Charles Ruff, CFA
Portfolio Manager
585-348-9534
cruff@novemgroup.com
See Disclosure ***
by nextAdmin1 | Nov 19, 2019 | Investment Assistants
Annette is a graduate of Alfred State College with an Associates Degree in Business Management. After 10 years of working in the Insurance Brokerage arena, Annette joined Novem Group in 2011. She has a diverse background in assisting with retirement planning, working in payroll and setting up COBRA within our firm. She now enjoys working directly with small business owners designing exit strategies, introducing wellness programs, assisting with HR questions and creating employee benefits packages specific to their needs.
Annette holds Life, Accident & Health license, is a Certified Broker for the New York State of Health Individual and Small Business Marketplace along with being AHIPP Certified for Medicare Services. When not working, Annette enjoys wine making, gardening, hiking, camping and traveling with her husband and three children.
Krystal Wentz
Group Benefits Account Manager
585-348-9535
kwentz@novemgroup.com
Krystal studied Business Administration at George Mason University in Virginia and has her New York State Life, Accident, and Health Insurance license. Krystal has worked with small and large companies in the corporate benefits arena since 2009 and joined Novem Group as a Group Benefits Account Manager in 2014.
Krystal’s husband works at a popular local restaurant, Black & Blue. In her spare time, Krystal enjoys spending time with her family, running, and reading.
Kristi Morgan
Client Service Associate
585-348-9245
kmorgan@novemgroup.com
Kristi Joined Novem Group in February 2016. A graduate of Bryant & Stratton college with an Associate’s degree in Business Administration, she came to Novem with 12 years of experience in the finance industry working with corporate and individual clients. Kristi is a licensed Notary Public, and holds her New York State Life, Accident & Health license. Kristi lives in Spencerport, NY with her husband Adam and twin sons Gavin and Noah.
Krissi Cook
Client Service Associate
585-348-9544
kcook@novemgroup.com
Krissi joined Novem Group from Unisys Corporation and Burroughs Payment Systems in 2011. Originally the Customer Service Manager for Novem’s payroll and HRIS division (which has since been phased out), Krissi built and led the client-service and implementation teams for all payroll and human resource clients. In 2019, Krissi’s sales-support, vendor, and project-management experience became critical to managing the ongoing growth of Novem’s investment division, so she transferred focus to the wealth department and now utilizes her 20+ years of experience on behalf of multiple Financial Advisors as they build their investment practices, and for the expanding Group Retirement Services Department.
Krissi lives in Penfield with her husband Doug, and children, Makaylah and Aiden.
Kim Kosko
Client Service Associate
585-348-9542
kkosko@novemgroup.com
Kim joined Novem Benefits in August 2019 as an Administrative Assistant.
Along with a background in Administration, Kim is also a Certified Personal Trainer. She attended the University of Calgary and received her Human Resource Management Certification before moving to the United States to join her husband, Jared. She enjoys volunteering and has been a part of the “Run for the Cure” since 2007.
Kim and her husband are happy to now call Rochester home. During her free time, Kim enjoys being active and spending time with her family.
Kim Kosko
Administrative Support
585-348-9542
kkosko@novemgroup.com
Kim joined Novem Benefits in August 2019 as an Administrative Assistant.
Along with a background in Administration, Kim is also a Certified Personal Trainer. She attended the University of Calgary and received her Human Resource Management Certification before moving to the United States to join her husband, Jared. She enjoys volunteering and has been a part of the “Run for the Cure” since 2007.
Kim and her husband are happy to now call Rochester home. During her free time, Kim enjoys being active and spending time with her family.
Andy Gentile
Wealth Advisor
561-623-5492
agentile@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
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), and Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF) from The American College, 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 Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Kristen Dupree
Client Service Associate
585-348-9528
kdupree@novemgroup.com
Hired by Novem Group in November 2019 as an Administrative Assistant, Kristen works in the Wealth Department supporting and assisting the Senior VP of American Portfolios. Kristen joined Novem Group from the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce where she worked as the Recruiting Coordinator for 7 years. Kristen is a native of Rochester, NY and attended Roberts Wesleyan College graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2012. She enjoys traveling with her family and challenging anyone in a game of darts.
