Lisa O'Connor serves as a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she partners with clients to develop personalized financial strategies tailored to their long-term goals. She specializes in managing wealth through a comprehensive approach that involves understanding clients' financial situations and priorities, then crafting flexible strategies that adapt to changing needs and market conditions. Lisa leverages the investment insights of Merrill and the banking solutions of Bank of America to address various facets of clients' financial lives. Her expertise centers on guiding clients through significant financial milestones, including divorce transition planning, personal retirement planning, and retirement income. She is committed to supporting both pre-retirees and retirees through customized planning processes covering wealth accumulation, retirement income, wealth preservation, and intergenerational wealth transfer. Lisa holds professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). She earned her Bachelor's degree from Siena College. Outside of her professional role, Lisa participates in community activities such as Hope in the Boat, a breast cancer survivor dragon boat team, and is affiliated with the Galway Lake Campers Association. Her personal interests include antiquing, biking, boating, and gardening.

Kate Curcio is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets in Albany, NY, with 11 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets since 2014. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs featuring portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing a combination of in-house and third-party investment managers to tailor strategies to clients’ risk profiles.

Joseph Gravini is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2019. His prior experience includes roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he officiates high school basketball games and serves as Chair of the Finance Committee for the Albany Symphony Orchestra. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven, grounded in modern portfolio theory, and includes a broader set of financial products such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Kelly Chavez Laprade is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, bringing five years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Merrill, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and Citizens Securities. Outside of finance, she has worked in diverse fields including the automotive industry and hospitality. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm combines quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework when recommending investment strategies.

Dianne Funigiello is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. Her prior experience includes roles at Merrill Lynch, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, Key Private Bank, HSBC Securities, J.P. Morgan Securities, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Global Markets, and others. UBS Financial Services provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and a range of capital markets services through a large network of advisors supported by proprietary research and institutional trading capabilities.

Jonathan Turnock is a financial advisor at Merrill with nine years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the Niskayuna Soccer Club, where he helps organize teams and plan soccer activities. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Shireen Kafiluddi is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 designation and 10 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2015 and also worked at Bank of America, N.A. from 2022 to the present. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with model-based and discretionary investment strategies.

Christine Ormsbee is a financial advisor at Merrill with 20 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Merrill since 2018, previously spending six years at LPL Financial. She serves as a board member for the Shellstrong Foundation, a charitable organization supporting children and families receiving treatment at Albany Med and related programs. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Brian Hooks is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2019 and also works with Broadview Federal Credit Union, where he has been involved since 2011. Outside of advising, Hooks serves as the head coach of the Shaker High School basketball team. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, leveraging model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and technology tools to support its network of over 22,800 advisors.

Melissa Taylor is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience and has been with Raymond James & Associates since 2015. She holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Latham, NY. Raymond James & Associates is a large dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and municipal advisory services.

Michael Wheeler is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He follows a disciplined process that begins with taking the time to understand clients, their families, financial situations, and what matters most to them. This approach reflects his belief that advising is not just about markets and returns, but about aligning financial planning with clients' life priorities. Michael’s areas of expertise include managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, individual and corporate investment strategy, tax minimization, and retirement income. He holds several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Michael earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Rochester. He emphasizes collaboration with clients to create personalized plans tailored to their goals and aspirations.

Zachary Haggas is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he leads the H Group. Since joining Merrill Lynch in 2012, he has developed strategies for high-net-worth individuals, their families, and businesses to help them pursue their short- and long-term financial goals. Prior to his current role, Zach gained experience in marketing, sales, and financial education in various wealth management firms before building his own team. He also serves as a member of Merrill's Council of Technology Champions, a divisional speaker, national trainer, and head of the training program for the New York Capital Central Complex. Zach's work involves thorough analysis of clients' assets, including company savings plans, IRAs, Roth accounts, pensions, employee benefits, and brokerage accounts, as well as cash management, spending, and goal structuring. He offers services such as tax minimization strategies and assists clients with estate planning in collaboration with legal advisors. His expertise spans areas such as pre-retirement financial analysis, transition and severance planning, retirement income planning, estate planning strategies, and insurance and long-term care strategies. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Raised in Whitesboro, New York, Zach graduated from Siena College with a bachelor's degree in finance. He is a member of the Fort Orange Club and participates in community organizations including the Charity Motor Club formerly Mohawk Valley Lunch Club, the Saratoga Automobile Museum, and The Prevention Council of Saratoga County. Zach resides in Albany, New York, and in his free time, enjoys reading, writing, spending time with family, and maintaining a focus on healthy living.

Neil Obrien is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 34 years of industry experience. He previously worked at NEXT Financial Group, Inc. for 26 years before joining LPL Financial in 2025. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Neil Olden O'Brien, a non-variable insurance business, and Capital Asset Management, Inc., both of which he dedicates limited time to. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, with advice delivered primarily by investment adviser representatives who utilize various strategies and tools to manage discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Robert Kovacs is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Latham, NY, holding CFP® certification and Securities Series 63 and 66 licenses. He has 38 years of industry experience and has worked at LPL Financial since 2012, with additional prior experience at Cetera and HSBC Securities. Kovacs is also affiliated with Pioneer Bank. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

James Hicks is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Clifton Park, NY, holding a Series 63 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors since 1999 and Primerica Financial Services since 1998. Outside of his advisory role, Hicks is involved in sales of loan products and home-related services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, which includes model-delivery strategies and discretionary separately managed accounts for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses third-party asset managers and provides a wrap-fee solution with a tiered percentage-based fee structure.

Kristen Mahan is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, totaling 16 years with those firms. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities, offering financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting through various specialized programs and a broad range of portfolio management styles.

Kathleen O'donnell Luther is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2015. Outside of her advisory role, she operates an independent insurance agency serving various insurance companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through independent Financial Professionals, with a range of portfolio management options and access to both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Thomas Kukuk is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Bank of America, Merrill, TD Ameritrade, Scottrade, and Charles Schwab. Kukuk is based in Albany, NY. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Stephen Hartmann is a financial advisor at LPL Enterprise with 30 years of industry experience. He previously spent 20 years at Ashton Thomas Securities LLC. Hartmann serves as a board member of the American Marketing Association, a nonprofit organization based in Albany, NY. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and corporate and charitable entities. The firm emphasizes model-driven investment implementation using portfolios developed by its research department and third-party strategists.

Todd Trombly is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Albany, NY. He holds a Series 66 designation and has nine years of industry experience. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2017 and has also been affiliated with Broadview Federal Credit Union since 2012. In addition, he serves as a notary public. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.