Top business succession planning financial advisors in Lansing, MI

Timothy Durso is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services based in Lansing, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 30 years of industry experience. He has been associated with The Centennial Group, Princor Financial Services Corp, and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2013. Outside of advisory work, he is president and 27% owner of a business involved in group health and fixed life insurance offerings marketed under The Centennial Group. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors and institutional clients. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs, with investment implementation often conducted on a discretionary basis by these external managers.

Ryan Balks is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 18 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at New York Life Insurance Company, NYLIFE Securities LLC, Signator Investors, and Commonwealth Financial Network. He also engages in fixed insurance sales as a secondary activity. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with over $256 billion in assets under management.

Derek Johnson is a CFP® professional with two years of experience at United Advisors America in Lansing, MI. He has a long history of ownership and management in private businesses, including Phillips-Johnson Properties, LLC since 2001 and Phillips Johnson, Inc. from 1999 to 2023. Additionally, he has operated a personal business from 1990 to 2023. United Advisors America provides investment management services primarily to individuals near retirement as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using customized asset allocations and model portfolios, primarily investing in mutual funds and ETFs.

Thomas Grant is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, where he has worked since 2012. He has 21 years of industry experience, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank. J.P. Morgan Securities 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 operates with a non-discretionary investment program, combining large institutional advisory capabilities with broker-dealer and futures commission merchant registrations.

Nicholas Pope is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently a financial advisor at Washington Avenue Advisors since 2016. He has also been affiliated with The Centennial Group, Princor Financial Services Corp, and Principal Life Insurance Company. Outside of advising, he serves on the boards of the East Lansing Film Festival and the Todd Martin Youth Leadership organization, and owns Blue Owl Coffee, LLC. Washington Avenue Advisors is an SEC-registered firm managing approximately $286 million in client assets. The firm serves individuals, trusts, retirement plans, businesses, and non-profits, employing a multi-disciplinary investment approach that integrates behavioral, fundamental, and quantitative analysis to construct diversified portfolios.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors since 2010 and serves as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical tools to support client decision-making, while also maintaining specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Investment Management & Planning LLC and LPL Financial since 2010, following two years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm constructs tailored portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed-income securities, employing fundamental analysis and continuous supervision, and operates as both a wrap program sponsor and affiliated registered representatives of LPL Financial.

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Commonwealth Financial Network, and LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed agent involved in the sales of fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers pension consulting, estate planning support, business exit planning, and due diligence on alternative investments, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and economic analysis within a fiduciary framework.

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.