Top college savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) financial advisors 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.

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a related business entity. 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 and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

Paul Kinneberg is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He has been the principal and sole advisor at Longview Financial, Inc. since 2000 and also holds a long-term corporate role at CenturyLink. Longview Financial, Inc. provides personalized, fee-only financial planning and investment management primarily for individual clients. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a core-and-satellite framework, combining passive index and ETF core holdings with active funds when appropriate, and manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis with an emphasis on individualized advice.

Justin Scicluna is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Prairie Village, KS, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including a range of household types, pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors.