PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

With over 95 years of experience The FAND Group offers personalized wealth management strategies for our individual high net worth clients, corporations, closely held businesses and non-for-profit organizations.

Each member of The FAND Group is responsible for particular areas of concern. By working together and coordinating our efforts, we strive to provide seamless integration of our clients’ complex financial needs and the vast resources available at Merrill Lynch. We understand the importance of the various aspects of our clients’ financial lives and the relationship between tax management, education planning, life insurance, and trust and estate planning services.

Our philosophy focuses on providing each client with a superior level of service and advice. We specialize in wealth management and investment strategy and planning. Additionally we offer a wide array of solutions to suit the needs of wealthy investors, corporate and non-for-profit organizations.
The FAND Group helps clients define their financial condition, identify their underlying capital needs, and establish short and long term priorities that contribute to a financially viable future.

Neil Newsham, CFM, ARPC®, CRPC®, First Vice President - Wealth Management
Neil joined Merrill Lynch in 1986. He is responsible for leading the teams’ effort working with Foundations, Endowments and Non for Profits, developing and maintaining investment policy statements as well as keeping Board Fiduciary responsibilities to a minimum.
Additionally Neil is responsible for initial client meetings, working with clients on goal setting. Neil works with clients through the entire planning process updating and measuring the accomplishment of goals. Neil holds the following professional designations: Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor™ (CRPC®) and Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC). Neil is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with degrees in Economics and Business Management. He resides in Summit, New Jersey with his wife, Lambi and their children Lynsey, Kahler & Reilly.

Ed Flynn, CRPS®, ARPC®, CRPC®, CFM First Vice President - Wealth Management
Ed joined Merrill Lynch in 1997. He is responsible for leading our teams' efforts working with our Corporate Retirement Plans. As the retirement plan coordinator of the group, Ed has his Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS®) designation, as well as his Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC®) designation from the Society of Professional Administrators and Record Keepers (SPARK). Ed is the lead advisor for the groups retirement plans, he works with HR professionals to determine, establish and administer the best retirement plan available for clients, including 401(k), Defined Benefit, Profit Sharing and ESOP’s. Ed works closely with business owners and Human Resource Managers to manage fiduciary responsibilities.
Ed additionally works with our clients to develop, implement, and manage their personal and business finances. Ed oversees the activity of the daily markets and makes certain we stay ahead of our changing markets. Ed is a graduate of Saint Bonaventure University with degrees in Finance and Accounting. Ed resides in Middletown, New Jersey with his wife, Tara and their two sons Eamonn and Owen.

David M. De Cerbo, CFP®, CIMA®, CRPC®, CFM, First Vice President- Investments
Dave joined Merrill Lynch in 1998. He specializes in creating wealth management strategies. Specifically establishing, recommending, implementing and monitoring individually designed financial strategies and solutions for our high net worth clients and closely held businesses. Dave also manages discretionary investment portfolios, asset allocation, investment selection and performance to facilitate the successful achievement our clients financial goals. Dave graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, and an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University. Dave was a Structural Engineer in bridge design and construction management prior to joining Merrill Lynch. Dave holds the following professional designations: CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., Certified Investment Manager Analysts (CIMA®), and Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor™ (CRPC®). Dave currently resides in Metuchen, New Jersey with his wife, Debbie and their children Matthew and Mia.

Al Ortiz, Registered Client Associate
Al joined Merrill Lynch in 2001. He started with Merrill Lynch as a Relationship Manager for a large international team. He has served as a member of the Merrill Lynch Leadership team from 2004 to 2007. He offers his knowledge in a multitude of products and services to our clients. Al is primarily responsible for all operational and administrative logistics for the team. He also assists in investment transactions and is deeply involved in client relationship management.
Al is a graduate of Baruch College. He currently resides in Chester, New York with his wife, Aneta and son Jayden.

Rebekah Harper, Client Associate
Rebekah joined Merrill Lynch in 2012. She manages all daily marketing and administrative duties. Rebekah assists with account opening, statement questions, check requests, wire transfers as well as the day to day account inquiries. She is a native Floridian who moved to New York in 2003 to complete her education at SUNY Stony Brook University. Before joining the FAND group, she worked for a Financial Planning Firm on Long Island and oversaw day to day administration of client portfolios in addition to directing their marketing initiative. She currently resides in the Botanical Garden section of the Bronx with her husband, Randy, and their son Adrian.