Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Science, Business, Rochester Institute of Technology
• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional
• Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®)
• Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC^®)
• Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP^®)
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 7, 6, 63, 66, 9, 10, 26

Background and Expertise

Russ began his career at Northwestern Mutual in 1996 as a college intern and founded SFG Wealth Management when he was a junior attending the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has committed his 27-year career to helping clients live the life they want to live through comprehensive financial planning. Russ was honored as one of Rochester Business Journal’s 2023 Financial Leaders and has been recognized as one of Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors and Best-in-State Top Financial Security Professionals. Russ is grateful to work with a team of individuals passionate about making a positive impact for clients in Rochester and all over the country.

Outside of the office, Russ spends quality family time with his wife, Alexa, and two kids, Elisabeth and Andrew. He enjoys giving back to the community by coaching his son’s hockey team and being involved with local nonprofits. He is a former president of the Small Business Council of Rochester, Mental Health Association of Rochester, and alumni boards at RIT.

Personal

Russ is married to Alexa and live in Fairport, NY with their two children, Elisabeth and Andrew, and their dog, Tucker. He enjoys playing golf, coaching ice hockey, reading business books, and spending time being a husband and father.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I love working at SFG Wealth Management because our team is a group of smart, talented people who want to make a difference in our clients’ lives. We are truly able to make an impact on our clients and our community. I feel sense of pride in being part of the SFG team. 

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Science, Finance, SUNY Brockport
• Public Notary for the State of New York
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 6, 63

Background and Expertise

Kelly began her career with Northwestern Mutual in 2010 as an intern while attending SUNY Brockport and later joined SFG Wealth Management as Associate Financial Representative. In 2018, she transitioned to the role of Chief Operating Officer and is now a partner in the firm.

Personal

Kelly resides in Webster, NY with husband Mike and their 2 children, Jayce and Anna. Kelly enjoys traveling, boating, and spending time with her family.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

Working at SFG means working alongside team members that I can learn from and that push me to take on new and challenging opportunities. I feel a great sense of purpose and pride being here at SFG – from the work we do alongside our clients in their financial lives and being a part of a growing, developing team – it means the world to me.

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Science, Business Management and Personal Finance, St. John Fisher College
• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional
• Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU^®)
• Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC^®)
• Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL^®)
• Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP^®)
• Certified financial services coach training, ClientWise
• Life, Accident, & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 7, 66, 55, 24

Background and Expertise

Nate is a lead advisor who helps clients with financial planning and portfolio management. He began his career as a trader at the Wall Street Financial Group. He then moved to Northwestern Mutual in 2008 as a Financial Representative and merged his practice into SFG Wealth Management in 2012. He is currently a partner in the firm. Nate serves as Chair of the St. John Fisher University Alumni Board of Directors and is on the board of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He was recognized in 2022 as one of the Rochester Business Journal’s Forty Under 40.

Personal

Nate and his wife Kay live in Victor, NY with their sons Rory and Declan, and dog Tasker. He enjoys golf, traveling, softball, and is an avid Buffalo Bills Fan!

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Science, Management and Human Resources, St. John Fisher College
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 7, 6, 63 registrations

Background and Expertise

Liana began her career with Northwestern Mutual in 2014 working in the operations department, supporting new Financial Representatives and their practices. In 2016, she joined SFG Wealth Management where she moved her focus specifically to the investment department. She now holds the role of Director of Investment Operations.

Personal

Liana grew up in the Albany, NY area and relocated to Rochester after graduating from St. John Fisher. She currently resides in Brighton, NY with her husband and enjoys baking, reading, and playing tennis in her spare time.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I love working with our clients and knowing I’m helping them achieve their financial goals. Every day is unique and I’m always learning something new to help our clients.

Education/Designations

• Associate of Science, Communications, SUNY Cortland
• Commitment to Excellence Award
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 6, 63

Background and Expertise

Kenny joined Northwestern Mutual in 2012 as part of the Watertown Group in Watertown, NY, where he held various roles including Director of Recruiting and Development. Kenny relocated back to his hometown of Rochester, NY in 2014 and spent 6 years working with new advisors as a registered Associate Financial Representative and the Director of Training and Development. Kenny joined SFG Wealth Management in 2020 and enjoys working with such a talented team.

Personal

Kenny is married to Lauren and they have 3 children, Stella, Nathan & Leo. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends, watching sports, hiking, and playing golf.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I work at SFG because of our commitment to providing excellent service to our clients. There are a lot of wealth management firms locally and nationally, and I believe our service model and what we provide for our clients is what separates us from other firms.

