Significant wealth requires a unique and tailored investment approach. Working with a limited number of high net worth families, we are able to provide you with boutique-like services supported by the broad capabilities of a global institution. Our goal is to simplify your life so you can pursue what is most important to you.
Meet the Team
The private wealth advisors with Merrill Private Wealth Management are rigorously trained to help meet your specialized needs with relationships based on trust and personalized service.
15
Named to Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2023 and 2022* (published on April 4, 2023. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2021.)
Named to the 2023 Barron's “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors" list* (published on March 10, 2023. Rankings based on data as of September 30, 2022.*)
James has worked in the financial service industry since 1996 and currently leads a wealth management team within Merrill Private Wealth Management. As a Private Wealth Advisor, James caters to the sophisticated wealth management needs of a limited number of ultra-high net worth families and business leaders. He guides the team’s wealth management practice and is actively involved in the fields of portfolio development, wealth transfer, cash flow analysis, estate planning strategies, philanthropic planning, and credit and lending. Additionally, James leads The Somers Group’s Investment Committee.
James received his B.S in Finance from Old Dominion University. James also holds the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® certification. He focuses on the sophisticated needs of high-net-worth families throughout their wealth lifecycle – accumulation, preservation, and distribution. He is able to develop specific strategies designed to minimize taxes, monetize and preserve assets, maximize growth, and transfer of wealth.
In the community, James actively supports: Begin Again Foundation, The Charity Bowl, and The Pink Ride and he serves on the Board of Trustees for the Old Dominion University Athletic Foundation.
James lives in Virginia Beach with his wife, Stephanie, and children, Cade, Noah, Jax and Coley. His interests include antique cars, golfing, and boating.
*Source: The Barron'srials “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors" list, published on March 10, 2023. Rankings based on data as of September 30, 2022.
The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” list, March 10, 2023. The Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” ranking considered advisors with a minimum of seven years of financial services experience and have been employed at their current firm for at least one year. This is a list of the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Other quantitative and qualitative measures include assets under management, revenues generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices, regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. Rankings are based on the opinions of Barron’s 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. Barron’s does not receive compensation from advisors, participating firms and their affiliates, or the media in exchange for rankings. Rankings and recognition from Barron’s 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. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
**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.
*Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.
*Credit and Lending Services are through Bank of America, N.A.
John focuses on offering a comprehensive approach to managing wealth that begins with getting to know a client and the client’s family, financial situation, and what matters most to them. He then helps them create a customized wealth management approach that can be flexible as their needs and market conditions change. He provides access to the investment insights of Merrill and banking convenience of Bank of America to help address the various aspects of clients’ financial lives. He is driven by his passion for delivering excellent service and helping clients pursue their goals.
John earned his degree in Finance from Virginia Tech . He also holds a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor certification, and the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation.
John follows 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.
Alisa is the Private Wealth Senior Business Manager for The Somers Group. In this role, she creates and implements strategies that manage the complex needs of ultra-high-net-worth families. Her primary goal is to ensure that our families are experiencing a seamless and elite level of service.
Alisa started her career with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2006 as a Registered Senior Client Associate. In that role, her focus was on providing exceptional client service as the main point of contact for day to day client needs to include account opening and servicing, tax reporting, loan management, and transactional needs. In 2014, Alisa transitioned into the Relationship Manager role where she focused on relationship building by providing proactive support in all phases of client servicing.
Alisa earned a B.A. in English from Old Dominion University and was a member of Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society. She also holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation.
She lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, Anthony, and their daughters.
*Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.
Travis has worked in the financial service industry since 2007 and joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2010. He focuses on resolving complex financial issues for individuals, families and business. Travis works with the team to help ensure that every financial need has been thoroughly examined and properly addressed. His vision is that a goal-focused, planning driven portfolio is an investor's best strategy to achieve superior, long-term, real-life returns. In addition to his role as a Wealth Management advisor, Travis is a member of The Somers Group’s Investment Committee.
Travis earned his B.S. in Quantitative Economics from the U.S. Naval Academy and a M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. He also holds a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Prior to joining the financial services industry, Travis served as a Supply Corps Officer in the U.S. Navy. His last active duty positions were Logistics Officer for SEAL Team Four and assistant supply officer of USS Donald Cook.
Travis previously served on the board at his church and enjoys golf, tennis, and soccer. He and his wife reside in Virginia Beach, VA, and have three sons and a daughter.
Alex focuses on providing comprehensive, goals-based wealth management and investment advice to high-net-worth individuals and their families. Her primary focus is to build and maintain trusted client relationships by proactively managing her clients’ needs, identifying solutions, and providing access to firm resources. In addition to her role as a Financial Advisor, Alex is a member of The Somers Group’s Investment Committee.
Alex returned to Merrill and joined The Somers Group in 2023. Prior to her return, she worked at Oppenheimer as a Private Wealth Advisor and at TIAA CREFF as a Wealth Management Advisor. Alex started her career in the financial industry at Merrill in 2010 as a Financial Advisor.
Alex obtained her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Virginia Tech and her M.B.A. from Old Dominion University. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and she earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation.
