John was hired by Merrill Lynch in December 1983 as a financial advisor after completing his undergraduate degree in finance at Lehigh University. He completed Merrill Lynch’s Donald Regan program for financial planning. In July, 1992, John received the CFP® designation from the College for Financial Planning. He earned his masters degree in financial planning from the College for Financial Planning in September 2003.
Since 1983, John has been practicing as a financial advisor, helping more than 1000 clients with financial planning and investment management. He has achieved the President’s Club at Smith Barney six times, the President’s Club at Morgan Stanley twice, and the Leader’s Council at Raymond James twice. He has been named to the 2008 Guide to America’s Top Financial Planners by the Consumer Research Council of America.
Outside interests include owning the Academy for Continuing Professional Education, which provides continuing education classes for accountants in central New Jersey.
John has been actively involved with the Episcopal Church in Westfield, New Jersey, where he has served as treasurer. For many years he was a Big Brother with the Big Brother/Big Sister charity, and has a passion for children’s interests. He has been involved with the organization Children’s International for over 25 years.
For triennial license renewal, each accountant is required to complete, during the preceding triennial period, 120 hours of continuing professional education. This should include at least 24 credit hours in auditing, review and compilation for persons who are engaged in the practice of public accounting or are involved with the attest function in issuing audit, review or compilation reports. All accountants shall complete at least 72 credit hours of the required 120 credit hours in business law, computer science, economics, finance, management advisory services, mathematics/statistics, SEC practice, taxation, and professional ethics. Each accountant is also required to complete 4 credit hours in a law and ethics course. The remaining 48 credit hours may include courses that concentrate on practice management areas, such as organizational structure, human resource management and other administrative matters. Courses that relate to a licensee’s personal skills such as speaking, leadership, and managing people or organizations shall also be included in this category. Courses that relate to the development of a licensee’s practice or the marketing of services shall not be accepted towards satisfaction of continuing professional education requirements.