CLEARSTEAD - Key Persons
Al Bartosic is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor who has over 30 years of experience in several industries including medical software, private equity, accounting, advertising, and social media. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Foundry, Fordham University's hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Previously, he was the CEO of Standing Stone, a SaaS software company that specialized in subspecialty clinical decision support that was sold to a Fortune 500 company.
Prior to Standing Stone, he was a partner at Zephyr Management LP, a global private equity firm founded by the former CEO of the Rockefeller Group. While at Zephyr, Mr. Bartosic was the firm's CFO, a member the Zephyr's Investment Committee and a Board Member of many of Zephyr's portfolio companies. Zephyr invested in private companies across a broad range of industries primarily located in emerging markets such as Africa, Mexico, Korea and India.
Mr. Bartosic lives in New York City with his wife Carol.
Charlie Willauer has 20+ years of experience in the investment management and fiduciary advisory services business. He works directly with Clearstead Trust clients providing investment management, planning and trust services.
Prior to joining Clearstead Trust, Charlie held positions with Windward and Windhaven Investment Management where he was a principal and key member of private client and institutional teams managing over $20B in client assets, Rockefeller & Co., as Senior Vice President and Client Advisor, and Wellesley Investment Partners, as Senior Managing Director. Most recently Charlie was a Managing Director and client advisor with RINET & Co., a $2.3 billion advisor in Boston.
Charlie is an avid sailor and enjoys running, biking, and skiing. Charlie grew up in Maine; and after many years in the Boston area, he and his wife, Gale, now live in Mid-coast Maine.
Job Titles:
- Co - Chairman of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- Trustee of University School
Dave Fulton has been in the investment advisory, family office, and trust business for over 30 years. He currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Clearstead, managing all aspects of client services, marketing, finance, and strategy for the firm. He also works directly with several large clients. Mr. Fulton began his career as a portfolio manager with Stein Roe & Farnham, a Chicago based investment counsel and mutual fund firm. In 2003, Mr. Fulton became President of Mellon Wealth Management - Ohio and Vice Chairman, Mellon Private Trust Company, NA. In 2006, Mr. Fulton joined National City Corporation as Chief Executive Officer of Sterling, Ltd., the trust and wealth advisory arm of the bank. In 2009, Mr. Fulton made a personal investment in Hartland & Co. (now Clearstead) and assumed the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Fulton serves as Trustee of University School, an independent boys' school in Cleveland, Ohio, and was Chairman of the Board from 2010 to 2013. He also serves as Trustee of Lake View Cemetery Association, Shaker Lakes Endowment Foundation, Business Volunteers Unlimited, and United Way of Cleveland. Previously Mr. Fulton was Chairman of the Board of Young Audiences of Greater Cleveland, Senior Warden of St. Paul's Church of Cleveland Heights, and Trustee of Bluecoats, a police support organization.
Mr. Fulton lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife Claudia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- Co - Leader of the Private Client Group
- PFS, CFP® Vice Chairman, Head of Wealth Strategy
Greg has been a co-leader of the Private Client Group at Clearstead since the group was formed in 2010. Greg's areas of expertise include: Wealth Management counseling, estate and income tax planning, and constructing tailored asset allocation policy and strategies for affluent individuals and their families. Greg also is a member of the Management Committee.
After graduating from The College of William & Mary with a BBA in Accounting degree, Greg pursued his interest in personal finance with a career spanning more than thirty-five years with Price Waterhouse, Fairport Asset Management, and Clearstead. At Price Waterhouse, he was the director of their Personal Financial Services practice and was a member of their national team that was the first of the "Big 8" to register with the SEC as an investment advisor. At Fairport, Greg was part of the executive group that successfully integrated several firms into today's Fairport. Greg served as their Chief Investment Officer. Greg is a CPA, a licensed Certified Financial Planner and has presented to numerous organizations, including the Cleveland Financial Executives Institute, Ohio Society of CPAs, NEO Financial Planning Association, and various financial education seminars for multiple Fortune 500 companies.
Greg was an integral part of the Center for Families and Children, serving as a Board Member from 2003 thru 2015 and Treasurer for most of that period. He was the Center's Family First Award winner in 2009. He also sits on the planned giving committee of University School (an all-boys day school in Cleveland) and recently served on the Board of SPEA as Treasurer. He currently serves on the Board of Urban Squash Cleveland, the Board of Friends of Breakthrough Schools, and recently was invited to become a member of the Alpha Group, a group of thought leaders from the wealth management industry from across the country.
