You’ll work with your entire team of financial planning professionals, so you can take advantage of our combined 100+ years of experience and collaborative thinking. Your team has tested its strategies in the real world. The advice they give you is the advice they live by.
It started with a quick question from a Westerville, Ohio athlete: Can you help me raise money? That simple question set off Stew's six-year struggle to organize, fund, and develop a women’s bobsled team that culminated in the first U.S. Olympic gold medal in women’s bobsledding at the 2002 Winter Games. His vision, commitment, and hard work were proof that the power of one person can make great things happen if you put your mind to it.
That’s the same passion that Stew and the team at FlahertyColvin bring to their clients’ financial aspirations. “I am constantly fueled by examples of our clients reaching important milestones and achieving their goals. Knowing we played an integral role in their financial well-being is the greatest feeling in the world,” said Stew.
For Stew’s more than 50-year career as a financial advisor, he has considered himself a problem solver. Stew believes the FlahertyColvin team is successful because they focus on the details about each client, their lifestyle, and goals. This attention to detail enables the team to step in during those instances in clients’ lives when things don’t go as planned. Stew calls them “life happens” moments when he can help clients regroup and recalculate. He likens it to the raindrop hitting a puddle’s surface. “We don’t deal with the droplet, but we can help you address the many ripples that can spread far from that droplet.”
Stew is a Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), a Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®), and a Certified Retirement Counselor® (CRC®). He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 31, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network®.
Stew is actively involved in his community, having served as both mayor and chairman of the city council for Westerville. Stew was voted Westerville’s Citizen of the Year in 1993 and received the President’s Award. He also served 14 years as a Blendon Township Trustee. “My entire life I have viewed myself as a servant—whether that means serving my community or my valued clients.”
Stew and his wife, Marcia, have five grown children and eight grandchildren. Stew is a lifetime member of MENSA, an international traveler, photographer, and gardener, as well as a retired hockey player/coach and retired beekeeper.
Tami's clients may be surprised to learn just how competitive this part-owner of FlahertyColvin is. Yes, she coached the girls' and boys' basketball programs when her children were in school, but her true competitive nature is evident when she talks about FlahertyColvin. Her passion for the firm and her desire to do the right thing for its clients is what drive her every day. "I want us always to be considered one of the best financial consulting firms in the area, and I want our clients to see us that way," said Tami.
Tami's competitive edge was a trait Stew Flaherty appreciated when he hired her as an administrative assistant more than 35 years ago. Over the years, as she learned more about financial consulting and the relationship-building approach that Stew championed, Tami embraced the profession. "We get to know our clients better than the typical advisor. We don't just focus on their financial goals, but also on their personal goals and aspirations in life outside of their finances. This allows us to build trust and the kind of genuine relationships that really speak to me."
Tami went on to earn her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional designation to gain the skills to craft advanced planning solutions for her clients. Later, she earned her Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC) designation to fully educated herself on the range of appropriate solutions to help her clients meet their retirement dreams. She is also insurance licensed in the state of Ohio.
The greatest satisfaction Tami takes from her years with FlahertyColvin is the relationships she has enjoyed with multiple generations of families. The trust the team builds with clients results in ongoing relationships with their children when they reach adulthood. "I've met so many wonderful people in the past three decades. And to be part of helping them achieve their goals is extremely rewarding."
Tami truly values the role FlahertyColvin plays in helping clients get back on track after various "life happens" moments. "People often seek us out when something has negatively impacted their financial life. It is very rewarding to serve as a sounding board for our clients, helping to guide them with our life experience, knowledge, and skills."
Tami likes golfing and enjoys traveling to see different parts of the United States with her husband, Michael, and their children, Mikayla and Tyler.
When Jill graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism, many of her counterparts were interested in joining local and national news outlets. Fortunately for our clients who today rely on her analytical skills, extensive financial services knowledge, and years of industry experience, Jill decided to take a different route. She discovered that her passion was in helping individuals and families reach their most important life goals.
Serving as our financial planning associate and director of FlahertyColvin’s Investment Committee, Jill enjoys contributing to our distinct team approach. FlahertyColvin clients don’t have one advisor, but rather a team that gets together, rolls up its sleeves, and considers all facets of the strategies the team brings to the table. “We challenge each other every day to consider new perspectives, anticipate potential pitfalls, and dive deeper with every client we serve. I believe that drives our best results,” said Jill.
Jill is glad she found the financial planning industry and FlahertyColivin. “Helping people manage their money—whether that is providing direction to accumulate it, keeping them informed about strategies to grow it, or developing plans to use it to its greatest potential—allows me to have an impact on people’s lives. That is very exciting to me,” said Jill.
Before joining the team, Jill worked for a large financial services firm. She likes the size of FlahertyColvin because it allows her to get to know our clients and their individualized needs. “It is very personal here. We have more meaningful relationships with our clients. We put ourselves in their shoes and we can relate to the challenges they face. Because we genuinely understand our clients, we can help to keep them moving toward their goals.”
