THOMAS, ROBERT & PATRICK FROSS

Three enterprising brothers prove big success can come from humble beginnings

WRITER: JAMES COMBS

Patrick Fross and his twin brothers, Robert and Thomas, developed an appetite for success and hard work as children growing up in Kalamazoo, Mich.

“There were no video games back then, so we always spent our time outside competing against each other in basketball, football, and baseball,” Thomas says. “We were very competitive and always wanted to win. That attitude has helped us in the business world. We are never satisfied with mediocrity.”

This friendly sibling rivalry was natural for three brothers so close in age. Patrick was 20 months older than his twin brothers, who were born only seven minutes apart. They enjoyed an average upbringing in the suburbs and for most of their life shared a bedroom together.

However, their blue-collar parents struggled financially. Rather than wallow in self-pity, the brothers landed jobs at the young ages of 14 and 13 to help their family. Patrick delivered newspapers, Robert mopped floors at a meat store, and Thomas worked at a paint and glass company.

Their modest upbringing helped them appreciate the small things that mean the most in life. “We were very fortunate to have a stay-at-home mom during our youngest years,” Robert recalls. “She spent lots of valuable time with us instilling positive values and building character in each of us. For me, having quality family time is one of the best childhood memories.”

BROTHERS IN BUSINESS MAKES ‘CENTS’

Today, the brothers apply those values to their family-owned business, Fross and Fross Wealth Management. They started working together in 2000 and today manage nearly $500 million in client assets. In addition, they have become nationally recognized for writing a regular column for Forbes and appearing on national news programs like “Fox Business” and CNBC. Their accomplishments prove one does not have to be born with the proverbial silver spoon to succeed in today’s world. For them, success has come strictly from hard work.

“We are real people who worked hard to get where we are at today,” Thomas says. “Because of that, we feel privileged to be the steward of our clients’ assets and genuinely appreciate everything we have in life.”

That includes having the opportunity to work together. “Working alongside two people you have known your entire life is a blessing,” says Patrick, 43. “In a sense, we’re like a married couple because we always seem to know what the other person is thinking. That kind of chemistry is hard to generate between two strangers who might open a company together.”

At no time was their brotherly love more apparent than in 2010 when Robert lost his wife, Amy, to breast cancer. While Amy underwent treatment, Patrick and Thomas assumed more responsibilities so Robert could spend time with his ailing wife.

“Times like those are when working with family is very beneficial,” Robert says. “Although Amy was battling cancer, things still needed to be done at the company. Patrick and Thomas stepped up for me in a big way. One benefit that came from that tragedy is we began working more as a team than as individuals. It also helped us develop more sympathy for our clients who recently lost a spouse.”

The brothers feel their distinct skills and personality traits complement one another perfectly. And for the record, Robert and Thomas, 42, do not have some sort of telepathic, psychic connection as twins. “Sometimes we show up to work wearing the same suits, and we did each buy the exact briefcase without consulting one another. But we do not have an eerie connection like being able to feel each other’s physical pain,” Thomas says.

And Patrick is perfectly content in as role as big brother. “I do not feel left out because I’m not one of the twins. Actually I think it’s a blessing that there is not a clone of me,” he says with a chuckle. “I don’t even think of them as twins, or even as younger brothers … just brothers. Working with family can be a great situation or a disastrous situation. For us, it’s the best situation possible.”