Growing up as the son of a Baltimore County bricklayer, Gary learned lifelong lessons about money at an early age. His family’s frequent financial struggles (deepening with the death of Gary’s mother when he was just eight years old) forced them to periodically rely on welfare, with little or no extra cash for emergencies. It was an experience that instilled a profound belief in the values of hard work, putting family first, and saving and investing for a more secure future—values that ultimately shaped his career.

Gary attended Towson University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in finance. He quickly realized that, as a financial advisor, he could help others avoid mistakes and achieve financial security; it's something he feels strongly about. And for the past twenty-four years, Gary has done just that, specializing in working with pre- and post-retirees to help them maintain an enjoyable lifestyle during their retirement years.

A lifelong learner, he has continued to hone his expertise over the years, obtaining several specialized designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ professional, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor^SM, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary^®. His extensive experience has made him a highly sought-after investment commentator for news outlets such as Money Magazine, Bankrate.com, Yahoo Finance, Maryland Public Television’s Business Connection, The Business Monthly, and others as well as a regular columnist for the Baltimore Business Journal. Gary has been honored with numerous awards and accolades, including the Forbes’ 2019 and 2020 Best-In-State Wealth Advisor award.¹ 

To help raise money for charities dear to his heart, Gary wrote the acclaimed Amazon best seller* The Art of Retirement (with foreword by NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott). The book uses the story of Michelangelo’s incredibly long (and challenging) life and famed art as a metaphor to compare the reader’s life to a masterpiece while emphasizing the importance of creating a resilient, well-crafted portfolio. All profits from The Art of Retirement are donated to the Y in Central Maryland, Augie’s Quest, the Maryland SPCA, and the Brigance Brigade Foundation.

Gary is exceedingly active in the community and serves on numerous nonprofit boards including the Association Board of Directors of the Y in Central Maryland, the Investment Committee for Mount Saint Joseph High School Endowment, and the Brigance Brigade Foundation Board of Directors.

Gary, his wife, Lee, and their three children—Abigail, Nicholas, and Emerson—live in Howard County, Maryland, along with their goldendoodle, Cali. In his spare time, Gary enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, and surfing.

*Ranked #62 in Retirement Planning books for 2013

*The 2019 and 2020 ranking of the Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors¹ list was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person and telephone due-diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively and on a ranking algorithm that includes client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations, and quantitative criteria (including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms). Overall, 32,000 advisors were considered, and 4,000 (12.5 percent of candidates) were recognized for the 2020 ranking of the Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list. The full methodology² that Forbes developed in partnership with SHOOK Research is available here.

¹This recognition and the due-diligence process conducted are not indicative of the advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. Winners are organized and ranked by state. Some states may have more advisors than others. You are encouraged to conduct your own research to determine if the advisor is right for you.

²Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. SHOOK does not receive a fee in exchange for rankings.

Gary is proud to have been recognized as a Leaders Level advisor for 2019—a distinction based on annual production attained by just 7 percent of advisors affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network.

Each year, Commonwealth, the Registered Investment Adviser–broker/dealer that helps us process investment transactions on your behalf, recognizes Leaders Level advisors by inviting them to an exclusive gathering of their peers, leading industry experts, and Commonwealth home office staff. Leaders Level advisors benefit from an intensive learning and networking experience designed to help them hone their expertise, share best practices, and provide ever-higher levels of service, education, and leadership to their clients.

Brian was born and raised in Baltimore County. At nine years old, his life changed dramatically when his mother suddenly suffered a stroke. Going from a dual to a single income household was challenging, but it equipped Brian with an insight into how life and financial situations can suddenly change. Learning independence (e.g., cooking meals, cleaning/ironing clothes, and budgeting money) at a young age led him in search of a career where he could help others.

His path became clear at Loyola University Maryland when he was accepted into the student-managed Sellinger Applied Portfolio Fund class. There, he was given the opportunity to actively manage a $500,000 grant and gain experience in asset valuation, risk management, and portfolio diversification. Brian graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance with a minor in information systems.