A graduate of Ohio State University, Jill also holds an MBA. She is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® and a member of the Financial Services Institute. She holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations and is licensed in variable, health, and life insurance with the state of Ohio.
Jill is a member of the Bell Choir at Northside Fellowship Church in Westerville, Ohio. Jill and her husband, Dave, live in Galena, Ohio, with their young sons, Alex and Austin, and their Greater Swiss Mountain dog, Charley.
In 2014, Lia learned about an opportunity to work the summer at FlahertyColvin. “I thought it would be a good fit for me. I’m very analytical, detail oriented, and I really enjoy using my organizational skills to bring order and clarity,” said Lia. She joined FlahertyColvin as a receptionist that summer and quickly impressed everyone with her ability to handle a large variety of duties throughout the office. After seeing her dedication to providing both our clients and team with quality service and a high work ethic, she was invited to stay on with the team permanently.
Lia became a Registered Service Representative in 2015 when she earned her FINRA Series 6 securities registration. She’s currently studying for the Certified Retirement Counselor® certification, eager to take a more active role with the team. “So many of our clients look to us to help guide them to, and through, their retirement. I want to continue to learn and build a solid foundation of retirement planning knowledge and skills so I can better serve our clients.”
Her passion for organization, planning, and coordination has been essential to the efficiency of the office. Lia is the first contact clients have when reaching out to the team, making her friendliness and professionalism invaluable to a good customer experience. Her typical duties are: addressing client questions, running both regular and specialized reports, troubleshooting IT issues, assisting with designing and ordering marketing materials, and providing general problem-solving skills. She also serves on the investment committee.
Lia has been a lifelong resident of Westerville and takes great pride in the area. She’s always worked in Westerville and aspires to become more involved in serving its residents. “I have loved living here and I’d like to play a role in helping our community retain all of the aspects I love about living here.” She is a former member of the Westerville Library Foundation. She’s even expressed an interest in following in Stew Flaherty’s footsteps, who has served as Westerville’s mayor and on its City Council.
Lia's hobbies include practicing the ukulele, painting, watching movies, reading, and playing video games.
Raised by two long-time educators, Erin appreciates the importance of continual learning. Her mother taught high school mathematics for 37 years, and her father taught high school art and photography for 28 years. They encouraged Erin to work hard, always apply herself, and understand that education isn’t restricted to the classroom. That is a lesson Erin continues to embrace today.
“I am learning something new every day at FlahertyColvin. It could be different procedures for bringing on new clients, updated paperwork requirements for opening accounts, or understanding current dynamics in the ever-changing financial industry. To best serve the team and our clients, I need to stay up to date on developments, so I can make the appropriate adjustments. Always keep learning—that's my aim," said Erin.
Erin joined the team in February 2018 as a client services associate and she handles all aspects of account administration. Erin performs a wide array of duties, including account openings, money movement, and maintaining accounts and documentation. She is the primary contact with Commonwealth Financial Network’s service team and brings excellent organizational skills and a service heart to all she does.
She receives the greatest satisfaction from taking care of our clients and ensuring they receive the highest quality service possible. "I strive to ensure that things run smoothly for the team and that our clients enjoy a seamless experience with each interaction they have with us," said Erin.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Erin is involved in the Digging Deeper Women’s Ministry and is a member of the Sunbury Church of the Nazarene. She has a nurturing soul and is a devoted auntie to her niece and nephew along with her dear friend’s children. Erin enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading historical fiction, listening to an eclectic range of music, studying the Bible, traveling, and playing with her cat.
Sometimes once is not enough. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Tamara worked with Stew at LPL Financial as his administrative assistant. She held FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 securities registrations and was instrumental in helping develop a successful recruiting program. She also interfaced with Tami, who was the administrative assistant in Stew’s Westerville office. She left the financial services industry, got married, and moved from San Diego to Newark, Delaware. There she raised her family of three kids.
Tamara also decided to pursue her dream and attended Wilmington University, graduating with a BSN in nursing. She started working as a full-time nurse, a position she holds today. While at Christiana Hospital she saw a real need in the homeless and indigent patients. Being a problem solver as well as a compassionate person, Tamara started running a clothes closet to provide assistance to those patients. Today, dozens of patients have enjoyed the joys of new clothes from the closet.
As her kids reached college age and beyond, Tamara faced the dilemma of many parents: what do I do with my spare time now? A long-time client of FlahertyColvin, she had followed the journeys of Stew and Tami and wondered if there might be a place for her back with that team in the financial services industry. A quick phone call was all it took for her to find the part-time job she was looking for.
Tamara is the project manager for the client database update, something that fits her skillset perfectly. Her skills in interfacing with patients will easily translate into interfacing with clients.
Tamara lives in Newark, Delaware. Her interests include reading, creating mixed media artwork, and taking care of her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Beau and Lexie.