If the Salem business community heard the word wunderkind, they would undoubtedly think of Jonathan U. Castro Monroy.
Jonathan is the owner and managing partner of Castro Monroy Group, a financial planning firm located on Madison Street here in Salem, Oregon.
“We work with a select group of families, and business owners, in regard to their financial affairs,” explained Monroy. “What it really comes down to is finding out where they are today, where do they want to be tomorrow, and how can we help them get there as soon as possible.”
While having already accomplished a plethora of business goals by the stellar age of 26, Monroy carries himself with a sense of humility and humor that is only found in someone who believes in the goodness of what they are doing.
“I like to make money,” laughs Monroy. “But really, the families I help are able to build multi-generational wealth––for the parents to live well, have a good retirement but also keep more money and more wealth for the next generation. They wouldn’t be able to do that without the plan we provide for them.”
Helping local families, and businesses, navigate an ever-changing economy is a job suited for someone who has knowledge of their Salem community. And Jonathan has experienced––firsthand––the great evolution our city has seen in the last decade, especially in terms of our growing diverse population.
“Where we are now, as opposed to where we were 10-15 years ago––there’s a lot more Latino business owners. And I think, as a business owner, you are a leader in the community,” Monroy states. “I would say that to be a Hispanic business owner means that you have a lot of responsibility because you are a leader in the community.”
Jonathan’s road to being involved with the Salem Chamber began when he was just 15 years old when he entered into the Inspire Foundation’s Leadership Youth Program. The Inspire Foundation is the sister nonprofit of the Salem Chamber whose mission is to develop the leadership potential of Salem area students, and business professionals, through educational programs and events, working to help them thrive and become contributing community members. As the charitable arm of the Salem Chamber, The Inspire Foundation houses Chamber programs dedicated to leadership development, including Leadership Youth, Leadership Salem and Salem Young Professionals.
“Basically, they got a bunch of high school kids together, from the different high schools, and met once a month to discuss important topics,” says Monroy. “We talked about the grander scheme of things in terms of community and government.”
It was this seminal experience that implored Jonathan to join the Salem Chamber, once he opened his business in 2014, where he now serves as a board of director.
As a member of the next generation of business leaders, Jonathan extends his business’s success plan to all those searching for an answer:
“Get involved with the community,” Monroy says. “Find out who the leaders are that are making laws that affect our businesses. Talk to them, and understand the process of how laws are made that ultimately affect our community, because we’re all interconnected. Get involved, get engaged.”
Castro Monroy Group is located on 1340 Madison St NE in Salem, OR.
