Top financial advisors working with professional athletes 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.

David Sadler is a CFP® and PFS™ credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Moneta Group Investment Advisors, LLC since 2005. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Mallard Point Farms, LLC in St. Charles, MO. Moneta Group Investment Advisors serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and various institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and family office services. The firm uses a Partner-led Team model supported by a centralized Investment Department and emphasizes diversified, multi-asset allocations with ongoing monitoring.

Lisa Dugan is a CFP® with 28 years of experience in the financial industry. She has been with Secure Planning, LLC since 1998. In addition to her advisory role, she is also licensed as an insurance agent, providing insurance planning as part of the firm's comprehensive financial services. Secure Planning, LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations. The firm manages discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios using Modern Portfolio Theory and an efficient market approach, offering financial planning, consulting, and access to third-party asset allocation programs.

Gabriel Willis is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Acworth, GA, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2024, he operated a window treatment business, EG Willis, Inc., from 2021 to 2024, which he has since turned over to his spouse. Before that, he worked at American States Utility Services, Inc. for ten years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving a broad range of individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and is known for its extensive network of financial advisors and branches, offering a variety of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard.

Jesse Sigrist is a financial advisor at Coldstream Wealth Management with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and previously worked at Cable Hill Partners. Coldstream Wealth Management is an employee-owned firm serving affluent individuals, families, business owners, corporate executives, employee benefit plans, and endowments. The firm employs a team-based investment approach supported by an internal strategy group and offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and wealth transfer services.

Jontue Long is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since beginning his career in 2001, he has developed a client base that includes professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and senior-level corporate executives, providing specialized financial guidance tailored to their unique circumstances. Jontue’s experience includes founding his own firm and advising clients across more than 15 states. He focuses on areas such as executive compensation, family wealth management, retirement planning, portfolio management, business strategies, and socially responsible investing. His approach emphasizes disciplined, planning-based processes with frequent client engagement to align strategies with personal values and financial goals. Jontue holds a Bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, a Certified Private Wealth Advisor®, and holds additional credentials including Personal Investment Advisor and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor. His background includes firsthand knowledge of the financial challenges faced by professional athletes, having grown up with a close family member in the NBA, as well as entrepreneurial experience from running a business for ten years. This diverse expertise enables him to serve clients with tailored insights, particularly in managing wealth transitions and liquidity events. Residing in Narberth, Pennsylvania, Jontue spends time with his family and enjoys basketball and football. He also participates in community volunteer activities aligned with Merrill Lynch’s tradition of community involvement. Jontue encourages clients to consider him their primary resource for a wide range of financial decisions, supported by Merrill’s integrated wealth management, banking, and lending services.