Merrill

Anthony Watts serves as a Senior Financial Advisor within Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he provides financial guidance and investment strategies to clients, leveraging his expertise as a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Charleston. This educational background supports his professional qualifications and role in advising clients on wealth management.

Edward Blatz is a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in working with high net-worth families and closely-held businesses, focusing on estate and wealth management strategies. Edward partners closely with clients’ tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to provide a comprehensive approach to managing both financial and personal aspects of their lives. His services include performance assessment, personalized guidance, and periodic reviews to help clients progress toward their individual financial goals. Edward joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985 and has over 40 years of experience developing tailored financial solutions that consider clients’ risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment objectives. His areas of expertise encompass college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management, managing new wealth, investment strategies, and retirement income. Edward holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Edward is also a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Outside of his professional work, he has personal interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

James Turner is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates one-on-one with clients to develop personalized financial strategies aimed at helping them pursue their long-term goals. He leverages insights from Merrill and solutions from Bank of America to create flexible wealth management plans tailored to individual financial situations and changing market conditions. James holds a Bachelor's Degree from Presbyterian College and carries the Professional Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He is committed to the Merrill tradition of community involvement and actively volunteers with local organizations. Outside of his professional responsibilities, James enjoys golfing, playing tennis, and spending time with his family.

Lance Lohr is a Wealth Management Advisor and Managing Director at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 1996, focusing on advising and managing client portfolios and wealth management strategies. Lance holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) certification and the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC) designation, along with FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 registrations. His expertise encompasses a broad range of client focus areas, including college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, women and wealth, individual and corporate investment strategy, tax minimization, and retirement income. Lance graduated from Moeller High School, played football at Vanderbilt University, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati. Lance follows Merrill's tradition of community service by volunteering with local organizations. His personal interests include football, golfing, hiking, traveling, and spending time with his family. He emphasizes working one-on-one with clients to develop personalized financial strategies tailored to their long-term goals.

Ronald Dragotta is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he specializes in retirement benefit consulting and personalized wealth management strategies. With over 27 years of industry experience, he adopts a goals-based approach to help clients pursue their long-term financial objectives by utilizing professional asset managers and investment platforms. Ronald focuses on Merrill's 401(k) Retirement Plan platform and provides services to local communities and organizations. He works closely with a team within his office and leverages the resources of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management to deliver active and dedicated service. His areas of expertise include corporate benefits, divorce transition planning, employee benefits planning, employee financial health, personal retirement planning, and individual and corporate investment strategy. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Hofstra University and professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Outside of work, Ronald spends time with his wife Linda, an elementary school teacher, and their two daughters, Catherine and Caroline. They enjoy outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and kayaking on the Long Island Sound. Ronald is also involved in volunteering with community organizations.

Daniel Memo is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been in the financial services industry since 1998 and began his career with Smith Barney. Daniel focuses on serving high net worth individuals and business retirement planning. He holds FINRA Series 7, 66, 3, and 31 registrations. Daniel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from John Carroll University. He also holds professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). His areas of expertise include college education planning, corporate benefits, equity compensation services, retirement income, and small business strategies. Daniel is active in the Poland community where he resides with his wife, Erin, and their four sons. He participates in organizations such as the Poland Community Baseball Association, Poland Flag Football, and St. Vincent De Paul. He has served as a board member of the Rich Center for Autism and is affiliated with Magic of Michael. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys baseball, basketball, football, golfing, swimming, table tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Garrett Dahm is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been providing financial guidance since 2017. He specializes in developing strategies and offering advice tailored to the short- and long-term financial objectives of individuals, families, and businesses. As a qualified Portfolio Manager, Garrett manages discretionary Personalized and Defined Strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment options. His areas of focus include family wealth management, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, liquidity management, retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and strategies for sports and entertainment clients. Garrett earned a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He completed his high school education at Prospect High School and attended Harper College without earning a degree. Outside of his professional role, Garrett has a background in classical guitar, having performed solo and with orchestras worldwide since the age of four. Notably, he performed in multiple cities in Australia during the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics. He lives in Mt. Prospect with his wife Tanya and their son Jace. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, practicing guitar, and spending time with his family.

