Hans Overturf: The Life of a Runner
Lifelong running enthusiast Hans Overturf currently works as a financial advisor and planner for Raymond James Financial Services. He was born in Switzerland on October 26, 1973, and at an early age, demonstrated an interest and proficiency in finance and business. Although he was an athletic child, he set aside time every week for reading and studying the business section of his local newspaper, which slowly developed his passion for the financial world. While still a young man, he began to aspire to assist others in managing their assets and increasing their capital through his own financial services firm.
Hans Overturf began his professional career at the age of 16, when he obtained an apprenticeship with the Zurich, Switzerland postal service. He quickly rose to the position of Junior Postmaster, where he was first introduced to the financial services industry. Some years later, he began a military career and served in the Swiss Armed Forces for two years, during which time he became a First Lieutenant and commanded a platoon of 43 soldiers. In 1996, following his honorable discharge from the Swiss military, Hans Overturf immigrated to the United States with his wife Maria. They were attracted to the West Coast because of its lush Redwood forests and particularly to Northern California, where Hans Overturf applied to Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. He was accepted to the University’s College of Professional Studies, and in May of 2000, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. During his academic career, he further developed his passion for running by participating in the Humboldt State’s track team, running a number of races for the school. He was also honored with an Academic Achievement Award from Humboldt State and a Varsity Letter from the College of the Redwoods’ track team. In 2000, while he was still in college, Hans Overturf and his team of fellow Economics students won the 36th International Collegiate Business Policy Competition. He was also the individual winner of the International Collegiate Business Policy Competition’s Stock Market Competition.
A few moths after Hans Overturf’s college graduation, Morgan Stanley recruited him as a financial advisor for its Eureka, California office, where he was widely viewed as one of the firm’s most talented trainees. A Morgan Stanley Rising Star, Overturf graduated second in his class from the Morgan Stanley training program, which originally began with 200 enrollees. The Morgan Stanley National Director’s Award was Overturf’s reward for his studious efforts. As his career progressed, he continued to dream of building his own financial services practice that would assist individuals and families stay financially secure and independent, and in the summer of 2003, Hans Overturf’s vision of forming an innovative financial consulting firm was realized through his association with Raymond James Financial Services. Currently one of the firm’s premier Financial Planners, Hans Overturf operates a gateway office in the San Francisco Area and has several other financial projects located outside California, which help people manage their assets, optimize their insurance coverage, and avoid unnecessary taxes. In addition to providing a myriad of other essential financial services, his offices also assist clients in estate planning and debt-side management.
Hans Overturf’s life aspiration has always been to create a consultancy firm that would aid people in managing and growing their wealth in unconventional ways, and he has built one of the best firm’s in California. He has dedicated his life to honing his craft, gleaning knowledge from studying economic and financial patterns, and drawing upon his own experiences in order to implement the best possible financial solutions for his clients. Understanding the threats a declining economy can pose to an individual’s financial security, Hans Overturf makes available his expert insight on financial stability to all of his clients and frequently assists families in gauging and consolidating their debt to ensure them a viable future.
Since the beginning of his career, Hans Overturf has risen to great heights in the financial world and held multiple titles, including Branch Manager, General Securities Sales Supervisor, and Financial Planner. In order to achieve these positions, Hans Overturf has earned and maintained several licenses, including a Series 7 for stocks, bonds, and mutual funds; Series 9 and 10 for General Securities Sales Supervisor; Series 24, Rules and Regulations, for Branch Manager; and Series 66 for California Securities. Overturf has also obtained a California Insurance License and Real Estate Licenses in both California and Florida, and in May 2007, he studied for and received his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) license. In addition, Hans Overturf participates in a dozen public service and professional groups, including the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce and the Swiss-California Foundation. He also voluntarily enrolled in a rigorous post-graduate study program in order to become a member of WEALTH, an exclusive entrepreneurial group that meets weekly to discuss and form solutions to business situations. Hans Overturf was also the former Worthy Master, or President, of the Freshwater, California Grange and was previously the treasurer of the Rotary Club of Arcata, of which he is currently a member. Although he officially completed his formal education in 2000, Hans Overturf is a perpetual student that has committed his life to the study of leadership and finance, as well as to fitness.
Living a healthy and active lifestyle is as important to Hans Overturf as his financial advisory career, and he spends a significant amount of time every week pursuing his athletic passions, such as running and yoga. He also spends as much time as possible with his five energetic children and enjoys introducing them to a myriad of interesting leisure activities, such as traveling, which he does by taking them on yearly trips to his homeland: Switzerland. Hans Overturf believes deeply in exploring and following a variety of interests, and he himself has been a pilot for a number of years, specializing in helicopters. An avid runner, Hans Overturf continually competes in tournaments, as well as runs for personal enjoyment. Running enables him to stay in prime physical condition, as well as gives him the opportunity to absorb the breathtaking scenery of Northern California’s National Parks. He particularly enjoys running the state’s rough, mountain trails to build muscle and improve his cross-country skills and using yoga to maintain his flexibility.
Something of a celebrity in Arcata and the Northern California running circuit, Hans Overturf has extensive experience as a runner, the majority of which was garnered during his years on Humboldt State University’s track team. If you queried his former teammates, they would first describe him as a passionate runner, second as a fitness expert, and third as an environmentally conscious steward of the earth, and his fitness and environmental philosophies are reaffirmed in his recreation choices. In the following pages, which comprise Hans Overturf’s guide to running in California, the fitness enthusiast covers essential facts and techniques for beginning a running regiment, as well as discusses safe and enjoyable places to run throughout California. According to Overturf, running is one of the best physical activities you can participate in; however, like every endurance sport, excessive running can have a major impact on your body. His guidelines stress the proper care of your body, suggesting you treat it like a training athletes’, and emphasize proper footwear, breathing, physical upkeep, and running form. From his personal experience with running and with other athletes, Hans Overturf knows first hand the negative effects running with the improper form can have on your body. However, no matter how carefully runners treat their bodies, most will eventually experience some kind of injury, whether it is something as minor as muscle strain or as severe as chronic knee pain. Since running is a strenuous sport, many of the residual effects are natural and, fortunately, most are treatable with rest, rehabilitation, and careful management.
The majority of running injuries are often the direct result of simply pushing your body too often or too fast. Other injuries can be a result of incorrect athletic wear or running style. Beginning runners should be the most careful when starting out because their relative inexperience makes them particularly prone to injury. By training with the proper form for your build, you can greatly minimize the potential risks to your body and avoid some common sports injuries altogether.
Hans Overturf has collected a unique set of passions over the years, and he wants nothing more than to share his love of running and his guidelines for proper exercise with other amateur enthusiasts. Within the following pages, Hans Overturf discusses in detail the basic running form he uses, and while his form may not be ideal for everyone, it serves as a good starting point for novices. He is aware that plenty of ways exist to run in good form, that his form is only one of the many, and regardless of which one they choose, every runner will need to tailor the form to fit his or her body, so do not be discouraged if his technique does not work for you; simply try something new. Overturf’s goal is to assist you in optimizing your running form, performance, and experience. If you find yourself needing expert help, running coaches are available to help you select a running technique that is right for you. The most important thing is always to have fun, be active, and enjoy life, and running can enhance both your health and the pleasure you take in living, so carpe viam: seize the road!