Celebrating My Father Arnold Van Den Berg: A Remarkable Journey

By: Scott Van Den Berg, CFP®, ChFC®, CEPA®, AIF®, CRPS®, CMFC®, AWMA®

This week we celebrate the 85th birthday of my incredible father, Arnold Van Den Berg. His life is a testament to resilience, dedication, and unwavering love.

During WWII, my father was smuggled through the Dutch underground to an orphanage. Separated from his parents, who survived Auschwitz, he endured war's hardships, including malnutrition and loneliness. Despite losing 32 family members, he miraculously reunited with his parents after the war. Several years later, they immigrated to the United States.

Growing up in a tough neighborhood, Arnold was forced to become a great street fighter. Inspired by his high school coach, he took up gymnastics and set records in the rope climb, even competing in the NCAA championships as a high school student.

After high school, he worked as an auto mechanic and print shop operator before selling insurance part-time. He then transitioned to selling mutual funds during the market peak in 1968. Despite the bear market from 1968 to 1974, this period ignited his passion for finance.

With no formal training and no money, he started Century Management in 1974. Working out of his studio apartment, driven by curiosity and a burning desire to understand company valuations and market dynamics, he immersed himself in the study of value investing. Working around the clock for decades, his dedication and unwavering focus made him a lifelong student of the market and business, a passion that continues.

Arnold’s intellectual curiosity and commitment to personal growth have been matched only by his devotion to his family. He has raised three children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, always prioritizing family and never missing an important event. His role as a husband, father, and grandfather is marked by love, generosity, and integrity.

Separate from his work as an investment advisor, he has taught numerous classes on the lessons he learned from the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of love, forgiveness, truth, dedication, focus, and hard work. He has also volunteered to teach graduate students at universities in the US, Canada, and India.

His wisdom, life lessons, and financial advice have helped countless individuals and families, earning him hundreds of letters of appreciation and gratitude.

Dad, you are loving, kind, generous, hardworking, and a man of impeccable integrity. Your selflessness, mentorship, and business acumen have made you a leading mind in investing, as recognized in books like Richer, Wiser, Happier by William Green.

It's been a privilege and honor to be your son and work with you for the past 32 years. I am equally blessed that the company you started is now in its third generation and going strong.

Happy 85th birthday, Dad. Thank you for being an inspiration and a guiding light in our lives. Here’s to many more years of good health, happiness, and wisdom.

With deepest love and gratitude, Your son, Scott