Tosin Deju
Consultant
561-623-5492
odeju@novemgroup.com
Tosin joins Novem Group with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, and 15 years as a management consultant. She worked previously with IBM Global Business Services in the Financial Services practice as a Senior Change Management Consultant and Project Manager. Prior to that, she worked with Datek Online as a Customer Service Rep and an Accounts Principal, and held her Series 7, 63, 24, and 4 licenses.
Tosin holds an MBA in Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Entertainment, Media & Technology from the NYU Stern School of Business. She was a Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management Fellow, and selected student representative for the Harlem Small Business Initiative and Clinton Foundation Partnership. Tosin also holds an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from Rutgers University.
Tosin serves on the board of directors of Providence Foundation, a microloans program supporting local widows in entrepreneurship in Africa. She is also the Secretary for the Mary Adetayo Okunuga Foundation, a non-profit organization that aids families in need in Africa. She is currently the treasurer for BEECH Homeschool Group, a non-profit homeschooling organization in Cumming, Georgia, and former treasurer for CHEER Homeschool Group E-Day program. She is married with three daughters, and lives with her family in Georgia.
Melissa Stroyer
HR Generalist
585-348-9554
mstroyer@novemgroup.com
Melissa graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Rhetoric from Nazareth College, where she also worked as a Marketing and Publicity Intern for the college’s Arts Center. After graduation she was hired as an Event Manager at Mach 2 Management, but eventually moved to NYC to accept a position as the Managing Director of Sales at Modern Trousseau.
Melissa returned to Rochester and joined Novem Group in July of 2014 as Robert Bartolotta’s Executive Assistant and was promoted to HR Generalist in 2016. Melissa is a board member for the Novem Foundation and is part of the foundation’s event committee to assist in the fight against childhood poverty in Rochester.
Betty Bartolotta
Client Service Associate
585-348-9525
bbartolotta@novemgroup.com
Betty joined Novem Group as a front desk receptionist in April 2017. Betty attended the University of Buffalo, American Institute of Banking, and Genesee Community College concentrating in business and banking. She worked at the Bank of Castile for 10 years as a teller, Branch Manager, and an Assistant Vice President. Betty left to run her own landscaping and garden center business with her family. After the business was sold, she worked as a legal assistant in a Hornell law office for a number of years and subsequently worked at and retired from her position as a Support Investigator with the Livingston County Department of Social Services.
Wealth Advisor
585-348-9556
rhayes@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
Rob joined Novem Group as a Wealth Advisor in January of 2016 and provides retirement and benefit plan education and enrollment services for corporate clients, as well as wealth management and financial planning services for individual clients.
A veteran of the investment, retirement, and benefit plan service fields for more than a decade, Rob graduated with a B.A. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame and holds Series 7 and 66 securities licenses as well as his New York State Life, Accident and Health Insurance License. Rob is also a certified broker for the New York State of Health individual and small business marketplaces. Rob and his wife, Allison, reside in Avon, NY, with their four children.
Mackenzi Springer
Retirement Plan Specialist
585-348-9555
mspringer@novemgroup.com
Mackenzi attended St. John Fisher College and graduated with a degree in Communications and Marketing in 2017. She joined Novem Group as an Investment Assistant in April 2018. Mackenzi was eager to obtain all necessary licenses to become a Financial Advisor with a focus on Corporate Retirement Planning. She holds her Series 7, Series 65, Series 63 and New York State Life, Accident and Health Insurance license and is currently taking on new clients for individual and group retirement planning.
Mackenzi is a Rochester native, and enjoys trying out new restaurants in the downtown area with friends on the weekends. She is passionate about health and fitness; her favorite forms of exercise are cycling, boxing and yoga. In the summer, she spends a lot of time on Conesus Lake. If she’s not on the lake, you’ll be able to find her walking her dog Winston around the Park Avenue area.
Operations Associate
585-348-9456
tlyons@novemgroup.com
See Disclosure ***
Thomas graduated from Binghamton University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in Economics and holds his Series 65 license. He joined Novem Group in 2017 as an Operations Associate and provides direct support to the Investment & Operations Teams. Thomas is a CFA Level II candidate. He assists with investment research and maintaining Novem Group’s technology platforms. His efforts enable our advisors to provide a personalized service to their clientele. Thomas lives in Rochester. He enjoys playing sports and making sushi.