Sandra Conroy is a Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Vice President with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She has been active in the financial services industry since August 1985, providing clients with wealth management services that address both individual and complex financial needs. Her professional focus includes education planning, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, tax minimization, and retirement income. Sandra’s approach centers on developing personalized strategies tailored to clients’ short- and long-term financial objectives, emphasizing the importance of understanding life priorities beyond markets and returns. Her credentials include the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation, and she holds a High School Diploma/GED from Greenville Central School. Prior to her financial career, Sandra managed Arthur Murray Ballroom Dance Studios in Florida and Arizona and became a franchise owner and operator in Denver. She also trained as a Medic in the U.S. Army Reserves. Outside of her professional work, Sandra is married with two children and three grandchildren. Her personal interests include dancing, golfing, and traveling.

Christopher Whitcombe is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in areas including college education planning, personal retirement planning, and retirement income. Christopher applies a disciplined, analytical approach to financial advising, emphasizing personalized strategies tailored to each client's unique situation. Christopher holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from Lehigh University. He has earned professional designations including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC™), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). His approach involves thoroughly understanding clients' financial circumstances and goals, analyzing data, and identifying opportunities to improve financial projections and tax strategies. Outside of his professional work, Christopher enjoys music, reading, and spending time with his family. He is committed to educating clients to help them become better stewards of their financial resources through comprehensive, individualized financial planning.

Charles Pritchett is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He focuses on developing personalized financial plans that address clients' unique ambitions, including education funding, retirement lifestyle planning, and long-term family goals. His approach emphasizes simplicity and transparency in investment management to help clients navigate the complexities of wealth planning. Mr. Pritchett holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from Salisbury University. He holds the designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of his professional work, he enjoys baseball, gardening, and spending time with his family.

Rudenca Blloshmi serves as a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, she helps clients develop personalized wealth management strategies tailored to their individual financial goals. She provides access to Merrill’s investment insights alongside the banking and lending solutions offered by Bank of America. Rudenca focuses on client areas including family wealth management, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, tax minimization, retirement income, special needs planning, managing new wealth, and women and wealth. Rudenca holds multiple professional designations, including Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). She attended Pace University without earning a degree and conducts business in both English and Albanian. Rudenca is involved with the Global Albanians Foundation and enjoys baseball, biking, golfing, music, and photography in her personal time.

Myranda Johnson is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In her role, she works closely with clients to understand their financial goals and develop strategies that address their short-, mid-, and long-term objectives. She provides guidance on a range of topics including general investing, retirement planning, and saving for unforeseen events. Additionally, she facilitates access to Bank of America specialists for services such as banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Myranda holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned her High School Diploma from Geneva High School. She emphasizes a client-focused approach, aiming to uncover what matters most to clients and their families to create tailored financial strategies.

Wyatt Knippen is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in goals-based wealth management, customized investment strategies, and dedicated client service. He works closely with the Negrete & Associates team to develop tailored approaches that align with the unique circumstances and objectives of each client. Wyatt serves as a key client contact, focusing on building long-term relationships and remaining attentive to clients' evolving priorities, while leveraging the resources of Bank of America’s Retirement and Benefit Plan Services Group. Before joining Merrill Lynch in 2017, Wyatt spent 13 years as an insurance broker, gaining experience in client relations and financial planning. His areas of expertise include divorce transition planning, defined benefit and contribution plan services, employee financial health, managing new wealth, and personal retirement planning. He holds professional designations such as CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). Wyatt earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from California State University-Sonoma and an MBA from Saint Mary’s College of California. Raised in Napa Valley, he enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, gardening, and hunting. In his personal time, Wyatt cultivates his garden, tending to fruit trees, tomatoes, and melons.

Awanti Desai is a Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, she collaborates with clients individually to define their financial goals and develop portfolio strategies aimed at achieving those objectives. She provides ongoing advice and adjusts portfolios as clients’ circumstances evolve. Desai’s expertise includes general investing, retirement planning, and preparing for unforeseen financial needs. She prioritizes understanding what matters most to clients and their families to help craft personalized financial plans. She holds the designations of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree from the Pennsylvania State University System, an Associate’s Degree from Ventura Community College District, and a High School Diploma from Thousand Oaks High School.

Helen De Bearn is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She focuses on providing financial guidance tailored to individual client needs, including areas such as divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, small business strategies, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Helen holds the professional designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) and completed her high school education at George Washington High School. Outside of her professional work, she is involved with the organization Women Giving Back. Her personal interests include cooking, dancing, gardening, horseback riding, and music.