Our Team
The expertise of our in-house team and our partners at Commonwealth Financial Network is what drives our ability to help you live life on your terms.
Client Service Team
Renée uses her FPQP certification to help clients achieve their financial and lifestyle goals. Attention to detail, a strong work ethic and a focused energy to help where she’s needed are three of her differentiators. Prior to joining CG Capital, Renée was the administrative assistant for the Syracuse branch of AXA Advisors, LLC. She’s a graduate of Utica College with a BA in English. Outside of work, Renée enjoys camping, politics, sports, cosmetics, and, most importantly, spending time with her family.
Fun fact about Renée: She and her husband purchased her childhood home and now live there with their three children, Nolan, Sadie, and Nashton.
Hometown:
Frankfort, NY
Favorite Book & Movie:
The Lost Symbol/Labyrinth
Ideal Dinner Guest:
Princess Diana, JFK, Jr.
Qualities I Admire in People:
Kindness, Patience, and Compassion
Email: renee@mycgcapital.com
Words to Live By:
Listen, smile, agree, and then do whatever you were going to do anyway
Maria uses her background in operations and client service to support the firm and its clients — focusing on the creation of ongoing successes. Her extensive experience in the financial services industry includes working for boutique investment firms and a hedge fund company. Maria graduated from LeMoyne College with a BS in business administration. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time at home with her loved ones, especially her son Anthony; she’s most happy cooking and entertaining for friends and family.
Fun Fact about Maria: Her favorite place to vacation each summer is Rockport, Mass.
Hometown:
New Hartford, NY
Favorite Movie:
Moonstruck
Ideal Dinner Guest:
My godfather (Anthony) who passed when I was three years old.
Email: maria@mycgcapital.com
Qualities I Admire in People:
Honesty, Compassion, Integrity, and Respect/Good Manners.
Words to Live By:
A negative mind will never give you a positive life.
Advanced Planning Team
Justin is responsible for the strategic direction of the department, as well as providing a resource for advisors on issues involving trust, estate, tax, charitable, Social Security, business, insurance, and education planning. His previous experience includes positions at Renaissance Insurance Group, John Hancock, and Ernst & Young. Justin is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), and Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) designations, as well as Massachusetts life, accident, and health insurance licenses and FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, and 63 securities registrations. He earned a BS in business administration from Northeastern University; an MSFS from the American College of Financial Services; and a JD with a focus on estate, trust, and tax law from New England Law Boston.
Heather serves as a resource for advisors on issues involving estate, charitable, tax, social security, and education planning. Her previous experience includes positions at Bank of America Investment Services/Merrill Lynch and Investors Capital, as well as extensive operations experience at Commonwealth. Heather holds the Certified Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) certification as well as the FINRA Series 7, 9, 10, and 63 securities registrations. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Endicott College, a JD from the University of San Diego, and an LLM (Master of Laws) in taxation with a focus on estate planning from Boston University, and is currently pursuing an MS in financial planning from Bentley University.
Martin serves as a resource on issues involving estate, trust, charitable, education, business, and Social Security planning strategies. His previous experience includes several positions at Fidelity and UBS. Martin is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley University.
Mike serves as a resource for our advisors on issues involving financial planning software and charitable, tax, education, and Social Security planning. He previously held several leadership roles on Commonwealth’s data integrity team, most recently as supervisor of the group. Mike is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 66 securities registrations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Connecticut School of Business.
Maureen serves as a resource for advisors in all areas of financial planning, including executive benefits, as well as high-level insurance planning and Social Security, estate, and business planning. Her prior experience includes serving as an assistant vice president of advanced sales and sales development at Lincoln Financial Group, and working at Western and Southern Financial Group, Lafayette Life Insurance Company, and Jefferson Pilot Insurance Company. She holds Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designations. Maureen earned an MBA from Plymouth State University.
Keven serves as a resource on issues involving estate, charitable, tax, and education planning. His previous experience includes serving as an estate planning attorney and personal trust advisor. Keven earned a BBA, MBA, and JD from the University of Michigan.
David serves as a resource for advisors on financial planning issues, including trust, estate, business, education, Social Security, and charitable planning. Previously, he was a practicing estate planning attorney admitted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and State of New Hampshire bars. David earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and a JD from the Massachusetts School of Law.
