Global Financial - Private Capital

Michael J. Dixon

Chief Executive Officer
Member & Relationship Director

As Member and CEO, Mr. Dixon is responsible for all operations and strategic direction at Global Financial.

Prior to joining Global Financial, Mr. Dixon held a similar position within the software development industry and has extensive experience in establishing and growing a client-focused operation.

After leaving school at 15 years of age to take up an Engineering apprenticeship, Mr. Dixon successfully completed a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, graduating with Honors from The University of Bradford, England.

In 1990, he formed his own start-up company at his kitchen table and grew it to over 200 employees by 1997. After an acquisition by VEGA Group PLC, a stock market listed company with offices world-wide, Mr. Dixon ran the company for a period of two years.

In 1999, Mr. Dixon sold his interests in VEGA and became a full-time resident of the United States with his wife, Claire, and two young daughters.

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Geoffrey A. Frazier, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, 

President
Managing Member & Relationship Director
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional
Chartered Life Underwriter
Principal of Global Financial 

As President, Mr. Frazier heads the team of Financial Planning professionals and Relationship staff at Global Financial Private Capital, LLC. He is also a founder of GF Investment Services, LLC, co-founder of Global Financial Private Capital, LLC, and GFA Wealth Design, LLC.

Mr. Frazier is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Chartered Life Underwriter, and a member of the CFA Institute. The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Promoting the highest ethical standards and offering a range of educational opportunities online and around the world, the CFA Institute is the global, not-for-profit association of investment professionals that awards the CFA and CIPM designations. Professionals earning these designations adhere to codes of ethics, compliance procedures, and ongoing education requirements in addition to the strict requirements of the SEC and FINRA.

In 1989, he received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Finance with a minor in Actuarial Science from the University of Florida. Immediately after receiving his Bachelors degree, he began his career with a brokerage firm, but soon realized the many limitations of being a single line financial advisor. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP), and the Association for Advanced Life Underwriters (AALU).

Throughout his career, Mr. Frazier has achieved a high level of recognition. On June 18, 2001, Mr. Frazier achieved national recognition as “Best Practice” by the Journal of Financial Planning, the official publication of the Financial Planning Association.

Awarded the “FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Wealth Manager(SM)” for 2008, Mr. Frazier was among an elite group of less than four percent of wealth managers in the Sarasota area to be named this title. He is also a partner with the Economic Development Corporation for Sarasota County and was a featured financial professional in the 2008-2009 Community Profile created for the Gulf Coast by the EDC. In addition, Mr. Frazier’s participation in the EDC extends to include his membership in the Financial Services Cluster Board - promoting and strengthening collaborative and educational resources for businesses and individuals.

Mr. Frazier is a native Floridian residing in Lakewood Ranch with his wife Elizabeth and two daughters, Madeline and Grace. He enjoys tennis, golf, snow skiing, reading, mountain biking, and road biking.

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Christian C. Bertelsen, MBA

Chief Investment Officer

With 37 years investment experience, Mr. Bertelsen joined Global Financial as a Portfolio Manager and Managing Director in 2004. Prior to joining Global Financial, Mr. Bertelsen was director of the value equity group for Phoenix Investment Counsel. He previously served as Chief Investment Officer at Dreman Value Advisors and Portfolio Manager of the Kemper-Dreman Contrarian and Small Cap Value Funds. He also served as Senior Vice President with Eagle Asset Management and the head of the equity investment department at Colonial Advisory Services, Inc., as well as Senior Vice President & Manager of The Colonial Fund. In addition, Mr. Bertelsen held positions with Batterymarch Financial Management, and State Street Bank & Trust Company.

In his position at Global Financial, Mr. Bertelsen is responsible for the development and performance of all investment strategies.

Mr. Bertelsen holds an M.B.A. and a B.A. in Economics and History from Boston University. He is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society.

Chris Bertelsen is the Chief Investment Officer of Aviance Capital Management, LLC, an affiliated Registered Investment Adviser.

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Christopher B. Sleight

Managing Director

 As Managing Director, Mr. Sleight focuses on client relationships during the primary stage of Estate Planning for GFA Wealth Design, Global Financial Private Capital and Global Financial Advisory. For years, Mr. Sleight has worked with clients specializing in preservation of principal and managing the most important time of their lives. He recognizes that people are searching for a reconnection in their financial relationships and offers a vehicle to forming that personal rapport with the company's professional staff.

