Alumni Focus: Ralph Mitchell

As CEO of Carthage Financial Group, a Boston-based independent fee-based registered investment advisor (RIA) firm, Ralph Mitchell devotes much of his energy to the education of his clients about two activities – financial literacy and financial services.  Mitchell describes financial literacy as the sense that proven financial strategies are indeed relevant to individuals, families and businesses, while financial services are defined as the implementation of these strategies through the use of insurance, annuities, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, commercial real estate and foreign securities.  His own sense about these financial topics was first established from 1973 through 1977, during which time he earned an undergraduate degree from the Turner College of Business.  Mitchell’s dedication and discipline to engaging in these two activities over more than 30 years with Carthage Financial Group was likely honed during his 30 years of service, beginning in 1977 and ending in 2007 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves.  In his capacity as an officer, Mitchell served in a variety of management roles with the most senior entailing the direct responsibility over an organization with more than 600 personnel and a budget of $7.8 million.  Of course, his own education remains an important feature of his professional life.  Mitchell demonstrated that by earning an MBA from the Sawyer Business School at Suffolk University in 1991, while his most recent educational milestone is receipt of an M.S. in National Security & Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2002.