Alex serves on the board of directors for Billy the Kidden Rescue and enjoys swimming, animals, and cooking. She resides in Virginia Beach, VA, with her son and daughter.
Lisa has been in the financial services industry since 2004 and works out of the Newport News, Virginia branch. Her goal is to deliver a comprehensive approach to managing wealth that begins with getting to know her client and their family’s financial situation and what matters most to them. She offers a full range of financial solutions for individuals, families, corporate retirement plans, and non-profits based on risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and overall investment goals. More specifically, her services address portfolio development, wealth preservation, home financing, and wealth transfer.
Lisa is a lifelong Virginia resident -growing up in Newport News, graduating from CDC, and settling in the Williamsburg area with her husband, Will, twin daughters, Ashley and Airen, and two French bull dogs, Stella and Louie. She follows the deep seeded Merrill tradition of participating in the communities we serve. This drives her interest in spending time volunteering with organizations in our community.
Amy started her career in the financial industry in 2013 with American Funds and then moved to Morgan Stanley in 2016. With both companies, she was the main point of contact for clients for all service needs. Amy joined The Somers Group in 2021 as a Registered Private Wealth Client Associate. Her primary focus is providing a personalized and proactive approach to delivering an elite level of support in all phases of client service to include client account opening and servicing, banking, lending, transactional needs.
Prior to working in the financial industry, Amy worked as the Program Director for the non-profit, Girls on the Run of South Hampton Roads from 2005-2013. This program is designed for 3rd – 5th graders to help build their self-worth in order to help them feel greater confidence in who they are.
Amy graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. In her free time, she enjoys running, baking, traveling, and watching Georgia Bulldogs football games.
Patrick started his career in the financial industry when he joined The Somers Group in 2012. In his role as a Registered Private Wealth Client Associate, his primary focus is on providing a personalized and proactive approach in delivering an elite level of support in all phases of client service.
Prior to working in the financial industry, Patrick spent 20 years as a U.S. Navy as an Aviation Electronics Technician where he provided supervisory oversight and administrative support. He retired in 2011.
Patrick earned a B.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology from ECPI University. In his free time, he volunteers with The Pink Ride, which is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to provide services for women battling breast cancer.
John began working at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a intern for The Somers Group. Upon graduation, he joined The Somers Group as a Financial Advisor focusing on investment analysis. John performs sophisticated modeling of financial strategies and constructs customized investment portfolios to match with clients’ risk tolerances and time horizons. He also researches the specific investments utilized within those portfolios and tracks the implementation process for any changes. John oversees and deploys the team’s alternative investment, private equity, market linked and option strategies. In addition to his role as a Financial Advisor, John is a member of The Somers Group’s Investment Committee.
John earned his B.B.A in Finance and Business Management from James Madison University and has a concentration in Consulting and Financial Analysis.
John lives in Virginia Beach and, in his free time, he enjoys golfing, boating, and snowboarding.
*Some or all alternative investment programs may not be in the best interest of certain investors. No assurance can be given that any alternative investment’s investment objectives will be achieved.
*Options involve risk and are suitable for all investors. Before engaging in the purchase or sale of options, investors should understand the nature of and extent of their rights and obligations and be aware of the risks involved in investing with options. Prior to buying or selling an option, clients must receive the options disclosure document Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. This document is available by contacting your Merrill Financial Advisor.
Christina is a Private Wealth Relationship Manager for The Somers Group. In this role, she provides comprehensive wealth management and investment advice to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families. Her primary focus is building and maintaining trusted client relationships by taking a personalized and proactive approach to managing their needs on a day to day basis.
Prior to working with The Somers Group, Christina worked at Stifel Financial Corp in Cincinnati, OH where she focused on building relationships and servicing high-net-worth families as a Financial Advisor.
Christina holds a degree in Finance and Operations Management from the Darla Moore Business School at University of South Carolina where she also rode horses competitively. She is a native of Virginia Beach and volunteers in her community with organizations such as Pantry Box, which delivers food to first responders.
Tony is a Private Wealth Relationship Manager for The Somers Group. In this role, he provides comprehensive wealth management and investment advice to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families. His primary focus is building and maintaining trusted client relationships by taking a personalized and proactive approach to managing their needs on a day to day basis. In addition to his roles as a Relationship Manager, Tony is a member of The Somers Group’s Investment Committee.
Prior to working with The Somers Group, Tony worked at Doomount in Cyprus as a Dealer where he managed a portfolio of 15 companies and focused on trading and financial reporting. He also worked as a Conversion Agent for MagnumFX in Cyrpus where he worked closely with clients to help them achieve their goals through education, market updates, and fundamental and technical analysis.
Tony holds a masters degree in Investment Management from Cranfield University in the United Kingdom and a bachelors degree in Business from European University in Cyprus. He is a native of Cyprus and is fluent in Greek and English. He currently resides in Hampton with his twin sons.
Amanda Wolfe has been with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management since 2007 and has been in the financial services industry since 1978 where she started her career at Wheat First Securities. Her primary focus is on providing a personalized and proactive approach in delivering an elite level of support in all phases of client service
Amanda graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Amanda was born in Norfolk and currently resides there with her husband, Keith. In her free time, she enjoys running, baking, and traveling. She is also active in her church and is the church pianist.
