One of the founding members of Paxinos, Lamberti, Bilton & Associates, Ari serves as relationship manager for the team, focusing on business management and interacting with clients in a meaningful and measurable way. He devotes most of his time to helping business owners build and preserve their wealth by offering estate planning services and customized business succession and wealth management strategies. Adept at collaborating with clients’ other professional advisors, Ari enjoys knowing that his 25 years of experience with Merrill have given him the background to assist clients in pursuing their short- and long term financial objectives.

Ari was named to Forbes' "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2018 through 2022(Published annually Jan – April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year). He is a specially qualified Senior Portfolio Manager who, in addition to providing traditional advice and guidance, can help clients pursue their objectives by building and managing his own personalized or defined strategies, which may incorporate individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios and third party investment strategies. Senior Portfolio Managers are provided a high degree of flexibility in constructing portfolios and selecting securities. When servicing clients through the firm's Investment Advisory Program, a Senior Portfolio Manager may manage his strategies on a discretionary basis. After meeting certain additional requirements, a Senior Portfolio Manager may use his own strategies to manage the assets of other Merrill advisors' clients. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

Ari graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, with a bachelor's degree in finance. He serves on the board of directors of the Brother Rice High School Foundation and as a member of the Community Support Group. He is also a volunteer member of the CAC of Big Shoulders and also volunteers at the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. Ari and his family live in the Western Suburbs.

*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.

Joe started with Merrill in 1999, and shortly thereafter co-founded Paxinos, Lamberti, Bilton & Associates. With Paxinos, Lamberti, Bilton & Associates, he provides advice and guidance to affluent families, professional athletes and financial professionals. Joe also heads the group's portfolio strategies and alternative investment manager selections.

Joe is a specially qualified Senior Portfolio Manager who, in addition to providing traditional advice and guidance, can help clients pursue their objectives by managing on a discretionary basis his own personalized or defined strategies, which may incorporate individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies. A Senior Portfolio Manager may make their strategies available to clients working with other Merrill advisors.
 

Joe was named to Forbes' "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list back to back years in 2020 and 2021(Published annually Jan – April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year).  Joe earned a bachelor's degree in finance with a minor in economics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation and is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. In addition, Joe is a Certified Private Wealth Advisor professional. Joe is an active member of the CFA society of Chicago, and serves on the board of directors of The HEAR Foundation.

*Some or all alternative investments may not be in the best interests for certain investors. Certain alternative investments carry significant risk and are not subject to the same regulatory oversight as mutual funds and other traditional investments. For these reasons, access to alternative investments may be limited to investors who are designated as sophisticated, high-net-worth investors.

***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.

Chris Bilton is a co-founder of PLB & Associates, one of the largest wealth and investment management teams at Merrill. As a Private Wealth Advisor at Merrill Private Wealth Management, Chris serves a select group of sophisticated clients with specialized services and wealth management strategies. For over 18 years, Chris and his team have built a practice that emphasizes intellectual rigor, in-depth customization, and committed service. He has significant experience advising family offices, institutions, endowments, foundations and multi-generational families.


Chris was named to the Forbes' Next-Gen Wealth Advisors list in 2018 through 2021(Published annually July – Sept. Rankings based on data as of March 31 of current year), the On Wall Street "40 under 40" list in 2019(Published on February 1, 2019. Rankings based on data as of Dec 31, 2018) and also the Forbes' "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list in from 2018 through 2022(Published annually Jan – April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year). He earned his Economics degree from the University of Colorado. In addition, Chris earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation through the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and granted by the Investment & Wealth Institute™. Chris is a member of the Board of Directors and an Executive Board Member for Barrington Children’s Charities.

*Source: The Forbes “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list, published annually July - Sept. Rankings based on data as of March 31 of current year.

Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Forbes “Top Next Generation Wealth Advisors” ranking. SHOOK considered advisors born in 1983 or later with a minimum 4 years as an advisor. Advisors have: built their own practices and lead their teams; joined teams and are viewed as future leadership; or a combination of both. Ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures: telephone and in-person interviews to measure best practices, 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. Rankings are based on the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. 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.

**Source: On Wall Street “Top 40 Advisors Under 40” list, published on February 1, 2019. Rankings based on data as of Dec 31, 2018.

The ranking for the “Top 40 Advisors Under 40” list is compiled using data solicited from the advisors’ employers. Advisors considered must be under 40 years old and work at an employee brokerage firm. Individual trailing 12-month production for each advisor was the primary ranking criteria. On Wall Street is a national publication serving the wealth management industry and retail brokers working in the employee channel for wirehouses and regional broker-dealers. Rankings and recognition from On Wall Street are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the 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..