Biographies
Senior Financial Advisors
Robert Fragasso, CFP®
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
With over three decades of experience in the investment and financial planning fields, Bob heads Fragasso Financial Advisors.
He is a graduate of Duquesne University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned his CFP® or Certified Financial Planner ™ designation in 1982 from the College for Financial Planning and was recently honored as a founding member of that profession.
Bob is active with several local charities including the board of Animal Friends, a no-kill animal shelter. He is Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Rivers Club and a past President of Amen Corner, a 135 year old business and social group. Bob chairs the board of Entrepreneuring Youth and serves on the boards of La Roche College and Health Hope Network. He also chairs the Advisory Board for the Career and Technical Education division of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Bob was selected to Duquesne University's Century Club of notable graduates and designated a Distinguished Alumnus of Carrick High School.
Bob was selected as one of the Top 100 Independent Investment Advisors nationally by Barron's Magazine and among the 100 Best Investment Advisors by The Best of the U.S., Inc. He was also named one of the Top 100 Investment Advisors nationally by Registered Rep Magazine and the firm was designated a Winner's Circle recipient by Research Magazine for the Top 5 Investment Teams in America. Locally, Bob was recognized by the Pittsburgh Business Times as a Diamond Award Winner which honors the region's top CEO's and presidents.
Bob is the author of Starting Your Own Practice: The Independence Guide for Professional Service Providers, published by John Wiley and Sons.
Deborah F. Graver, CFP®, CLU®
PRESIDENT AND Chief Operating Officer
As President and Chief Operating Officer, Debbie is responsible for the daily operations of the firm and the quality assurance of all of our activities. As an experienced financial advisor, she also meets with select clients and prospective clients to evaluate their current financial situation, establish achievable long-term financial goals, and create a strategic plan to help them accomplish those goals. Debbie's areas of expertise include risk management and estate planning.
Debbie received her B.S. in Finance from Pennsylvania State University and her M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh. She is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies and has earned the designation of Investment Advisory Representative, Chartered Life Underwriter® and Certified Financial Planner ™.
Debbie is an active committee member for the United Jewish Federation, a council member for the Anti-Defamation League, and a member of Amen Corner. In the past, she has served on the Advisory Board for the Race for the Cure® and as an honorary board member for the Homeless Children's Education Fund. Debbie is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh and the Coro Women in Leadership program, and was honored in 2003 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as one of Pittsburgh's 50 Finest.
Michael Fertig
Managing Director, Sales and financial advisor development
Michael is responsible for the management and monitoring of client investment portfolios. This includes the creation and implementation of financial plans, asset modeling, review meetings and ongoing client dialogue and communications. He is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies.
As Managing Director of Sales and Financial Advisor Development, Michael supervises the Marketing and Seminar Department and works with them to identify and develop new sales outreaches to insure the future success and growth of Fragasso Financial Advisors.
Michael also communicates and promotes the Group's resources to the professional community. This includes attorneys, accountants and retirement plan trustees. The Group is convinced of the vital importance of coordinating all of a client's advisors for clarity and completeness of advice and for financial plan implementation.
Michael is a graduate of Slippery Rock University with a major in Political Science. He is currently working toward his CFP® or Certified Financial Planner ™ designation through the College for Financial Planning in Denver.
Michael serves on committees for the South Hills Chamber of Commerce and also coaches youth baseball through the Bethel Baseball Association and youth football for the Bethel Park Junior Hawks. He resides in Bethel Park with his wife, Kathy, and their two children, Bailey and Kaitlyn.
Vice Presidents and Financial Advisors
Gregg Daily
Vice President
Gregg works with clients in implementing their financial plans and in the ongoing review and management of their investment portfolios and insurance needs. He is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies. He holds an Associates Degree from the Western School. Gregg has been with Fragasso Financial Advisors since 2002, and came with previous experience with two major financial firms.
Gregg is a member of the Community Relations Committee at the River's Club in downtown Pittsburgh, promoting outreach and sponsorship of events that benefit the greater Pittsburgh area. He is also on the Board of Directors for Chatham Baroque and serves on the Jefferson Hills Economic Development Commission. Gregg is married with three children and resides in the South Hills.
James Danko
Vice President
Jim joined Fragasso in 2000 as a Portfolio Manager and then transitioned into the role of Financial Advisor.
Jim works directly in the ongoing management and monitoring of client investment portfolios. This includes regular review meetings,
implementation of financial plans and ongoing client communication. He is licensed for investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies.
Jim joined the Group after gaining valuable experience at a major local bank, working in the brokerage department.
He graduated from Thiel College with a B.A. in both Actuary Science and Business Administration. James also earned his M.B.A. from Point Park University. Jim is married with one child and resides in the South Hills.
Bryan Hoover
Financial Advisor
Bryan works directly in the management and monitoring of client investment portfolios, asset modeling, and ongoing communications with clients.
