Financial advisors in San Francisco for Executive & Equity Compensation

Thomas Catanese is a Private Wealth Advisor with Merrill Private Wealth Management. He has over 13 years of experience providing financial advice to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families, with a focus on entrepreneurs, executives, and investors in the technology and life sciences sectors. Tom’s expertise includes corporate executive services, executive and equity compensation, legacy and philanthropic planning, portfolio management, and tax minimization strategies. He advises clients on investments, trust and estate planning, lending needs, equity planning, and retail banking services. Before joining Merrill, Tom held roles at JP Morgan’s Private Bank and spent five years leading corporate development at Advent Software, a publicly traded fintech company. He also worked at Northern Trust, Fidelity Investments, and Charles Schwab during his career in the financial services industry. Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Vanderbilt University and completed additional coursework in financial disciplines at the Haas Business School. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Tom lives in Tiburon, California, with his family. He is involved in volunteering efforts with organizations including JDRF, Marin Food Bank, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Kevin Fernandez is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in San Francisco. He specializes in helping busy individuals, particularly senior executives, make informed financial decisions and manage complex equity compensation arrangements. With 13 years at Merrill and 14 years in the industry, Kevin provides focused attention and personalized guidance to address his clients’ unique financial goals, including executive trading plans, stock options, and tax-minimization strategies. Kevin holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Arizona and has earned professional designations including Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA), Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He leads a team committed to delivering service that extends beyond transactions, aiming to build lasting relationships and support clients through significant financial decisions. Outside of his professional role, Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife Meghan and their children, Faye and Jack. His personal interests include cycling, playing and attending live music events, golfing, and traveling. Kevin also participates in community activities, including involvement with Noe Valley Chamber Music and The Olympic Club.

Ben Fort is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over 26 years of industry experience. He began his career as an intern with Merrill Lynch in 1995 and became a financial advisor in 1998. Ben specializes in financial planning for corporate executives and entrepreneurs, developing strategies to align stock options, compensation packages, and assets with clients’ goals. He leads an eleven-person team that serves a select group of clients, overseeing $3.8 billion in assets as of March 2025, with a client retention rate of 99%. Ben holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP) certification and the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) designation, which he earned through the Investments & Wealth Institute™ and coursework at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. He also holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Ben earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee. Ben lives in Mill Valley with his wife and two daughters. His interests include snowboarding, mountain biking, sailing, and traveling. He is involved in the community as a member of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation - Bay Area Advisor Council and has served as a board member and volunteer in local organizations. Ben has been recognized repeatedly on the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list from 2018 through 2025, and his team was named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list for three consecutive years through 2025.

Damian Hedley is a Private Wealth Manager with Merrill Private Wealth Management. He advises a select group of ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, providing leadership and coordination across multiple aspects of their wealth. Damian works with business owners, including those planning an exit or who have monetized their businesses, as well as C-suite executives. His expertise includes compensation optimization, managing concentrated and restricted stock strategies, and facilitating wealth transfer to future generations.

Justin Kroplin is a Private Wealth Advisor with Merrill Private Wealth Management, bringing over 20 years of industry experience. Since 1998, he has specialized in assisting corporate executives, technology insiders, and families with complex financial planning needs. His expertise includes supporting clients who have equity compensation and stock option packages, guiding them to understand potential opportunities and risks. Throughout his career at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Justin has focused on providing tailored solutions such as 10b5-1 planning and ongoing wealth management. He approaches financial advising with a purpose-driven methodology aimed at aligning clients’ professional growth with broader life objectives. Justin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from the University of Colorado and holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He resides in San Francisco and Sonoma with his wife, Athinela, and they share interests in fitness and travel.

Adam Cline is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in San Francisco. Since beginning his career in financial services in 2009 and joining Merrill in 2010, he has developed expertise in working with affluent clients, including C-suite executives and serial entrepreneurs. Adam focuses on a holistic approach to wealth management, addressing areas such as executive compensation, equity compensation services, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, and retirement income. His strategy involves understanding clients' long-term objectives and proactively mitigating obstacles to help them pursue their financial goals. Adam holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. He maintains securities licenses, including Series 7 and 66 registrations, and has earned the professional designations of Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). His approach encompasses wealth enhancement, preservation, and transfer, along with charitable gifting and personalized financial solutions, such as trust and estate planning, life insurance, and business succession advisory. In addition to his professional work, Adam participates in community service through organizations including GLIDE, Habitat for Humanity, and Sage Project. He enjoys a range of personal interests, such as basketball, camping, golfing, hiking, scuba diving, surfing, swimming, traveling, yoga, and spending time with his family.

Travis Daugherty is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with 28 years at the firm and over 25 years of experience in the financial industry. He specializes in working with wealthy families and individual investors, focusing on areas such as restricted stock sales, 10B5-1 plans, cashless option exercises, fixed income and equity trades, 529 plans, and large block equity trade transactions. Travis collaborates closely with trading desks to execute a range of taxable and tax-exempt trades and corporate transactions. Travis holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and has earned the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He emphasizes creating flexible, personalized wealth management strategies tailored to clients’ long-term goals, incorporating insights from Merrill Lynch and resources from Bank of America. In addition to his professional work, Travis is active in community volunteer efforts and pursues personal interests including baseball, football, golfing, hiking, running, skiing, swimming, tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Valerie Garcia Houts is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with 29 years of experience in the financial industry, including 23 years with the firm. She specializes in restricted stock strategy and trading, domestic and foreign equity distributions, 10b5-1 plan development and implementation, and regulatory matters related to these areas. Valerie is a founding member of the Venture Services Group at Merrill and previously worked at Montgomery Securities in the Private Client Department, focusing on restricted stock transactions, diversification, hedging strategies, and comprehensive asset management for high-net-worth individuals and foundations. Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of California, Irvine, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and has been recognized in multiple industry rankings, including Forbes’ "America's Top Women Wealth Advisors" and Barron's "Top 100 Financial Advisors." In addition to her professional work, Valerie serves on the boards of Project Glimmer and Compass Family Services, non-profit organizations supporting young women and low-income families in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is also active in leadership at St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco, where she resides with her husband and three daughters.

Aaron Hudson is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he leverages his experience to assist corporate executives, non-profit organizations, and families with tailored wealth management strategies. Since joining Merrill Lynch in 2019, Aaron focuses on areas including concentrated stock positions, restricted stock transactions, liquidity events, executive compensation, equity compensation services, and investment consulting for defined contribution plans. He also provides services related to divorce transition planning, tax minimization, and support for endowments, foundations, and non-profits. Prior to his current role, Aaron was a client service associate at Morgan Stanley. He values attentive service and strives to be responsive and accessible to clients, aiming to build lasting relationships through careful listening and understanding clients’ broader financial goals. Aaron brings seven years of industry experience, including an initial career in accounting, which provided a foundation for his client-focused financial advisory approach. Aaron earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California system and completed an accredited certificate program through the American College of Financial Services. His professional designations include Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He grew up in Pittsburg, California, and his personal interests include baseball, basketball, boxing, football, golfing, music, photography, and spending time with his family.

Tina Payton Thomas is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in serving executives and business owners with complex financial needs. With 10 years of experience at the firm and in the financial industry, she focuses on providing personalized wealth management strategies that integrate all aspects of a client's financial life. Tina and her private wealth management team, which collectively has over 30 years of combined experience, leverage the investment insights of Merrill Lynch and the banking services of Bank of America to deliver comprehensive financial solutions. Her areas of expertise include executive compensation management, exit planning business strategies, wealth transfer and retirement planning, philanthropic advising, and liability strategies. Tina is committed to helping clients balance professional and personal priorities by creating customized strategies to support both short- and long-term goals. She holds the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations and earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University. Tina is bilingual in German and English and is a member of several professional organizations, including ACG Silicon Valley, Berkeley Chamber of Commerce, German American Business Association, and John Muir Health Foundation. In addition to her professional work, Tina participates in community activities through the John Muir Health Foundation. Outside of her career, she enjoys boating, gardening, horseback riding, spending time with her family, watching movies, and practicing yoga.