Pawleys Island, SC Office

John Brienza is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing over 37 years of experience in helping clients coordinate their finances. Throughout his career, John has focused on various client services including Corporate Benefits, Corporate Executive Services, Divorce Transition Planning, Equity Compensation Services, Family Wealth Management Strategies, Personal Retirement Planning, Portfolio Management Services, and Retirement Income. He initially began his career with Merrill Lynch in New York and has been based in North Carolina for over 30 years. John holds a Bachelor's Degree from Gettysburg College and maintains the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He has also served as the Senior Resident Director of the Merrill Lynch Wealth Management office in Charlotte-South Park and was a board member of the Foundation for the Carolinas, Cabinet of Professional Advisors. John leads The Brienza Group, a team of seven professionals dedicated to managing various aspects of clients' financial lives. Outside of his professional commitments, John resides in the South Park area of Charlotte with his wife Robin. Their son Michael, a recent Tufts University graduate, lives in Boston with his wife Anastasia. John is an eight-time Ironman Triathlete and spends his personal time biking, running marathons, swimming, and enjoying time with his family.

Carol Claytor is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor at Merrill with seven years of industry experience. She previously worked for PNC Bank, N.A. from 2013 to 2018 before joining Merrill in 2018. 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 model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal CIO teams and third-party managers, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.