Profile

Roger Kent brings his “seasoned and sensitive” planning-based approach to what are now multiple generations of clients residing nationwide. With Roger’s disciplined focus on clients’ evolving circumstances and objectives, he embraces the importance of meaningful, frequent and candid dialog.

“My role extends well beyond investments. I make it my business to gain a first-hand appreciation of clients. And I want them to benefit from a customized financial strategy – one that can address their personal goals for retirement, wealth transfer, college savings, and business succession, while accounting for wise tax and liability management,” Roger explains. “Before I examine a client’s investments, we work together to establish a stronger financial footing. Preparing clients for likely and unlikely scenarios is the best way I know to preserve their wealth and confidence.”

Roger has long served the complex wealth management needs of physicians, successful small business owners (and their 401(k) plans), retired couples, divorcees, and widows. “Using my knowledge of a client’s preferences and the extraordinary capabilities of Merrill analysts, I can help minimize risk with client-appropriate investments from portfolios that span asset classes,” Roger says. “I’m proud to be straightforward and transparent – explaining clients’ underlying investments and fees. Enduring relationships are built on foundations of honesty and trust.”
|Deeply committed to assisting clients during their lives’ most challenging transitions, Roger accompanies them on many occasions to meetings he facilitates with their attorneys and CPAs, as well as the Firm’s lending and insurance specialists. Often a client’s “first call” during difficult times, Roger believes that emotional support can be as critical as financial guidance.

“Helping clients is gratifying to me and my two client associates. They’ve each worked at Merrill for more than 35 years. They know clients very well – and they’re especially skilled at connecting them with the Firm’s extensive resources. We work as a team, on each client’s behalf,” Roger adds.


Roger P. Kent, CFP®, CRPC®
Senior Vice President
Wealth Management Advisor
Senior Portfolio Advisor

Celebrating his 30th anniversary with Merrill and long relationships with many clients, Roger joined the Firm in 1994 after working for four years at J.P. Morgan in its Private Banking Group.

Roger is a specially qualified Senior Portfolio Advisor who, in addition to providing traditional advice and guidance, can draw from his experience to help clients pursue their objectives by building and managing custom investment strategies, selecting from a wide range of Merrill model portfolios and third-party investment strategies. When servicing clients through the Firm’s Investment Advisory Program, a Senior Portfolio Advisor may manage those strategies on a discretionary basis. Roger is a CFP® certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Through rigorous and ongoing education, as well as a pristine record of compliance, he has maintained this designation for many years. Roger also holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, CRPC® designation.

Born in Louisville, Roger lived in Cincinnati until he was ten years old and spent most of his childhood in Newtown Square (a suburb of Philadelphia). Given his roots in three hotbeds of college basketball, it’s not surprising that Roger is an avid fan of his alma mater, Villanova University, where he earned a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. In his free time, Roger enjoys long distance running, playing basketball and volunteering as a coach for CYO and recreation leagues. Roger and his wife, Melissa, reside in Chester Springs with their three children and enjoy spending time at the Jersey Shore whenever possible.


Joyce Volpe
Wealth Management Client Associate

As familiar to clients as she is with the Firm’s specialists and resources, Joyce brings nearly 38 years of experience to the office each day. Joyce joined Merrill in 1986 in the Philadelphia Service Center. Shortly after, she moved to the Firm’s operations in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and became a Client Associate – enabling her to serve clients directly. Joyce and Roger have worked together for 24 years.

Joyce earned a Bachelors of Science in Marketing from St. Joseph’s University in 1986. Raised in Springfield, Pennsylvania, she now lives in Media, Pennsylvania with her husband, Mark. Their three children include two in college and one in high school. Joyce’s passion for serving clients is only surpassed by her love of family time. She also enjoys theater, music, travel and working out (especially, yoga). Joyce is also actively involved at St. Mary Magdalen Parish and Philabundance.


Dee Volpe-Gubicza
Wealth Management Client Associate

A true Merrill veteran, Dee joined the Firm in 1983. Today, she feels privileged to handle an array of financial matters for clients. In addition to their transactions, account and administrative needs, Dee serves as a proactive and responsive liaison between clients, Roger, and numerous specialists throughout Bank of America and Merrill. Dee and Roger have worked together for 24 years.

A native of Manayunk, Pennsylvania, Dee and her husband, Jeff, have raised two daughters and a son. Brianna teaches pre-school. Alyssa attends Penn State and dances for Penn State THON. Jeffrey attends LaSalle College High School and plays baseball there. Dee and her family currently reside in Conshohocken, where she is a big fan of “all Philly sports and Penn State football.” Dee loves to travel, especially to Phillies’ Spring Training in Clearwater, Florida. For years, Dee and her family have provided casseroles on a monthly basis for St. John Hospice in Philadelphia. She belongs to Friends for Friends and Cardinal View Women’s Club (which both serve needy local families). Dee also “adopts” less fortunate families during the Holiday season and makes pillowcases for patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

I follow the deep-seated Merrill tradition of participating in the communities we serve. This drives my interest in spending time volunteering with organizations in our community.