Women’s superpower: Investing

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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.

Iain A Sharpe

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" 2023
Published on April 4, 2023. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2022.

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

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" 2021
Published on February 11, 2021. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2020.

Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" 2018
Published on February 15, 2018. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2017.

Gorana Komazec-Tosic

Forbes "Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State” 2023
Published on February 2, 2023. Rankings based on data as of September 30, 2022.*

Meet the Team

Supported by the global resources of Merrill, our 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.

Dianne Walter

Wealth Strategies Advisor

Bank of America, N.A.

Ryan Casey

Investment Solutions Group Portfolio Strategist

Bank of America, N.A.

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

"Thank you for considering The Sharpe Group to help you manage your wealth.  We help a select group of affluent families, executives, business owners and business entities handle the opportunities and challenges that come with preserving and growing wealth.  Wealth Management is an ongoing process that brings you and your family's goals and aspirations to life. Whether you are in the wealth creation, preservation or transfer stage of your life, we will customize our services and offer sophisticated strategies to help you fulfill your financial objectives.  With over 50 years of combined experience, our breadth and depth of industry knowledge combined with our access to the full resources of Merrill can help you pursue and maintain your vision of financial success."
Iain A. Sharpe
Managing Director
Wealth Management Advisor







*Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, published annually Jan - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year. 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.

Capabilities

Years of experience working with clients through multiple market fluctuations have given us insight into how we may best help you pursue your goals. Working collaboratively, we can develop a personalized investment strategy specifically designed to pursue your lifestyle goals, no matter the financial environment. Your objectives, time horizon, liquidity needs, investment style and, perhaps most importantly, your sensitivity to risk will be taken into account. This can help ensure your financial strategy is aligned to what matters most to you.

Philosophy

No two people are alike. Consequently, there is no single approach to wealth management that is appropriate for everyone. What matters most to you is what matters most to us. Once we get to know you, your priorities, your goals, risk tolerance, time horizons, liquidity needs and what you want to accomplish over time, only then can the team help you position yourself to identify and address financial challenges and potential opportunities. To that end, we thoughtfully employ our experience and resources to help guide you as you pursue your goals.

Approach

Working with us means working with advisors truly dedicated to helping you pursue your goals. The approach is simple, transparent and supported by thoughtful investment guidance aligned to the goals that matter most to you.

The value of the relationship with you includes:

  • helping you make informed decisions
  • recognizing your life priorities and goals
  • understanding your investment style
  • helping you prioritize and pursue goals
  • being transparent by making possibilities, fees and risks clear
  • taking steps to help you preserve income during a life challenge
  • educating the younger generation about investments and the markets

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.

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.

Enjoy convenient, secure account access with MyMerrill®

We’re here to help you pursue your goals — and to make your busy life a little easier. With MyMerrill, you can access your investment accounts how, when and where you want to.

Here are some links to help you understand how it works.
• MyMerrill Overview 
• Online Delivery and MyMerrill enrollment 
• MyMerrill Mobile App  
• Secure Message Center 
My Financial Picture  
• MyMerrill Security Features 
• Mobile Check Deposit 
• e-Signature 
• Authorize Account Access (3rd Party) 
• Touch ID 
• My Merrill For Prospective Clients  


To gain access or to learn more about these features, please contact Helen Brown.

Retirement Benefits Consultant

As Merrill Retirement Benefits Consultants (RBC), The Sharpe Group is one of select group of highly qualified and credentialed Merrill advisors focused on defined contribution plans who can add value to your plan by:

  • Offering access to 3(21) fiduciary services1
  • Helping you shape your financial strategies
  • Offering thoughtful advice without a proprietary investment requirement
  • Providing periodic reporting and helping you understand results and measurements to assist you in managing your plan over time
  • Working with you to create a plan that is designed to drive employee engagement and positive participant behavior
  • Assisting in the delivery of employee financial wellness programs and education
  • Helping employees connect their life priorities with their finances to help them pursue what matters most to them
 
 
1 Fiduciary Advisory Services is an investment advisory service sponsored by Merrill. It will only be offered to defined contribution plans recordkept by Merrill and plans recordkept by our Advisor Alliance providers. It is available for plans up to $500 million in plan assets. For more information on plan eligibility speak to your Merrill advisor.

Upcoming Events

Social Security & You

Fleming's Steakhouse, 2405 W Alabama Street, Houston, TX 77098

April 11th, 2024|6:30 PM - 8:00 PM CST

Join us for an informative seminar during which you'll get a better understanding of:


Who is eligible for Social Security benefits.
What factors should you consider before starting your benefits.
When is the most appropriate time to start taking benefits.
Ways in which you can potentially maximize your benefits.

To reserve your place today: Call Helen Brown 713.840.4722 or email Helen_Brown@ml.com

Have a friend or family member who would enjoy this topic, please ask them to call and make a reservation.

  • Dinner

For more information: 713.840.4722 or Helen_Brown@ml.com

Social Security and You

Fleming's Steakhouse, 2405 W Alabama Street, Houston, TX 77098

April 16th, 2024|11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CST

Join us for an informative seminar during which you'll get a better understanding of:


Who is eligible for Social Security benefits.
What factors should you consider before starting your benefits.
When is the most appropriate time to start taking benefits.
Ways in which you can potentially maximize your benefits.

To reserve your place today: Call Helen Brown 713.840.4722 or email Helen_Brown@ml.com

Have a friend or family member who would enjoy this topic, please ask them to call and make a reservation.

  • Lunch

For more information: 713.840.4722 or Helen_Brown@ml.com

Past Events

Social Security and You

Fleming's Steakhouse, 788 W Sam Houston Parkway, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77024

March 21st, 2024|6:30 PM - 8:30 PM CST

Join us for an informative seminar during which you'll get a better understanding of:


Who is eligible for Social Security benefits.
What factors should you consider before starting your benefits.
When is the most appropriate time to start taking benefits.
Ways in which you can potentially maximize your benefits. 

To reserve your place today: Call Helen Brown 713.840.4722 or email Helen_Brown@ml.com

Have a friend or family member who would enjoy this topic, please ask them to call and make a reservation.

  • Dinner

Taking Control of Your Retirement

Fleming's Steakhouse, 2405 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77098

February 13th, 2024|11:30 AM CST

Join us for an informative seminar during which you'll get a better understanding of:


Common retirement risks such as longevity, withdrawal, investment and inflation risks - and ways to help manage these risks.
How to identify your retirement goals, and more importantly, prioritize them based on what matters most to you.
Techniques for building a portfolio aligned to your priorities - leveraging a range of potential solutions.

To reserve your place today: Call Helen Brown 713.840.4722 or email Helen_Brown@ml.com

Have a friend or family member who would enjoy this topic, please ask them to call and make a reservation.

  • Lunch

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

      We believe there is no substitute for having a relationship with a team of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Advisors committed to your needs, who can leverage the investment insights of Merrill and offer access to the banking convenience of Bank of America to help clients navigate the financial and economic landscapes. Let’s work together to help you pursue your goals.

      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.


      The Power of the Right Advisor®
      Working with a dedicated Merrill advisor means you get personalized investment strategies from Merrill plus access to comprehensive financial solutions only Bank of America can deliver.

      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.