La Jolla, CA Fay Ave Office

Robert Wilcsek is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in the La Jolla office. He has worked in financial services since 1977, bringing over 45 years of experience to his role. Robert assists clients by developing personalized wealth management strategies tailored to individual needs, focusing on family wealth management, endowments, foundations, non-profit services, new wealth management, retirement planning, portfolio management, and retirement income. Robert holds a Doctorate from Washington State University and previously worked at the University of California, San Diego, before joining Merrill Lynch. He carries the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Raised in Solana Beach, California, Robert emphasizes a comprehensive and collaborative approach, working one-on-one with clients to help them pursue their long-term financial goals. He is also engaged in community volunteering in alignment with Merrill’s tradition of service. Outside of work, Robert enjoys billiards, surfing, and watching movies.

Melissa Snook is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over a decade of experience in financial advising. She began her career serving the retirees of Fortune 500 companies at a local advisory firm in San Diego. Melissa holds several professional designations, including Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Her approach centers on developing lasting client relationships built on trust and understanding the complete financial picture to help clients attain their goals. She specializes in areas such as college education planning, employee benefits planning, executive compensation, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible and ESG investing, women and wealth, and retirement income. Melissa earned her bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of California, San Diego. She is an active community member in San Diego, serving on the Board of the La Jolla Woman's Club. Additionally, she participates in volunteering organizations including Feeding San Diego and San Diego Coastkeeper. As a native of San Diego and a long-term resident of La Jolla, Melissa is committed to the preservation of the coastline through engagement in green initiatives. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, snowboarding, and surfing.

Michael Judge is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on offering a comprehensive approach to managing wealth that begins with getting to know a client and their family, financial situation, and what matters most to them. He helps clients create customized wealth management approaches that can adapt as their needs and market conditions change. Michael provides access to the investment insights of Merrill and the banking convenience of Bank of America to address various aspects of clients’ financial lives. With over a decade of experience, Michael is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional who serves a clientele requiring detailed attention and extensive knowledge. His expertise includes corporate executive services, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, investment consulting for defined contribution plans, legacy planning, liquidity management, socially responsible investing, individual and corporate investment strategy, tax minimization, and retirement income planning. Michael holds a Bachelor's Degree from the State University of New York System and holds the professional designations of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). His personal interests include adventure sports, baseball, fishing, ice hockey, music, racquetball, soccer, spending time with family, surfing, and traveling.

Bryan Plank is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing 35 years of experience to his role. Born in Queens, New York, he has been part of a team serving clients in California for over four decades. Bryan specializes in family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and retirement income. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Southern California and a Professional Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Bryan emphasizes creating personalized financial strategies that align with clients’ long-term goals, offering access to the investment insights of Merrill and the banking and lending solutions of Bank of America. Committed to community involvement, he participates in local volunteer activities in keeping with Merrill’s tradition. Outside of work, Bryan enjoys gardening, music, and writing.

Dongsoo Lee is a financial advisor with Merrill in La Jolla, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2018. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates LA Costar Education Inc., a tutoring business specializing in Math, English, and Korean. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Patrick Kearney is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He holds the professional designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), reflecting his commitment to providing tailored investment guidance. Patrick earned a Bachelor's Degree from San Diego State University. His educational background, combined with his professional experience, supports his role in delivering comprehensive financial advisory services.

Christopher Demmler is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been working since 2003. He has over twenty years of experience in the financial services industry. His areas of focus include family wealth management strategies, institutional investment consulting, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible and values-based investing, sports and entertainment, individual and corporate investment strategy, and retirement income. Christopher holds a Bachelor's degree and an MBA in Finance from Loyola Marymount University. He earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation in 2008 and the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designation in 2019. He has been named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list consecutively from 2022 through 2026. In his spare time, Christopher enjoys playing golf and volunteering in youth sports. He and his wife, Allison, have two sons.

