CROWN WEALTH GROUP - Key Persons
As the Client Relations Manager for Crown Wealth Group, my role is to support the execution of each client's wealth plan; ensuring all of the i's are dotted and t's are crossed. By taking the operational duties off of our advisor's, I ensure they can focus their time helping clients achieve their life goals.
I bring 30 years of service in public education to Crown Wealth Group. My varied experiences in database management and technology training have prepared me to maximize the efficiency of the advice delivery process utilizing Crown's extensive technology stack. Learning the financial services world has been deeply rewarding and as a lifelong learner I look forward to each new day.
I earned my associate degree in Business Administration with a certificate in Computers from Forsyth Technical Community College. My free time is spent developing our new multigeneration farm with my husband, daughters, mother and in-laws. We are preparing the soil for our first large garden and are enjoying our newest hobby, bee keeping.
As the Operations Manager for Crown Wealth Group HQ, I am focused on increasing our operational efficiency and organizational processes, allowing us to further enhance the firm's internal capacity.
I earned my Bachelor's degree in both Marketing and Integrated Strategic Communications from the University of Kentucky - go Cats! As a component of my undergraduate capstone, the summer following graduation I had the privilege to study Wine Marketing in Cape Town, South Africa at the University of Cape Town. Here is where I found my love for traveling, and I have been eager to do so ever since.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director and Investment Committee Chairman
As Executive Director and Investment Committee Chairman I have several responsibilities but one ultimate goal: to help clients sleep well through varied investment environments as I have done for over four decades. I founded Client First Advisors, LLC in 2011 and subsequently merged with Crown Wealth Group in 2019. As the Chairman of the Investment Committee I engage in economic and market research and collaborate with the CIO on investment decisions for all Crown Wealth Group clients.
My career has spanned over 40 years. I have been fortunate to have traveled the globe while working for some of the world's leading investment banks including The First Boston Corporation, Morgan Stanley International, and Goldman Sachs. I have acted as a consultant to a number of major investment institutions in Europe and the Middle East. During my career I have acted as broker, general partner and investment advisor.
I earned an MBA from New York University and received a BA in Economics and English Literature from St. Peter's University in Jersey City, NJ. I also studied at Hautes Etudes Commerciales in France and The London Business School.
In 2009 my wife Mary Jo and I moved south to Chapel Hill. We enjoy wine, traveling and the many delights that North Carolina has to offer. We have six children and four grandchildren living in four different states.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Co - Founder
I co-founded Crown Wealth Group with the mission to help as many families as possible experience financial peace, creating balance between their life and wealth. Empowering them to make good decisions, preventing them from making bad decisions and removing financial stress from their lives. I can achieve this not only by working directly with clients, but by teaching other, like-minded advisors how to do what I do as a Personal CFO.
Prior to co-founding Crown Wealth Group, I spent two years at a Charlotte-based wealth management firm building out their Personal CFO division as the Director of Personal CFO Services. I spent the previous 8 years building and executing this model as the Managing Director of a private wealth management firm with offices in Raleigh, Richmond and Charlotte.
I earned my Bachelor's degree in Finance, with a minor in accounting, from North Carolina State University. In my free time, I'm either golfing or spending time with my wife, Jessie, our son Bennett, and our dogs, Stella and Tim. We love traveling and spending weekends at our home in Pinehurst.
Job Titles:
- Research Director & Investment Committee Executive
As Research Director & Investment Committee Executive, I work alongside the CIO to research and recommend investment strategies that are aligned with the firm's goals-based investment philosophy. These strategies are based on current economic and market themes across all sectors and asset classes, with a tilt towards large cap growth.
My career spans over 40 years, with industry experience in high end money management at some of Wall Street's largest asset managers, including Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Oppenheimer, and UBS. I was the co-founder of Professional Alliance Group, a $2billion investment partnership with nationwide CPAs, now owned by Morgan Stanley. Most importantly, in 2022, I merged my wealth management business with Crown Wealth Group.
Prior to all of this, I graduated with a BA/BS in The Philosophy of Science from the New College of Hofstra University. I pursued my MBA studies at New York University and received the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) certification from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.
