Large-firm, liquidity event planning financial advisors in Trenton, NJ

Santo Costa is a financial advisor at Merrill with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at DME Capital and Tink Construction LLC, as well as having a background unrelated to finance at Burn the Floor. Merrill, along 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 various model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Ralph Puzio is a financial advisor at Mercer Financial Group, Inc. in Trenton, NJ, with 42 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with U.S. Discount Brokerage, Inc. and Jefferson Pilot Securities Corporation for over two decades. His other business activities include tax preparation, insurance and annuity sales, and financial planning. Mercer Financial Group, Inc. is a single-advisor independent firm serving individual clients with portfolio management and related advisory services, typically on a primarily non-discretionary basis. The firm manages approximately $11.5 million in assets across 12 client accounts and is noted for its combination of advisory, brokerage, accounting, and insurance relationships.

Hardy Hodges III is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Fidelity in Trenton, NJ, bringing 18 years of industry experience. His career includes 15 years at Merrill, along with roles at Bank of America and Fidelity Investments. Outside of finance, he operates small businesses selling flavored green teas and engages in affiliate marketing. He works with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across various investment vehicles.

Edward Adams is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with Cetera since 2006 and has been involved in multiple related business activities, including serving as an adjunct professor at Rider University since 1988 and managing his own CPA practice focused on tax and audit services. He also holds board roles in organizations such as Paedeia, Inc., a medical development company, and the Trenton Cycling Revolution. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to both affiliated and unaffiliated third-party managers.

Gilbert Varnes Jr. is a financial advisor with Gcvsvc1 LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. He worked at U.S. Allianz Securities, Inc. from 1999 to 2006 and Multi Financial Securities Corporation from 2006 to present. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in tax services, credit repair, and serves as a notary public. Gcvsvc1 LLC is an independent firm serving clients with personalized financial solutions.

Sarah Brown is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Monroe, GA, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, she worked at Georgia College & State University and the Walton County School District. She also has experience with Peachy Keen. 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 wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Andrew Grombala is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on serving corporate executives and high-earning professionals who have complex compensation structures, including equity awards such as RSUs, stock options, ESPP programs, deferred compensation packages, and performance awards. In his role, he helps clients manage concentration risk, reduce tax implications, and align their equity compensation with long-term, goals-based wealth strategies. Since entering the industry in 2017, Andrew has adopted a structured, plan-first approach that incorporates compensation, cash flow, family priorities, retirement planning, and overall risk management. He guides clients through various financial events, including vesting, diversification, liquidity management, and retirement income planning. His expertise extends to executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, portfolio management services, and tax minimization. Andrew holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 registrations and is licensed in Accident & Health, Life, and Variable Insurance. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he also competed as a student-athlete in football and lacrosse. He resides in Anderson Township with his wife and two children. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys boating, golfing, football, ice hockey, music, and spending time with his family.

Sherry Neeley is a financial advisor at Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC with three years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Authentikos in 2025, she worked at First Command Insurance Services and related entities from 2022 to 2025. Outside of her advisory role, she provides educational consulting as a Special Education Advocate for parents of special needs children. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals and retirement plans, with offerings that include discretionary portfolio management, written financial plans, and access to model-portfolio solutions implemented on a wrap-fee platform. The firm customizes portfolio allocations based on clients’ goals and risk tolerances using fundamental, cyclical, and technical analysis across a broad range of investments.

Perrin Berry is a financial advisor at Apollon Wealth Management, LLC with a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Crisp Event Rentals, Modern Woodmen, and the Secretary of State's Office. Apollon Wealth Management is an SEC-registered multi-team firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan advisory, sub-advisory, and consulting services, combining centrally managed model strategies with locally managed portfolios tailored through a comprehensive oversight structure.

Heather Rivas is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed advisor with River Wealth Advisors LLC, where she has worked for four years. She has a total of 11 years of industry experience, including seven years at PSECU prior to joining River Wealth Advisors. River Wealth Advisors offers discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, investment consulting, and retirement-plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and plan sponsors. The firm uses a fundamentally oriented, customized investment approach and conducts regular portfolio monitoring and formal reviews.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. 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 model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as 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.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.