New Employee Spotlight: John Peter

Tell us about yourself. 

I grew up in Cincinnati and attended LaSalle before heading to The Ohio State University to study finance.   

When I was in eighth grade, my older brother started college at OSU.  I had the chance to visit him many times throughout his academic tenure. So, when it came time for me to choose a college, it was a no-brainer. I was already familiar with OSU, and I knew I liked it.  

I got interested in finance through my mom. She did accounting and finance throughout her career, and she’d had a good experience.  

We have a family friend who’s an advisor at Fidelity. I was able to shadow him to learn more about the industry, see what his workday was really like, and see what the actual work entailed. He’s the one who convinced me to study finance. It was fitting that my first job after graduating was at Fidelity.

 I was ready for something new, and the position at HCM seemed like a really good fit. I joined the team as a Trader Monday, August 24th. 

Three years ago, while at Fidelity, I met my wife Becky who is also in the finance industry.   We met as interns, became friends, then things grew from there.  We got married on August 8, 2026, and are recently back from our honeymoon at Banff in the Rocky Mountains of Canada.   

What did your first job teach you? 

My job at Fidelity taught me a lot about communication skills and relationship building.  

I learned about how things actually work in the real world and got to explore the systems companies use. I learned a lot about the mechanics of the securities market, trading, and planning.  

What’s one thing you wish people knew about your job?

I don’t think people know how rewarding it can be. When you put in the effort to make a plan for someone, and you see it work out for them, it can be a real thing of beauty.  

What attracted you to the position at HCM? 

I really enjoyed my time at Fidelity, but it felt like I could get lost in the sauce there. I was hired as a team of 50 other new hires. I didn’t want to just be a name on an email chain; I wanted to be in a more close-knit company where you can really get to know each other.

What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t be afraid to fail. In every industry, not being afraid to fail is really important. You learn a lot from mistakes.

Also, be persistent.

If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Warren Buffet. I think it’d be really interesting to hear what he has to say, especially the perspective he would have on young people entering the market in these times.

For someone like him, things have changed so much. He understands that. He has a unique viewpoint on this generation – key points of advice.

I think talking to him about his experiences and hearing about what he’s seen in his career would be insanely interesting.  

 What’s a skill or hobby you have outside of work?

I’m a big golfer. I’m a huge sports fan in general – Reds, Bengals, OSU sports. My dad got me into Xavier basketball. He has season tickets close to the court, and going there to see the live action got me hooked.   

Fall is the best season.   I love being outdoors, hiking and seeing the colors change, football getting started – it’s a great time of year.

 What’s a fun fact about you that your colleagues might not know?

I’ve been to 40 of 50 US states. I’m sure I’ll knock out all 50 at some point. My favorite state to go to is Florida. I’ve been there over 30 times.  

 What’s your favorite movie?  

Pursuit of Happiness.

 Do you have any pets? 

I bought my parents a goldendoodle for Mother’s Day. My dad always says, “You bought the dog - it’s yours.” So, yes, I guess I do have a pet!    

Favorite ice cream flavor?

My favorite ice cream flavor is a normal, traditional swirl. Unless I’m at Graeter’s, then it’s black raspberry chip, definitely.