Professional Profile
"Delivering customized financial strategies on a global scale with the warmth and care of an extended family."
The Craane Group is a multi-cultural, multi-generational, family-oriented wealth management team. The Group was designed to harness the depth of resources available within the open architecture of Merrill Lynch and to channel them to our Clients in the most comfortable, flexible and strategic way. The Craane Group works primarily with High Net Worth Clients, Business Owners, Pensions and Endowments. Through our constant care and attention to detail, we endeavor to enhance the financial lives of our clients. Over the years, the Group has provided the thread of continuity that makes the transition from one generation of decision-makers to the next go smoothly.
— Since its inception, clients have entrusted the Craane Group with more than 1.3 billion dollars (as of 02/2013) and has attracted some of the most sophisticated investors in the world.
— The group offers a holistic approach that covers all aspects of wealth management.
— The Craane Group is recognized for their ability to design carefully balanced portfolios specifically tailored to each institution’s needs and concerns.
Our multi-disciplinary team is composed of eight highly trained and accomplished professionals that include undergraduate degrees in accounting, finance, and systems, two masters, and twelve specializations.
Valery E. Craane, Managing Director - Wealth Management, CRPC(Barron's List "Top 100 Women Financial Advisors")
Born in the Caribbean, Valery has lived in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Her ability to leverage her international experience and language skills—Spanish, Dutch, French, Papiamento, and Italian—is well complemented with her 40 years of advising ultra high networth clients and institutional portfolios in the best and worst market cycles. Valery’s non-stop commitment to strengthening portfolio construction has helped her clients stay properly allocated through many market cycles. Valery is the head of the philanthropic Valery Craane Fund—where she not only makes financial contributions, but also donates her time by sitting on several financial boards, where she offers her valuable practical experience.
Janine Lee Craane, Managing Director - Wealth Management, WMA, CIMA(Barron's List "Top 100 Women Financial Advisors")
Janine was born in Venezuela and educated in the United States. She began her career 30 years ago on the foreign equity arbitrage desk, where she took advantage of her language skills—Spanish, French, and Portuguese—to gain insight into emerging markets. She earned her CIMA® and became part of an elite group to receive the qualification as an advanced investment consultant. She has spent the majority of her career advising institutional clients with their investment portfolios—focused on providing industry leading advice, delivering personalized institutional consulting services and ongoing due diligence and reporting. Also, it is Janine’s relationships in the industry that provide access to specialists that keep the group’s financial strategy current with the latest innovations.
Hugh M. Graham, Senior Financial Analyst, CFA, CFP, CRPC
Hugh holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts. He is the architect behind the construction and review of portfolios as well as the designer of the group’s global investment strategy matrix. With over nine years of experience running analytical software and developing currency overlays, he combines his analytical skills with the ease of expression brought to him by his Masters in Spanish Literature.
Jasmine Murga, Financial Services Associate, CFM, CRPC
Jasmine heads up business development and has over 18 years of experience in the financial services industry with extensive knowledge in wealth management. She leverages the total breadth of Merrill Lynch’s brokerage and offshore products, customized financing, insurance and home financing for both domestic and international high net worth clients. In addition to specializing in investment strategy and asset allocation modeling, Jasmine is responsible for implementing equity disciplines and strategies.
Ricardo "Ric" Gutierrez, Financial Services Associate, CFM
For over 16 years, Ric has designed, implemented and maintained trading portfolios for clients. He is responsible for IPOs, Fixed Income, Currencies, Options, ETFs and Structured Products. A Finance graduate of SUNY Albany, he joined us from the Ultra High Net Worth Trading Desk.
Max Young, Financial Services Associate, CRPC
For the past 7 years, Max has been responsible for researching and gathering critical data to assist in driving the portfolio analysis and review process. A Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in finance from Baruch College, Max was born in Malaysia and is fluent in Cantonese and Malay. Max has been instrumental in growing our understanding and services to the Asian markets.