John Taphorn
John Taphorn
John Taphorn is a wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch, and an experienced professional who takes great care in providing superior financial advice and exceptional service to his affluent clients.
He has been an influential member of his community and a valuable asset to many in it. As a Certified Financial Planner(tm), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor(tm), and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst(r), his team provides access to advanced wealth management tools, research, and service models tailored towards today’s high net worth families and private business owners.
Early Life and Education
John Taphorn was born to Bernhard Theodor and Katherine (Krieger) Taphorn on September 13, 1899 as the oldest of five children.
His father, a dairy farmer, was very supportive and encouraged him to pursue higher education. Despite some setbacks in school, John eventually found success academically.
His lifelong positive outlook and deep faith in God were testaments to his character. This attitude even during difficult times such as prostate cancer, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and shingles.
He had been employed in his family dairy business since he was 15. After some time off for recovery, he moved on to Misty Gardens and Feed-Rite where he enjoyed working as a delivery man – getting to interact with people regularly.
Professional Career
John is a highly-experienced financial advisor with Merrill Lynch and Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. As an accomplished financial planner, John holds all three FINRA Series 63 and 65 registrations – making him the ideal choice for any affluent family or business owner with an intricate financial picture.
Taphorn has earned many honors and accolades, including a position as senior associate director of their global philanthropy program. One particularly remarkable feat was creating “Taphorn Fellowship,” an organization dedicated to ensuring that tomorrow’s leaders receive top-notch education and training at an increasingly expensive rate. At such a time when higher education costs continue to escalate, this initiative is both timely and necessary.
Achievements and Honors
John Taphorn was an impressive college basketball player, renowned for his three-point shooting ability and defensive proficiency. Additionally, he served as a leader in the locker room, helping the Northwestern Wildcats win several games during his four year tenure.
According to the 1940 census, Taphorn was 22 years old and lived with his parents and sister in Rockford, Illinois. Additionally, he had four sisters and a grandmother living nearby.
At 18 years old, he joined the Union Army and earned a pension for his service. Ultimately, he was buried in Mother of God cemetery in Covington, Kentucky.
The family moved from Sweden to the United States, then Ohio and Kentucky. Of their ten children, nine were born in Germany; one son John Henry immigrated to America but died there in 1941.
Personal Life
John loved spending time with family and friends when not working. He especially treasured having supper together with his daughters’ families, socializing on coffee row, playing board games, watching sports events and listening to Christian music. When not working, John enjoyed relaxing by the pool or playing games on his phone.
He enjoyed spending time on his farm with his sons and their families, always trying to make people laugh – even during difficult circumstances. His infectious laugh was truly a gift to those around him.
He was a passionate Christian who wanted to serve others. Despite facing numerous health challenges such as prostate cancer and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, he never lost faith nor his positive outlook.
Net Worth
John Taphorn had a distinguished and successful career in financial services. As an advisor with Merrill Lynch Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated of Kingwood, Texas, John earned the Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst professional designations.
He served as an investment committee member of both the Marquette University Foundation and Marquette Board of Trustees for 17 years, excelling as a leader and top performer in his field.
John had been a student at Marquette when he rented “The Toolbox,” an apartment near campus where he formed lifelong friendships. Upon John’s passing in November 2019, the Toolbox crew dedicated a lounge in their new Marquette Business building in his memory.