Anna serves as a resource for advisors on financial planning issues, including business, education, estate, Social Security, and trust planning. Her previous experience includes working for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor’s degree and JD from Duquesne University and an LLM (Master of Laws) in international human rights from the National University of Ireland. Anna is currently working toward becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Krista serves as a resource for advisors on issues involving estate, trust, charitable, education, business, deferred compensation and Social Security planning strategies. Her prior experience includes conducting research and analysis and implementing advanced estate and business strategies with independent advisors. Krista holds Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) designations, as well as FINRA Series 7 securities registration and California life, accident, and health insurance licenses. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Biola University.
Aric joined Commonwealth in August 2020 as an advanced planning consultant. In this role, he provides financial planning support for advisors, including estate, trust, charitable, education, business, and social security planning strategies. Prior to joining Commonwealth, Aric was a financial educator and subject matter expert at Edelman Financial Engines and Financial Knowledge. He earned his BS in biology from Tulane University and his JD from Tulane University School of Law. Aric then went on to earn his LLM in taxation from New York University School of Law. He currently holds his FINRA Series 6, 63, and 66 securities registrations and CFP certification and is a member of the New York State Bar. Outside of work, Aric enjoys hiking, doing the New York Times crosswords, studying ancient Roman history, and spending time with his wife, Alicia, and their black lab mix, Tosh. Aric also enjoys traveling and biking; he has biked across the U.S. twice as part of a charitable fundraising event and in 2018 he spent a month in Iran as a tourist.
Research Team
Brad chairs the Investment Committee and is the primary spokesperson for Commonwealth's investment divisions. He shares his comments and thoughts on the economy in his blog, The Independent Market Observer. Brad’s previous experience includes founding Dartmouth Realty Advisors. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, and is a member of the Appraisal Institute. Brad earned a BA from Dartmouth College, an MS in real estate from MIT, and an MS in finance from Boston College.
Brian manages the research team, and oversees asset allocation, fund selection, and overall management of Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select program. His previous experience includes serving as a senior financial advisor associate at Bernstein Investment Research and Management. Brian is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations. He earned a BA from Georgetown University.
Peter oversees asset allocation, fund selection, and overall management of Commonwealth’s discretionary platform, Preferred Portfolio Services® Select. His prior experience includes positions at Albany International and Kestner Engineers. Peter is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), and a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society. He also holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 31, 53, and 66 securities registrations. Peter earned a BS in industrial economics from Union College.
Chad analyzes, approves, and monitors all alternative investments products, e.g., private equity, private credit, hedge funds, real estate, infrastructure, and commodities, and manages the Alternative Investments team, which assists advisors with portfolio construction, as well as individual investment research and analysis. His previous experience includes a position at Investors Bank & Trust. Chad is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation and FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations. He earned a BS in economics from Bates College.
Maureen serves as a resource for advisors in all areas of financial planning, including executive benefits, as well as high-level insurance planning and Social Security, estate, and business planning. Her prior experience includes serving as an assistant vice president of advanced sales and sales development at Lincoln Financial Group, and working at Western and Southern Financial Group, Lafayette Life Insurance Company, and Jefferson Pilot Insurance Company. She holds Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designations. Maureen earned an MBA from Plymouth State University.
Nicholas analyzes fixed income funds and ETFs, responds to advisor requests, and assists with fixed income market research. He also evaluates and selects managers; disseminates research in the international and emerging markets asset classes; and responds to advisor inquiries on fixed income portfolio construction, fund research, and equity portfolio reviews. Nicholas holds FINRA Series 7 securities registration. He earned a BFA in jazz performance from the New School for Social Research and an MBA in finance from San Francisco State University.
Brian manages evaluation, selection, and dissemination of research in the small- and mid-cap asset classes. He also conducts research and due diligence on exchange-traded products, and responds to advisor inquiries on various investment topics, including asset allocation, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and separate account managers. Brian’s previous industry experience includes positions at Signator Investors and Putnam Investments. He is a Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) and holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 securities registrations. Brian earned a BS in management from Quinnipiac University.
Fred manages Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select Fixed Income SMA strategies and assists with portfolio construction and ideas on fixed income market opportunities. His previous experience includes serving in fixed income positions at Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns. Fred earned a BS in financial management and economics and an MBA from Plymouth State University.
