After graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1997, Chris began his career with GTE in Lexington, KY and then moved to Sprint in Houston, TX. In 2001 Chris began working with Equitable Advisors (then AXA Advisors) as a Financial Consultant. In 2005, Chris and his business partner, George Hawkins created Hawkins Laakso Wealth Management (HL). Chris is a Founding Partner and the CEO of HL.
Chris has received numerous awards throughout his career, including: DSF of the Year, National Leaders Corp, Centurion, Circle of Excellence, Equitable Hall of Fame, Bronze Eagle, Order of Excaliber, Silver Eagle, and Hallmark V.
Chris has served on the National Associates Forum (NAF), an advisory board of Advisors that collaborates with Equitable to create better products and client experiences on the platform. He was elected to the NAF in 2013 and served as a Committee Chair. In 2017, he was elected Vice Chair by the Executive Committee and Officers of the NAF. As NAF Chair in 2018, Chris oversaw the IPO of EQH and was part of the transition plan of AXA’s divesting of Equitable. His leadership within the NAF has driven positive change within the organization and he continues to volunteer his time as needed.
Chris is a Portland, Oregon native who attended Parkrose High School before playing college baseball at Clackamas CC. He then transferred to the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and Information Systems. Chris holds several licenses, including the Series 7 - General Securities Representative, Series 66 - Uniform Combined State Law License, and the General Lines Insurance License. To maintain his licenses, Chris completes 30 hours of continuing education every two years.
In 2013, Chris attended The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania to earn his designation as a Retirement Planning Specialist. This program, designed by Equitable and Wharton, equips Equitable Advisors with the skills and knowledge to address the ever-changing challenges faced by individuals and families at retirement. Chris continues to attend The Wharton School every 2 years to continue to expand his knowledge base in this discipline.
Chris is a committed member of the University of Colorado community. He has held leadership roles, including President of the Houston Chapter of the Alumni Association from 2002-2004 and Committee Chair on the Board of Directors for the Boulder Alumni Association from 2002-2006. Chris continues to give back as a Professional Mentor for the Leeds School of Business, guiding and supporting students as they prepare for successful careers.
Chris is committed to supporting charitable organizations in his community. One such organization is Legacy Community Health, which provides vital healthcare services to low-income communities throughout the Houston area. Chris is currently the Chairman of the Golf Committee for the Frank Billingsley Golf Classic, an event that raises funds to support Legacy's School Based Health Clinics. Through his leadership, this golf tournament has gone from a gross of $50K raised in 2019 to over $450K raised in 2024.
Chris has lived in Houston since 1999 with his wife Brandy and their three daughters, Samantha, Peyton, and Cali.