Bryan joined Fragasso in 2007 after earning his bachelor's degree in Journalism from Pennsylvania State University. He is licensed for investments by all the appropriate licensing bodies.
Liliann Moser
Financial Advisor
Liliann works directly in the management and monitoring of client investment portfolios, asset modeling, and ongoing communications with clients. She joined Fragasso in 2001 with thirteen years of previous working experience with a national financial firm in the financial planning and brokerage arena.
Liliann is a graduate of Bradford Business School with a Certificate in Executive Business Management. She is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies.
Liliann lives in South Hills with her husband and their two daughters.
Melissa Richey, CFP®
Vice President
Melissa works directly in the management and monitoring of client investment portfolios. This includes regular review meetings, implementation of financial plans, and ongoing client communications.
Melissa joined Fragasso in 2001 with four years of experience working as a Financial Advisor with a national financial service firm in the financial planning and brokerage arena. In addition, she was an Independent Financial Advisor with a local financial planning firm. She is a graduate of Slippery Rock University with a B.S in Finance. She is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies. In 2004, Melissa earned her Certified Financial Planner ™ designation through the American College of Financial Planning. She is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies.
Melissa lives in Wexford with her husband Doug and their three daughters.
Brian Robinette, AIF®, CRPS®
Vice President
Brian works directly with clients to implement their financial plans and in the ongoing management and monitoring of client investment portfolios. This includes regular review meetings, implementation of financial plans and ongoing client dialogue and communication.
Brian joined Fragasso in 1998 and is a graduate of West Virginia University where he earned a B.S. in Human Resources Management. He is licensed for investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies.
Christine Robinette, CFP®, MSW
Vice President
Christine has been a Financial Advisor with Fragasso Financial Advisors since 1996. Christine works directly in the management and monitoring of clients' investment portfolios. This includes the creation and implementation of financial plans, asset modeling, review meetings and ongoing client dialogue and communications.
She is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies. Christine attended the University of Pittsburgh for her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Social Work. In 2009, Christine earned her Certified Financial Planner ™ designation through the American College of Financial Planning.
Christine is an active member in her community. She is the Vice President of the Bethel Park Community Foundation. Christi resides in Bethel Park with her husband, Brian, and son Connor.
Investment Management
Andrei Voicu, CFP®
Managing Director, Chief Investment Officer
Andrei is responsible for internal investment management for the Group. In this capacity he selects and allocates securities in custom designed stock, bond and mutual fund portfolios. The Investment Management Department's direct involvement in client servicing ensures customized portfolio design based on the specific and unique needs of each client.
Andrei joined Fragasso in 1997 with similar experience from a major investment consulting and asset management firm.
Andrei is licensed for investments by all the appropriate licensing bodies. He also earned the designation of Certified Financial Planner ™ through the American College of Financial Planning. Andrei earned a B.S. in Business Administration and a M.B.A in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh.
Daniel Dingus
MANAGING DIRECTOR, CHIEF PORTFOLIO STRATEGIST
As the Chief Portfolio Strategist Daniel has responsibility for the management of portfolios and for original research of investment opportunities. He is also tasked with achieving timely, innovative and positive client investment results and responsible for our individual and corporate financial planning processes. Daniel joined Fragasso in 2007 from a major asset management firm where he held a position as an Investment Research Analyst.
Daniel obtained a B.S. in Economics and a M.B.A. in Finance from Duquesne University. He is licensed for investments by all the appropriate licensing bodies.
Damien Gottschalk
INVESTMENT MANAGER
Damien works with existing clients in assembling and preparing annual reviews; as well as with prospective clients, in the collection and assembly of relevant information for the formation of financial plans.
Damien graduated from Duquesne University with Bachelors Degrees in Finance, and Investment Management. Prior to college, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He joined Fragasso in 2009 with several years of experience in the financial services industry. His credentials include Series 7 held with LPL Financial.
Colette Griffith
Portfolio Administrator
Colette works in the Investment Management Department. She is responsible for preparing client reports and tracking security performance for review meetings.
Brianne King
Investment Manager
Brianne works in the Investment Management Department. As an Investment Manager she has responsibility for assisting with implementing recommendations of client portfolios and the assembly of client annual reviews. She also supports the Financial Advisors by handling trades, processing requisitions and allocating funds for new accounts.
Brianne joined Fragasso in 2001 after earning her B.S. in Finance from Duquesne University. She is licensed for investments by all the appropriate licensing bodies.
William Wolfe
Investment Manager
Bill joined the Investment Management in 2007 team after graduating from the University of Dayton with a B.S. in Finance and Economics. His job responsibilities include preparing annual reviews, implementing recommendations of client portfolios, and processing the re-allocation of various funds. Bill is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh. He is licensed for investments by all the appropriate licensing bodies.
Financial Planning
Karen Lapina
Financial Planning Specialist
Karen works with prospective and existing clients, gathering and assembling the financial data necessary for the creation of financial plans.
