“When I proposed to my wife, Kelly, I told her I was already married—to Park City!” laughs Joe Cronley of Edward Jones Cronley Gies Wealth Management. “It was a package deal.”
But unlike many who first fall for Park City as visitors, Joe arrived on military orders, not vacation. A former submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, his final tour brought him to the University of Utah as a Naval ROTC instructor. “That’s when I first saw Park City—and fell in love,” he recalls.
After completing his service and earning an MBA from the U, Joe launched his investment practice in 2002, marrying Kelly in 2006. Since then, Parkites have relied on him and his business partner, TJ Gies, for steady financial guidance. “We’ve grown immensely,” he says from their new Prospector offices. “Building relationships with families connects me deeply to our community. I love helping people achieve their goals; the impact we have is quite fulfilling.”
Joe’s sense of purpose is a hallmark of our Mountainkind community extending far beyond work. He has served as President of the Park City Rotary Club and on the Summit Land Conservancy Board, calling them “places that have generational impacts on the community. I ‘m still involved, and love helping people find their purpose here.”
He and Kelly are now raising two teenagers attending Park City High—and trying to keep up with a far-flung family. “I have six siblings and none of us live in the same state, which is probably why we get along,” he laughs. “And I have 72 first cousins—65 on my mom’s side alone.”
Reflecting on his 26 years here, Joe still marvels at his adopted hometown. “Park City is a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” he says. “Sometimes I look up at these mountains and pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”