Top advisors focused on women's finance in Connecticut

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. She has one year of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. Prior to entering the financial industry, she worked in education for eight years. Outside of advising, Kristin is an author and publisher of a basketball coaching notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base with a range of brokerage and advisory services, utilizing proprietary and third-party investment strategies across various account types and investment vehicles.

Solomon Dayan is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012, also working with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2011. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Edward Blatz is a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in working with high net-worth families and closely-held businesses, focusing on estate and wealth management strategies. Edward partners closely with clients’ tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to provide a comprehensive approach to managing both financial and personal aspects of their lives. His services include performance assessment, personalized guidance, and periodic reviews to help clients progress toward their individual financial goals. Edward joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985 and has over 40 years of experience developing tailored financial solutions that consider clients’ risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment objectives. His areas of expertise encompass college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management, managing new wealth, investment strategies, and retirement income. Edward holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Edward is also a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Outside of his professional work, he has personal interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

Richard Kos is a CFA® charterholder and registered investment adviser with five years of industry experience. He is the president of Kos Consultants, an educational institutional consulting and marketing services firm unrelated to securities, which he has operated since 2007. Kos serves as the sole advisor at Sursum Financial LLC, based in Madison, CT. Sursum Financial is a single-advisor independent firm providing discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, business owners, family offices, and select institutional and charitable organizations. The firm combines proprietary and third-party research, typically favoring a longer-term buy-and-hold approach while allowing tactical adjustments, and offers performance-based fee arrangements to qualified clients.

Elaine Biersack is a financial advisor with Round Rock Advisors LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and five years of industry experience. She previously worked for Greenwich Investment Management, Inc. for ten years before joining Round Rock Advisors in 2023. Round Rock Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, and institutional investors with investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm employs multiple internal teams using fundamental, long-term analysis and offers access to independent sub-advisors and specialized investment strategies, including management of an Australian-registered micro-cap fund.

Lance Lohr is a Wealth Management Advisor and Managing Director at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 1996, focusing on advising and managing client portfolios and wealth management strategies. Lance holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) certification and the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC) designation, along with FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 registrations. His expertise encompasses a broad range of client focus areas, including college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, women and wealth, individual and corporate investment strategy, tax minimization, and retirement income. Lance graduated from Moeller High School, played football at Vanderbilt University, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati. Lance follows Merrill's tradition of community service by volunteering with local organizations. His personal interests include football, golfing, hiking, traveling, and spending time with his family. He emphasizes working one-on-one with clients to develop personalized financial strategies tailored to their long-term goals.

Tracey Hayes is a ChFC® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones in Albemarle, NC since 2011. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Bailey Ziemski Harwood is a financial advisor with OneAscent Financial Services LLC in Grand Rapids, MN, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining OneAscent, Bailey worked at Thrivent Financial and Brad Nelson - Thrivent Financial. Outside of advisory work, Bailey is a part owner of a towing business. OneAscent Financial Services LLC manages approximately $2.61 billion through a network of 57 advisors, serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of services including discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA fiduciary services, and tax preparation, utilizing a combination of direct management, third-party managers, and unified managed accounts.

At Empowering Finance we know that you are bold, ambitious, and a total badass. That's why you need a financial plan that allows you to pursue your passions and live your most authentic and powerful life. The problem is a buttoned-up approach to financial planning isn't going to meet your needs. You're worried that your dreams and aspirations will get lost in a cookie-cutter system. We believe you deserve a financial planner who listens to your unique dreams and helps you build a plan to get there. We understand that you want someone who will treat your money as we do our own. Which is why we combine our experience, authenticity, financial knowledge to connect with you and enable you to pursue your passions. Here's how we do it 1) We are a fiduciary: We are legally bound to put your interests ahead of our own 2) Diversity and authenticity matter to us: We are a woman-owned business, LGBTQIA+ friendly, and welcoming to anyone and everyone who needs an ally and friend with financial savvy. 3) Our services are fee-only: We keep things simple: no surprises charges or hidden fees So, Let's Chat. So you can stop worrying you won't reach your dreams and instead work with a passion-driven firm focused on achieving your life's dreams. Read Empowering Finances's blog here: https://empoweringfinance.com/blog/

Paula Gilovich is an Investment Solutions Representative III at Fidelity Investments, where she has been working since 2022. In her role, she helps clients connect to their financial goals by translating complex financial concepts into clear and practical steps. She specializes in addressing the unique financial issues women face and supports women in planning confidently at every stage of life. Prior to her current position, Paula held roles at Fidelity Investments as a High Net Worth Service Associate in 2022 and as a Customer Relations Advocate from 2021 to 2022. Her experience at Fidelity has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of investment solutions and client service. Outside of her professional work, Paula has interests in art, Pilates, soccer, surfing, theater, and writing.