Michael Baker, CPA

I grew up on the west side of Cleveland and moved to Avon Lake after graduating from Baldwin Wallace College in 1978. From 1978 to 1996, I was in private practice working with small companies, where I gained a wide variety of experience.

In 1996, my wife, Beth, and I, after careful research, decided to start our own accounting firm. In 1999, we decided to become registered in financial services so we could handle our clients' investments as well as their tax planning. Both the accounting firm and our financial services practice grew steadily over the years. Due to increased regulation and oversight, I was confronted with the decision to sell one of the businesses. So, in 2011, I sold the accounting firm and now focus 100 percent of my attention on my clients' entire financial picture.

Over the years, I have worked with business owners setting up retirement plans, as well as employees of Fortune 500 companies helping them achieve their goals. And I really enjoy working with my clients on a plan with specific goals and finally watching them achieve their goals and celebrating those achievements with them.

When I am not handling the financial affairs of my clients, you can find me playing golf, working out, or spending quality time with my family. Every client who comes in for a meeting gets to hear the latest story about my grandchildren and see a few photos as well.

All of us at M.J. Baker Financial Advisors take great pride in the fact that Shawn and I have qualified for the Five Star award* for wealth managers. In addition, in 2015, we met the requirements for Commonwealth’s President's Club level, which represents the top 17 percent of advisors at Commonwealth based on annual production.

I hope that clients can look back on our relationship and say that our firm could be trusted to do the right thing. And that we can be relied upon to take care of our clients' financial affairs.