Rebecca Yerby, CFP®

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Rebecca Yerby, CFP®

Hello! I am Rebecca Yerby, CFP®. I reside in Birmingham, AL with my husband, two sons, and two dogs. My practice focus is working with mission-driven, young professionals and families. I believe there is a lot more to life than how much money you have in your various accounts. I want to work with clients who are looking for ways to also maximize their impact – whether that is charitable service or charitable giving. My firm’s name is based on 1 Peter 4:10, ‘As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.’ All of us have gifts that we can use to serve one another. I want to help my clients best align their resources to meet their goals while also helping find ways to impact others. When I’m not working with clients you can find me serving as a member of Rotaract Club of Birmingham and the Junior League of Birmingham. Our family is also actively involved within our local church.

Becky Walsh, CFP®

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Becky Walsh, CFP®

I have always loved a challenge. As a child, I enjoyed Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series for its pioneering spirit and “we can do hard things” embrace of life. Founding my own financial firm, with the goal of raising others while building a business, reflects my entrepreneurial background. As the daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, and even great-great-granddaughter of business-founders dedicated to serving the communities where they lived, I carry on a family tradition of service oriented entrepreneurship, working with causes close to my heart, such as the Vermont Food Bank, All Brains Belong, and the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association.

My background as a classically trained musician informs my financial planning approach. My academic research and analysis skills transfer from notes and music theory to financial planning and portfolio management. Whether serving clients or playing piano, I bring joy, creativity and a healing energy to my work.

Alex Rezzo, CFP®, CFA

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Alex Rezzo, CFP®, CFA, CPA

Like so many of the great XYPN financial advisors you’ll find on this platform, I founded Andante Financial to provide best-in-class, independent financial planning and investment management services. But what makes my firm unique? Here’s three things to start:

-After-tax performance is never an afterthought
We use robust tax-loss harvesting tools and processes to enhance your after-tax returns.

-Investment management: we take it personally
We construct personalized investment portfolios for each client; none of our investment management is outsourced or “copy and paste”.

-Our values go beyond an account statement
10% of Andante Financial fees are donated to charity and we donate to charities that clients care about so we can redefine “shared values”

When I work with a client, I take the responsibility of helping them protect and grow the fruits of their labor seriously; I earned my CFP®, CFA, and CPA marks to expand my knowledge and make the most of any opportunity I get to help a client succeed. But my favorite part of this work is curating a network of clients that I truly enjoy working with and rooting for.

Please reach out for an intro call – I’ll enjoy the opportunity to chat and help you get the right person in your corner, whether its me or not.

George Kao, CFP®, ChFC®

/in , , , , , , , /by

About George Kao, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC™, MBA

My philosophy is to help as many as I can (Reach), while at the same time, make those I’m helping smarter and more savvy with their finances (Teach).

I became a financial planner through divine intervention. That’s right! If God didn’t make me walk down this path, I may have never taken the leap.

You see, I spent the first 25 years of my career focused on building some of the world’s most innovative technologies (at that time). This was what I was trained in. These cool tech include virtual classrooms and virtual meetings, webinars, podcasting (in 1997!), streaming videos, wearable smart name badges, private corporate social communities, mobile targeted advertising, autonomous vehicles, just to name a few.

It was thrilling. It was fun. It was rewarding.

But then in 2019, I came to a fork in the road. For reasons that can only be explained by the divine, all doors that normally would be open weren’t, and the proverbial door slightly ajar during that time was this one door leading to financial advising.

In a decision base on faith, I stepped through that one door, and another door opened up. I stepped through that door and another door opened. This is how I started on my financial advising journey.

Now, I’m a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, a Chartered Financial Consultant®, a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, and a fee-only advisor.

Looking back on it now, it makes a lot of sense.

I made my share of mistakes with my own funds. I don’t want that to happen to anyone else. I also had worked with a financial advisor since my 20’s. Now, I’m setting out to be the advisor I wish I had. I love my clients, and enjoy every minute closely working with them to ensure a well-planned and protected future.

At the same time, I’m on a life-long pursuit to seek and discover what it means to be a great financial professional, and I expect to continuously be learning new ways to perfect and innovate in this craft.

