The pathway to a career in finance for Gerard Tamparong was a Special Olympics-like event he managed in college more than 20 years ago. “Like many Filipino immigrants, my parents wanted me to be a doctor, so I majored in biology and worked in hospitals throughout school,” said Tamparong, adding that a traumatic ambulance experience made him realize he wasn’t suited to a career in medicine. Strong in math yet knowing nothing about finance, he took a flier and spoke with a visiting recruiter from Franklin Templeton who was impressed with Tamparong’s event leadership skills and offered him a job. After working in the Bay Area, Tamparong moved back to Los Angeles and spent 19 years at Payden & Rygel, where he served small nonprofits including Native American tribes, community college foundations and unions. In January 2020, he joined Miracle Mile Advisors and started its institutional division to continue that work.
Having a prosthetic leg and a wife who is deaf, Tamparong knows first-hand the struggles those with disabilities can face, as well as the many challenges poverty can pose. He is passionate about giving back, sitting on the boards of several charities, where he develops innovative ways for them to maximize their funds. For homeless shelters, for example, he has helped buy and build housing. For community colleges, he has worked to ensure that at-risk students would continue to receive housing, food and education during the pandemic. “I want each nonprofit to be able to leverage their assets to fulfill their own mission,” Tamparong said.
— Evan Cooper