Nathan Irons, CEO & Founder
Nathan Irons, Founder & CEO
A serial entrepreneur, Bluestone Life is Nathan’s fourth company. Prior to Bluestone, he founded a flat-retainer fee financial advisory firm that exclusively served entrepreneurs. As a Practical Activist, he founded Bluestone because he wanted to build a company that connected the financial industry to positive systems change. Bluestone’s unique approach shows people how their daily decisions and financial choices impact the health of family, community and planet.
He served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Enterprise where he learned the power of paying attention to detail and how to build diverse, high-performing teams.
Born and raised in Vermont, he started Bluestone Life in the Green Mountains so he could reconnect with his heritage, nature and spend more time with his family. When he’s not reading a book, you’ll find him at one of his favorite local farms like Bread and Butter in Shelburne, or enjoying Vermont with his wife, daughter, dog, AJ, and cat, Inky.
Quotes:
“If the mind is disciplined, the heart turns quickly from fear to love.” – John Cage
“What doesn’t transmit light creates its own darkness.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Nature is synonymous with truth.” – Marcus Aurelius
Words to live by: Begin Again
Steve Gruber, Advisor
Steve Gruber, Advisor
From the beginning of Steve’s career as an equity trader to leading a team at a private European bank in Montreal, he has always been “the go-to guy.” People gravitate to him because he gets things done and he likes to understand what makes people tick and how they think.
He joined Bluestone Life because he’s attracted to systems change and is a Practical Activist. He’s passionate about volunteering and how it has enriched his life. He’s a Board member for Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity, and previously served on the finance committee of Lake Champlain Waldorf School.
He holds insurance licenses in several states from Vermont to California and received his Bachelor’s in Economics from Lawrence University in Wisconsin.
Steve lives on a country road in Charlotte, VT with his wife, two teenage daughters, a dog, cat, fish, and a hive of bees. An avid skier in the winter and hiker in the summer, his path often leads to a cool swimming hole.
Favorite quote: The greatest danger to our future is apathy. –Jane Goodall
Words to live by: The journey is as important as the destination.
Carey Earle, Advisor
Jon Jamieson, Advisor
Carey Earle, Advisor
Carey brings an urban spirit and rural soul to her outlook on life. She’s a farmer’s daughter who grew up in Vermont and spent 20 years in New York City where she owned a marketing consultancy. Before joining Bluestone Life, she was the AVP of Branding at National Life Group. Throughout her career, she’s been a brand evangelist who is passionate about the connection between brands and culture; and advocating for women in business.
A lover of the written and spoken word, she began her career as a copywriter on Madison Avenue and believes in the power of communication to heal, build bridges, and inspire people to be Practical Activists.
Carey holds a B.A. in Public Communication from American University in Washington, D.C., and has taught marketing at both New York University and her alma mater. She is a Past President of the Board of River Arts, a community arts organization in Morrisville, Vermont.
To test her resilience and sense of humor, she lives in her family’s 200+ year old farmhouse in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
Quotes:
“Education is expensive, no matter how you get it.” – Ernest Leigh Earle, my grandfather, a Vermont dairy farmer and sage
Words to live by: “Giving liberates the soul of the giver.” – Maya Angelou
Jon Jamieson, Advisor
Jon is a 28-year veteran of the financial industry and a seventh generation Vermonter. An entrepreneur and community leader, he ran and grew a multi-generational insurance business in Vermont’s Mad River Valley and plays an active role in the community.
He was drawn to Bluestone’s mission of protecting family, community and the planet. Jon has had the privilege of experiencing some of the planet’s most incredible environments and is motivated to preserve the systems it depends on. He is passionate about individuals making educated choices, from their finances to their environment, and discovering the common ground that is needed to move forward.
Jon earned a B.A. at the University of Colorado and has held the Certified Insurance Counselor designation for 25 years. He serves on the board of Northfield Savings Bank, has served on school, multiple nonprofit and municipal boards, and as an elected official.
Jon splits his time between Vermont and Utah, doing his best to keep up with adventurous family.