Tune out the noise: Wealth planning for the year ahead

Hear from a panel of experts as they explore how rising interest rates, high inflation and increased volatility are impacting the economy, how family dynamics are changing estate planning and hear some actionable strategies for investors to consider in 2023.

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Recognition

Merrill is proud of our advisors who’ve received recognition from financial industry publications or directly from Bank of America Corporation. We believe they are setting the standard for exemplary client service.

Gregory V Katulka

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" 2022
Published on April 7, 2022.  Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2021.

Profile

I've been a financial advisor for over 24 years, joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2010.
I began my career with Morgan Stanley in Atlanta.
I'm a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
I'm a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certificant, a designation awarded by the Investments & Wealth Institute®.
I was named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list for Georgia in 2022(Published on April 7, 2022. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2021).
I currently hold the Series 7, 9, 10, 31, 63 & 65 FINRA registrations.
I am a graduate of Georgia State University in Atlanta where I earned a bachelor’s degree in education.
My CPWA® education component was completed through the Yale School of Management's Wealth Management Theory & Practice Executive Education program.

I am passionate about serving the children of my community.
I serve as a board member and Past Chief Volunteer Officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier. For my work with the Boys & Girls Clubs, I was named as a finalist for the Volunteer of the Year Award by the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation in 2015. Under my leadership as Board Chair, the Boys of Girls Clubs of Lanier was named as the top performing board in 2014 for the state of Georgia and the southeastern United States by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. 
I served as a board member and officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs Alliance of Georgia.
I served as an advisory board member for Sugar Hill Christian Academy for over 6 years.
I played 2 years of college baseball and coached youth baseball for several years.
I'm also a graduate of Leadership Hall County

I've been married to my wife, Sandy, for 26 years and we have 3 children: Christian, Nicholas and Carly.
When not spending time with family or following baseball, I enjoy golf, fly fishing and cooking.


*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published on April 7, 2022. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2021.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices; also considered are: client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

  • LANGUAGES

    English

  • EDUCATION

    Georgia State University

    Yale University School of Management

Professional Staff

Supported by the global resources of Merrill, my team is comprised of talented and experienced individuals committed to building strong client relationships based on trust and personalized service.

Additional Resources

The following specialists do not make securities recommendations. Please contact your Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor if you have questions about how a specialist might be able to assist you.

Mary Brewer

Wealth Management Banking Specialist

Merrill

Sarah F Prewitt

Structured Credit Executive

Bank of America, N.A.

Ryan Thrower

Wealth Strategist

Merrill

Where do we begin? It starts with you.

At Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, your financial advisor focuses on the things you care about most- family, goals and priorities - even as they change over the years.

Understanding Your Life

Welcome

As a Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor, I offer advice based on your goals and priorities– for yourself, your family, and your business. Our goals-based wealth management approach places the investor at the center of our focus, not the market. I can help you understand the pros and cons of every decision and maintain discipline so you can pursue your goals. As your needs or market conditions change, I will continue to work with you to agree upon adjustments to your investment approach.

Philosophy

I believe that communication is instrumental to success in managing life’s challenges. That’s why I work to engage families in the financial decision-making process. Communicating openly with family members on the sometimes difficult subject of wealth can be a challenge. I can help facilitate these discussions and offer opportunities to educate the younger generation about how assets may be invested.

Approach

I believe an effective approach to wealth management requires working closely with you to help identify and define your goals.

My  job is to first understand what matters most to you. We will work together to create a financial approach that reflects your investment personality and is built around your life priorities.

My approach is to help you pursue your goals by providing customized service and potential investment solutions. Whether you are focused on building, preserving or transferring wealth we are committed to helping you address your financial objectives at every stage of your life.

