Independent, general retirement planning 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.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

Amanda Scheele is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2024, she worked at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2024 and is involved with Lucky Duck since 2025. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers financial planning and non-discretionary consulting services, drawing on various portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

Lori Fell is a Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with Edward Jones in East Lansing, MI, where she has worked since 2009, accumulating 17 years of industry experience. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner of LAF Properties LLC, a business she maintains in East Lansing. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions, including managed account strategies and affiliated mutual funds, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Kenneth Blaschke is a financial advisor at HeadInvest in Portland, ME, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with HeadInvest since 2009. HeadInvest serves a diverse range of clients, including individuals, trusts, endowments, and government entities, providing discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs a holistic, asset-allocation driven approach, combining fixed-income selection with low-cost ETFs and emphasizing tax efficiency.

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.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.