He is also Managing Director for Global Financial Advisory. Prior to joining Global's team, Mr. Sleight was a compliance officer for Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation. He made the transition into the financial planning industry to serve a community in need of a professional understanding their legacy of wealth. Mr. Sleight is dually licensed in the States of Florida and Arizona in risk management solutions. He graduated from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he majored in business, with a minor in communications.

In 1987, Mr. Sleight relocated from Dayton, Ohio, to Sarasota Florida with his wife and their two daughters. They are involved in many charities throughout Sarasota and Venice. Mr. Sleight is a member of Incarnation Christian Church, and he enjoys playing tennis and coaching their daughter's soccer team.

Andrew Barnett, CFP®, MBA

Relationship Director

As Relationship Director, Mr. Barnett heads the team of Financial Planning professionals and Relationship staff at GFA Wealth Design offices located in Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda, Florida. He brings a wealth of investment expertise to his business, as he has spent most of his career as a fixed-income portfolio manager and senior managing director in the insurance industry.

Mr. Barnett is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and an active member of the Financial Planning Association(FPA). He holds a Master of Business Administration degree, with an emphasis in Finance and International Economics, from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in English Literature and Computer Science from Washington University.

Mr. Barnett launched the GFA Wealth Design offices following a career as senior vice president for National Senior Advisory Counsel, where his planning skills helped retirees secure and grow their assets for the future. Mr. Barnett has successfully managed over $2 billion of assets during his career, including many high-profile U.S. and international public and private pension plans. In addition, he has managed several highly rated mutual funds both onshore and abroad.

Mr. Barnett’s professional aptitude in economics and finance continues to be the cornerstone to his business. He is an accomplished public speaker and enjoys teaching financial strategies to clients and peers.
 

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C. Grant Conness

Managing Director of the Boca Raton Office

As President of 1031 Alternatives Group and Managing Director of GFA Wealth Design, C. Grant Conness seeks to uphold the highest level of integrity, commitment and service through his passions and knowledge of innovative investment concepts. Mr. Conness has been featured and quoted in major publications such asThe Wall Street Journal, Commercial Property News and Realtor Magazine and he is an accredited course instructor with the Florida Bar on 1031 Exchanges. Through his various lectures, seminars and speaking engagements, Mr. Conness thoroughly enjoys educating and enlightening the investment community on innovative and comprehensive wealth management strategies.

Mr. Conness is a native South Floridian and resides in Ft. Lauderdale with his wife Jessica and three children. He is a passionate sports fan and enjoys boating, golf, surfing and spending quality time with his family. 

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Gregg A. Guinta

National Director

As National Director for Global Financial, Mr. Guinta is responsible for the recruitment, transition and client service for new advisers joining Global Financial.

Prior to joining Global Financial, Mr. Guinta was a Senior Consultant with Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a global retirement, benefit, and investment consulting firm. In this role, he led Institutional Retirement Plan and Investment consulting engagements and as well as new product development.

Mr. Guinta also held senior level Finance and Operations positions at Fidelity Investments. He served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Securities Processing Group, which included all Brokerage and Mutual Fund Operations, Brokerage Technologies, and the Broker/ Dealer and Clearing entity National Financial Services. After this role, he relocated to the Cincinnati area to lead all the operations responsible for the set up and servicing of over 12 million Fidelity brokerage accounts including those in the Adviser channel. After this role, Mr. Guinta was asked to assume leadership roles in the Institutional Retirement and Benefits Outsourcing segment as well.

Prior to Fidelity, Mr. Guinta was Chief Financial Officer for Worldwide Operations for State Street Corporation.

Mr. Guinta has a history of successfully delivering a high level of quality and client service. He has rich knowledge and deep experience in the processes and issues that matter most to Advisers to help them be successful in the marketplace.

Mr. Guinta received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College and an MBA from Babson College. Mr. Guinta was NASD series 7, 24, 9 ,10, and 63 licensed. He is a Registered Investment Adviser, Licensed General Lines Insurance Agent, Real Estate Broker and Mortgage Broker. 

