Kenneth Kreh

Ken was born in Flint, Michigan where he grew up.  His mother was widowed when Ken was four and remarried when he turned eight.  His stepfather, whom he describes as a wonderful man, was an executive at Buick Motor Company.  Ken had two older stepbrothers.  And he was also very close to his grandmother.  In school, Ken was active in Baseball and Basketball.  Following high school graduation, he went to work as an apprentice tool and die maker in the auto industry before going into the army, where he only stayed four months, being released on a medical discharge for a knee injury from his previous sports.  He then entered the University of Michigan where he got his degree in engineering and then spent a year working at the University in research.   He then went to work in Cleveland for a Public Utility District before taking a job with TRW in Cleveland as a sales assistant and then went on the road doing regional sales for two years in both Chicago and Washington, D.C.  Next he went to work as a Regional Sales Manager for Sperry Rand Control Systems Group.  He then did a stint with University of Illinois in a research lab marketing technology, where they designed and built parts of GE turbines as well as the collapsible steering column for the auto industry and other inventions.  This was followed by his favorite employer, GE in Detroit, where he worked in Automated Technologies, representing G.E. to the auto industries for 5 years.  Ken also got his MBA at night at the University of Detroit while working for G.E.
Ken then made the move to California as Sales Manager for Digital Equipment before taking a VP of Sales and Marketing position for Econolight, who makes Traffic Control Signals. Ken then moved into the Financial Securities industry, selling first for Dean Witter, then E. F. Hutton, before finally establishing his own investment banking business.  He is a licensed broker and principal and spent 7 or 8 years in Pasadena with this business before a client convinced him to write a business plan and help run their advertising/research company. In 1994, after his divorce, Ken retired and moved to Blacklake, designing and building his own house.  After a year of retirement, he decided he needed more activity, so started an investment banking consulting business with a local partner.  In addition to being a Certified Financial Planner, he also has an agent’s license with the IRS and does tax returns, along with being an arbitrator for NASD (securities), and handles an average of 5 or 6 arbitrations annually. His current hobbies include making jewelry (he is a member of the Orcutt gem and mineral society and is a lapidary) and photography.  He also claims to be addicted to sports, with Michigan his favorite team and ice hockey his favorite sport. Ken also loves to travel.  His favorites are Italy and Greece.  He loves the Italian Renaissance, esp. Florence and Tuscany, but his favorite is the Greek Isles where the people are very friendly. Last, but not least, Ken is active in a number of local organizations, including Lions, King David Masonic Lodge, Santa Barbara Scottish Rites, and our own Blacklake Gyros.