Job Titles:
- Client Service Specialist
JoEllen has over 35 years of experience in the investment and wealth management business. At Clearstead Trust, JoEllen's direct responsibilities are in frontline client service and coordinating family office services.
She began her career as a securities trader in Boston, and then found her passion working directly with clients. JoEllen returned to Maine in 2001 joining Acadia Trust and then Atlantic Trust in 2013, which was later folded into Clearstead Trust.
JoEllen enjoys building relationships with her clients and their families, sharing in their successes both in their personal and financial lives. She is a native of Maine, growing up in Old Orchard Beach. She earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Maine.
JoEllen enjoys travel and photography and is a die-hard New England Patriots fan.
John P.M. Higgins - Chairman, Chief Investment Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Investment Officer
- Co - Chairman
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- John P.M
John P.M. Higgins has broad domestic and international experience as an asset manager of private and public securities, real estate, and oil and gas investments, as well as expertise advising not-for-profit and family organizations. Mr. Higgins is Co-Chairman and Chief Investment Officer at Clearstead Trust where he works closely with Clearstead Trust's investment committee and clients.
Mr. Higgins was formerly an officer of Citicorp (Santo Domingo), the Lambert Brussels Capital Corporation (New York), and the Banque de Gestion Privée (Paris). For three decades, John served as the President and Chief Investment Officer of Ram Trust Services, a small boutique investment management firm in Portland, Maine which specialized in private investments, the management of generational wealth, and not-for-profit financial affairs. Most recently John was Chairman & CEO of Atlantic Trust, which was folded into Clearstead Trust.
Mr. Higgins is deeply involved in the field of corporate governance and formerly was the chairman of the board of GMI Ratings, an international organization focused on environmental, social, governance and accounting risk in publicly traded companies. John graduated from Harvard and currently sits on a number of non-profit and family boards.
Julie has over 25 years of experience in all aspects of trust operations, client service and compliance. Julie oversees the Client Service and Operations Teams to ensure proper and timely execution of trust company policies and client requests. She is Secretary of the Trust Administration Committee and a member of the IT and Compliance Committees.
Julie earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of New England. Prior to Clearstead Trust, Julie held senior positions at Acadia Trust and Atlantic Trust, which was folded into Clearstead Trust in 2021.
Julie is a native of Maine, growing up in Caribou. Julie volunteers with the Girl Scouts of Maine leading a troop and serving as the service unit treasurer for Westbrook, Gorham, and Scarborough. She is a Notary Public and lives in Westbrook with her husband and their two daughters. Julie enjoys international travel.
Ken joined Clearstead Trust in 2024 and brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the wealth management industry. As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Clearstead Trust, a state-chartered trust company, Ken is entrusted with overseeing the day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives essential to the organization's success. His role involves implementing efficient and effective processes to ensure compliance with state regulations and industry standards. Ken collaborates closely with executive leadership to develop and execute business strategies, aiming to enhance the company's financial performance and client satisfaction. Additionally, he plays a crucial role in risk management, fostering a culture of compliance and operational excellence. From optimizing workflow to cultivating a high-performing team, Ken's responsibilities as COO extend to creating a robust foundation for the trust company's sustained growth and success in the dynamic financial landscape.
Prior to joining Clearstead Trust, Ken had served as Head of PCG Sales and Strategy at Clearstead Advisors, LLC in Cleveland, OH. Additionally, Ken previously had a distinguished career with Hawthorn/PNC Private Bank in Cleveland, OH and Wells Fargo Wealth Management (formerly Wachovia Private Bank) in Greenwich, CT. He holds a degree in Mathematics & Statistics from the University of Connecticut and an M.B.A in Finance from the University of New Haven. Ken holds several designations including the CFP®, CIMA®, AEP®, CEPA and CTFA.
Job Titles:
- Client Service Specialist
Lisa has over 30 years of experience in the investment and wealth management business. As the Client Service Specialist, Lisa acts as a liaison between the Portfolio Managers and their clients. Responsibilities include reaching out to clients to address any needs and concerns to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.
Prior to joining Clearstead Trust, Lisa was a Senior Portfolio Administrator at both Acadia Trust and HeadInvest, both Portland wealth management firms.
