Pappas/Burkhardt Group 

Professional Profile

Matthew P. Pappas, CFP®, CFM
Vice–President
Wealth Management Advisor
Portfolio Manager , PIA Program

Matthew P. Pappas is a Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch.  He has a B.B.A. in Finance and Accounting from the University of Michigan and is a graduate of the Detroit College of Law.  Matt began his career as a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch in 1997 and is a specialized portfolio manager with the Personal Investment Advisory (PIA) program.  Matt was a practicing attorney for two years and spent thirteen years as an international tax consultant at Ernst & Young LLP & Price Waterhouse LLP before joining Merrill Lynch. 

In 2011, Matt earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Matt does not provide legal or tax advice in his role at Merrill Lynch, however, his knowledge of tax planning and legal issues is an invaluable resource for our clients.  Matt has also earned an accreditation as a Certified Financial Manager (CFM®), which is an internal Merrill Lynch self-study curriculum based on a variety of wealth management topics and a course exam. 

Michael J. Burkhardt, CSNA
Vice –President
Senior Financial Advisor
Portfolio Advisor , PIA Program

Mike began his career in the financial services industry in 1989 and joined Merrill Lynch in 1993. Mike provides a wide array of investment services including portfolio strategies, high-net-worth guidance, and residential lending and collateralized lending services. In addition to working with high-net-worth individuals, Mike focuses on professionals, small- to medium-size family businesses and also families with children who have disabilities.

Mike is qualified to offer discretionary portfolio management services through the Merrill Lynch Personal Investment Advisory® Merrill Lynch PIA® Program, as well as traditional advice and guidance. He also holds a Certified Special Needs Advisor (CSNA) designation, which helps him better understand the needs of families with children who have disabilities. Mike manages the team’s business plan and also coordinates strategic partnering.  Prior to joining the Pappas-Burkhardt  Group as a Financial Advisor, he held several positions within Merrill Lynch management, including Administrative Manager, Business Manager, and Sales Manager. He is born and raised in Michigan and attended MCC and Wayne State University where he studied Business Marketing and Finance. Mike and his wife, live with their two children in Shelby Township, Michigan.  

Lori J. Burke CRPC®
Senior Client Associate

Lori is a Senior Registered Client Associate at Merrill Lynch. Lori is a graduate of Henry Ford Community College and has been registered with the NYSE since 1982.  She has been insurance licensed since 2004. Having been with Merrill Lynch for more than 35 years and The Pappas-Burkhardt Group for more than 25, Lori’s role is that of Client Relationship Manager.   Lori also facilitates the team’s individual client strategies concentrating on those that include Annuities and Long Term Care.  Lori has also earned the designation of a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC©) from the College of Financial Planning.  This is a professional designation awarded by the College to individuals who complete a study program and pass a final multiple-choice examination. This study program covers the entire retirement process including employer-sponsored retirement plans, income taxes, retirement cash flow, asset management, estate planning and more. She has received national recognition from Merrill Lynch for outstanding performance.

Tami M. VonGerichten CFP®, CRPC®
Registered Client Associate

Tami is a Registered Client Associate at Merrill Lynch.  Tami has a B.B.A. in Finance from Walsh College, and has earned an M.F.A. in Business and Information Technology.  Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, she worked as a consultant at Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter where she became registered with the NYSE and received her insurance license.  Since joining Merrill Lynch and the Pappas-Burkhardt Group in 2000 Tami has concentrated on client service as well as assisting with the facilitation of the Team’s market strategies.  In 2011, Tami earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Tami has also earned an accreditation as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC©) from the College of Financial Planning. This is a professional designation awarded by the College to individuals who complete a study program and pass a final multiple-choice examination. This study program covers the entire retirement process including employer-sponsored retirement plans, income taxes, retirement cash flow, asset management, estate planning and more.