RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL SERVICES - Key Persons
Brad Schell joined Potomac Financial Group in January 2009, drawn to the financial services industry due to his strong desire to interact and help people every day. His goal for the group's clients is to provide them with the tools and knowledge they need to help make the best decisions for their financial future and for those that matter most.
Brad works closely with the team and its clients, answering questions, counseling them on appropriate investment opportunities, providing account status reports and assisting in financial plan preparation. He strives to serve each client's needs through a high level of personable service and honest advice. He currently holds the Series 7, 66 and Maryland and Insurance licenses.
Brad is a graduate of the University of Maryland, with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was a member of the university's football team and earned varsity letters during his junior and senior seasons.
Originally from Chicago, Brad has lived in the Washington, D.C., area since he was 10. In March of 2010, he married his wife, Jennifer, and the two currently live in Silver Spring, MD with their young daughters, Lucy and Josephine Joy (Jo Jo). Brad also enjoys working out, playing guitar and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.
After finishing his Ph.D. in early 2007, Brian was looking for a new direction. His natural interest in personal finance led him to Potomac Financial Group in September of 2007.
Financial planning has provided an ideal setting for a union of Brian's love of problem solving, his passion for research, and his strong attention to detail. His goal is to provide his clients with exceptional guidance, exemplary service, and a sense of confidence as they pursue financial freedom and personal fulfillment.
As both a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a Chartered Financial Consultant® Brian provides investment management and financial planning services to his clients. He creates, reviews, and adjusts investment portfolios and financial plans for the individuals and families he helps. By offering timely feedback and recommending necessary adjustments Brian ensures that his clients stay on track in achieving their goals in numerous areas of financial need, including retirement planning, estate planning, college-education planning, and planning for business owners and executives.
As a Chartered Life Underwriter® Brian helps clients protect their wealth and financial security by planning for the various risks associated with their personal and professional lives. By advising on a variety of planning issues and uses of insurance in personal settings (life, disability, and long-term care coverages) and business environments (such as continuation planning, buy-sell arrangements, and key employee coverage) he helps to ensure that the plans of his clients aren't jeopardized by the threats that early death, disability, and loss of self-sufficiency pose to their financial well-being.
Brian received his Doctorate of Philosophy degree in physiology from the Pennsylvania State University by way of the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Prior to his studies at Penn State, Brian attended the University of Maryland at College Park and received his Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology.
A native of Gaithersburg, Maryland, Brian continues to reside in his hometown. When he isn't trying to keep up with his 2 young nephews, he is an avid professional- and collegiate-sports fan, and enjoys exercising and spending time with family and friends.
After graduating from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology/pre-med, Deborah decided to forego a career in the medical field and started a family and a business instead. After 16 years of owning and operating an early learning center, she joined Potomac Financial Group as a Financial Advisor in February 2009. As a former business owner and mother of four children, two step-children, and a chocolate lab, Deborah knows first-hand the importance of having a plan, staying organized, and paying attention to detail. She puts these skills to work as a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, providing individualized financial planning tailored to meet her clients' needs in all stages of life - from paying for college to retiring comfortably. She does so by closely listening to her clients and advising them on their unique and ever-changing financial needs and goals.
In 2013, Deborah established WISE Women, which stands for We're Informed, Secure, and Empowered! Women, to help women become more knowledgeable and confident. By hosting events throughout the year, she provides women with an opportunity to network and socialize, while learning about a wide range of topics, such as finances, estate planning, photography, and more-even golf.
Her favorite pastime is spending time with her family, especially outdoors, and she enjoys exercising and playing sports. She loves adventure and has skydived with her kids, completed a ruck march, ran a full marathon, and even finished a half marathon (13.1 miles) on crutches. She is a member of Order of Sons of Italy in America and was recognized as the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Business Network's 2009 Volunteer of the Year. She also supports various charitable organizations, including the American Stroke Association, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Alzheimer's Association, and Ovations for the Cure.
Greg joins our office as our newest hire studying to become a financial advisor. Prior to joining our team, he spent 7 years as a Manager at Deloitte Consulting where he advised defense, federal, and higher education clients within the finance and technology industries on solutions for their complex business challenges.
Looking for a way to make a more direct, positive impact on others' lives in his career, Greg decided to make the shift to become a financial advisor. Greg has always had a passion for finance and is eager to expand his knowledge and skillset to enable him to help clients understand their financial situations and build strong financial plans that support their goals in life.
Greg received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Masters in Cost Estimating and Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. He just recently moved back to Washington, D.C. in December 2023 after living in San Diego, California for 4 years. He lives with his wife, Susie, and his son, Luke, as well as their dog, Callie, and two cats, Jackson and Jolene. When he isn't in the office, Greg loves staying active, whether it's playing sports, working out, golfing, hiking, snowboarding, or SCUBA diving. He also has a strong passion for cooking, traveling the world, playing piano, and volunteering with the American Red Cross and Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation.
A career in financial planning was in the making after Jeremy realized he had an aptitude for accounting while working at his high school's bank. Now as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with more than 15 years of experience, Jeremy thoroughly enjoys working with his clients, firmly believing in consistently providing every client he serves with the best experience possible and solid results. Instinctively knowing that human beings tend to put things in silos, Jeremy works with his clients to provide a holistic approach to their financial life, so they have clear understanding of how all the components work together.
Continually seeking ways to better serve his clients, in 2019, Jeremy started an independent financial planning practice in Ellicott City, MD. In 2020, Jeremy partnered with PFG recognizing their shared common goals and client-centric philosophy and continues managing the Ellicott City office. Prior to establishing his own practice, Jeremy also spent 7 years with M&T Securities as one of their top advisors and was a standing member of the President's Advisory Council.
