In a financial industry that increasingly values specialization and technical expertise, Levi Pettit stands out as someone whose diverse background has shaped his approach to wealth management. The former collegiate golfer, CFA charter holder, and MBA graduate credits his academic and athletic experiences with providing the foundation for his professional success.
“Being a student-athlete in college teaches you time management really quickly. If you don’t, you fail,” says Pettit, who served as the University of Texas at Dallas men’s golf team captain for two consecutive seasons while pursuing a double major in finance and economics.
What makes Pettit’s collegiate athletic experience particularly noteworthy is his commitment to Division III sports, where athletic scholarships don’t exist. “In Division III, there are no athletic scholarships, only academic scholarships,” Pettit explains. “Everybody playing is really just there because they love the game and they love to compete.”
This passion for excellence translated to Pettit becoming a two-time Cleveland/Srixon Academic All-America Scholar before graduating magna cum laude from UT Dallas. The balancing act required waking up at 6:00 AM for workouts, attending practices, and sometimes being in class until 10:30 at night—all while traveling on weekends for tournaments.
“My golf coach in college had a famous saying: ‘You can have a social life, you can have a successful athletic career, and you can make good grades—but you can’t have all three, so you’ve got to pick two,'” Pettit recalls.
Pursuing the CFA: A Test of Commitment
The discipline and time management skills Pettit developed as a student-athlete proved invaluable when pursuing his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation while working full-time. The rigorous CFA program requires hundreds of hours of study and three levels of examinations that test candidates on ethics, investment tools, asset valuation, portfolio management, and wealth planning.
“Nobody required it of me professionally. It’s something I did on my own,” says Pettit about his CFA journey. “For me, being a forever learner is really important and one of my cornerstones.”
The demanding preparation for the CFA exams—studying nights and weekends while maintaining his professional responsibilities—echoed his experience balancing athletics and academics. “Without that college athletic experience, I wouldn’t have been able to balance my professional work and studying for the CFA at the same time,” Pettit reflects.
Recently, Pettit completed his MBA at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, adding another credential to his financial expertise. Drawing on his experience in banking and family office investing, Pettit aims to create personalized approaches for clients seeking to build, protect, and grow their wealth.
Advice for Aspiring Finance Professionals
Pettit emphasizes the importance of networking and continuous learning for young professionals entering the finance industry today. “You have to put yourself out there, find mentors,” he advises. “Finance is really competitive, so you really have to go above and beyond.”
Pettit’s journey illustrates how the discipline of sports and academics can translate to professional success. As he puts it, “This continual theme for me over the past decade has just been being really driven and dedicated to continual improvement and never settling.”
