Claudia Glover has officially stepped into the role of chief investment officer at BFG Financial Advisors, marking an exciting new chapter for both her and the firm. With a career spanning institutional portfolio management, advisory leadership, and years of experience guiding BFG’s investment strategy, Claudia brings a thoughtful, disciplined, and people-first perspective to the C-suite.

In this Q&A, she shares what the CIO role means to her, how her journey led her to this role, and how she plans to keep BFG’s investment philosophy strong as the firm continues to grow.

How do you feel about taking on the CIO role at BFG?

I’m excited and humbled. I truly believe in what we do, and from the day I joined BFG, I knew this place was special. Being able to make the progress I’ve made and step into the C-suite feels incredibly rewarding. I’m excited to bring a new voice and a slightly different perspective to the table, and I’m really looking forward to what we can accomplish together.

You started at BFG as an advisor, but you had a pretty lengthy career in finance before that. What has your journey looked like from start to now?

I’ve done a little bit of everything, which has given me a broad foundation and the tools to be a strong advisor and leader. I started as a client associate, which I think is the best way to truly understand what this industry is about and how a firm operates. From there, I moved into the corporate side, worked on a fixed income trading desk, and later joined the advisory services group, where I supported portfolio strategy, model portfolios, and investment research.

That’s where I realized I loved portfolio management—building portfolios and understanding how different pieces work together, rather than focusing on individual stock selection. I eventually became a portfolio manager, advocating for myself when the opportunity came up, and spent several years in that role. While it was professionally rewarding, I missed working directly with people. When I moved back east, I made a deliberate decision to return to being an advisor, bringing everything I had learned with me. I’ve always worked on teams and naturally gravitated toward the investment side, which made the transition to BFG feel very seamless.

What is changing with your role, and what’s staying the same?

I’ll still be an advisor and continue to grow my book and take on new clients. From a client perspective, very little will change in terms of how I work with them day-to-day. I’ve already been leading the investment committee for the past two years, so many of the CIO responsibilities are a natural extension of what I’ve been doing. While there will be additional executive responsibilities behind the scenes, the client experience should remain consistent.

As a woman in finance and a first-generation immigrant to the United States, what does this achievement represent for you?

For me, it’s really about my girls. It’s about showing them that being a woman or the child of immigrants is not something that should ever hold you back. I want them to see what’s possible and understand that hard work, curiosity, and persistence matter far more than labels. That’s what this achievement represents most to me.

What challenges have you faced so far that have shaped the way that you plan to move forward as a leader?

I’ve had setbacks and tough moments throughout my career, and those are the experiences where I’ve learned the most. Remembering how those moments felt, and what kind of communication and leadership was helpful during difficult times, has shaped how I want to lead others. Those lessons stay with you and really influence how you approach challenges when you’re on the other side of the table.

Was this new role something you asked for, or someone else’s idea?

It was a bit of both, but mostly a very natural progression. From the interview process on, there was a strong connection and alignment. Over time, conversations about leadership happened organically as I became a team lead and chaired the investment committee. I didn’t ask for the role directly, but when I was asked if I’d be interested, I felt confident saying yes.

What are your top priorities in the CIO role?

My top priority is ensuring that we are being good stewards of our clients’ assets and always looking for ways to build efficiencies into our investment process as we continue to grow. As we approach the billion-dollar mark, it’s important that we operate more like an institutional portfolio manager, are using the best tools available, and staying nimble even as we scale. We already do a lot of things right, so this is really about being thoughtful and intentional as we grow.

What does success look like for you in your new role?

Success for me personally means embracing the role and allowing myself to grow as a leader.  As a team, success means staying true to our disciplined investment philosophy. We don’t take excessive risk, and that approach won’t change. Positive feedback from advisors and clients, especially when they feel confident enough to move more assets over, tells me we’re doing our job well and delivering on what we promise.

What or who has inspired you most so far in your career?

My dad. He’s the whole reason I’m in it. He’s such a disciplined person and has really taught me that if you’re being methodical and disciplined, you don’t need a lot to succeed. We deal with clients across a wide spectrum in terms of net worth and balance sheet strength. What we do is not specific to ultra-high-net-worth, and it’s not specific to people who need budgeting help. It’s for everybody.

My parents were also among the first people to trust me and become my clients. They took that big leap of faith and allowed me to put everything I’d learned to the test.

What do you want clients to know the most about this change, about this new role, about the company?

While this is an exciting step, it’s not a big change for clients. It won’t change how I work with them or how we approach investments at BFG. I’ve been deeply involved in this side of the business for years, and investments are where I’m most comfortable and passionate. I’m excited to use all of my experience alongside a great team.

Your new role is one of several title changes happening in the C-Suite. How do you feel about Lena, Yanni, and Eric stepping into their new roles?

Lena’s one of my biggest inspirations in the industry. She’s driven, passionate, and deeply understands both clients and employees. I have complete confidence that she’s the right person to lead BFG into its next phase. The way that she thinks is incredibly inspiring. Eric got us to where we are, and now Lena’s going to take us to what comes next, and I have all the confidence in the world that she’s going to crush it.

Yanni has done an incredible job building the discipline and structure of our investment philosophy. That foundation is a big part of what makes us strong. He’ll remain closely involved, and I’m really looking forward to continuing to work together. This transition allows him to focus fully on where his strengths really shine. He’s the guy who can look at a company’s balance sheet and know how the business should work. I think he really is the best person to get us ahead from that perspective.

I can’t mention Eric without saying we’re life accountability partners. We’ve built a really special relationship over the past couple of years where I’ve been able to grow into one of his advisors, friends, and now business partners. 

I think his foresight in handing over the reins now, even though he doesn’t have to, is going to allow the company to really weather this next transition and for us to come out ahead. I think it’s going to allow him to do something that most people may not get a chance to do–to have that second phase in his career and focus on the things that are continuing to excite him and that will grow the company in very different ways. I think he is the right person to do that, and I’m excited for him because I think it’s the next stage in his career.

What advice do you have for young women or people from minority backgrounds who want to make it in finance?

Don’t hold yourself back. Be brave. Don’t be afraid to take risks. It is going to feel uncomfortable being the only female in the room. It is going to feel uncomfortable being the only minority in the room. That’s never fun, but if it’s truly something that you want don’t let that stop you because on the other side of it is a great opportunity and I think a great industry. Look for mentors and peers you can talk to early in your career, and always stay positive.

Also, remember to advocate for yourself, but understand the difference between advocating for yourself and having unrealistic expectations. As a young person getting started in your career, you are extremely ambitious and extremely excited. I think one of the hardest things to accept is that experience is important, and opportunities can take time to develop. It took me almost 10 years to get from the point where I knew I wanted to be an advisor to obtaining all of the knowledge and experience to actually be one.