She is responsible for client interface and the creation of comprehensive financial schedules for client-specific life goals including retirement, estate planning and education funding.
Karen joined Fragasso in 1999 and brings more than 10 years of financial industry experience to the firm. She earned her bachelor's degree in finance from Drexel University. She is licensed for insurance and investments by all of the appropriate licensing bodies.
Seminars and Marketing
Raymond Amelio
Managing Director, Chief marketing officer
Ray is responsible for marketing and client acquisition. He also organizes corporate and college financial education seminars. Ray works with the firm's existing client base to obtain referrals and new business and promote Fragasso Financial Advisors through various networking opportunities. Ray joined Fragasso in 2005.
Ray graduated from Duquesne University with a BA in Political Science and received his Masters Degree in Human Resources Management from LaRoche College. He served with the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and was a Field Corpsman with the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam.
Loriann Ostermueller
Marketing Specialist
Loriann's extensive technical skills have proven to be invaluable to Fragasso Financial Advisors. She is responsible for administration of the website, seminar layout, and marketing literature design. Additionally, she maintains current marketing and seminar literature that meet compliance regulations for the industry. She also handles the administration and coordination of our corporate and university seminars.
Prior to joining Fragasso Financial Advisors in 2005, Loriann worked as a marketing communications specialist for over six years with an investment firm in Philadelphia. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from Rowan University.
Jennae Bakosh
Sales and Administrative Specialist
Jennae supports the Seminars and Marketing department by processing all incoming prospect information, maintaining the client database, and tracking and analyzing reports. She also helps develop and implement Fragasso Financial Advisors' advertising and publicity events and direct mailings.
Jennae also supports the Director of Human Resources and the President of the firm by assisting with the processing of payroll and invoice payments, special projects, and other operational responsibilities.
Jennae joined Fragasso in 2007. She earned her bachelors degree in Fine Arts from Robert Morris University.
Administration
Nadene Sales
Managing Director
Human Resources Manager and Controller
Nadene is responsible for all facets of the daily internal accounting and fiscal oversight of the firm. She prepares the annual budget and provides periodic analytical studies. In her role as Human Resources Manager, Nadene is responsible for payroll, benefits and industry compliance for all employees. She also manages the administration of the office facilities.
Nadene graduated from Chatham College with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English. She co-owned the Regent Square Theatre for 15 years, then spent eight years as a Human Resources professional in Pittsburgh and Atlanta before joining Fragasso in 2005.
Paulette (Polly) Aites
Senior Client Account Specialist
Polly provides valuable support in processing all aspects of administrative paperwork including fund transfers and new and managed account applications. She also is instrumental in the follow-up procedure with outside investment sources to insure prompt and accurate processing of all client paperwork. In addition to paperwork, Polly also handles the processing of all outgoing checks and journals, form ordering, mailings and maintenance of client files.
Polly has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She joined Fragasso in 2005.
Brianne Danko
Client Account Specialist
Brianne provides valuable support in processing all aspects of administrative paperwork including fund transfers and new and managed account applications. She also is instrumental in the follow-up procedure with outside investment sources to insure prompt and accurate processing of all client paperwork. In addition to paperwork, Brianne also handles mailings and maintenance of client files.
Brianne graduated from Slippery Rock University with a degree in Elementary Education. She joined Fragasso in 2005.
Barbara Dressler
Administrative Specialist
Barbara provides support in the area of account maintenance for all clients, including filing and binding reports. She is head of a new SEC and compliance approved document management service which will enable our staff to retrieve account related documents without leaving their workstations.
Prior to joining Fragasso Financial Advisors in 2001, Barbara had more than 20 years of experience as a trainer in the food service industry, and spent 8 years in retail management.
Joy Holden
Client Account Specialist
Joy provides valuable support in processing all aspects of administrative paperwork including fund transfers and new and managed account applications. She also is instrumental in the follow-up procedure with outside investment sources to insure prompt and accurate processing of all client paperwork. In addition to paperwork, Joy also handles the processing of all outgoing checks and journals, form ordering, mailings and maintenance of client files. She has a background in marketing and uses her skills to enhance client education.
Prior to joining Fragasso Financial Advisors in 2005, Joy worked as an office manager for more than a decade. Joy is currently attending Duquesne University's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement studying toward a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies. She volunteers her time with the Rankin Junior Tamburitzans and the Bulgarian-Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center. Additionally, Joy is a performer with the BMNECC's dance ensemble "Otets Paissi" and is an annual participant in the Pittsburgh Race for the Cure.
Lindsay McArdle
Director of First Impressions
Lindsay provides valuable assistance to the administrative staff by utilizing her interpersonal and organizational skills to greet clients, provide clerical support, answer incoming calls and schedule appointments.
Lindsay joined Fragasso in 2007 after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Robert Morris University.