Following college, he joined T. Rowe Price as a mutual fund accountant and quickly climbed the corporate ladder to a senior fund accountant role. However, realizing his true passion is helping people achieve their financial goals, Brian chose to join Williams Asset Management as an associate financial planner in 2016. Determined and eager to further help clients meet their financial goals, Brian earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ (CFP^®) certification in April 2019.

Brian currently resides in the Canton neighborhood of Baltimore City with his girlfriend, Cameron. When he is not helping clients plan for their retirement, Brian likes to stay fit and active by going to the gym and playing golf on the weekends. Also, being from Baltimore, Brian enjoys sitting down with either friends or family and eating steamed crabs. If you ask him where is the best place to get crabs in the greater Baltimore area, his response would be Bird River Inn & Crab House, a quaint crab house located in Middle River.

Mark grew up in north Baltimore County where he was the youngest of five children. Money was always a concern for Mark and his family. He learned at an early age to work for what you want. Things only got more challenging when his mother died of breast cancer at a young age, but watching his father care for her through years of her disease taught him the importance of family and taking care of each other.

Working part-time, Mark paid his own way through Towson University, graduating debt free with degrees in economics and business, with concentrations in finance and international business. After working with American National Savings Bank and American Express Financial Advisors, he found his true career as part of the Williams Asset Management team.

As vice president of investment operations, Mark serves as the firm’s head trader, manages and monitors our asset allocation models, and is a member of the firm’s investment committee.

He’s been happily married for 36 years to Cathy, who helps manage the pension plan for retired DuPont employees. They have two children and one delightful grandson.

Giving back to others is deeply ingrained in Mark. He spent more than six years as an assistant scoutmaster and troop leader with the Boy Scouts and is active in leadership roles at White Clay Creek Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the church’s stewardship committee and volunteers for Family Promise (working to keep homeless families together and provide support until they are able to find permanent housing) and Workers without Wages (a church group helping people constrained by physical and/or financial limitations with tasks such as painting, cleaning, repairs, and yard work).

Marie was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the U.S. when she was just a couple months old. She grew up in Howard County, Maryland, with her parents and two sisters. Her positive and cheerful personality and a deeply engrained strong work ethic are instrumental in helping to keep our office flowing. 

Drawing on years of experience working in fast-paced environments, including large companies such as Deloitte and Sinai Hospital, she has mastered the skill of going above-and-beyond to continually exceed expectations, ensure the accuracy and completion of even the smallest details, and deliver a truly exemplary client experience.

Marie also has a longstanding passion for art. She was honored to be awarded a certificate from the Howard County Board of Education as Art Student of the Year—a skill which has taken her far on the creative side of our business, including selecting the art and accessories for our beautifully designed conference room and third-floor offices.

In her spare time, Marie enjoys painting on weekends and spending time with her husband and 8-year-old daughter, Mya.

Matt attended Washington College where he graduated with a BA in economics. In addition to his focus on academics, Matt was a leader on the men’s rugby team and often tutored other students in economics- and finance-related classes. He was also a member of the International Economics Honors Society. While his coursework set the foundation for his career in financial services, an internship at a financial advisory firm solidified his career path.

Matt’s initial introduction to the business world started with his father, an entrepreneur who formed a successful environmental service company from the ground up. However, as many successful entrepreneurs know, success often follows failure, which was his father’s path. Witnessing his father’s dedication, hard work, and persistence through these triumphs and defeats, including times of financial challenges, helped Matt learn how to apply these values in his life and the workplace.

As a client service associate at Williams Asset Management, Matt plays an integral role in the financial planning process. Working with our associate financial planners and financial advisors, he helps the team provide first-class client service and operational support.

Matt grew up in northern Baltimore County with his twin brother, younger brother, and parents. In his free time, Matt enjoys fishing, boating, and staying fit by playing rugby.