Tim Delaney has experienced a lot during his life, and for much of it, he’s had a bird’s eye view. Delaney, founding partner at JDH Wealth Management, has lived in Santa Rosa since 1980, and he’s had his pilot’s license since he was 16 years old, living in Laguna Niguel, a beachside town in Southern California. He spent his summers surfing and was a student-athlete as well. He also made time for his high school sweetheart, Leigh Anne. Delaney’s father Jim, who won the silver medal in shot put at the 1948 London Olympics, introduced the two at a company picnic. They’re still together and have three children and six grandchildren. One of their children, Matt, is Delaney’s partner at JDH, a firm that now oversees more than $250 million in assets.
Before JDH, Delaney was a certified public accountant at Santa Rosa’s Linkenheimer, and he’s lived in five different homes in Santa Rosa, including his dream house in Wikiup, which was lost in the Tubbs fire of 2017—the same year both Tim and Leigh Anne survived cancer diagnoses. The two are eager to move back to their neighborhood in a few months, once their rebuilt home is complete. Delaney still flies, of course, often to meet clients. Additionally, he donates time to Angel Flight, a nonprofit that assists patients with travel to their medical facility.
What’s your favorite meal of the day? Breakfast, lunch or dinner? How come?
Both breakfast and dinner are my favorite. Breakfast because I love mornings and breakfast is part of it. I get to read the newspaper (yes, I still love reading a physical newspaper) and dinner because it’s with my wife and we discuss each of our days and reconnect.
If you could transport yourself at will between two destinations, which two would you choose and why?
I love Loreto, Baja California so it would be between my home and Loreto. Beam me up, Scotty!
What was your most memorable (good or bad) airplane flight?
Leigh Anne and I flew in our airplane around the country, clockwise, in 2005 over a seven-week period. California, up to Washington, across the northern states over to Vermont, down the eastern seaboard, a quick stop in St Louis, then down to the Bahamas, and back home via the south.
If you were to write a book about your life, what would it be called?
The Takeoffs and Landings of Tim Delaney. I’ve had a number of adventures, two careers, kids and grandkids, cancer, lost a home in Tubbs fire. Each of these would be a takeoff and then a landing, usually.
What event in your life has brought about the greatest life-change?
There are two events. The first was back in high school when I became a born again Christian. That began a life-long journey of being more Christ-like by living a more godly life, although I have come up short many times. The second event was starting my wealth management firm 19 years ago.
What silly thing have you done in the name of love?
My wife and I dated in high school. She lived 25 miles away, so talking to her by phone from my home was a long distance phone call—which meant it cost money to talk. A few miles from my house was a phone booth next to a gas station that would only charge me 10 cents to talk to Leigh Anne as long as I wanted. I would stand in the phone booth for over an hour on many phone calls unless someone needed to use the phone. I’m sure people that worked at the gas station wondered who I was talking to because I was there one to two times every week. During football season, I would ride out to the phone booth after practice and talk with her for more than an hour, though I was exhausted.
What do you and Leigh Anne most look forward to upon moving back into your rebuilt home?
Two things: reconnecting with our neighbors on the hill and closing this challenging chapter of our life.
What do you consider your best quality?
Being able to really invest in my clients’ lives and help explain complicated financial information in a way that they seem to understand and can follow, which allows them to reach their goals.
