Syracuse, NY S Salina St Office

Kevin O'Connor is a financial advisor at Merrill with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Merrill since 1993. He also has experience with Bank of America, N.A. since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is an investor in commercial land development through two LLCs. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients using model-based and discretionary strategies. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations with a range of investment approaches including strategic asset allocation and tax-aware options.

Gary Allen is a financial advisor with Merrill and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 50 years of industry experience and has been with Merrill since 1976. Since 2011, he has also been affiliated with Bank of America, N.A. 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 serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies designed by internal and third-party managers.

Julia Georges is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In her role, she works closely with clients to understand what is important to them, helping develop strategies to pursue short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals. Julia provides guidance on general investing, retirement planning, and saving for unexpected events, and offers access to Bank of America specialists for banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Her experience includes expertise in areas such as LGBT Wealth Planning, Liquidity Management, Managing New Wealth, Personal Retirement Planning, Portfolio Management Services, Small Business Strategies, Women and Wealth, Individual and Corporate Investment Strategy, Tax Minimization, and Retirement Income. Julia holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned her bachelor's degree from Binghamton University. Outside of her professional work, Julia has interests in adventure sports, cooking, hiking, music, running, skydiving, spending time with family, tennis, and traveling. She approaches financial advising with a focus on attentive listening, empathy, and transparency, providing clear communication and goals-based planning to help clients make confident financial decisions.

Samantha Jebbett is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she has been working since 2015. She is part of a team of four advisors focused on financial planning to assist clients in achieving their financial goals throughout their careers and into retirement. Her expertise includes college education planning, family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Samantha emphasizes personalized strategies tailored to each client's unique objectives and collaborates with CPAs and attorneys to provide comprehensive service. Samantha holds a Bachelor's Degree from Syracuse University and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Originally from Rochester, NY, she resides in Fairmount with her significant other and their two cats. Outside of work, she enjoys playing trivia in local restaurants, completing the New York Times Crossword, and weightlifting.

Roberta Cifaratta is a financial advisor with Merrill in Syracuse, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 33 years of industry experience. She has worked at Merrill since 2007 and has been affiliated with Bank of America, N.A. since 2011. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individual, high-net-worth, pension, corporate, and charitable clients. The firm integrates strategic and tactical asset allocation with trading and custody support as part of the Bank of America group.

Stefanie Peters is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. With over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, she focuses on assisting individuals, families, and business owners in growing, protecting, and preserving their wealth through personalized strategies. Her approach emphasizes listening carefully to clients, developing tailored financial plans, and providing ongoing guidance to enable clients to make informed decisions with confidence. Stefanie’s expertise spans concentrated stock strategies, wealth management, portfolio evaluation, estate and financial planning, business succession planning, and retirement planning. Stefanie holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Delaware and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Her client focus areas include education and legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, retirement planning and income, tax minimization, and strategies for women and wealth. She is committed to building strong relationships through accessible, knowledgeable, and experienced service, helping clients navigate critical financial decisions. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Stefanie participates in community service activities, including volunteering with the West Side Campaign Against Hunger. Her personal interests include biking, cooking, dancing, football, golfing, ice hockey, spending time with family, traveling, watching movies, and practicing yoga.

John Colvin is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Syracuse, New York. He is a Senior Financial Advisor and a member of the M C S Group, collaborating with fellow Senior Financial Advisors Bill Maffei and David Schneid. Together, the team brings over 40 years of combined experience serving diverse clients including New York State employees, business owners, executives, healthcare professionals, retirees, and multigenerational households. John specializes in creating personalized wealth management strategies, focusing on areas such as college education planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and socially responsible, values-based, and ESG investing. Drawing on the resources of Merrill Lynch, he guides clients through the pursuit of their financial goals with strategies tailored to their unique needs. He holds the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) designation as well as being a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). John's educational background includes a High School Diploma from Union Springs High School and an Associate's Degree from Cayuga Community College. He is also actively involved in his community as a volunteer with the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce. John resides in Auburn, New York, with his wife Leanna, their two children, and their cat. Outside of his professional activities, he enjoys sports including basketball, football, golf, racquetball, and is a Buffalo Bills season ticket holder.

Mac Mott is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management based in downtown Chicago. He works with individuals and families to organize and plan for various aspects of their financial lives, focusing on aligning financial strategies with clients’ personal perspectives and priorities. His areas of expertise include divorce transition planning, education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, sports and entertainment finance, tax minimization, and retirement income. Mac holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Dayton and holds professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Mac grew up in Syracuse, New York before attending the University of Dayton. He has lived in Chicago for over three years and considers it home. Outside of work, he enjoys adventure sports, baseball, basketball, chess, football, golfing, pickleball, soccer, spending time with his family, and traveling. His approach centers on helping clients uncover what matters most to them to create strategies that pursue their financial goals.

