Maurice A. Lyle, CRPC® ’10, Alumnus

Parental influence led Maurice A. Lyle ’10 to choose Bloomfield College for his higher education journey, and this decision lay the groundwork for a bright future in finance, starting with earning his B.S. degree at the College.

“My mom guided me to Bloomfield, and she and my grandmother have been a guiding force throughout my life and career as well,” said Lyle. “From the beginning, the cost of college was a concern, and there were reservations about me going away to school. As a first-generation college student, I did not know enough to properly plan for college and even though I was accepted to several out of state schools, my mother was reluctant to send me off without adequate preparation. She was more comfortable with me being close as a means to help me navigate this new world. She suggested I attend Bloomfield’s Instant Decision Day that she saw advertised in the local newspaper, and with the clipping in hand, she drove me from our home in Newark, NJ to the Bloomfield campus that would soon become my second home.”

Lyle quickly immersed himself in the fabric of his new-found community. He was highly involved in student life and became known as a student leader on campus. He played a leadership role in Versatile Entertainment, a performing arts-driven student organization that led the way to him being elected and serving as the Student Government President in 2005-2006. He also became a member of the Bloomfield College Lambda Chi chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (ΦΒΣ), a historically African American fraternity founded more than 107 years ago in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Patrick Lamy, who served as Dean of Students at the time, offered deep support when Lyle’s father passed away in 2006, and is a part of his fondest memories as well as part of his present day.

“Dr. Lamy picked me up at the Student Center a few months after my father passed and took me to lunch. Looking back now I can tell he was looking out for me and reaching out to show his concern. Being young and naive at the time, I failed to realize the importance of that moment. However, that moment came full circle almost a decade later. Dr. Lamy was in my office sitting across from me, but now I was a finance manager and he was still showing his support and checking in on me long after I’d graduated the halls of Bloomfield College,” remembers Lyle. “For that, I am forever grateful. That conversation we had in 2006 opened up my thinking about the possibilities, and I am not alone in this. Many students have similar stories in regards to Dr. Lamy and others who helped us on our life journey at Bloomfield College.”

Today, Lyle serves as a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management on Park Avenue in New York City where he builds customized values based financial plans for a select group of highly successful entertainers, families, professionals and business owners. Previously, he served as a Financial Service Representative at MassMutual, and also spent 10 years as a Finance Manager at Hudson Auto Group. Lyle currently holds the Series 7 and Series 66 FINRA Registrations, the Life licenses and the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ (CRPC®) designation. Philanthropy and community are important parts of Lyle’s life which is why he volunteers with Community Options, an organization that supports individuals with intellectual disabilities, and the non-profit Powerful Progress whose mission is to build intergenerational wealth by reducing systemic inequities.

“It seems the College has always been a part of my life, and I learned early on about the importance of perseverance. Even when I needed to work full time while attending classes because I didn’t want to be a financial burden to my mother. The business courses I needed were offered at night and I was able to continue my education part time,” said Lyle. “I remember my grandmother taking me to drop off my resume at local dealerships in between classes. I interviewed for several roles and remember the process of getting my first role at a Ford-Suzuki Dealership on Route 22 in New Jersey. I didn’t get an offer on the spot, but I went back three times over a two-week period and they finally offered me a sales role, and made accommodations for me around my college schedule. My persistence made the difference.”

Persistence has been a perpetual theme for Lyle in successfully moving his goals forward. In fact, it took him submitting multiple applications at Merrill Lynch over a span of years before being hired. Each time he applied, he had further growth and experience in his resume and finally found his way into working for his current employer.

“When I was at Bloomfield, I wasn’t the best student academically, but I refused to give up,” added Lyle. “My life experience has taught me to not only work hard but to be persistent. My desire is to inspire students to work hard and tap into the amazing resource that Bloomfield College is. I’d like current students to know that there are no limits if they persist, take one step at a time, follow their dreams and never settle for less.”