Amanda Abdoo
IACCP® | Chief Compliance Officer
585-348-9526
aabdoo@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
Amanda joined Novem Group as Bob Bartolotta’s Executive Assistant in September of 2008. Since then, she has supported advisers with their individual and corporate clients, managed the investment team, and worked directly with Bob Bartolotta on the firm’s operations and compliance initiatives.
Amanda was named Chief Compliance Officer of Novem Group in November of 2019. She currently holds the FINRA Series 4, 7, 24, 63, and 66 licenses and the Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional (IACCP®) designation, co-sponsored by the Investment Adviser Association (IAA) and National Regulatory Services (NRS).
Amanda lives in Brighton with her husband Antonio and daughter Lena.
Stephen Mitchell
Trading & Operations Associate
585-348-9530
smitchell@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
Stephen received his B.A. in Financial Economics from the University of Rochester and holds his Series 7, Series 63, and Series 66 licenses. He joined Novem group in 2018 as a Trading & Operations Associate. In his current role, Stephen works directly with advisors to ensure the operations supporting Novem Group’s investment strategies function smoothly. He specializes in market research and options trading at Novem Group. Stephen is a CFA Level II Candidate.
Stephen currently lives in Irondequoit with his wife, Nicole, and their dog Bo. He enjoys golfing, hiking, and travelling in his free time
Andrew Miran
Staff Commission Accountant
585-348-9538
amiran@novemgroup.com
Andrew joined Novem Group in October 2016 as a Staff Commissions Accountant. He is a graduate of St. John Fisher College with a B.S. in Accounting (’13) and M.B.A. in General Management (’14). Andrew oversees the commissions process and assists with budgeting, accounting, and reporting for Novem Group. Previously, Andrew worked at Paychex, Inc. in their Corporate Accounts Receivable and Online Services Team, where he focused on process improvements and reported on the overall health of the department.
Andrew is a native of Penfield and currently lives there with his family.
Patrick Manuel
Financial Advisor
585-348-9552
pmanuel@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
Pat received his B.A. in economics from the University of Rochester and holds Series 66, Series 7, NY Life and Health Insurance licenses as well as the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation. Pat worked for Tompkins Financial as a financial adviser and has been with Novem Group since January of 2014. Pat and his wife, Jill, live in Rochester with their two boys, Jackson and Cooper.
Charles Herendeen
Director of Group Retirement Plans
585-348-9549
cherendeen@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */**/***
Charlie joined Novem Group in August of 2013, although he has been affiliated with the firm for over 12 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 nearly 25 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 is an active board member for Victor Boys Youth Lacrosse.
Robert is a graduate of Cornell University with a BS in Applied Economics. He is an Investment Advisory Representative through Novem Group and holds the following securities licenses: 6, 22, 24, 26, 51, 52, 62, 72, and 82, as well as Life, Accident, and Heath Insurance licenses both in and outside of New York state. He is the founder and CEO of the two companies; Novem Benefits and Novem Group, a rapidly growing investment advisory firm with nearly one billion in asset under management. Robert along with management team have been recognized for their corporate culture at Novem with a focus on work life balance for all employees. Novem Group has received numerous honors, being ranked by the Democrat and Chronicle as one of Rochester’s Top Workplaces in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and making the Rochester Business Journal “Rochester Top 100” list in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
With more than 30 years of experience, Robert is a seasoned financial advisor and executive. Under Robert’s leadership as the Senior Managing Director of American Portfolios in Rochester, NY the office placed first nationally for American Portfolios Financial Services in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Bob personally ranked as the top advisor out of over 750 financial professionals nationally.
Senior Business Development Representative
585-348-9425
tgerlach@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures ***
Tim joined Novem Group in January 2019 as a Senior Business Development Representative and holds the FINRA Series 65 license. He is a graduate of Penn State University with a B.S. in Finance (’10) and M.S. in Finance (’14). After completing his undergraduate degree, he obtained a Top Secret security clearance and worked at the Department of Defense as a Contracting Officer. He moved to the private sector in 2015 and joined Deloitte Consulting, LLP, as a Senior Consultant supporting government agencies across the Intelligence Community. These opportunities helped build both a skill set and a deep passion for designing business strategies that overcome core challenges and create value for all stakeholders, which are now being applied at Novem Group to drive growth and innovation across the business.
Tim is originally from Penfield, NY, and lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Kristen, where she is pursuing her J.D. at the Washington College of Law at American University.