Born in Hong Kong, I immigrated to the US with my family when I was a young boy. We settled in Framingham, a suburb of Boston. I’m a die-hard Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots and Bruins fan, which I’ve proudly passed down to my kids. I earned my degrees in Math and Computer Science, as well as Cognitive Science and Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University, and a MBA from the University of Arizona’s Eller School of Business.

I’ve been married to the love of my life for 23 years, and we are blessed with three awesome children. I’m fluent in Mandarin Chinese and attend and serve at Cornerstone Church in Chandler.

Thanks for visiting. I look forward to getting to know you more.

Steven Smith, CFP®, JD

/in , , , , , , /by

About Steven Smith, CFP®, JD

Steve’s introduction to financial planning came at a difficult time. A death in the family led to a number of unresolved financial issues. He volunteered to try and untangle what turned out to be a complex situation, drawing on his background as an attorney and a long-held interest in finance. He didn’t know what to expect, but what he found was unexpected: While managing his family’s situation, he also learned how to act as a financial steward—and about the importance of an evidence-based approach to investing.

That experience led Steve to a realization: He wanted to help others pursue their own financial success—and help them avoid the kinds of financial challenges that can occur without a proper plan in place. Steve became a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in 2003 and since then has worked to help people build sustainable plans to pursue their financial goals.

Steve has worked with professionals, families, and business owners to plan successfully for their future for more than two decades. For over 25 years, he has served as a board member of numerous non-profits. In addition to his financial planning expertise, Steve has accumulated extensive experience that enriches his financial services, including:

Practicing as an attorney focusing on business and commercial matters, estate planning, succession planning and probate
Starting, operating and selling his own businesses
Acting as a professional fiduciary including asset management and disposition, portfolio management, accounting and tax preparation.
By helping to educate you on your financial options and how they relate to your financial lifestyle, Steve designed RightPath™ Investments & Financial Planning to put you in control. He also places a strong emphasis on on-going expert advice, guidance and review. That way, both you and RightPath understand your continuing—and changing—needs. Steve also believes that, over time, that “educate and review” approach helps you to gain confidence in your decision-making and trust in RightPath’s services. He looks forward to helping you with your wealth management needs.

Education: BA in economics, Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; JD, University of Maine School of Law.
Professional designations: Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Steve has held NASD Series 6 and 63 licenses and is a member of the Bars of Maine, Massachusetts, and Colorado.

CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and are certification marks owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. These marks are awarded to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Read Steven’s blog here: https://www.rightpathinvestments.com/news-resources/blog/

Demel Gonzalez, CFP®, CKA

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Demel Gonzalez, CFP®, CKA

As President, Mr. Gonzalez leads his team in a vision to build and cultivate deeper client relationships while providing exceptional service and performance to the clientele of Heartwood Financial Services. Utilizing his natural skill to assist and educate in a manner of respect and friendship, Mr. Gonzalez has set a new benchmark for the way that financial advisors interact with their clients. From its inception, and forward into the future of Heartwood, Mr. Gonzalez plays a vital role in the growth and development of his company.

A graduate of the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Business Administration, his cumulative 14 years spent at Fidelity Investments started with an internship during his final year of studies. Mr. Gonzalez was then retained by Fidelity upon graduation and proceeded to work his way through the ranks, quickly becoming a Vice President & Senior Account Executive, where he was directly responsible for overseeing assets valued at one billion dollars. Mr. Gonzalez advised his clients on investments, retirement planning, risk-management as well as trust and estate planning. His exemplary work ethic and dedication to his clients allowed him to have received multiple awards of excellence including three President’s Circle awards.

Arriving in the United States from Cuba at the age of four, Mr. Gonzalez attributes much of his success to his father. The hard work and strong values exemplified by his father after leaving the oppression in his homeland are the same drive and values Mr. Gonzalez uses today to work for his clients.

Mr. Gonzalez is most proud of the family that surrounds him. Alongside his wife of thirteen years, Christa, and children Andrew and Sam, he is a faithful member of Lakeside Fellowship United Methodist Church in Sanford and volunteers his time there as the Finance Chair. He also coordinates and facilitates the teaching of Financial Peace University; a Dave Ramsey course teaching Biblically based financial principles. As a father with a son on the Autism spectrum, Mr. Gonzalez has a big heart for children with special needs, volunteering with the Special Olympics whenever he can. He also enjoys mountain biking, playing tennis, Crossfit and watching Miami Dolphins football.

