Retirement plan adviser extraordinaire and Financial Planning Specialist in one complete package!
The Cliff Notes:
- We use AIF® but really there’s an alphabet soup after her name
- Self-Proclaimed Accidental Entrepreneur
- Wants to bring the magic of Castle Rock to all of America
- The PEP is her way to change the world for the better
- Yoga instructor, trail runner, and regular local volunteer
“We will be known forever by the tracks we leave behind.”
– Native American Proverb
Michele Suriano, AIF®
Prior to founding the firm in 2006, Michele Suriano served plan sponsors as a retirement plan adviser for Ceridian (2002-2006) and retail investors as an investment adviser with T. Rowe Price, Inc. (1999-2002). Between 1994 and 1999 she worked in the mortgage industry holding several positions including Executive Branch Manager for Transamerica Financial Services, Inc. in Colorado Springs, CO and Advanta Finance, Inc. in Vienna, VA.
Her qualifications and designations include:
Passed the following FINRA examinations:
- Series 6 (Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representatives)
- Series 7 (General Securities Representative)
- Series 63 (Uniform Securities State Law)
- Series 66 (Uniform Combined State Law).
- Passed the Colorado state insurance exams for life, health and variable annuities.
Earned the following additional designations:
- Tax-Exempt & Governmental Plan Consultant (“TGPC”) certification awarded by the American Society of Pension Professional and Actuaries (“ASPPA”).
- Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (“QPFC”) designation awarded by ASPPA
- Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ (“AIF®”) designation awarded by the Center for Fiduciary Studies
- Global Fiduciary Strategist (“GFS”) designation Certificate in Fiduciary Governance from Thunderbird
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Economics from Hofstra University.
- Leadership Development Institute at Glen Eyrie from the Navigators
Public speaking engagements:
- September of 2011, Rocky Mountain Area Conference using plan design to optimize participant outcomes
- September of 2012, Rocky Mountain Area Conference on plan-level and participant-level ERISA notice requirements
- 2010 PLANADVISER National Conference
- 2011 PLANSPONSOR National Conference, https://www.planadviser.com/psnc-2011-small-plans-big-challenges/
- 2013 PLANSPONSOR National Conference, https://www.plansponsor.com/psnc-2013-metric-taking/
- Adviser to two finalists for Plan Sponsor of the Year (2013 and 2017), https://www.plansponsor.com/plansponsors-2013-plan-sponsor-of-the-year-finalists/ and https://www.plansponsor.com/magazine/2017-plan-sponsor-of-the-year-finalists/ ; and
- Quoted in several articles by the retirement benefits industry trade publications, www.plansponsor.com and www.planadvisor.com
Volunteer Work
In addition to her business activities, Michele teaches yoga at https://peaceoutyoga.com/ and serves on the Investment Committee for Disability Law Colorado (“DLC”), a nonprofit organization protecting the human, civil and legal rights of people with disabilities and older people. She served on the Board of Directors for DLC from 2011 – 2017). She served as Crew Leader for Keepers of the Rock, in partnership with the Town’s Teen Court program (2005 – 2018). https://www.crgov.com/2370/Trail-Maintenance-Groups She served on the Board of Directors for the Denver chapter of the Western Pension & Benefits Council (2007- 2013).
The Cliff Notes:
- Certified Financial Planner™
- Aspiring Enrolled Agent (EA)
- Prior experience to Castle Rock: Lincoln Financial Planning Associate & Independent wealth adviser
- Sees the PEP as an amazing way to bring financial education to the masses.
- Amateur power lifter – “I’ll lift a boulder before I run a mile.”
“I read the rules so you don’t have to!”
Ryan McCarty, CFP®
Ryan began his financial planning journey teaching Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University through his local church. Then, wanting to go beyond the general advice provided by the class, he returned to school to pursue his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.
While studying, he worked for a large brokerage firm assisting with all financial planning work. Not comfortable with the idea of selling commissionable products, Ryan found a new path via the XY Planning Network that deals exclusively with fee-only financial planners, ultimately leading to him connecting with Castle Rock Investment Company.
Entering Castle Rock Investment Company as the education guru, Ryan is no stranger to the camera. With his green screen setup at home, he works to provide comprehensive visual aids to explain complicated financial topics. Likewise, he regularly hosts webinars and one-on-one sessions for Castle Rock’s many qualified plan participants to discuss their benefits and financial strategies.
Ryan believes that “There is Math, and there is Heart” in that you can make all the best decisions to make all the money in the world… but what does that do to your life? There must be balance in the struggle between love and money, or one will wither.
Ryan is surrounded by the love of his wife, Deanna, and two children, Rayne and Ryder. When not coordinating events between family and friends, you can find Ryan in the squat rack of his local gym, baking goodies with the kids, or surrounding the dining room table with friends to play one of his many board games.
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