Charles Ruff, CFA
Portfolio Manager
585-348-9534
cruff@novemgroup.com
See Disclosure ***
Charlie joined Novem in August 2019. As a Portfolio Manager, Charlie oversees the investment team and assists the advisors with their investment strategy. He has eight years of analytical experience in the investment management industry. Charlie is an avid reader and a perpetual student of the markets. He focuses on identifying and developing investment strategies that help Novem clients achieve their goals.
After graduating from Hamilton College with a BA in Economics and Government, Charlie continued to London, where he completed his master’s degree at Cass Business School. Returning home to Rochester, he earned his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. He currently serves as a professional advisor to the Rochester Area Community Foundation and sits on the board of the CFA Society of Rochester.
Charlie and his wife, Ginger, settled down in Rochester, where they have two girls and a very needy golden retriever. If he ever found free time, Charlie would enjoy running, golfing, and skiing.
Laura Burgart
Senior Benefits Consultant
585-348-9551
lburgart@novemgroup.com
Laura has been in the insurance and financial services industry for over 25 years, in both sales and operational roles, and joined Novem Group in January of 2014. As a Senior Benefits Consultant, Laura works closely with each client to guide them through the Strategic Planning Process and provide creative and custom benefit solutions.
In addition to her commitment to her clients, Laura serves on the Board of Directors for LDA Life & Learning Services and the Victor Chamber of Commerce. Laura received her B.S. in Accounting from SUNY Brockport and holds Life, Accident & Health, and Property & Casualty licenses.
Nat Garfield
Vice President
585-348-9515
ngarfield@novemgroup.com
Nathaniel (Nat) Garfield* is the Vice President of Novem Group’s Employee Benefits Division. He has worked in employee benefits since 1987 as a company representative, producer, and national agency vice-president.
Nat graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1986 with a BA in English. Though originally from Boston, MA, Nat has been in the Rochester area since 1994 and has been very active supporting local community programs, including past membership in the Pittsford Rotary Club and past presidency of the Pittsford Ice Hockey boosters club.
Nat was a “2016 National Broker of The Year” finalist for Benefits Selling Magazine and has helped lead the way for our offices to be a “Top Workplace in Rochester in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.” He helps large employers determine if the rewards of self-funding overcome the risks of the move away from fully insured and which plan designs provide the greatest opportunity for savings. He is a certified HR auditor and assists his clients with today’s increasingly difficult compliance issues, and specializes in designing employee benefit plans that help meet the needs of his clients and their employees. Additionally, Nat helps communicate and implement everything from health insurance and wellness initiatives to voluntary plans and individual benefits for key employees and corporate owners.
Jeremy Raco
Senior Vice President
585-348-9546
jraco@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
Jeremy Raco has over 20 years of experience in financial services. He specializes in investment, retirement, estate, and risk management planning. Jeremy joined Novem Group in January of 2013, allowing him to advance the services offered to clients.
Prior to entering the industry, Jeremy served in the United States Marine Corps in a Security Forces unit for Counter Terrorism. He held Top Secret Clearance and earned the Marine of the Quarter designation in 1989. In 2008, Jeremy was honored with the Rochester Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40. In 2009, he was awarded the Sanford A. Gradinger Award.
Jeremy directs and organizes the Risk Management Department at Novem Group. The department offers a full range of insurance solutions to both individual and business clients. He is a Senior Vice President at American Portfolios Rochester and holds a series 6, 63, 65, and Life, Accident & Health Insurance License.
Adam Morgan
Financial Advisor
585-348-9537
amorgan@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */**/***
As a Financial Advisor & CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Practitioner, Adam works primarily with professionals, high-net-worth individuals/families, and small-to-medium size businesses. As a comprehensive planner, Adam helps his clients develop strategies to accumulate, protect, and distribute their retirement savings and wealth.
Before Novem Group, Adam was an advisor at AXA Advisors. There he spent much of his time devoted to helping teachers and staff in the local public schools with comprehensive wealth management and financial education. Mr. Morgan continues to serve this community today and has an extensive client base in the local schools of the Greater Rochester area.
Before Adam joined the financial services industry, he was a Production Supervisor at a local float glass manufacturer, Guardian Industries, in Geneva, NY. His passion for finance and serving others eventually led him to this industry, where he found AXA Advisors.