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Science, Business Management, Nazareth College
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed
• Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP^®)
• FINRA Series 6, 63

Background and Expertise

Emily began her career at SFG Wealth Management as a Financial Planning Associate in 2018. In 2019, Emily transitioned to the role of Financial Planning Coordinator.

Personal

Emily resides in Washington, DC. Emily enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with friends.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I love the work we do at SFG Wealth Management because of the impact we have on our clients’ lives. I’m passionate about helping our clients achieve their financial goals in all stages of life, so it is incredibly fulfilling to be part of a team where everyone shares the same common goal of helping our clients.

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Arts, Economics, University of Rochester

Background and Expertise

Jennifer joined SFG Wealth Management in 2020 as the Marketing and Client Relations Manager. Prior to joining the team, she worked in sports and event marketing in New York City.

Personal

Jennifer resides in Brighton, NY and enjoys reading, eating, and exploring new cities.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I am fortunate to work with a team that is so knowledgeable and dedicated to helping our clients achieve their goals. Every day is rewarding, and I am proud to work in such a supportive, talented environment.

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, SUNY Geneseo
• Life, Accident, & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 6, 63

Background and Expertise

Jeffrey joined the SFG Wealth Management team in December 2022, taking on the role of Operations Associate.

Personal

Jeffrey was raised in Henrietta and now resides there after returning from college. He enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, watching sports, and video games.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I work at SFG because of the opportunity to help the community as a whole by helping the individuals within it. Financial freedom allows people to live the life they want to live, and I want to be a part of helping people reach that.

Education/Designations

• Applied Statistics, Purdue University
• Life, Accident, & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 7, 63

Background and Expertise

Brandon joined the SFG Wealth Management Team in May of 2022 as a Financial Planning Intern. He is now currently a Financial Planning Analyst with the team.

Personal

Brandon grew up in Webster and now resides in Honeoye Falls. He enjoys watching sports, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I work at SFG for the people. SFG allows me to be able to serve and help our clients while also providing an environment that is committed to its team members’ development, both personally and professionally.

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Alfred University
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 6, 63

Background and Expertise

Laura joined the SFG Wealth Management team in November 2022. Prior to joining the team, she worked in consultative sales and training roles that helped companies and clients maximize their performance and profitability through innovative execution of sales and marketing strategies.

Personal

Laura lives in Fairport with her three kids, Ben, Avery, and Adelaide, along with their dog Harlow. She loves spending time with family and friends, experimenting in cooking, yoga, running and is an avid fan of all kinds of music.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I love working at SFG Wealth Management as we have a team of expert professionals that excels at their roles, making the team’s performance and customer service top notch. I love that I am able to take on the role of helping people going through tough transitions by guiding them through their emotional turmoil to gain a stronger financial foundation, ultimately reducing their stress to focus on living the life they want to live now and through all of life’s curveballs.

Education/Designations

• Bachelor of Science, Business Management, St. John Fisher University
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed
• FINRA Series 7

Background and Expertise

Kelly joined SFG Wealth Management in January 2024. She was previously a Financial Representative Intern with Northwestern Mutual and is now a Financial Planning Analyst with our team.

Personal

Kelly grew up in Honeoye Falls and now lives in Rochester. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching sports, baking, and spending time with her dog and cats.

Why Do You Work at SFG Wealth Management?

I am fortunate to work for a team of amazing, well-rounded individuals who always put their clients first. SFG gives me the ability to provide excellent service to our clients while still being able to learn and grow in my career.

Education/ Designations 

• Bachelor of Science, Leadership & Ministry, Crossroads Bible College
• Life, Accident & Health Licensed 

Background and Expertise 

Griffin joined SFG Wealth Management in June of 2024. He previously worked in the life sciences industry in various roles. He has been a client of Northwestern Mutual for many years and appreciated his experience, so he decided to make a move to the financial services industry when he recently decided to make a career change. 

Personal

Griffin has been married to Gwyn for more than 25 years and live just outside of Spencerport. They both enjoy great food, travel, gardens, and big house projects. All 4 of the houses they’ve owned have had major renovation project and much of the work has been done by them. 

Why do you work at SFG Wealth Management?

I have had a great client experience with Northwestern Mutual. When evaluating a career in financial services I wanted to join a team I knew would offer clients the same experience I have had, and SFG fits that bill!