Chris oversees Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select program and the Commonwealth Model Portfolios. He also assists with asset allocation, security selection, and ongoing portfolio monitoring, and responds to advisor inquiries about their own model portfolios. Chris’ previous experience includes more than 20 years in small- and mid-cap stock research and managing small- and mid-cap value portfolios for institutional and high-net-worth clients. He earned a BA in economics from Bates College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Andrew helps oversee Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select program and the Commonwealth Model Portfolios. He also assists with asset allocation, security selection, and ongoing portfolio monitoring. Andrew’s previous experience includes positions at LPL Financial and Bank of America. He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and Energy Risk Professional (ERP), a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society, and holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations. Chris earned dual degrees in economics and history with a concentration in East Asian studies from Emory University.
Anu evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the international and emerging markets asset classes. She also responds to advisor inquiries on equity portfolio construction, individual equity research, and equity portfolio reviews. Anu’s previous experience includes teaching a master’s level finance course at Boston University and working at Virtua Research and SBI Capital Markets in India. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM®), and holds FINRA Series 7 securities registration. Anu earned an MS in finance from Boston College and an MBA in finance from NMIMS in India.
Robert facilitates due diligence and research activities on products within alternative financial strategies, e.g., managed futures, hedge funds, private equity, structured products, mutual funds, and exchange traded funds. He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 66 securities registrations. Robert earned a degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Nathan facilitates due diligence and research activities on real asset-focused investments — commercial real estate, commodities, infrastructure, and natural resources. His previous experience is at LPL Financial. Nathan is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA), and holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities registrations. Nathan earned a bachelor's in business administration from California State University, Chico, and a master's in finance from San Diego State University.
Chris evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the large-cap equity asset class. He also responds to advisor inquiries on equity portfolio construction, individual equity research, and equity portfolio reviews. Chris’ previous experience includes positions at Columbia Management, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, and TheStreet.com. He holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations. Chris earned a BA in finance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Sam analyzes individual fixed income securities, responds to advisor requests, and assists with market research and commentary. He also assists with trading and rebalancing SMA portfolios. Sam is a Level II Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) candidate. He earned a BA in economics from Tufts University.
Thomas responds to advisor inquiries on equity portfolio construction, individual equity research, and equity portfolio reviews. He also evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the mid-cap equity asset class. Thomas holds FINRA Series 65 securities registration. He earned a BS in business management from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Rob analyzes individual fixed income securities, responds to advisor requests, and assists with fixed income market research. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and holds FINRA Series 65 securities registration. Rob earned a BS in finance and accounting from Boston College.
Peter supports analysts with due diligence and research activities on mutual funds, exchange traded-funds, and equities. He also evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the global and foreign SMID markets asset classes, as well as assisting the Investment Management team with calculating, analyzing, and updating internal and external performance and attribution reports. Peter is a Level II Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) candidate. He earned a BS in management, with an emphasis in finance, from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Tom supports analysts with due diligence and research activities in fixed income and alternative investments. He also assists the Investment Management team with aggregating and presenting daily, weekly, and monthly investment analysis and performance reporting. Tom earned a BS in economics and finance from Bentley University.
Brad chairs the Investment Committee and is the primary spokesperson for Commonwealth's investment divisions. He shares his comments and thoughts on the economy in his blog, The Independent Market Observer. Brad’s previous experience includes founding Dartmouth Realty Advisors. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, and is a member of the Appraisal Institute. Brad earned a BA from Dartmouth College, an MS in real estate from MIT, and an MS in finance from Boston College.
Brad chairs the Investment Committee and is the primary spokesperson for Commonwealth's investment divisions. He shares his comments and thoughts on the economy in his blog, The Independent Market Observer. Brad’s previous experience includes founding Dartmouth Realty Advisors. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, and is a member of the Appraisal Institute. Brad earned a BA from Dartmouth College, an MS in real estate from MIT, and an MS in finance from Boston College.
Brad chairs the Investment Committee and is the primary spokesperson for Commonwealth's investment divisions. He shares his comments and thoughts on the economy in his blog, The Independent Market Observer. Brad’s previous experience includes founding Dartmouth Realty Advisors. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation, and is a member of the Appraisal Institute. Brad earned a BA from Dartmouth College, an MS in real estate from MIT, and an MS in finance from Boston College.
