Top financial advisors working with young families in Alexandria, VA

Garry Bishop is a financial advisor at ProFocus Incorporated with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and previously worked for the Department of Defense for 13 years. ProFocus Incorporated serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, as well as pension plans and business entities, offering fee-based investment advisory and financial planning alongside business management and consulting services. The firm employs a tactical allocation strategy using fundamental analysis and a diverse mix of securities, managing portfolios primarily on a discretionary basis.

Michael Graham is a financial advisor with LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, L.L.C., holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 35 years of industry experience. He has been with LaSalle St. Securities, L.L.C. since 2003. Outside of his advisory role, Graham operates a sole proprietorship buying and selling collectible coins through online auction sites. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors provides personalized financial planning and investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm offers both non-discretionary and discretionary management programs, incorporating a diverse asset mix including mutual funds, ETFs, equities, fixed income, and options.

Joel Patierno is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Alexandria, VA, holding CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 credentials and having 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013 and previously worked at Merrill in 2012. In addition to his advisory role, Patierno is involved with Girasole LLC, a business he has been associated with since 2012. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including a wide range of household types and organizations. The firm offers a variety of advisory solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices across the country.

Joseph Bonaccorsy is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with Core Advisory, LLC since 2005 and is licensed to sell various insurance products, spending approximately 80% of his time on insurance activities. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Core Fiduciary Advisors provides financial planning, investment advisory, and pension consulting services to institutional clients such as small-business retirement plans, corporate pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm focuses on selecting and monitoring third-party institutional managers and coordinates with other professional advisors for estate, tax, and risk-management planning.

Colette Kolanko is a CFP® and PFS™ with 15 years of experience in financial advisory. She has worked at Cerity Partners LLC since 2023 and previously spent four years at Lumina Financial Consultants and ten years at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets. The firm offers customized wealth management services, combining quantitative screening and direct security selection with access to alternative and private market solutions.

Garrett Dahm is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been providing financial guidance since 2017. He specializes in developing strategies and offering advice tailored to the short- and long-term financial objectives of individuals, families, and businesses. As a qualified Portfolio Manager, Garrett manages discretionary Personalized and Defined Strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment options. His areas of focus include family wealth management, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, liquidity management, retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and strategies for sports and entertainment clients. Garrett earned a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He completed his high school education at Prospect High School and attended Harper College without earning a degree. Outside of his professional role, Garrett has a background in classical guitar, having performed solo and with orchestras worldwide since the age of four. Notably, he performed in multiple cities in Australia during the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics. He lives in Mt. Prospect with his wife Tanya and their son Jace. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, practicing guitar, and spending time with his family.

Jon Bernier is a CFP® and ChFC® with 23 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with TandemGrowth Financial Advisors, LLC in Alpharetta, GA since 2000. TandemGrowth Financial Advisors serves individuals, high net worth households, trusts, and estates with comprehensive wealth management and financial planning, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside retirement-plan oversight and account aggregation tools. The firm uses a strategic, long-term investment approach across equity-risk spectrums, incorporating mutual funds, ETFs, independent managers, and alternative investments, and provides unique services such as a NextGen program and healthcare planning partnerships.

David Martula is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Fee-Only Financial Planning since 1991. Fee-Only Financial Planning serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, by providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm emphasizes a low-cost, buy-and-hold investment approach using no-load mutual funds, tailoring recommendations to clients’ goals and life stages.

Ai Mendoza is an Investment Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2022. In this role, she focuses on understanding each client's unique financial needs and providing professional guidance and tailored solutions to help clients make informed financial decisions and pursue their goals. Prior to her current position, Ai worked as a Private Client Banker at JP Morgan Chase from 2019 to 2022. Her experience includes assisting clients with their investment and banking needs. Outside of her professional work, Ai enjoys family activities, fishing, social events with friends, gardening, outdoor adventures, and painting.

Welcome and thank you for taking a moment to read more about Bolt Financial Group and Shaun Carney, CFP®! Shaun Carney is the Co-Founder of Bolt Financial Group, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and serves as the firm’s Wealth Advisor. Shaun has over seven years of experience in the financial services industry. Responsible for establishing and maintaining client relationships, Shaun finds immense satisfaction in helping individuals better prepare for retirement. Prior to forming his own firm, Shaun served in the United States Air Force and worked with Edward Jones. After earning his Master of Science degree in Cost Analysis, Shaun went on to obtain his CFP(R), Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. As a member of the Air Force Reserve, Shaun continues to fly C-17s in service to the United States of America. When he isn’t helping people plan for retirement, and piloting C-17s, Shaun is an avid golfer, traveler, husband, and father to three children. Always eager to help others and give back in any way that he can, Shaun regularly volunteers with the Reserve Officers Association and the Knights of Columbus.