1. 50 Years in the Market: Roads Travelled & Lessons Learned Prepared By: David J. Pangborn, MBA Private Wealth Counselor Plus 

2. 2 2008: A (Late) Happy Birthday Call I get a call from 82 year old retired military man, and grumpy know-it-all...Herb Pangborn...with some fatherly advice for my 50 th birthday (which was last November!)

3. 3 1957: A Less Than Hospitable Entry

4. 4 1957: Markets & Headlines Markets: The Canadian stock market is down 23%. Headlines: The U.S. Post Office goes bankrupt and halts mail delivery. The Suez Canal Crisis; Soviet Union launches "Sputnik" and sparks fears of nuclear war; President Eisenhower suffers a stroke. Elvis Presley is drafted into the U.S. Army.

5. 5 1974: Off to University

6. 6 1974: Markets & Headlines Markets: World stock markets drop 28% (following a decline of 8% the previous year). Typically "safe" bonds have lost 6% of their value. Inflation hits an all-time high over 12%. Headlines: OPEC Oil Crisis; worst recession since the Great Depression of 1929. India successfully tests it's first nuclear bomb; Watergate topples President Nixon. ABBA wins the European Song Contest.

7. 7 1981: Getting My MBA

8. 8 1981: Markets & Headlines Markets: The Canadian stock market loses 12%. Bonds drop by more than 3%. Inflation exceeds 12% (the highest since 1974). Interest rates are over 18% (an all-time high). Headlines: Deep recession and massive mortgage defaults. The Iran Hostage Crisis, political violence in Poland, Spain, Italy; and assassination attempts on President Regan, Anwar Sadat, and Pope John-Paul II. The progressive-rock band "Yes" splits up.

9. 9 1987: Licensed to Sell (Mutual Funds)

10. 10 1987: Markets & Headlines Markets: Black Monday: Global stock markets plummet by 30% (worst single day since the Depression). Bonds return less than ½% after a 3-yr average 22%. Headlines: Multiple bankruptcies in the U.S. banking and investment sector, and American Motors goes under. Iraq attacks a U.S. warship killing 40; massacres in India and Saudi Arabia. Liberace passes away.

11. 11 1994: Securities & Marriage-Licensed

12. 12 1994: Markets & Headlines Markets: The Canadian stock market loses 3%. Bonds lose more than 9% (worst-ever). Headlines: NAFTA: death of Canadian economy predicted. Massacres in Serbia, Rwanda; terrorist attacks in Israel, Brazil, Japan and U.S. Justin Bieber is born.

13. 13 2001: Welcome to Great-West Life

14. 14 2001: Markets & Headlines Markets: The Canadian stock market drops 15%. Headlines: Enron bankrupt: largest in U.S. history. The World Trade Centre terrorist attack; U.S. invades Afghanistan; massacres in Israel and Bosnia. George Harrison dies.

15. 15 2007: I Turn 50 (and Another Disaster)

16. 16 2008: Back to the Future Markets: The Canadian stock market drops 35% (worst year). Oil hits $100/barrel for the first time. Headlines: Sub-prime mortgage crisis, massive home defaults in U.S., numerous banks, investment, and car companies bankrupt worldwide. Massacres in Israel, Congo. Taylor Swift wins Album of the Year.

17. 17 2013: Where to From Here? Markets: All-time low interest rates (4-yr average about ½%). Lingering nervousness following 2008 and 2011 stock market declines. Headlines: Greece and Cyprus bankrupt, Euro Crisis. Iran embargo, North Korea nuclear threats, Boston Marathon attack. Justin Bieber wins a Juno.

18. 18 What Could Have Been?

19. 19 What About the Alternatives?

20. 20 Lessons Learned Markets HeadlinesAdviceOurselves