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Jeremy Raco brings over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, with deep expertise in investment management, retirement planning, estate strategies, and risk management. Since joining Novem Group in January 2013, Jeremy has expanded the firm’s capabilities in delivering comprehensive, client-focused financial solutions.
Before entering the financial sector, Jeremy served in the United States Marine Corps in a Security Forces unit specializing in Counter Terrorism. He held Top Secret Clearance and was named Marine of the Quarter in 1989. His dedication to excellence carried over into his civilian career, earning him recognition such as the Rochester Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” in 2008 and the prestigious Sanford A. Gradinger Award in 2009.
At Novem Group, Jeremy surrounds himself with a dedicated team of professionals designed to give his clients the best opportunity for success of their financial planning. He also runs the Risk Management Department, providing a full suite of insurance solutions to individual and business clients. He is a partner and Sr. Vice President, and holds Series 6, 63, and 65 licenses, as well as Life, Accident, and Health Insurance Licenses.
Jeremy’s commitment to integrity, service, and strategic planning makes him a trusted advisor to clients navigating complex financial landscapes.
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Charlie joined Novem Group in August of 2013, although he has been affiliated with the firm for over 15 years. He is responsible for providing group retirement plan solutions for all types of organizations as well as wealth management and financial planning services for individuals. Charlie has been working in the field of Investment Management, Retirement and Benefit Plan Services for over 30 years.
Prior to joining Novem Group, Charlie was a Manager of Retirement and Benefits Consulting for a large National Third-Party Administration (TPA) Firm, a Senior Conversion Analyst for a National Retirement Plan Provider and Vice President, Retirement Financial Services Officer for one of the largest financial services organizations in the world. Charlie graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the John Wiley Jones School of Business at SUNY Geneseo. He currently possesses the designations of Certified Retirement Services Professional (CRSP), Certified IRA Services Professional (CISP), Group Benefits Associate (GBA), Cash Balance Consultant (CBC) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®). He is also a candidate for his Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation. He is a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, the Financial Planning Association and is on the Board of the New York Employee Benefits Council (NYEBC). Moreover, he holds his FINRA series 6, 63 and 65 securities licenses as well as his New York State Life, Accident and Health Insurance License.
The Financial Times recognized Charlie in their annual list of Top Retirement Advisers in the country in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Charlie resides and is an active supporter of Victor Lacrosse. He enjoys golf, playing guitar and his family time. His wife Gina is a teacher in the Fairport Central School District and he has three children, Allison, Jack and Matthew.
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Cathy is thrilled to join Novem Group as a Wealth Advisor, where she continues her mission of integrating a rich set of experiences in service, management, strategy, and communications to help clients achieve their financial goals. With a diverse background in industry and the military, Cathy brings a unique perspective to her role, providing comprehensive financial guidance.
Before joining Novem Group, Cathy held key leadership positions at Xerox Corporation, including vice president of annuity management and strategy for North America, where she led initiatives to enhance profitability. She also served as vice president of offering strategy, guiding programs that supported Xerox’s partners in the small and medium business sector. Additionally, Cathy led the corporate strategy intelligence function and served as vice president of strategy and communications, overseeing strategic development and execution across Xerox’s business divisions.
Cathy’s career began in the United States Air Force, where she served as a program manager for aerospace and electronics systems acquisition. Her outstanding contributions earned her both the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal for successfully bringing new capabilities to U.S. and allied forces.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University, an MBA from the University of Dayton, and the Certified Financial Planner designation (CFP®). Cathy has also completed executive education programs in product development, leadership, and management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and Columbia Business School.
Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Cathy returned to her hometown after her military service to raise her two sons. She is an active community volunteer and enjoys gardening, kayaking, and reading, both at her home in Pittsford and at the Finger Lakes in upstate New York.
As Cathy embarks on this new chapter with Novem Group, she looks forward to continuing to provide exceptional financial guidance and helping clients navigate their unique financial journeys with confidence and clarity.
