Mark Mc Bride

Brinton Brafford is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management who began his career in wealth management in 2007. Prior to joining Merrill, he served as Assistant Director in the Financial Aid Office at Ashland University. In his current role, Brinton builds customized strategies for clients by managing Personalized or Defined Strategies on a discretionary basis. His portfolio management approach may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies. He also holds the Retirement Benefits Consultant designation, allowing him to serve Plan Sponsors with ERISA 3(21) Fiduciary Advisory Services focused on defined contribution plans. Brinton holds multiple professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR, Personal Investment Advisor, and Retirement Benefits Consultant. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ashland University, where he was part of the Ashbrook Scholar program. Brinton resides in Mansfield, Ohio with his wife, Susan, their two children, and family pets.

Lauretta Burkhart serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill. In her role, she focuses on developing personalized wealth management strategies tailored to clients’ individual goals and market conditions. She leverages insights from Merrill along with banking and lending solutions from Bank of America to support clients in pursuing their long-term financial objectives. Lauretta emphasizes active portfolio management informed by economic conditions and addresses key client concerns such as managing risks associated with retirement to help clients feel confident about their financial future. Her areas of expertise include family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, and supporting women with wealth. Lauretta holds several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). She earned her bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and completed her high school education at Colonel Crawford High School. Outside of her professional work, Lauretta is engaged in community service, reflecting the Merrill tradition of local involvement. Her personal interests include biking, cooking, hiking, and practicing yoga.