In my free time I enjoy creating and collecting art, traveling with my wonderful partner Leslie, designing and rehabilitating unique income producing real estate and am a veracious reader.
Sean Casullo, CFP® Senior Wealth Planner As a Senior Wealth Planner at Crown Wealth Group, I am responsible for delivering the family-office style Personal CFO solution to successful individuals and families that work with Crown. As their single point of contact, I am responsible for the coordination of all aspects of a client's financial life and accountable for them achieving their life goals. Prior to joining Crown Wealth Group, I spent 11 years at Sanderson Wealth Management as a Financial Advisor to individuals and families, as well as Chief Compliance Officer for the firm. Since 2015, I have been a volunteer with the Make A Wish Foundation as a wish granter, helping to create magical memories for children who have been diagnosed with a critical illness. I earned my bachelor's degree in Business and my MBA in Finance from the State University of New York at Buffalo. When not at work or volunteering, I love to be outside on the golf course or at concerts, and most importantly, and most importantly, spending time with all my girls: wife Melissa, daughters Morgan and Peyton, and dog Aspen.
Steve Lindgren, CIMA® Chief Investment Officer & Partner As Chief Investment Officer, I am responsible for ensuring our firm's goals-based investment philosophy is properly implemented to ensure our clients achieve the objectives identified in the financial planning and advice delivery process. This includes maintaining an effective and efficient investment process along with the proper allocation and management of investment portfolios. Prior to joining Crown Wealth Group, I was a Regional Vice President and Investment Executive at Questar Capital for five years where my responsibilities included recruiting advisor talent and growing the businesses of over 125 registered representatives. My career started in New York City analyzing banks for the U.S. Department of the Treasury where I interpreted and enforced banking laws set forth by Congress. In June 2008, I joined a Wall St. trading floor that traded $1 billion worth of equities daily and the financial crisis began shortly thereafter. Much of my knowledge, passion and respect for the financial markets and global economies were shaped during those historic years. I later spent two years at an investment bank authoring buy/hold/sell investment recommendations with a focus on semiconductor stocks. I earned my bachelor's degree in Finance from St. Cloud State University, and also studied at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. I hold the Certified Investment Management Analyst® certification, administered by Investments & Wealth Institute® and taught in conjunction with Yale School of Management. My wife Melissa and I have moved across the country twice since being married and are happy to have found our forever home in Charlotte. North Carolina has proven to be a great place to raise our three boys Camden, Mac and Austin as we enjoy ski vacations in the winter and beach trips during the summer. During my free time you may find me at local breweries, on a golf course or cheering for UNC basketball. Proudly, I serve as the President of the Charlotte Economics Club. The Charlotte Economics Club's mission is to provide leadership in the use and understanding of economic information and industry trends that affect our region's economic growth.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer & Co - Founder / REALTOR®
I co-founded Crown Wealth Group with the goal of bringing more financial clarity and confidence to those we work with. I am able to do this by continually improving the way advice solutions are built, delivered, and executed by our team.
Zac O'Brien, CFP®, CDFA® Managing Director - North As Managing Director of Crown Wealth Group's North region, I'm responsible for delivering the family-office style Personal CFO solution to successful individuals, families and businesses. I am responsible for the coordination of all aspects of a client's financial life and accountable for them achieving both their business and personal life goals. This entails delivering comprehensive advice on both the personal and business sides of the coin, while seamlessly integrating them into their overall life plan. Prior to merging with Crown Wealth Group, I spent 10 years at Thrivent Financial as a Financial Consultant managing relationships with clients spanning 7 states on the east coast. I am a founding member, winner and president of the Winston Salem Under 40 Board, Founding Member of the Ducks Unlimited Davie County Chapter, and Founding Member of the LLK advisory board. I earned my bachelor's degree in Finance and Accounting, from Lenoir-Rhyne University where I was a four-year letterman on the football team. In 2013, I earned my Certified Financial Planner designation, and in 2022, my Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designation, further enhancing my advice delivery to clients. In 2020, I was awarded the Rising Star Young Alumnus Award from Lenoir-Rhyne University. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my sons Wyatt and Luke with our dogs, Nyla and Ava-Mae. I also enjoy hunting, traveling, and following sport teams such as the LR Bears and the Chicago Bears and Cubs.