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BRIAN F. COOKE
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Partner, director of investments and senior institutional consultant Cooke Financial Group Wachovia Securities
Brian Cooke took a detour on the way to joining the family business. His father founded Indianapolis-based Cooke Financial Group in 1969, but when Brian started school, joining it was the furthest thing from his mind.
"I never thought I'd end up in this business, quite frankly," Cooke said. "It was never forced upon me, or even necessarily encouraged, by my dad."
After earning a business and marketing degree from Indiana University in 1989, Cooke began the sweet life-selling for national candy manufacturers Brach's and M&M/Mars. In 1992, when a promotion meant moving to Detroit, Cooke had a "heart-to-heart" talk with his dad in which his father suggested he give the financial business a try....