Gregory Burns is a Senior Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management based in Syracuse, New York. He began his career with Merrill in 1990 at the New York City, 5th Avenue office. In his current role, he focuses on wealth management investment and planning strategies, working with individuals and small businesses to help them achieve their financial goals and objectives. Greg specializes in investment management strategies, retirement income, estate planning services, wealth transfer, philanthropic giving strategies, and qualified retirement plans. He and his team utilize a Goals Based strategy to wealth management that emphasizes understanding and prioritizing clients' financial goals and objectives. Gregory holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation awarded by the College for Financial Planning and is also a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA). He earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Syracuse University. Outside of his professional career, Gregory resides in Fayetteville with his wife Amy and their three children. He is involved in youth sports and fundraising activities and enjoys biking, boating, golfing, reading, running, skiing, tennis, and traveling.

Lisa Germain is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in portfolio management, personal retirement planning, and wealth planning for specific client groups including LGBT clients and women. Her focus also includes socially responsible and ESG investing, tax minimization, and retirement income strategies. With a career spanning several decades, Lisa applies her understanding of clients' life priorities to develop personalized financial plans that reflect their individual goals and aspirations. She manages discretionary investment strategies tailored to each client's unique needs utilizing a broad range of Merrill model portfolios and third-party strategies. Lisa holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. She earned her bachelor's degree from Alfred University. Lisa is active in professional and community organizations. She serves on the Women's Exchange Executive Committee at Merrill Lynch and is involved in the Community Mentor Program, which supports professional growth within the firm. Her personal interests include boating, golfing, painting, traveling, and adventure sports.

William Maffei is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He began his financial services career in 1986 and brings over 40 years of experience in the investment business. William specializes in individual equities and fixed income, providing custom-designed portfolios tailored to meet each client's goals. He holds the Professional Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned a Bachelor's Degree from the State University of New York at Cortland. William is based in Central New York and focuses on delivering a comprehensive wealth management strategy by working closely with clients to address their individual needs and assist them in making informed financial decisions.

Gregory Perry is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been with the firm since 1989, providing financial guidance and wealth management services. Greg's work focuses on helping clients develop strategic and personalized wealth management plans using a Goal Based Approach to Wealth Management. Greg holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of Rochester, earned in 1987. He holds professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Through Merrill Lynch, Greg offers his clients a range of financial services such as retirement planning, investment portfolio planning, and college planning. Greg resides in Manlius, New York, with his wife Jane and their four children.

Paul Ridley is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Syracuse, NY. With over 15 years of experience, he assists individuals, families, retirees, and business owners in making informed financial decisions to support their long-term goals. He specializes in areas such as liquidity management, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, tax minimization, and retirement income. Throughout his career, Paul has worked in both institutional and retail financial environments, including roles at Fidelity Investments and Goldman Sachs in New York City, as well as prior financial advisory positions in Syracuse. His professional background encompasses financial planning, wealth advisory services, investment consulting, and financial education. He holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky. Paul engages with his community through involvement with organizations such as the Genesis Group, Habitat for Humanity, Helping Hounds, and Humane CNY. His personal interests include football, hiking, running, and skiing.

Patrick Mahar is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing extensive experience in financial services since 1995. He joined Merrill Lynch in 2006 following the acquisition of his previous employer. Patrick's professional focus centers on assisting individuals, families, and businesses in achieving their short- and long-term financial objectives through a consultative and objective wealth management approach. Patrick holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation awarded by the College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. He is also a qualified Portfolio Advisor, providing clients with traditional financial advice as well as tailored investment strategies that include Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and approved third-party managers. His areas of expertise include college education planning, family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, and investment strategy for both individual and corporate clients. A 1992 graduate of Cornell University, Patrick resides in Westvale, New York, with his wife Beth and their two children. Outside of his professional commitments, he enjoys golf, skiing, ice hockey, music, and spending time with his family.

Cheryl Mcleod serves as a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, with over 25 years of experience guiding individuals and families through various financial transitions. She specializes in legacy planning, LGBT wealth planning, personal retirement planning, socially responsible and values-based investing, women and wealth, sports and entertainment, and retirement income. Cheryl approaches wealth management by creating strategies that reflect clients' unique goals and values, emphasizing personalized wealth management through one-on-one conversations. Cheryl holds a Bachelor's Degree from Ithaca College and maintains several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). Her background includes serving as a volunteer firefighter and EMT-D, experiences that have influenced her professional approach. Beyond her professional work, Cheryl is actively involved in her community through organizations such as the Eastern Farm Workers Association, Friends Forever Animal Rescue, the Onondaga Hill Fire Department, and Sunshine Horses. She enjoys gardening, hiking, photography, reading, writing, spending time with her family, and practicing yoga. Cheryl lives in Onondaga Hill with her husband, two sons, a rescued dog named Lacy, a senior cat, and a flock of free-range chickens.