1963
ValMark Founded
ValMark Securities is founded (fmr. Executive Insurance Agency)
About Us
About ValMark Advisers, Inc.
ValMark Advisers, Inc. is the advisor to the TOPS® ETF Portfolios. The Optimized Portfolio System(TOPS®) is one of the longest running and most successful ETF portfolio management programs in the country. ValMark Advisers is an affiliate of ValMark Securities, Inc., a national independent broker dealer specializing in equity, investment advisory and risk management products, and support services for the nation’s top echelon of wealth transfer and corporate insurance firms.
History
Meet the Team
Chief Investment Officer/SVP
MICHAEL MCCLARY
RESPONSIBILITIES AT VALMARK ADVISERS
Chief Investment Officer –
Responsible for coordinating all investment management solutions for ValMark Advisers and ValMark Institutional, including, TOPS®, TOPS® Strategic Allocation Portfolios, the TOPS® Managed Risk ETF Portfolios, and ValMark ACCESS® and ValMark ACCESS Plus®.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
LEAD PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT– The Optimized Portfolio System (TOPS®) since 2003. TOPS® is one of the nation’s longest running and most successful ETF management programs.
DEVELOPER/DESIGNER– ValMark Investment Alliance, an entity designed to expand the scope and access of ValMark’s investment management division.
NATIONALLY recognized as one of the first three members of the IMN / Research Magazine “ETF Advisors Hall of Fame” in 2007.
NAMED as one of “10 Rising Stars” by ETFReport in 2012.
NAMED as one of “10 All Stars” in the ETF industry by ETFReport in 2014.
COLLABORATED with the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s, Financial Advisor, and Research Magazine on ETF related topics and has been a featured speaker for organization such as the S&P, the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and ETF.com.
OVERVIEW– Nationally recognized expert in in institutional portfolios management and RIA companies; more than twelve years of senior level experience in broker/dealer and insurance agency management, areas of additional expertise include investments, annuities, personal financial planning, REITs, and life insurance.
EDUCATION, DESIGNATIONS & PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Master of Business Administration, Finance
Bachelor of Science, Finance and Financial Services, Magna Cum Laude Member, Cleveland Society of Chartered Financial Analysts
FINRA Series 7, 66 and 24 licenses, Investment Advisor Representative.
Vice President
TYLER DENHOLM
RESPONSIBILITIES AT VALMARK ADVISERS
Vice President, Investment Management & Research –
Responsible for investment management processes and research for ValMark Advisers and ValMark Institutional, including TOPS®, TOPS® Core, TOPS Strategic Allocation Portfolios®, and TOPS® Variable Insurance Trusts.
EDUCATION, DESIGNATIONS & PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
BSBA, Finance & Real Estate- The University of Akron, Summa Cum Laude
FINRA Series 7 and 24 Licenses, and Life Health and Variable Insurance License
Senior Investment Analyst – Investment Management
CARMEN DONOFRIO
EDUCATION, DESIGNATIONS & PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional
FINRA Series 7, 24 and 66 registrations
Ohio Life, Health & Accident, and Variable licenses
BSBA, Personal Finance and Corporate Finance, The University of Akron
Senior Director, Investments
FRANK LESSICK
RESPONSIBILITIES AT VALMARK ADVISERS
Director of Advisory Services –
Responsible for relationship management of RIA Member Offices.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Managed Assets Supervisor, McDonald Investments– Supervised the performance reporting for managed account platforms.
National Presenter– ValMark School of Excellence
EDUCATION, DESIGNATIONS & PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
MBA- Ashland University
BSBA, Finance- John Carroll University
Delta Mu Delta
FINRA Series 7, 24 & 66 Licenses
BS– The Ohio State University
Our Partners
About Milliman Financial Risk Management, LLC
Milliman Financial Risk Management, LLC (Milliman FRM) is a sub-advisor to the TOPS® Managed Risk ETF Portfolios. The firm is a global leader in financial risk management to the retirement savings industry. Milliman FRM provides investment advisory, hedging and consulting services on $150 billion in global assets (as of September 30, 2014). Established in 1998, the practices includes over 100 professionals operating from three trading platforms around the world (Chicago, London and Sydney). Milliman FRM is a subsidiary of Milliman, INC.
About Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (Ultimus) provides fund administration, fund accounting and transfer agent services to the TOPS® ETF Portfolios. Ultimus provides comprehensive, pooled investment solutions as an engaged partner to independent advisors. Ultimus serves as a resource to advisors bringing their own unique investment vehicles to market, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds on insurance platforms and more. As a full-services firm, Ultimus provides the administration, accounting and transfer agent/shareholder services that advisors need in order to launch and market successful products. With over 30 years of experience, Ultimus brings industry knowledge and insight to help advisors achieve the vision of their product and deliver the most extensive range of solutions to clients.
About ValMark Securities, Inc
ValMark Securities is a national independent broker dealer specializing in equity, investment advisory and risk management products and support services for the nation’s top echelon of wealth transfer and corporate insurance firms.
The firm serves as an independent insurance buying cooperative for its Member Offices with an estimated $42 billion of in-force life insurance and approximately $10 billion of client assets with a select group of leading life insurance and investment companies. This combined buy power give Member Offices preferred access and leverage to negotiate the best arrangements on behalf of their clients.
ValMark is affiliated companies include ValMark Advisers, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm, and Executive Insurance Agency, a Master General Agency for general account life insurance products. ValMark added a life settlement brokerage division in 2004.
The Company traces its origins to the founding of Executive Insurance Agency in 1963 by Lawrence S. Rybka, one of the first in the industry to organize his firm around the concept of allowing financial professionals to build independent businesses under their own brand. Rybka was also one of the first pioneers to integrate technical advice with product recommendations by forming attorney/CPA teams to support sales professionals. This technical orientation continues today at ValMark with a high percentage of Members holding a JD, CPA or CFP designation.