Your approach to investing

Drawing upon research in the field of behavioral finance, Merrill developed the Investment Personality Assessment to help us get to know you better as an investor and potentially help you refine your own investing preferences. By gaining a deeper understanding of how you think and feel about investing through this assessment, we can customize the financial approach we develop together to help you pursue what matters most to you. Our Investment Personality Assessment is one of the ways to help us get to know you - to understand your goals and priorities. These questions will help us provide you with additional insights and resources.

Understanding your goals and priorities

Your life and goals change. We have tools to help you keep track of these changes so they can be reflected in your financial approach.

Capabilities

My process is designed to help deliver a customized, consistent experience to assist clients not only in wealth accumulation and preservation, but in areas that go beyond investments. My ability to provide access to the investment insights of Merrill, trust and fiduciary services from Bank of America Private Bank, and the banking convenience and lending solutions of Bank of America offers a way to help clients manage all of the pieces of their financial lives. I view myself as a financial resource, helping clients with potential solutions for transferring wealth to the younger generation.

Trust and fiduciary services are provided by Bank of America Private Bank, a division of Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”).

Focus On High-Net-Worth Individuals and Business Owners

I  offer clients a breadth of potential solutions, premier customer service and financial tools based on their unique circumstances.

No matter what your goals may be, I begin by helping you define and prioritize your financial goals based on the following seven areas:

  • Health: Managing healthcare expenses, now and in the future
  • Home: Upsizing, downsizing, remodeling or buying a vacation home
  • Family: Taking care of your family and other people in your life
  • Leisure: Spending your free time in meaningful ways
  • Giving: Volunteering, mentoring and giving to charities
  • Work: Working in retirement, selling or starting a business
  • Finance: Bringing it all together; defining your financial goals
I'll also draw on my industry knowledge and experience to offer:
  • Potential risk management solutions
  • Trust and estate planning services
  • Potential wealth management solutions
  • Access to Bank of America for your credit and banking needs
This material should be regarded as general or educational information on healthcare or Social Security considerations and is not intended to provide specific healthcare or social security advice. If you have questions regarding your particular situation, please contact your legal or tax advisor.

Staying on Track

We understand that both your life and the financial markets can change over time. By checking in to discuss changes in your life and revisiting your financial approach, our goal is to help you stay on track to achieve what's most important to you.



Reviews to help you
stay on track

We’ll meet with you to review your goals and the progress you’ve made toward reaching them. We’ll also discuss any adjustments needed to your financial approach to help you stay on course.



    Changes in your life
    and to your goals

    Your life and goals change. As these changes occur, we can update your approach to reflect them.

    #DigitalMerrill

    MyMerrill is your online destination for access to your financial information, secure communications, and a robust offering of tools and capabilities.

    Your advisor is a click away within our site or mobile apps

    You can manage account security with our customizable security capabilities such as touch ID, one time passcode, and other security features

    Access to your complete financial life is available with My Financial Picture, Merrill’s asset aggregation tool

      Let’s Have a Conversation

      I believe it’s important that you seek the advice and guidance of an experienced financial advisor who can thoughtfully analyze your situation, work with you to identify potential solutions that address your needs, and clearly communicate them to you. I want to work with you to develop your wealth management approach for the future.

      Why Merrill?

      As Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisors, we will sort through the financial complexities of your life, helping you build a customized investment approach to address your needs and pursue your goals.


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      We put you first, every day.
      Learn more about the dedicated one-on-one relationship you can have with a Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisor.

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      Transcript of Video 

      No question too big or moment too small

      For every question you have, every decision you make and every answer you need, we are with you to listen and help guide you along the many paths your life can take. Watch this video to see some questions we can address together.

      Personalized advice from a dedicated financial advisor.

      We get to know you and your family, your financial situation and what matters most to you.

      A comprehensive approach, built around your life’s priorities.

      Drawing from our experience and the best thinking of Merrill, together we will design an approach that reflects your unique needs, priorities and financial situation.

      Adjusting your investment approach as your life and the markets change.

      We will work to help you stay on track, regardless of what the markets are doing.