Nathan facilitates due diligence and research activities on real asset-focused investments — commercial real estate, commodities, infrastructure, and natural resources. His previous experience is at LPL Financial. Nathan is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA), and holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities registrations. Nathan earned a bachelor's in business administration from California State University, Chico, and a master's in finance from San Diego State University.
Daniel joined Commonwealth in January 2020 as a temporary worker in Investment Management and Research. In this role, he supports analysts with due diligence and research activities on all aspects related to the Investment Management and Research team. He also assists with aggregating and presenting daily, weekly, and monthly investment analysis and performance reporting. Prior to joining Commonwealth, Daniel worked as a wealth management intern at Sullivan Kreiss Financial, as well as a mergers and acquisitions intern at Preston Todd Advisors. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley University. Daniel is a huge fan of Boston sports teams and enjoys playing and watching football and basketball. He also spends some of his free time going to the beach and traveling.
Jack interned at Commonwealth during the summer of 2019 on the Investment Management and Research team and returned in January 2021. In this role, he is responsible for aggregating and presenting daily and weekly reporting to investment analysts and the Asset Management team. He also plays a key role in assisting with important responsibilities on a range of topical research projects across equities, fixed income, and alternative asset classes. Jack also interned in the Field Development & Transition department here at Commonwealth. Prior to Commonwealth, Jack worked in shareholder operations for Putnam Investments. He is currently working towards earning a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, running, lifting weights, and hiking.
John came to Commonwealth in 1988 after spending five years as a vice president at Moseley Securities in Boston. Arriving to work in the Product department, John handled mutual funds, many partnerships, commodities, variable annuities, qualified plans, and individual issues. Over time, he has helped engineer the growth of not only the Product department but also Commonwealth as a whole and is relied upon by all parties for his advice and perspective on the direction of the firm. John opened and now manages Commonwealth's West Coast office in San Diego, California. He has been a guest on numerous television shows and nationally syndicated radio programs. He is a graduate of Colby College with a BA in government and attended Harvard Business School's OPM Key Executives Program. In 2015, John was elected to the Financial Services Institute (FSI) board of directors, and he assumed the role of FSI board chair in 2020. He also holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations. Besides voraciously reading about the financial industry and markets, John enjoys wine; golfing; following his hometown Philadelphia sports teams (especially the Eagles); and, most of all, spending time with his wife, Janice, and three kids, Chase, Josie, and Kellen.
Justin joined Commonwealth in September 2017 as supervisor, advisor support, in Portfolio Reports and Data Services and was promoted to manager in February 2019. In this role, he handles all escalated issues, mentors and trains new employees, supports senior team members, and works to maximize the value and efficiency of existing processes. Prior to joining Commonwealth, Justin was director of retirement call center operations at MassMutual. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BBA in finance and operations management. He is currently a May 2021 CFA® Level III candidate. When there’s time to get away, Justin loves backpacking through the beautiful New England wilderness, canoeing in Maine, and traveling to Puerto Rico with his wife and daughters.
Sarah joined Commonwealth in 2015 as an intern and then full-time as a marketing coordinator in 2016. She transitioned to Wealth Management in 2018, where she helped scope, manage, and communicate wealth management initiatives cross-departmentally. In her current role as an investment management analyst, Sarah provides platform-based support for Commonwealth’s discretionary platform, Preferred Portfolio Services Select. She helps respond to ad-hoc investment research requests and identifies strategies to enhance the adoption of the PPS Select platform. Sarah graduated from Elon University with a BSBA in marketing and a minor in finance. She holds her FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations. She enjoys spending time on the Cape with family, friends, and her black lab, Bailey.
Wayne joined Commonwealth in November 2015 as an annuity product consultant and three years later, he took on a senior position. In November 2020, he joined the equity team within Investment Research as an investment analyst. In this role, he is primarily responsible for responding to inquiries on equity portfolios, including the analysis of individual stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. Prior to Commonwealth, Wayne worked at MassMutual, Edward Jones, and The Hartford. He attended the University of Connecticut, where he earned a bachelor’s in economics. He also currently holds his CFA® designation. Wayne’s biggest interest and hobby would be sports, specifically the NFL and college basketball. He is a huge fan of the Patriots and UConn basketball. He also enjoys hiking, especially up north, and reading, mostly nonfiction and historical novels.