Mr. Morgan is a graduate of Alfred University, where he earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Cum Laude) and Business Administration (Cum Laude). While attending Alfred University, Adam played soccer for four years and earned All-Region Honors. He continues to be involved as a board member of the Alfred University Alumni Council. Adam resides in Spencerport, New York with his wife Kristi, twin boys Gavin and Noah, and their energetic Australian Shepard, Parker. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing soccer, and being a lifelong learner.
Stephen Roehrig is an experienced financial advisor who began his career in 1996. Stephen transitioned his practice to Novem Group in 2008 and specializes in wealth management, retirement and financial planning, as well as insurance & risk management. Steve holds Series 7, 63, 65 and New York State Life, Accident, and Health Licenses, and makes it a priority that his loyal clients get great service. After earning a Bachelor of Science from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY, he decided to stay close to his roots, living here in Rochester with his wife, Leigh, and daughters, Maya and Elle. Steve has always had a desire to work in the financial services industry and pursued a degree in Finance & Economics to accomplish this. He is grateful that he can achieve his goals of providing sound financial advice and incredible customer service to his many loyal clients.
Les Medall
Financial Advisor
585-419-2310
medallion@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
Born and raised in North Hollywood, California, Les was educated at UC Berkeley and UCLA. He spent 25 years as President of Medall Productions, Inc., an advertising agency and creative production firm. In 1971, Les left the west coast and moved to Rochester, NY, eventually making the transition to the financial services industry. A Financial Advisor with 20-plus years of experience, Les joined APFS and the Novem team in 2013. Married to the lovely Merri-Lou McKeever for more than 36 years, Les also enjoys spending time at Penfield Country Club.
Chelsea Bartolotta
Coordinator | IT & Marketing Support
585-348-9531
cbartolotta@novemgroup.com
Chelsea is a group insurance Account Manager for Novem Group. She received her B.S. in history and a minor in women’s studies from Alfred University in 2013. Chelsea previously worked in Novem Group’s payroll department (which has since been phased out) implementing the 1workforce platform and mpay/payentry module, assisting in all aspects of client services for payroll and timekeeping. In her spare time, Chelsea enjoys taking her dog, Juno, to the park, reading, and baking.
Nat Garfield joined Bob as a partner in the group insurance business, bringing a wealth of corporate benefits experience. Together, they have put together a team of independent consultants that build the best possible benefits portfolio available.
Novem Group was founded by Robert Bartolotta in Rochester, NY to offer financial and insurance planning to individual clients. The company quickly expanded to include employee benefits, allowing individual clients to bring their business needs to the firm.
Rebecca Allen
Director of Client Services
585-348-9520
rallen@novemgroup.com
See Disclosure *
Rebecca has a B.S. in marketing and management from SUNY Geneseo and holds a New York State Life, Accident, and Health Insurance license and Series 6 and 63 licenses. Rebecca oversees the current service teams to ensure the highest level of service to our valued clients. She is responsible for operations of the company, including processes and procedures for service teams, trading department, and RIA. Rebecca has worked with individual and corporate clients in the financial and insurance industry for over 25 years and strives to develop the most effective internal processes for our client operations.
Bob took the investment side of the business to the next level and launched his own RIA (registered investment advisor), APFS Wealth Management, Inc. DBA Novem Group.
Our growth continued with new on-site COBRA admin services, further streamlining the corporate experience.
That brings us to right now. With nearly forty employees, our wealth management and employee benefits firms have the resources to focus on all aspects of your financial life, from individual investments to corporate benefits, from design and implementation to weathering the frequent state and federal legislative changes.
Christopher Schaeffer
Controller
585-348-9244
cschaeffer@novemgroup.com
Chris joined Novem Group in November 2014. He brought with him more than 15 years of diverse financial experience and leadership from working for small-mid size private companies in the manufacturing and service sectors. Chris oversees budgeting, accounting, and payroll for Novem Group. Chris is a graduate of Alfred University, where he earned his B.S. in Accounting.
Diana Lippa
Financial Advisor
585-348-9518
dlippa@novemgroup.com
Diana Lippa is a Financial Advisor with Novem Group. She started with the investment team in 2002., Diana has more than 17 years of financial services experience, including banking, trading, retirement planning, and private wealth management.
Diana holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. She is an Investment Adviser Representative and holds her Series 7, 63, 66 and Life, Accident & Health Insurance licenses.
