Wealth Management head Ford serves as keynote speaker at Black Excellence Awards

The sold-out event honored high-school students, Vietnam vets and local leaders

As a young man fresh out of college, Scott Ford fancied himself having an expensive car, going on nice vacations, living the "good life." But, he said, reality quickly set in when he started paying his own rent and buying groceries.

As a cold caller with a well-known financial institution, and later as a bank branch manager, he learned a lot about money quickly. What struck him most, he said, was that the people who had the most money weren't the ones with flashy cars or expensive homes.

"They worked hard, saved for a rainy day, made simple investments - not get-rich-quick schemes - and spent less than they made," he said.

He realized that the things he thought he valued had changed. Instead of focusing on the things he wanted now, he had learned the value of saving for the future and helping his own family financially.