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July 03, 2017 at 08:00 PM
To understand how UBS advisor Antwyne DeLonde came to be as committed to philanthropy as to his wealth-management career, it’s best to start at the beginning.
DeLonde grew up in San Antonio with his mother and three siblings and then went to Norfolk State University in Virginia. During college, he decided to explore his future with the U.S. Air Force (which he’d been exposed to in his hometown, where this branch of the military has a large presence).
But he wasn’t exactly sure where to find the USAF local office and ended up at an Army recruiting station. He joined up officially in April 2001. “Then Sept. 11 happened,” he said, “and here I am, thinking ‘what timing!’”
As part of his eight-plus years of service, he did a tour in Iraq for 15 months, working with gunners protecting civilian truck drivers. He also finished his finance degree. “Being in the infantry at Fort Benning was so far from the finance world. It was a great experience and really matured me,” he explained.
His first on-the-job training in the finance field was as a cash teller for Bank of America. He moved on to personal banking and then tried to get hired by the bank. That didn’t work out, but cold calling and emailing other firms, including Merrill Lynch, did. DeLonde got himself a slot in its Paths to Achievement program — which targets current and former service members to become advisors — and moved to Baltimore in 2007. He joined UBS in nearby Hunt Valley in 2011.
With actor Hosea Chanchez (star of the show “The Game”), his good friend and client, he co-founded the youth empowerment program Watch Me Win. “This was driven by [Chanchez]. We went into different communities in major metropolitan areas to hold tours, and we visited schools in impoverished communities to host rallies and do other work,” he explained.
The two visited the White House to join then President Obama in recognizing the importance of mentorship. “The goal is always to help good people become better people, and by [doing] that, you hope the process drives the results of others joining together — which has a direct impact on your community and the surrounding communities,” said DeLonde.
