Strategic Financial Services

Shannon Cool is a financial advisor at Strategic Financial Services with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Chapter Aesthetic Studio, Mohawk Valley Community College, Hannaford Supermarkets, and Utica University. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs model-based investment strategies combined with fundamental analysis and uses digital planning tools to support its client programs.

Tobias Jeralds is a Series 65 credentialed advisor at Strategic Financial Services with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at Utica University and Irish Trucking. Strategic Financial Services advises individuals, families, institutions, corporations, and retirement plans through wealth management, institutional portfolio management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm employs a largely model-based investment approach with discretionary management, offering customized planning and fiduciary consulting tailored to various client types.

Justin Hearty is a CFP® professional with five years of experience, currently with Strategic Financial Services. His prior experience includes roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Northwestern Mutual, Stewarts Corporation, and Orangetheory Fitness. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs model-based investment strategies that integrate quantitative factor tilts, macro and fundamental analysis, and utilizes digital planning tools to support client financial plans.

Melissa Fernalld is an advisor with Strategic Financial Services in Utica, NY, where she has worked since 2007. She holds five years of industry experience. Strategic Financial Services advises individuals and families, institutions, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, offering wealth management, institutional portfolio management, and retirement-plan advisory services through model-based investment management with case-by-case customization.

Judith Vicks Sweet is a CFA® charterholder with four years of industry experience, currently serving at Strategic Financial Services in Utica, NY. She has been with the firm since 1988. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on the governing board of Lifetime Care Companies and participates in finance committees for several nonprofit organizations, including Save the River, ITOG, and the Episcopal Diocese of Central NY. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs model-based investment strategies combined with quantitative and fundamental analysis and supplements portfolio management with digital planning tools to support client financial plans.

Matthew Johnson is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Strategic Financial Services in Utica, NY, bringing two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Grove Point Investments, Cadaret Grant & Co., and several other financial and non-financial organizations. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, fiduciary retirement plan services, and institutional advisory to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a model-based investment approach combining quantitative factor analysis, fundamental research, and the use of sub-advisors, supported by advanced digital planning tools.

Michael Panzer is a financial advisor at Strategic Financial Services in Utica, NY, holding a Series 65 credential with eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mid Atlantic Capital Group and Community Bank NA, among others. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional portfolio management, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, families, institutions, and corporations. The firm employs a largely model-based, discretionary investment approach with customization options and integrates tax-aware planning alongside fiduciary consulting and participant education.

Alan Leist is a CFA® charterholder with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at Strategic Financial Services since 2005. He previously worked at Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. for 13 years. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of AAA Northeast, providing strategic guidance and oversight to senior leadership. Strategic Financial Services offers wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs model-based investment strategies combining quantitative factor tilts, macro and fundamental analysis, and uses digital planning tools to support client financial plans.

Gregory Tedone is a financial advisor at Strategic Financial Services with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, QCI Asset Management, and TIAA-Cref Individual & Institutional Services. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs model-based investment strategies combining quantitative factor tilts, macro and fundamental analysis, and uses digital planning tools to support portfolio management and financial planning.

Alan Leist Jr. is a CFP® with 47 years of industry experience, currently advising at Strategic Financial Services in Utica, NY. He has worked at Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. for over three decades and founded Alan Leist Planning Group Inc., where he practiced for more than 40 years. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a director at Indium Corporation of America, a manufacturing company in Clinton, NY. Strategic Financial Services serves individuals, families, institutions, corporations, and retirement plans, offering wealth management and fiduciary consulting. The firm employs a largely model-based, discretionary investment approach with customization options and integrates tax-aware planning alongside retirement plan advisory services.

Aaron Evans is a CFP® and CFA® at Strategic Financial Services in Utica, NY, with six years of industry experience and fourteen years with the firm. He serves on the Investment Advisory Group for the Community Foundation of Oneida Herkimer Counties and on the Regional Advisory Board for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in Central New York. Strategic Financial Services advises individuals, families, institutions, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, offering wealth management and retirement-plan advisory services with a model-based, discretionary investment approach that allows customization and integrates tax-aware planning.

Jacob Storsberg is a financial advisor at Strategic Financial Services with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior work experience with Michael Collea State Farm and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a model-based investment approach that integrates quantitative factor tilts, fundamental analysis, and ETF/mutual fund implementations, supplemented by digital planning tools to support financial plans and portfolio management.

Michael McGraw is a CFP® and holds a Series 63 license with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. for six years and has been with Strategic Financial Services since 2011. Strategic Financial Services advises individuals, families, institutions, corporations, and retirement plans, offering wealth management, institutional portfolio management, and fiduciary consulting. The firm uses a largely model-based, discretionary investment approach with customization options and integrates tax-aware planning alongside coordination with outside professionals.

Cody Carnaya is a CFP® professional at Strategic Financial Services with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Strategic Financial Services since 2020 and previously held roles at Equitable Advisors, Wegmans Food Markets, and Central New York Research Corporation. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a model-based investment approach combining quantitative factor tilts, macro and fundamental analysis, and uses digital planning tools to support financial plans and portfolio management.

Benjamin Petell is a financial advisor at Strategic Financial Services with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Strategic Financial Services in 2023, he worked at Daniel T. Dreimiller, CPA, and has experience at Oak Hill Country Club, St. John Fisher University, and Cedar Lake Country Club. Strategic Financial Services provides wealth management, institutional advisory, fiduciary retirement plan services, and financial planning to a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporations, not-for-profits, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a model-based investment approach that integrates quantitative factor tilts, fundamental analysis, and uses sub-advisors for specialized needs, supplemented by digital planning tools for scenario analyses and projections.