Diana specializes in private wealth management for high net-worth investors. Her practice is limited to a select group of clients in order to provide the highest level of financial planning and personal service.
Gil Wood
Financial Advisor
585-348-9541
gil@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */***
A Rochester native, Gil received his B.A. in history from St. Lawrence University and has his 66, 7, 63, and New York State life and health insurance licenses. Gil has worked as a financial adviser in his own firm, Gil Wood & Associates, Inc., for over 20 years. He joined Novem Group in 2015.
Kaeri Carroll
Director of IT
585-348-9511
kcarroll@novemgroup.com
Kaeri is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a B.S. in Information Technology and a minor in Business Law. She is also a notary and holds a New York State Life, Accident, and Health Insurance license.
Focused on keeping the firm at the leading edge of new technology for the benefit of our corporate and individual clients, Kaeri also crafts many of our client communication pieces and maintains the firms’ digital presence online.
Megan Burritt
Administrative Support
585-348-9724
mburritt@novemgroup.com
Megan is a 2006 graduate of Canisius College and has a BA in Communication Studies and Art History. She graduated summa cum laude and received several honors for her academic achievements, including those for Academic Excellence and Highest Honors/GPA. Megan joined Novem Group in 2007, originally as an executive assistant, but was quickly promoted to Account Manager in the employee benefits department. Megan managed group insurance accounts until 2013 when her first child was born, and she switched to a part-time support role.
Megan lives in Pittsford with her husband and their two children. She is very involved in the preschool her children attend, Pittsford United Nursery School (PUNS), where she serves as Co-Chair of the Executive Board.
Assistant Office Manager
585-348-9525
rlill@novemgroup.com
Rosann Lill is the Assistant Office Manager for Novem Group. She has been working with individual and corporate clients for 15 years.
Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Rosann attended Katharine Gibbs in Boston after high school. She worked at Xerox Corporation for many years and left to become a business owner of Airport Lanes. Upon the sale of her business, she decided to continue doing what she enjoys, maintaining relationships with clients and business associates.
Rosann’s responsibilities include office administration, client relations, and managing our annual charity golf tournament.
Investment Advisor Representative
585-419-2312
tburke@novemgroup.com
See Disclosure ***
Tom is a graduate of Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics. He is a 30 year veteran of the financial services industry working with financial advisers, businesses, organizations, and individuals. Over the years, Tom has developed and managed employee benefit and retirement plans, and through hard work, brand development, and practice acquisitions, he successfully built his own financial services practice. Throughout his career, Tom has consistently achieved Honors Club and President Council for the companies he represented. He brings us a wealth of experience and knowledge with a dynamic and effective style.
Tom rejoined Novem Group in October 2014 and looks forward to helping our advisers build successful financial practices to better serve our clients.
Financial Advisor
585-348-9423
vpalumbos@novemgroup.com
See Disclosures */**/***
Vincent J. Palumbos is a Certified Senior Advisor, CSA®, and brings over 40 years of business and financial experience to his private practice. He has been in sales, management, business ownership, and financial services during his career. Vince is the recipient of many sales awards, including the coveted President’s Award. Vince is a wealth adviser and holds Series 63, 65, 7, and 24 securities licenses and is a licensed Life agent in NY, NJ, AZ, and FL. He earned a Masters of Education from Cambridge College in 1987.
Vince is a pilot and safety officer for the Civil Air Patrol. He’s a facilitator at Matt Talbot Ministries and recent past President of a Rotary Club. Vince is a former Major Gift Officer for McQuaid Jesuit High School and served on the Finance Council for St John of Rochester for 13 years.
Vince has four grown children and five grandchildren, and he and his wife, Ginny, live in Fairport.
Ensure your family is covered in the event of your passing. With several different types of life insurance, including term, universal, and whole, our agents will help you understand which policy is best for you.
Medical treatment can be extremely expensive. Prevent paying enormous amounts of money with the right health insurance plan. We will customize a plan that fits your needs and lifestyle.
If you can’t work for a lengthy period of time due to an illness, accident, or injury, your LTD insurance policy will protect you from loss of income by paying a monthly amount.
LTC insurance is designed to cover services that assist with daily living, such as bathing, dressing, cooking, etc. LTC insurance covers services that are generally not covered by health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.