Susan believes that managing finances extends beyond investments. She builds collaborative relationships to define what matters most, prepares others for what comes next and the financial implications of these changes.

She sees each person’s’ future as like their fingerprint.  It is unique, while sharing common priorities.  Many work with Susan for guidance in answering questions centered on 7 key priorities:  Family, Finances, Health, Home, Work, Leisure and Giving.    

Service to the Community is an integral part of Susan’s life. In addition to serving on the board of the Flaum Eye Institute at The University of Rochester, she has chaired the Investment Committee for The Rochester Area Community Foundation and served as a board member at The Veterans Outreach Center and the Women’s Council.

Susan has been a long-time speaker and sponsor for corporate women’s organizations and assists them in building solid financial strategies. 

She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Southern California in Gerontology, (addressing how we age) a second Master’s degree in Community Counseling and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, both from St. Bonaventure University. Susan has completed training at Wharton's Executive Education Program and The Johnson School at Cornell University and has advanced training in retirement and estate planning.

Susan is Senior Vice President, Wealth Management and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor CRPC® with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

For more than two decades, Leon has worked one-on-one with clients to help simplify their financial lives and bring focus to the future they envision.

When you first meet with Leon you may have a lot of questions running through your mind. He draws on his calm personality to encourage you to talk about the financial needs you may have, your hopes and dreams for the future and what would make your life easier to manage. Following a transparent and disciplined approach, Leon can assist you with a personalized financial strategy designed to help bring order to your financial life and pursue the vision you have for your future and the next generation.

Leon believes that one of the most important tools he can offer is perspective and experience, helping you pursue your most important goals and remain true to your values while navigating business, personal or family transitions. He strives to present a choice of options and can call on his deep network of strategic resources for complex situations. These may include divorce, the sale of a business, the loss of a spouse or help with addressing the special needs of children or grandchildren.

Leon can draw on the knowledge and perspective of Wealth Management Advisor Susan Acker and Senior Financial Advisor Erica Zhen. Collectively the team has more than 70 years of experience navigating client wealth.  Together, they can leverage a deep network of strategic resources to present a choice of options for complex situations.

A member of the Skidmore College class of 2000, Leon played on the Men’s Basketball team while majoring in business and government. His interest in athletics led him to train for and compete in the Arizona Ironman, as well as in marathons to raise money for Children’s Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering. Leon was a wish grantor for Make-A-Wish Foundation and has volunteered with Second Step, where he focused his time on empowering women who experienced domestic violence, including the use of finances as a means of control.

Keeping Leon on his toes are the many activities he enjoys with his wife and three girls. They bicycle, play games together and cheer each other on during sports events. When he finds time, he enjoys reading, gardening, snowboarding and preparing smoked meats.

For more than two decades, Erica has catered to the complex financial needs of successful individuals and families. By organizing and simplifying the many moving parts that make up your financial life, Erica believes you can better focus on planning for the needs of those you love and the dreams you have for your future.

When significant liquidity events, such as the sale of a business or professional practice or taking control of a substantial 401(k) are on the horizon, Erica can work proactively with you to help align the proceeds with your future intentions. These may include a charitable legacy to help leave an impact on your community or to give future generations a head-start on their lives.

For families with multi-generational wealth, Erica is skilled at leading the family conversations to help members get on the same page on a wide range of financial issues. By identifying your priorities and the aspirations of your children and grandchildren, Erica can assist you with a wealth management plan that can help you maintain your lifestyle, while preserving and growing your wealth for the next generation.

Erica has been honored to work side-by-side with Wealth Management Advisors Susan Acker and Leon Fridmar who lend their vision and breadth of knowledge to help clients advance their goals. She believes that a team approach offers clients continuity, greater resources and imaginative strategies to assist with the uncertainties that lie ahead and to help the next generation become responsible stewards of your family wealth.

Erica received her Bachelor’s in international relations from George Washington University and earned her MBA in finance from the University of Massachusetts. Erica has hosted and mentored college students and MBA candidates as part of an internship program offered at Merrill. Erica and her family, along with their King Charles Spaniel, live in Boston. They enjoy outdoor activities together, including snowboarding and sailing. She is fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin.