the people you supported succeed and grow,” he said, “and passing that on to the next generation is a special phase of my career.”
Learn more about career opportunities at Cary Street Partners.
Visit UMW’s Center for Career and Professional Development website to learn about career resources for Mary Washington alumni, including Network MaryWash. Register for Handshake to post open internships and positions at your organization and sign up for future Career & Internship Fairs.
-Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04
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