Nathan Treadwell is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in the La Jolla office. Since joining the firm in 1999, he has partnered with Senior Financial Advisor Christopher Hokokian to provide comprehensive financial guidance. Nathan employs a goals-based approach, developing tailored roadmaps to help clients achieve their unique intermediate and long-term objectives. His expertise spans investment strategies involving ETFs, individual stocks and bonds, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, and variable annuities, with a focus on wealth accumulation and preservation. Additionally, he offers services in estate planning, life insurance, income replacement, business succession, and long-term care planning. Nathan's client focus includes college education planning, divorce transition planning, executive compensation, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, defined benefit plans, managing new wealth, personal retirement, philanthropic planning, portfolio management, and women and wealth. He works with executives and business owners across all stages of the business lifecycle, providing access to Business Finance Specialists and facilitating strategies such as concentrated stock plans, 401k plans, cash management, group benefit plans, financing solutions, company valuations, corporate divestiture, and succession planning. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance from the University of California, Riverside. Nathan possesses the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. Fluent in English and Spanish, he resides in Point Loma with his wife Katie and children Zachary and Mackenzie. Outside of work, Nathan enjoys adventure sports, biking, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, swimming, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Iola Xiao is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and The ROK Advisory Group since 2023. She has 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, providing personalized guidance to individuals and families. Iola is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and speaks basic Cantonese, facilitating communication with a diverse clientele. Iola follows a disciplined process that begins with understanding clients' needs and goals, enabling her to create flexible financial strategies adaptable to changing market conditions. She leverages investment insights from Merrill and banking and lending solutions from Bank of America. Iola holds the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) designation and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) credential. Based in San Diego, Iola enjoys spending time with her son, Tyler, and engaging in activities such as traveling and golfing.

Karen Mortimer is a financial advisor with Merrill in La Jolla, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 24 years of industry experience. She has been affiliated with Merrill since 2009 and Bank of America since 2011. Outside of her advisory role, Mortimer has been active in the RB Sunrise Rotary, serving in leadership positions including President and Finance Committee Chair. 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, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Stephen Cote is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He provides proactive financial advice and guidance to help clients manage their goals, focusing on retirement planning, investment selection, and cash management. Stephen works with affluent individuals, families, and business owners to manage, preserve, and grow their wealth in a tax-efficient manner, addressing areas such as executive compensation, legacy planning, family wealth management strategies, socially responsible investing, and retirement income. Stephen has obtained the Certified Portfolio Manager (CPM®) designation through a collaboration between the Academy of Certified Portfolio Managers and NYU Stern. He also holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™) designation, emphasizing the pre- and post-retirement needs of individuals, in addition to the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) credential. He earned a bachelor's degree from Roger Williams University. Residing in La Jolla, California, Stephen maintains a residence in the Bay Area. In his personal time, he enjoys outdoor activities including golf, volleyball, running, baseball, cooking, fishing, and competition. He is also committed to community involvement, volunteering with organizations in the communities he serves.

Fred Berry is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since joining Merrill in 1995, he has worked with high net-worth clients to address their complex financial needs, specializing in portfolio construction and retirement income planning. Fred's approach emphasizes a personalized strategy designed to help clients pursue their long-term goals through a comprehensive understanding of their full financial picture. With over 30 years of industry experience, Fred provides tailored wealth management strategies focused on portfolio development, liability management, tax minimization, and asset preservation. His expertise encompasses areas such as college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management, defined benefit plan services, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, special needs planning, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Fred holds the Professional Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Fred earned his bachelor's degree in Economics with an emphasis in International Finance from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He lives in Encinitas, California with his wife and two daughters. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, skiing, and spending time with his family. He is actively involved in his community through volunteer work.

Douglas Cochran is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He holds the professional designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and has a Bachelor's Degree from San Diego State University. He has more than three decades of experience in the financial industry, having started his career in 1992 as a Fixed Income Specialist at ML Stern & Company. He has held various leadership roles, including Vice President at ML Stern & Company and First Vice President at Smith Barney. At Morgan Stanley, he was promoted to Senior Vice President and later Executive Director. Currently, Douglas serves a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth families, charitable organizations, and business clients. His expertise includes portfolio management, retirement and wealth strategies, pension consulting, and conducting educational seminars.

Oliver Kearney is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management based in La Jolla. He provides advice and guidance tailored to clients' family goals and priorities, focusing on a client-centered approach rather than market trends. He collaborates with clients to adjust financial plans as their needs and market conditions evolve. Oliver specializes in areas including corporate benefits, corporate executive services, education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, sports and entertainment, and tax minimization. He follows a disciplined process that begins with understanding clients' financial situations and what matters to their families. Oliver holds multiple professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. Outside of his professional work, Oliver has been involved with the USC Alumni Association from 2020 to 2023. His personal interests include golfing, pickleball, running, skiing, spending time with family, surfing, swimming, tennis, traveling, and volleyball.

Jaime Torres is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2018. Prior to that, he operated a business under Javier Torres Inc. for ten years. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through its Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.