Alex Knight ’07 has nearly 20 years of asset management experience under his belt, but he still looks back on the senior Policy class at Roanoke – in which he and other students had to conceptually launch a hypothetical business – as one of the most formative experiences of his life.
The past five years in particular have brought back Policy memories for Knight, as he and two partners drew up a plan and launched their own business, AssetAlign. Like a matchmaking service for financial advisors and prospective clients, the online tool connects users in any wealth bracket with a financial advisor who meets their unique investment needs.
“Over time, by working with an advisor, your total return on your portfolio is going to be close to three times what it would be for a do-it-yourself investor,” he said. “That’s a massive benefit that people are not unlocking because they don’t think they have enough money or time, or they don’t know who to trust. So we’re essentially saying, let us streamline this process for you.”
AssetAlign now has close to 200 approved financial advisors from around the U.S. on the platform, many of whom work remotely. These advisors pay a fee to be included in the database and matched with potential clients. Clients, in turn, may visit the AssetAlign website and complete a brief questionnaire to be matched with an advisor. The questionnaire, which was created by a researcher in MIT’s Laboratory of Financial Engineering, includes not only questions about income and desired outcomes, but also investment style and comfort level with risk-taking.
Knight said about 50% of his time is spent doing research and due diligence on financial advisors for the platform. AssetAlign also works with businesses to offer its service as a free resource for their employees, including perks such as tax and will preparation.
“Whether it’s a $5 million account or a $5,000 account, the folks that work with us are now getting access to premier financial advisors,” he said.
Knight earned a degree in business administration at Roanoke, where he was a member of the soccer team and Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He has worked as a charitable planning consultant for Fidelity, vice president of model delivery for Natixis Investment Managers, and director of WisdomTree Asset Management. He and his wife, Molly Brennan Knight ’07, live in Boston with their three children.
“The Policy class was an influential moment because it not only helped me understand what it meant and all the intricacies you have to understand to start a business, but it also sparked a curiosity in me,” he said. “It’s about all these different levers that you can pull as an entrepreneur.”
Ashley Roop ’23 is teaching ESL in sixth through eighth grades at William Byrd Middle School in Roanoke County, Va. Roop earned degrees in education studies, Spanish education and art education at Roanoke.
Caitlin Mitchell ’13 was recently recognized with the top prize for civilian attorneys who work in the Army. The Civilian Service Achievement Medal was presented by Brigadier General George Smawley for “providing outstanding legal support to over 215 soldiers undergoing the Disability Evaluation System” in 2023.
Mitchell also received a 2024 ICE (Interactive Customer Evaluation) Award, which recognizes the top three attorneys who receive the most positive feedback from clients.
Mitchell is stationed at Fort Liberty in North Carolina with her wife and their son.
“Although the Civilian Service Achievement Medal is supposed to be a higher recognition, I was more honored to receive the ICE Award, as it demonstrates that I am truly making a difference for so many soldiers and their families,” Mitchell said.
Shirley Smith ’78 had a small-world experience this summer when she ran into Betsy Garrison Krut ’72 and her daughter Zoe Krut ’20 in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. The women didn’t know each other before the encounter, but it was Smith’s license plate – “NOKE-LAX” – that caught the Kruts’ eyes. Smith, who is from Pennsylvania, and the Kruts, who hail from California, were both vacationing in Long Beach Island and were staying in houses next door to each other when they struck up a conversation.
“Interesting enough, Betsy was also a Phi Mu like me,” Smith wrote. “Her daughter Zoe was a Delta Gamma. We had such fun chatting and sharing stories, and we promised to get together again on Alumni Weekend.”
Betsy and Zoe Krut (left) with Shirley Smith.
We love hearing about these Maroon encounters. If you run into a fellow Roanoke College grad during your travels, snap a picture together and let us know!
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