Annette Yush
Investing in the future of children

But Mrs. Yush is not content with just making her own gift. She wants to inspire others as well. "I want to replace my children with the children in intensive care. This is something I can do for me alone. I know my husband and two daughters would approve. But I want more people to care.”

In her smartly tailored suit, Mrs. Yush exudes an energy that belies her 80 years. After more than 40 years as a Financial Consultant at Smith Barney, she still works full time at the office serving her clients. "This has been therapy for me to keep going." She gestures to the busy brokerage office. "Here is my normal life. I hope I can go on indefinitely."

When Mrs. Yush celebrated her 80th birthday, Smith Barney surprised her with a party to commemorate her 40th anniversary as a Financial Consultant. "This firm has been at the forefront of getting women involved, and I have proven to women that they can succeed in a man's world."

As a 39-year-old mother of two in 1961, she had no financial background but was intrigued when a relative of her husband told them he had just become a stockbroker. "He wanted to know if we were investors. We were struggling, but I liked the challenge of doing something different."

She recalled the difficulty of leaving her family to go through more than three months of training in New York to become a Financial Consultant, returning home only on weekends. "I wonder now, 'How did I do it?' but my husband and daughters stayed behind me and wouldn't let me quit."

Mrs. Yush hasn't slowed down since. "I think the number 65 for retirement is an over-rated number. There are those of us who want to keep going on." Her years of experience in the stock market tell her that despite "bumps in the road," things will always get better, but paying attention and planning for the future are key.”

That is why Mrs. Yush has dedicated herself to helping children. "They are the ones we pin our hopes on. The most important thing we can do for the future is take care of our kids. Being alone, I ask what I would want to be remembered for. I want to show that I care."