Top business succession planning financial advisors in Steubenville, OH

The right financial advisor for you depends on how you weigh location, expertise, experience, the clients they typically serve, and how they work with you.

If you own a business and are thinking about stepping back or retiring, you need a business succession planning advisor to help you pass ownership smoothly. Without careful planning, you might face unexpected tax bills or disputes that can disrupt your business and family.

  • Municipal tax navigation. Since local income taxes vary by city, ask how they handle these complexities in your area.
  • Ownership transfer strategies. Confirm they discuss different ways to transfer ownership, like selling, gifting, or passing to family.
  • Stakeholder alignment. Look for advisors who help balance the interests of all parties involved to prevent conflicts.
  • Legacy and continuity focus. Ensure they consider how your business will operate and thrive after you step away.

Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.

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George C

Series 63, Series 65

Steubenville, OH

Cetera

George Crim II is a financial advisor at Cetera with 36 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Concourse Financial Group Securities Inc and Stifel. He also operates Crim Investments, an independent financial services business. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered adviser serving individual, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a multi-manager platform with over 10,000 advisors and approximately $256 billion in assets under management.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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John C

Series 63, Series 66

Steubenville, OH

Eagle Strategies (NY Life)

John Cucarese is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Steubenville, OH, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has worked at New York Life and its affiliated subsidiaries since 2005 and operates his own firm, John Cucarese Financial Services, which brokers non-registered insurance products and sells New York Life products. He volunteers with the Highmark Caring Place Gala, assisting with an annual fundraiser for a child bereavement organization. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm emphasizes tailored advice, offers multiple program types including fee-based and co-advisory solutions, and manages a significant portion of assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Melanie H

Series 63

Steubenville, OH

Robert Baird & Co.

Melanie Harless is a financial advisor at Robert Baird & Co. with 32 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 designation and has worked at Robert Baird & Co. since 2019. Prior to that, she spent over 30 years at J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc. and Hilliard Lyons. Robert Baird & Co. is an institutional firm whose DDK Group serves individuals, corporate and business clients, pensions, profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a broad range of financial planning, portfolio management, and advisory services, supported by internal research, manager selection, and various investment strategies.

Wealth management Tax-loss harvesting Retired Founder/Business Owner

Misti S

Series 66

Steubenville, OH

Edward Jones

Misti Spring Reader is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Steubenville, Ohio, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering advisory programs with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management through a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices. The firm provides a range of investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) General estate planning guidance Retirement withdrawal strategies Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Craig P

Series 63

Steubenville, OH

LPL Financial

Craig Petrella II is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Steubenville, Ohio, holding a Series 63 designation and 17 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Woodbury Financial Services and multiple business ventures dating back over a decade, including ownership of a retail mattress store. Petrella is involved in several entrepreneurial activities outside of advising. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory services including financial planning and access to third-party asset management, supported by model portfolios and technology tools for advisor research and operations.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Ethan S

CFP®, Series 65

Auburn Hills, MI

Plante Moran financial advisors

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.

Active portfolio management Options & derivatives strategies Private / alternative investments Concentrated stock management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Michael I

Series 63, Series 65

Livingston, NJ

Raymond James Financial

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.

Wealth management Tax strategies for small businesses Business succession planning General estate planning guidance Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jeffrey M

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 66

Greenville, DE

Investment Management & Planning LLC

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.

General retirement planning Business succession planning Tax strategies for small businesses Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive Mid-Career Professionals Approaching retirement
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Patrick F

Series 66

New Market, MD

Intentional

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.

Business exit / sale strategy Multi-generational wealth transfer Private / alternative investments Founder/Business Owner
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Jerald L

Series 63

San Antonio, TX

Frost Investment Services

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.

Tax-loss harvesting ESG / Sustainable investing Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Business succession planning Founder/Business Owner Executive
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