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Sheri Dermangian

Director of Advisor Services

As Director of Advisor Services for Global Financial, Mrs. Dermangian is responsible for licensing new IAR’s, training, business processing and tracking, advisor servicing, and fee billing.  She takes great pride in working to enhance all aspects of the advisor’s experience. 

Stephen Fedak, CFP®

Senior Financial Planner & Registered Principal

Mr. Fedak is one of the Certified Financial Planners™ on the Global Financial Planning team. As Registered Principal, he is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of the Financial Planning department. In his role as Senior Financial Planner, he specializes in the design and implementation of customized financial planning strategies. He joined Global’s team in July of 2005. He is also a Florida Life, Health and Variable annuity licensee and Series 7, Series 63 & Series 24 licensed representative.

Mr. Fedak’s career in the financial services began in 1990 as a registered representative for First Investor’s Corporation, in Tampa, Florida. In 1994, he accepted a position with T. Rowe Price Associates where he was a retirement plan and variable annuity specialist. In 2000, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Vice-President of T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc., and he acted as lead Certified Financial Planner™ for the T. Rowe Price Retirement Income Manager™ advisory service.

Mr. Fedak attended Penn State University, Richard Stockton Sate College and the Florida Institute of Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business, in 1989, and a Certificate in Financial Planning, 1998.

Born and raised in Atlantic City, N.J., Mr. Fedak relocated to Florida in the fall of 1990 where he spends time walking his Golden Retrievers on the beach and gardening at his South Tampa home. He is also an active member of the Gandy Civic Association, where he serves on the Board of Directors.

Cynthia Shuford

Executive Services Specialist

Ms. Shuford has worked in the financial services sector for over 32 years, with experience as a Financial Consultant and Account Executive for financial services firms including A.G. Edwards & Sons, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.

At Global Financial, she is responsible for client relations, new business processing, and data gathering for the Financial Planning Department. Ms. Shuford has her Series 7, Life, Health, and Variable Annuity license. She studied accounting and finance at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her hometown is Tampa, Florida and currently lives in Sarasota.

Dianne Corso

Client Services Administrator

As Client Services Administrator, Ms. Corso is responsible for all incoming office communications, seminar reservations and welcoming all clients and visitors to Global Financial Advisory.  Prior to joining Global's team, Ms. Corso was involved in the Real Estate industry between Florida, California and Scottsdale, Arizona, where she served in the administrative sector for Russ Lyon Realty, specializing in very prominent, upscale desert mountain residences and retreats.

Originally, Ms. Corso began her career as a professional model in New York City and enjoyed her exposure to the fashion industry – her eternal passion, but decided to make a career change following the addition of her two sons.  Ms. Corso has always focused on clients' needs in her professional career.  She experiences extreme gratification when able to provide clients with a warm, friendly, relaxed, yet professional welcome upon entering Global's office.  Her goal is to create an environment where clients feel as though they are visiting with a friend.

Ms. Corso recently relocated back to Florida, a state she has considered her home since 1972.  Her future plans are to spend as much time with family, as the years spent living on the West Coast motivated her return to Sarasota to be closer to them.

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Gabriela M. Lauriston

Relationship Manager

As Relationship Manager, Gabriela manages all aspects of client services, financial planning and new business processing for GFA Wealth Design offices located in Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda, Florida. She joined Global’s team in 2008. Gabriela is a Florida Life, Health and Variable Annuity licensee and a Series 7 and Series 66 licensed representative.

Prior to her appointment as Relationship Manager, Gabriela served in client services at Ameriprise, in Lakeland, Florida, as a Paraplanner, where she assisted in daily trades and business processing.

Gabriela attended KV Zurich Business School in Zurich, Switzerland, completing a two year apprenticeship in commercial business with the Social Security Administration of Switzerland. She continued her work in business administration for UBS as a customer service representative for the international team in Zurich, before relocating to Miami, Florida, in 2001.

Gabriela currently resides in Alva, Florida. She enjoys spending time in the country with her family and their horses, while taking time to utilize her newly obtained helicopter pilot’s license. Gabriela speaks fluent German. She also takes pleasure in traveling, roller blading and painting.