Our Commonwealth Colleagues

Our Commonwealth Colleagues

Our partnership with Commonwealth Financial Network gives us access to dozens of highly qualified specialists who help us answer your questions. To include them all on this website would be impossible, but we’d like to highlight the following as representatives of the high caliber people we depend on:

Justin Duft, JD, CFP®, MSFS, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC

Manager, Advanced Planning

  • Provides support to advisors in all areas of financial planning, including trust, estate, tax, charitable, social security, business, insurance, and education planning
  • Holds a BA in business administration from Northeastern University; an MSFS from the American College; and a JD, with a focus on estate, trust, and tax law, from New England Law Boston
  • Holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), and Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) designations, as well as Massachusetts life, accident, and health insurance licenses
  • Holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, and 63 securities registrations
  • Has prior experience in positions at Renaissance Insurance Group, John Hancock, and Ernst & Young

Olivia Zaiya, JD, MBA

Advanced Planning Consultant

  • Supports advisors in all areas of financial planning, including business, tax, education, estate, social security, and retirement income planning
  • Holds a BBA in business economics from University of San Diego and an MBA and JD from Syracuse University
  • Is currently pursuing the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification
  • Has prior experience as a practicing business attorney in Dallas, Texas

Patrick Noonan, CFP®

Advanced Planning Consultant

  • Serves as a resource for advisors on issues involving stock option strategies, as well as education, retirement income, social security, estate, and business planning
  • Holds a BS in finance from Fairfield University
  • Holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification, FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations and a life and health insurance license
  • Has prior experience advising clients on financial planning issues at Advest, Merrill Lynch, and Janney Montgomery Scott

Brad McMillan, CFA®, CAIA, MAI

Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

  • Chairs the Investment Committee and is the primary spokesperson for Commonwealth's investment divisions
  • Shares his comment and thought on the economy in his blog, The Independent Market Observer
  • Is a Member of the Appraisal Institute, the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Institute, and the CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) Association
  • Holds a BA from Dartmouth College, an MS in real estate from MIT, and an MS in finance from Boston College
  • Has prior experience as the founder of Dartmouth Realty Advisors

Paul Mahan

Senior Vice President, Retirement Consulting Services

  • Leads Commonwealth’s Retirement Consulting group, helping advisors to better market and serve retirement plans
  • Holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations
  • Holds a degree from Boston College
  • Former board member of the Retirement Advisor Council
  • Has prior experience in positions at Pioneer Investments; Putnam Investments; Fidelity Investments; and Scudder, Stevens & Clark

Meagan Rogers, CFA®

Manager, Fixed Income Research

  • Responds to advisor inquiries on fixed income portfolio construction and design and generates ideas regarding opportunities in the fixed income market
  • Assists with fixed income research, as well as researching industry trends related to the fixed income market
  • Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation
  • Has prior experience in positions at Babson Capital Management, Fidelity Management & Research, and Acuity Capital Management

Chad LaFauci, CFA®, CAIA

Director, Real Assets

  • Analyzes, approves, and monitors all products with real assets (e.g., commodities, infrastructure, and real estate) as their underlying investments
  • Manages the Real Assets team, which assists advisors with portfolio construction, as well as individual investment research and analysis
  • Holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations and Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations
  • Holds a BS in economics from Bates College
  • Has prior experience in a position at Investors Bank & Trust

Noah Wizer-Vecchi, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CLTC

Supervisor, Insurance Consulting

  • Assists with case design, product illustrations, and other inquiries related to life, disability, and long-term care insurance
  • Holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), and Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) designations
  • Holds a BA in economics from UMass Amherst

Jim McAllister, CFA®

Director, Equity Research

  • Oversees the Equity Research team, which assists advisors with ongoing due diligence and analysis of equity-based mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, separately managed accounts, and individual securities
  • Guides the ongoing implementation and execution of the team’s investment philosophies and process
  • Responds to advisor inquiries on equity portfolio construction, individual equity research, and equity portfolio reviews
  • Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation
  • Holds a BS in finance from Lehigh University
  • Has prior experience as a research analyst at Loomis Sayles and State Street Global Advisors in the U.S. quantitative group

Ethan Young

Director, Insurance and Annuities

  • Oversees the annuity and insurance product consultants
  • Holds FINRA Series 6, 26, and 63 securities registrations
  • Holds a BA from Allegheny College
  • Has prior experience in positions several insurance companies, including Hartford Life, MassMutual, and John Hancock