John is a qualified Portfolio Manager who, in addition to providing traditional advice and guidance, can help clients pursue their objectives by building and managing his own personalized or defined strategies, which may incorporate individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies. When servicing clients through the firm's Investment Advisory Program, a Portfolio Manager may manage his strategies on a discretionary basis. The core of my process is to provide a strategic approach with common sense recommendations to help clients meet their financial goals and objectives. My experience has ranged from advising clients on financial matters as they progress through their various life stages to helping corporate executives with Rule 144 and stock option transactions. I earned a BS in Business Administration at the University of Maine and an MBA in Finance at Eastern Michigan University. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 1978, I spent a year in the banking industry and over five years working as a financial analyst at two major US corporations. 