Ep. 29 - For the Love of Money: James Patrick Rooney on Wealth, Purpose and What Truly Matters

On this episode of The Palm Beach Current, we sit down with local author James Patrick Rooney, whose new book, For the Love of Money, chronicles an extraordinary life and a remarkable four-decade career in wealth management.

James takes us from his early days growing up in New York and playing hockey at Providence College to a life-changing spinal cord injury that left him paraplegic—and the unexpected opportunity that led him from a questionable penny-stock boiler room to Merrill Lynch. He shares the wild stories, characters, market crashes, bull markets, and major transformations that shaped his career, from the high-interest-rate environment of the 1980s to the dot-com boom and the 2008 financial crisis.
Beyond Wall Street, James opens up about resilience, family, personal responsibility, and his perspective on what really matters in life. He also explains the deeper meaning behind For the Love of Money—why money can provide freedom, independence, and generosity, but can become destructive when it takes priority over relationships, dignity, and integrity.

Plus, James shares some of his favorite Palm Beach County spots, local businesses and people he believes deserve recognition, and what he hopes readers take away from his story.

For the Love of Money is set to be released September 9.

A conversation filled with humor, adversity, financial history, and plenty of unforgettable Palm Beach stories—this is one episode you won't want to miss.