Top financial advisors working with clients approaching retirement in Utica, NY

Joseph Leo is a financial advisor at Quartz Partners Investment Management with 21 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has held previous roles at Benchmark Investments, Etico Partners, Etico Wealth Management, and Dinosaur Securities. Leo serves as treasurer and chair of the investment committee for Pathfinder Village, a local philanthropic organization. Quartz Partners Investment Management serves individual investors, retirement plans, institutions, and financial intermediaries, providing model-based investment management through separately managed accounts, model portfolios, and advisory services. The firm’s investment approach combines top-down macro analysis with bottom-up stock selection and manages accounts primarily on a discretionary basis.

Mark Foresti is a financial advisor at Primerica Advisors in Utica, NY, holding a Series 63 designation with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors since 2000 and Primerica Financial Services since 1999. In addition to his advisory role, Foresti serves as an instructor at Utica College. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, which includes model-delivery strategies and a limited number of separately managed account options for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses third-party asset managers selected through independent due diligence and provides services under a tiered wrap-fee structure.

James Chase is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services holding Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and over 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, NBT Bank, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, and Key Investment Services. He is also a commissioned notary in Oriskany, NY. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that offers financial planning and asset management to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides collaborative, annual planning relationships using firm-approved software tools and offers specialized planning programs such as Divorce Planning and estate-settlement services.

Constance Smith is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. She has worked with Prudential Insurance Company of America since 2011 and started with LPL Enterprise in 2024. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and charitable entities. The firm primarily uses model-driven investment approaches developed by its research department and third-party strategists, offering services such as financial planning, access to third-party asset managers, and insurance product facilitation.

John Clark is a CFA® charterholder with three years of industry experience. He has been with Adirondack Financial Services Corp since 2011. Adirondack Financial Services provides investment advisory and portfolio management services to individual and institutional clients, including companies, trusts, non-profit entities, and defined benefit plans. The firm employs a client-specific investment process that combines quantitative screening with qualitative manager and security review, managing approximately $412 million in assets.

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.

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Barbara Brewer is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 20 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets Corporation since 2008. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves individual investors, institutional clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, custody, and brokerage services, tailoring strategies to clients’ Advisory Risk Profiles through a mix of in-house and third-party providers.

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money managers.

Lee Chen is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Pasadena, California, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, Chen serves on the board of directors for the San Gabriel Country Club. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining proprietary capital market research with a broad range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions.