Sean Gerlin

I help those in grief (and the advisors who support them) navigate financial matters." In 2008, at the peak of the recession, I lost my mother to cancer in August and my father to a broken heart in November. In 2010, my paternal grandmother passed from a stroke. In 2012, I lost my oldest child. Based on those tragic events, I changed the trajectory of my career to solely help families and individuals in grief. I decided to further my education in the field of life transitions and grief. I became a Certified Financial Transitionist®, to help clients navigate through major life events and the financial transitions that accompany them. I’ve helped over 400 families navigate many financial issues and life circumstances such as grieving loss of loved ones. If my life journey and life's passion sounds like something that could help you, I would love to walk with you on your journey to Life After Grief.

With an extensive background in athletics, Marty O'Leary CFP® ChFC®, has developed his investment management and financial planning around NFL players, NFL and college football coaches, and other high-earning individuals. Customized portfolios, individualized advice, and lower than average fees combine to deliver massive value to Stadium Financial's clients.

I like to keep things simple, focus on what we can control and continuously strive to deliver better than expected outcomes. I seek first to understand, then work together with a client to craft plans, put those plans into action and review them regularly. Am I perfect? By no means. Yet, I will continue to try my very best for the clients I serve. Clients usually come to me needing help answering questions on their mind. Some of the top questions are: • Am I on track? • Am I doing the right things? • Am I missing anything? I have spent 10 + years helping address these questions and more. While working with a diverse mix of clients over the years, I have spent a considerable amount of time helping these types of clients: • Near retirees looking to retire before 65 • Disney executives and cast members • Academics that work for the State of Florida system In addition to on-the-job experience, I am a firm believer in continuous learning. As such, my undergrad is in Physics, my Master’s degree is in Personal Financial Planning, I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional, a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ and consume hours of continuing education each year. Personally, I am a Christian, a husband, a dad and have two dogs. I enjoy reading, playing acoustic guitar, hiking, Gator sports, Disney theme parks, playing pickup basketball and serving wherever I am needed at church.

After working as a financial advisor for more than 15 years, I obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional designation in 2008. I received my M.B.A. in Financial Planning from California Lutheran University in 2016. Some of our clients have been with us for 20+ years and for that I am very grateful. I enjoy being a blessing to our clients by helping them make the right financial decisions. It’s wonderful to see clients understand the truth about their finances and some of the nuances of the financial advisory world. I love playing golf with my son Luke and other friends when there is some healthy competition going on! I love to cook after work and enjoy sharing a great meal with my family and discussing how our days went and encouraging one another. I also enjoy working out with my family and seeing family and friends achieve things that are hard to do.

Valentina Merkulova is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She provides financial advice and guidance to clients, helping them pursue their most important financial goals through personalized wealth management strategies. Valentina collaborates with clients to create flexible plans tailored to their life priorities, incorporating insights from Merrill and financial solutions from Bank of America. With over 10 years of industry experience, Valentina's areas of focus include college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, employee financial health, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, women and wealth, and retirement income. She holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) designation, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) credentials. Valentina earned an Associate's Degree from Valencia College and holds Bachelor's Degrees from Tambov State University and the University of Central Florida. She is bilingual in English and Russian. Outside of work, she has an interest in ice hockey, reading, and traveling, and she participates in community volunteer activities consistent with Merrill's tradition.