Ahmad joined The Somers Group in 2022. His primary focus is on providing a personalized and proactive approach in delivering an elite level of support in all phases of client service to include client account opening and servicing, banking, lending, transactional needs.
Prior to joining the team, he worked as a Relationship Banker in a Bank of America branch where he advised and educated clients on products and services. Prior to that, he worked as a Product Specialist for Tysinger Mercedes-Benz.
The following specialists do not make securities recommendations. Please contact your Merrill Private Wealth Advisor if you have questions about how a specialist might be able to assist you.
Michael Duffy
Wealth Strategist
Merrill
Tim Phillips
Wealth Strategist
Merrill
Christopher Harley
Wealth Management Banking Specialist
Merrill
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.
James S Somers
Barron's "Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-By-State" 2023 Published on March 10, 2023. Rankings based on data as of September 30, 2022.
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.
Strategies designed to help you achieve your goals
As a client of Merrill Private Wealth Management, you have access to services and resources ordinarily reserved for the world’s largest institutions. We work with individuals, families spanning multiple generations, business owners and executives. Using a goals-based wealth management approach, we put our clients at the center of every personalized strategy.
Merrill Private Wealth Management is committed to providing a select group of clients with highly personalized one-on-one service. When you work with us, our knowledgeable, rigorously trained private wealth advisors will gain a deep understanding of your goals, help you develop a multigenerational wealth strategy, and help you update your strategy as needed. We are committed to providing you access to the investment insights of Merrill and the banking convenience of Bank of America, and Merrill will continue to invest in client tools and new technology to enhance your overall experience as you and your private wealth advisor pursue what’s most important to you.
Our Philosophy
We believe your unique goals should be at the center of all of your financial decisions and form the foundation of your financial strategy. Because significant wealth requires customized goals-based financial strategies, we believe in building lasting relationships with a limited number of clients, taking the time to understand your most important priorities for today, tomorrow and your long-term future. Our philosophy celebrates collaboration. Working with a team of specialists, we draw on the resources and insights of a global financial institution to create strategies that reflect your aspirations for yourself and current and future generations of your family. Finally, we believe that while significant wealth brings complex challenges, our experience, passion and perspectives can help you simplify your life.
For clients of substantial means, Merrill Private Wealth Management provides an experience that is both powerful and personal. We are dedicated to helping you pursue your goals for today while developing an approach designed to support your family members for the years to come.
Your private wealth advisor and team of specialists work with a limited number of clients, enabling them to focus their time, training and passion on helping you simplify your personal and business finances and prepare your next generation.
Boutique-like service with the access to the investment resources of Merrill and banking convenience of Bank of America
We combine the personalized attention and feel of a smaller firm with the power and insights of a global financial institution, creating financial strategies tailored to your unique situation.
A relentless commitment to transparency and customized strategies
As our client, know we are working in your best interests, providing goals-based financial strategies designed to anticipate and help meet your evolving financial needs.
Sign Up for Perspectives Monthly E-Newsletter
Perspectives Newsletter
Get the latest investment insights, tips and strategies to help you live your best financial life.
- If a broker or brokerage firm is registered
- What has been disclosed to regulators
- About a broker's past experience
- What a broker or brokerage firm is qualified to do
You are leaving Merrill Lynch's website and being redirected to FINRA'S BrokerCheck. The website is not owned by Merrill Lynch®, Bank of America® or their affiliates and is subject to separate terms and privacy policies.
Important
notice: you are now leaving Merrill Private Wealth Management (MPWM).
Clicking CONTINUE will take you to a website that Merrill Private Wealth Management is not affiliated with and
may
offer a different privacy policy and level of security. We are not responsible for and do not endorse,
guarantee
or monitor content, availability, viewpoints, products or services that are offered on other websites.
Clicking
RETURN TO MPWM will take you back to the previous page.
Map
Placeholder Name
Important notice: you are now leaving Merrill Lynch
By clicking continue, you will be taken to a website that is not affiliated with Merrill Lynch and may offer a different privacy policy and level of security. Merrill Lynch is not responsible for and does not endorse, guarantee or monitor content, availability, viewpoints, products or services that are offered or expressed on other websites.
You can click the "Return to Merrill Lynch" button now to return to the previous page, or you can close the new window after you leave.
With FINRA'S
BrokerCheck, you can find out:
- If a broker or brokerage firm is registered
- What has been disclosed to regulators
- About a broker's past experience
- What a broker or brokerage firm is qualified to do
You are leaving Merril's website and being redirected to FINRA'S BrokerCheck. The website is not owned by Merrill,
Bank of America® or their affiliates and is subject to separate terms and privacy policies.
You are now leaving Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
By clicking Continue, you will be taken to a website that is not affiliated with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and may offer a different privacy policy and level of security. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is not responsible for and does not endorse, guarantee or monitor content, availability, viewpoints, products or services that are offered or expressed on other websites.
You can click the Cancel button now to return to the previous page.