Jeremy received a B.A. in Economics with a focus in Financial Planning from Towson University where he excelled in finance. As a life-long learner, Jeremy has earned various credentials including Series 6, 7, 63, 65, and 24 and numerous State Life and Health Insurance licenses. He is also a Chartered Financial Consultant and a Chartered Advisor for Senior Living with extensive experience supporting divorced or widowed women planning for or already enjoying retirement.
A resident of Westminster, Maryland, Jeremy lives with his wife Kelly, daughter Lilly, and two dogs Cole and Summer. He's active in the community serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for COGS, a Howard County, MD based network of professionals committed to serving older adults. He is also an ALLY member of the Maryland LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and an avid member in the Izaak Walton League of America. When not in the office, he enjoys shooting competitive skeet and is a perennial qualifier for the Maryland State Team. Jeremy also enjoys just about anything to do with the outdoors, especially camping, fishing, exercising, and working with his hands to fix and build projects around the house.
Jeremy wholeheartedly follows his own set of Guiding Principles for every aspect of his life.
As the Founder of Potomac Financial Group, Larry Grabenstein spent nearly four decades helping clients prosper and reach their goals while maintaining a sense of confidence and balance in their daily lives. A tremendous resource and educator, Larry helped individuals, families and business owners plan for sound futures through personal service and objective guidance.
Born in Cumberland, MD, Larry graduated from LaSalle University in Philadelphia where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1968. Larry went on to earn his Master of Arts degree from the University of Maryland before teaching political science at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. After five years of teaching, Larry switched careers and entered the financial services industry in 1973 as a financial advisor. In 1983, Larry joined Raymond James and established the Potomac Financial Group.
Larry spent 34 years affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services and leaves behind a legacy of managing one of the top practices within the Raymond James organization. Just as he once taught students the skills they would need to be successful in college and in life, Larry not only mentored clients on the dynamic and challenging subject of financial planning, but he also mentored many financial advisors who would go on to build successful financial planning practices themselves.
Sadly, in the summer of 2016, Larry was diagnosed with brain cancer which forced him to completely retire from the business and work that he loved so much. He passed away on June 16, 2017, after battling the disease for nearly a year.
Sara Lempa joined Potomac Financial Group in July 2007, attracted by the opportunity to put her multi-tasking, organizational and communication skills to good use providing prompt and courteous support to her fellow team members and their clients. She coordinates client communications, day-to-day operational functions, compliance, and the branch manager's licensing and continuing education requirements. She was previously a manager at Joann Fabric and Crafts in West Roxbury, MA.
Sara is originally from Simsbury, CT. She attended Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven where she met her husband of over 40 years, Kevin. She and Kevin currently live in Laurel, MD, and they are the parents of two grown children, Christopher and Tara. Christopher is an assistant golf pro at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, CA, and Tara recently completed a community relations internship with the San Diego Padres' Triple-A Baseball Team, the Portland Beavers, in Portland, OR. In her spare time, Sara enjoys home decorating, sewing, gardening, reading, cooking and watching college football.
Job Titles:
- Client Services Representative
While obtaining an Associate's degree in General Studies from Montgomery College, Sophia began a 10-year career in the veterinary industry. During that time, she realized that she not only had a deep affinity for helping animals, but people as well. Sophia transitioned career paths from the veterinary industry to the financial industry and is committed to helping clients with their every need through all the stages in their lives.
Sophia's past experience includes working for Steben and Company, an alternative investments group in Gaithersburg, MD, where she started as an analyst with no experience. After several years of learning the financial services industry, she became the manager of the investor services team. In Sophia's role at PFG, she helps ensure client requests and transactions are processed efficiently and supports the advisors in many different capacities.
Sophia is part of a large Italian family, all of whom live within a 10-mile radius. Previously a lifelong resident of Rockville, MD, Sophia recently moved to Olney, MD where she's still close to extended family. She lives with her husband, Rob, children, Domini and Risa, a black lab mix named Chase and a cat named Luna. When she's not working, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and children and, of course, her large extended family.
In November 2005, Todd Wike was seeking a new path to help make a meaningful and positive impact on the lives of others. Todd had already developed strong communication and leadership skills as an NFL player with the Oakland Raiders and Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. At the same time, Larry Grabenstein was searching for a new addition to the Potomac Financial Group - someone who possessed a fresh perspective, but not necessarily industry experience. More importantly, Larry was seeking a committed leader with a similar passion and dedication to nurturing clients, whom he could eventually entrust with the leadership of PFG when he retired. In 2012, Larry began working closely with Todd to begin transitioning the leadership of PFG and in 2016, Larry fully retired. Knowing the importance of a strong, cohesive team, Todd credits the smooth transition of the firm and its continued success to the PFG team dynamic - a talented team of professionals who equally share in their unwavering commitment to helping clients find their financial freedom.
As a financial advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Todd helps review clients' portfolios as he prepares, discusses and implements adjustments, as necessary. His goal is for clients to feel a sense of confidence as they approach and enjoy retirement, and he works to maintain a full view of their progress and evolving circumstances through regular meetings and phone conversations with them. As a steward of his clients' financial well-being, Todd continuously strives to apply his leadership skills and investment knowledge to earn and maintain the trust and confidence of each client of PFG.
Todd is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. Following college and his NFL career, Todd worked as a real estate project supervisor, as well as an assistant football coach with Georgetown University. In the community, he is active in the University of Maryland Terrapin Club, The M Club, and the Maryland Gridiron Network.
Originally from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, Todd lives in Olney, Maryland, with his wife, Chrissy, their two young sons, Charlie and Graham, as well as their two Bouviers, Baxter and Bruno. In addition to supporting Maryland athletics, he enjoys cooking and traveling.