James Elias

Steve has always felt that his role as an advisor should exclusively be to serve those who have put their trust in him and to do it to the best of his abilities, by any means necessary. So, he decided to take a step that many advisors are increasingly considering: 1. Transitioning to a fee-only model. 2. Requiring that all clients are always served in a fiduciary capacity. 3. Taking ownership and control of his practice. He believes this approach realigns his incentives with his clients' best interests and empowers him to develop financial plans free from undue influence. In his free time, Steve also serves on the board of the Societa Da Vinci, a local non-profit focused on providing educational grants and supporting cultural events around Italian heritage. Steve is also an avid traveler and hiker. One of his life’s goals is to visit all 63 US national parks among various other outdoor adventures like shark diving.

Peni Warren is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She has been with Merrill since 1982, collaborating with clients and their families to understand their financial situations and priorities. Her approach emphasizes personalized wealth management strategies tailored to clients' long-term objectives. Peni’s expertise spans a wide range of client focus areas, including college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, retirement income, special needs planning, small business strategies, and investment strategy for individuals and corporations. She holds the designations of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Peni earned her high school diploma from Lake Forest High School. In addition to her professional work, Peni is involved in her community through volunteering with organizations such as the Delaware State Fair and The Fund For Women. Her personal interests include cooking, gardening, interior decorating, knitting and crocheting, painting, and running.

Crystal Van Lenten is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She focuses on developing personalized financial strategies that align with her clients’ long-term goals, with an emphasis on wealth management planning, tax minimization, and estate planning. Crystal works to create flexible strategies that respond to changing market conditions while providing access to Merrill’s investment insights and Bank of America’s banking and lending solutions. Her client focus includes college and education planning, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible and ESG investing, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Crystal follows Merrill’s tradition of community involvement and dedicates time to volunteering with local organizations. Outside of her professional work, Crystal enjoys baseball, football, golf, music, tennis, traveling, and spending time with her family. Her approach to wealth management emphasizes a collaborative process designed to help clients pursue their financial goals through individualized planning.

Kathleen Hawkins is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. With a career in financial services dating back to 1998, she specializes in developing long-term relationships with clients to help them navigate investment needs through various life changes. Her expertise includes financial strategies focused on wealth accumulation, funding education, retirement planning, philanthropic support, and intergenerational asset transfer. Kathleen holds a Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Delaware and a Master of Business Administration from Drexel University. She carries professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Before joining Merrill Lynch in 2004, she gained experience at JP Morgan and served as Executive Director of the Eastern Pennsylvania and Peninsula-Delaware United Methodist Foundation. She is involved in several non-profit organizations such as the Cen-Del Foundation and serves as a Trustee of the University of Delaware. Kathleen lives in Smyrna, Delaware with her husband and son. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family.