R. J. Kelly

Founder & Chief Visionary Officer

R. J. Kelly is Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Wealth Legacy Group®, Inc. in San Diego, California, a company specializing in the diverse needs of closely-held business and professional families. Creator of the Critical Actions Roadmap™, R. J. and the WLG “tribe” develop comprehensive plans that maximize investment and asset growth, mitigate risk, create clarity in family legacy & issues of philanthropy, and facilitate business succession and exit strategies. He also Co-Founded and was Program Manager for twelve years of the non-profit, The Center for Wealth & Legacy™, an organization which presented over fifty community events, including the annual “Lasting Legacy & Inspiration Awards™” and the tri-annual “Leadership Insights Forum™”.

R. J. has been in the financial services industry since 1977. He is a Chartered Life Underwriter®, Chartered Financial Consultant®, Retirement Income Certified Professional®, a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®, has a master’s in Financial Services with an emphasis in taxation, and is an Investment Advisor Representative of Wealth Legacy Group®, Inc., an independent Registered Investment Advisor. Additionally, he has earned the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) designation recognizing a graduate level specialization in estate planning, and the Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation, an executive MBA-style program that trains and certifies qualified professional advisors in the field of exit planning for business owners. R. J.’s latest education is the Wealth Management Certified Professional designation, which provides training in the intersection of retirement planning and wealth management skills to address the complex needs of financially successful clients.

He is nationally recognized for his technical skills in:

  • tax
  • estate planning
  • business succession
  • national and international risk management
  • wealth/asset appreciation
  • executive benefits
  • charitable strategies

As well, R. J. has been regularly called upon as an expert witness in various litigation matters. Further, as a Life Coach™ and accredited Interplay™ facilitator, he is skilled in handling delicate interpersonal matters and facilitating family communication.

R. J. is a frequent speaker and author. Various publications such as the San Diego Union Tribune, LA Times, Yahoo Finance, Round the Table Magazine, San Diego Magazine, San Diego County Physician’s Magazine, Life/Health Pro, Insurance Forum, have run feature articles on R. J. or published articles by him, to name just a few.

Speaking audiences have included the: Vistage International Conference and various Vistage CE groups; the Strazzeri/Mancini Gathering; Advisors in Philanthropy National Conference; Nothing Bundt Cakes National Conference; The Dwyer Group Annual Conference; Main Platform – Million Dollar Round Table Annual Meeting; numerous NAIFA (National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors) State conferences; and many more. He was featured on the PBS series “The Financial Advisors”, for three years was co-host of the San Diego radio program, “The Wealth Building Hour” and was a guest speaker on the American College’s Wealth Channel program.

R. J.’s interests include a commitment to being a wise and fun husband, dad, grandfather, performing periodically in a contemporary Christian band, and being active in community, church and international volunteer work. He has traveled to Guatemala, Mexico, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Russia on various volunteer and humanitarian projects. He has raised over $30,000 to help Cambodian landmine victims and the Cambodian Children’s Fund. An eight-time marathoner, R. J. has raised thousands of dollars for Leukemia-Lymphoma research through his running. His life goals include facilitating $1 billion for charity (crossing the $100M mark in August 2012 and well underway to reaching the second $100 million), volunteering internationally 2-4 weeks/year, and travels to Bhutan, Iguaçu Falls, Machu Picchu, Tibet, India and the Amazon among many other places!

Most memorable life events thus far include a tail-hook landing and catapult take-off from the aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, trekking in Nepal to an altitude of over 18,000 feet, performing solo to an audience of 7,500+, speaking for an audience of 13,000+, the individuals met through and running of various marathons, the lasting impact of a wise, loving and godly mother, and being married to my extraordinary wife, Vymean, a survivor of the killing fields of Cambodia, and one equally committed to making the world a better place.