Mr. Gonzalez is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Kevin Arruda, CFP®, CFA

/in , , , , , , /by

About Kevin Arruda, CFP®, CFA, CKA

As you journey through life, financial decisions become more complex, and hard to navigate alone. We partner with you to create a financial plan and investment strategy that gives you clarity, confidence, and financial peace.

Jeb Jarrell, CFP®, CAP®

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Jeb Jarrell, CFP®, CAP®, CRPC®, APMA®

Plentiful Wealth is different, focused on helping clients maximize their return on life by aligning their wealth and ideals. Wealth is more than just money. It’s the sum of our time, talents, and treasures. At Plentiful Wealth, I help clients, primarily attorneys, use their wealth to make the world a better place.

I work with clients on traditional financial planning topics like retirement projections, tax-efficient withdrawal strategies, Social Security maximization, and protection planning. I also offer guidance on charitable gifting and socially responsible investments. Your money should reflect your values, including your investments.

I specialize in working with attorneys, from new associates to senior partners, who want to optimize their finances, while aligning their finances and their values. Having worked with dozens of attorneys, I understand the career progression and can provide advice on topics such as financing partnership buy-in, retirement plans for small firms, or succession planning for small firms. I’ve taught CLE’s on several of these topics and I’m an expert in the financial problems you face as an attorney.

Bob DePasquale, CFP®, CAP®

/in , , , , , /by

About Bob DePasquale, CFP®, CAP®, CKA®

Financial management should be a collaborative process where a team of people shares one vision and works together to make the best decision for each situation.

We all have a unique set of gifts, talents, and possessions. It is our responsibility to steward them the best we can. I love partnering with purpose-driven families to execute their unique financial and legacy management system.

Initiate Impact seeks partnerships with families who care deeply about what they have and how they can make a positive impact in the world. The organization was founded by my business partner, Stacee Jacobs, and me after we spent a combined 27 years working in an alternate financial services business model.

Stacee and I spent many years working with people from various walks of life and noticed that every situation is unique. There was never any one product or service that fit every scenario. The one constant was that each situation required a lot of information gathering, research, comparisons, expertise in different areas, and decision making. We realized this because there were always multiple investment options, policies to choose from, contracts to decipher, elections to make, and other critical choices. We determined that advice was valuable. But what was most important, was a collaborative effort where everyone worked together and there was one central plan.

Partnering with Initiate Impact is a detailed, yet enjoyable process. We serve families on an ongoing basis making sure we are well-prepared for expected changes and nimble enough for those that are unexpected. I feel that this approach helps us be the best we can be and provides a fulfillment our previous role could not.

I live with my loving wife, Trisha (2007), and our cat, Kobe in Weston, FL. Trisha teaches kindergarten and enjoy exercising and traveling together.

Scott Monk, CFP®, CFA

/in , , , , /by

About Scott Monk, CFP®, CFA, MBA

Many years ago, I felt a clear calling to devote my life to building wealth for the purpose of funneling as much of it as possible into the ministries and charities I feel passionately about. When I first caught this vision, I was fresh out of college, and since I came from a family of limited means, I worked and took out student loans to pay for college. All that to say, this vision came to me as I was drowning in student loan debt with no idea what this was going to look like or where it would take me. However, I decided to just step out in faith and let the vision guide me.

I carried this dream in my heart throughout business school and then through countless hours studying for the Chartered Financial Analyst® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certifications. All the while, I would find myself daydreaming about the charitable legacy I could leave and spending my free time researching strategies to maximize the impact of that legacy. I started Charis Legacy Partners to take all that I have learned on this journey and share it with others who care deeply about their financial legacy. This firm is my way of connecting with and giving back to my tribe of legacy-minded wealth stewards.

I started my investing journey in the early 2000’s during the dotcom bubble, so I have been through multiple market cycles. I began my professional career in financial services as an equity analyst for a boutique hedge fund, and after business school, I spent eight years with Vanguard, which is where my career as a wealth planner began. I have been married to my lovely wife, Erin, since 2009, and we have three children who keep me busy outside of work; I am passionate about raising them to be well-rounded, curious and thoughtful individuals who prize character and integrity above all else. I love the outdoors and exploring new places, learning new things and experiencing new cultures.