Ed Vargo, founder of Burning River Advisory Group, grew up in inner-city Cleveland. During the Vietnam War, Ed’s father served as a sergeant military policeman in South Korea where he met and married Ed’s mother. Once back in the States, Ed’s mother faced the challenges of a being a first-generation immigrant who couldn’t read or write English or drive a car.

Above all, Ed saw his mother struggle as she was not educated in financial matters. A strong-willed and capable woman, she was nevertheless stuck in an unhealthy relationship, unable to control her own well-being. She was financially dependent and had few options for finding a better life. Eventually, she was able to find the power and resources to end the marriage but her struggles left a lasting imprint on Ed and the values he holds dear as a husband, father, and advisor.

Ed worked hard in school eventually attending Case Western Reserve University. There he earned a BS degree in Management and met his college sweetheart and future wife, Wendy. Ed and Wendy are now the proud parents of five — yes, five — charismatic daughters. Ed knows how much financial strength matters to the health, safety, and opportunity of a woman’s life, and he’s determined to raise his girls to be as strong, independent, and powerful as possible. He firmly believes that without financial equality, women will never achieve full equality. He wants this for his girls and for all women.

This deeply personal commitment to women’s empowerment is the powerful undercurrent running through Burning River. Ed also believes deeply that a woman’s hard work — as an individual, a professional, an artist, a mother, or anywhere in between — deserves to be recognized and supported. Providing customized financial solutions with a compassionate and caring hand, he is committed to helping women achieve financial independence.