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Anthony Simonetti has been working as a financial advisor since graduating from Providence College School of Business with a B.S. in Finance in 2008. His industry experience has included working at AXA Advisors for six years and iTP Partners for two years before joining the Novem Group in 2017. Anthony holds his Series 7, 66 and New York State Life, Accident and Health Insurance Licenses. Anthony assist several small businesses and individuals with their retirement planning, wealth management and insurance needs. Anthony is also the president and founder of a local non-profit, the Just Breathe Foundation, which assists individuals and their families who battle Cystic Fibrosis.
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Andy has built his personal practice around comprehensive and holistic wealth planning. This approach is not product-driven, or even idea-driven, but rather focuses on how to best identify and then serve the needs of his clients. Andy believes in the client advocacy relationship that is established and delivered on an unbiased basis. Andy’s goal is to help clients connect with their goals and make informed decisions to achieve those goals.
Andy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Fordham University in New York, New York. He also holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation from the College of Financial Planning, the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), the Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF) from The American College, the Certification in Long Term Care (CLTC) by the Corporation for LTC, the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) from the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts, and the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) from Fi360. He holds the Series 7, 24, 51, 63, and 65 security licenses, is a registered investment advisor, and holds various state insurance licenses.
Andy has an extensive background in the financial planning industry as an advisor and a corporate executive. He began his career with American Express Financial Advisors in 1983, becoming an advisor before going into a leadership position as the Field Vice President in the Princeton, NJ office, where he supervised 75% of the advisors in the State of New Jersey.
In 1998, Andy joined Prudential Financial as Senior Vice President of Financial Planning, where he was responsible for the creation and implementation of a Fee-Based Financial Planning program across the United States. In 2000, he relocated to Atlanta, GA, as Senior Vice President of the Southern Territory, where under his leadership, he supervised 20% of the advisors in the United States.
In 2010, Andy decided to pursue his passion for working with clients again by assisting them in growing and protecting their wealth. In 2010, he started Ascend Wealth Management LLC and created the Financial Independence Maximizer ™, a comprehensive and holistic wealth management process. In 2013, his firm became one of nine independent firms that are members of the American Medical Associations Physicians Financial Partners Program.
He is an active member of various industry groups, including the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), the Society of Financial Services Professionals (SFSP), the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He is also a member of the prestigious Research Agency Group (RAGS) of the Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA).
To better serve his Florida clients, Andy relocated the practice to Jupiter Florida in early 2018 and affiliated with Novem Group, a Registered Investment Advisor and American Portfolios as the broker-dealer in June of 2019.
Andy resides in Jupiter, Florida. He is the proud parent of three children, Andrew, a financial planning major who graduated from The University of Alabama and is a Financial Planner in Atlanta, Justin, a sports marketing graduate of The University of Alabama who now works in Corporate Relations for the Chicago Bears, and Jamie Nicole, a Graphic Design and Business major who graduated from Samford University and now works in the medical franchising industry in Birmingham, Alabama.
In his free time, Andy enjoys golfing, fishing, traveling, and watching all major sports. He is an active member of Calvary Church of Jupiter.
You can easily see my real-time availability and schedule time with me at https://calendly.com/agentile-novem
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Amanda joined Novem Group in September of 2008 as the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Robert Bartolotta. Over the years, she has supported financial advisors with their practices at Novem Group and has been involved in the firm’s overall operations and compliance. Amanda began supervising advisors in 2013 and led the compliance department as CCO from 2019 to 2024. She has since decided to focus on financial planning for local individuals and small business owners. It was a difficult decision to move on from the CCO position as that achievement was one that Amanda is very proud of. The migration to advising individuals originated from her strong dedication to help people and genuine ambition to make a difference in their financial success. With experience in both the customer service and fiduciary elements of financial planning, Amanda brings a fresh, well-educated perspective.
Amanda holds the SIE, Series 4, 7, 24, 63, and 66, and is currently pursuing the CFP® certification.
Amanda lives in Rochester, NY with her husband and two daughters. Outside of the office, Amanda enjoys trying new recipes and traveling with her family.