Lisa is a native of Maine and currently resides in Portland with her two sons and two dogs. She enjoys reading, swimming, and gardening and is an avid animal lover.
Job Titles:
- Senior Managing Director
- Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner
- CFP® Senior Managing Director
Megan Fitton has over 10 years of experience in wealth management and tax planning. As a Senior Managing Director, Megan works directly with clients to manage their investment portfolios, establish investment goals, set portfolio policy, derive asset allocation, and review manager selection. She works closely with the Clearstead Trust team to assure clients receive superior client service.
Prior to Clearstead Trust, she helped grow the Plimsoll Mark Capital business providing portfolio management and planning services for clients. Before joining Plimsoll Mark Capital, Megan served as a senior tax specialist for Berry Dunn, a regional certified public accounting firm based in Portland, Maine, and as a senior accountant for Runyon Kersteen Ouellette, a certified public accounting firm based in Portland.
Megan is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Maine and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. She holds a certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University.
Megan is an avid marathon runner and lives in Portland with her husband, Jason, and their son.
Sabrina has considerable professional services experience. She began her career as a consultant in the early ‘90s at a systems integration firm in Boston, where she focused on business process redesign and project management for clients in a broad range of industries. Most recently, she was an underwriter in the Portland office of a New York-based insurance firm.
Sabrina uses her organizational skills and business acumen to ensure seamless operations and client service. A native Mainer, she grew up in Portland's Munjoy Hill neighborhood, and attended Boston College. She lives in Scarborough and enjoys golf and traveling.
Steve has worked in the wealth advisory industry since 1998 and was appointed Clearstead's Chief Compliance Officer in 2011. Steve is responsible for ensuring Clearstead and its employees comply with the various laws and regulatory requirements that govern our profession and internal policies we have adopted. Steve is the chair of the Account Review Committee and Co-Chair of the Cyber Security Committee.
Prior to joining Clearstead in 2004, Steve worked for KeyCorp and Victory Capital, with a primary focus on the investment management process and analytics. Steve holds a MBA with concentrations in Finance and Economics from John Carroll University. He also received his BSBA in Finance from John Carroll University. He also holds the Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional® designation.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor
- Outside Director
Tom Clarke is currently an adjunct professor and mentor to students at Columbia University involved in the Executive Masters Program focusing on technology.
Most recently, Mr. Clarke was the CEO of the Weiss Group. The Weiss Group was a holding company that had businesses in money management, financial publishing and financial ratings. Before joining Weiss, Mr. Clarke was the CEO of TheStreet.com (NASDAQ) from 1999 to 2009 where he provided the strategic direction that caused TheStreet.com to become a leading financial media company and catapulted Jim Cramer to celebrity investor status. For most of his tenure at TheStreet.com, Mr. Clarke also served as Chairman of the Board. Prior to TheStreet.com, he held the position of President of Thomson Financial Investor Relations where he oversaw a business that had had clients in over 40 countries and maintained offices in most major global financial centers.
Clarke also is a business information advisor for Plum Holdings L.P., a venture capital fund based in Philadelphia that focuses on early-stage media companies. He also serves on the University of Albany ‘s executive advisory board of the Center for Comparative Functional Genomics. And he just concluded his directorship with Reis Inc. when Reis was sold to Moody's Corporation.
Tom lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with his wife Carol.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Senior Managing Director
Trent Meyerhoefer is Senior Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Clearstead and serves on the Management Committee. He partners with senior leadership on strategic direction and growth initiatives. He drives the financial performance and capital structure of the firm and leads the acquisition, operations, and information technology functions.
Prior to joining Clearstead, Trent served as Chief Financial Officer of BBQ Holding, LLC, doing business as BBQGuys, a leading online grilling and outdoor living retailer, and as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ranpak Holdings Corp., a leading provider of sustainable product protection & packaging solutions. Trent spent nearly 25 years at Eaton Corporation plc in a variety of strategy, finance, and business development roles, serving as Senior Vice President & Treasurer his last 7 years at Eaton.
Trent also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Finance & Audit Committee of the Shaker Heights schools. Trent graduated from Albion College and holds an M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, where he was a Tuck Scholar.
Job Titles:
- Research Analyst
- Equity Research Analyst
Tyler Campbell joined Clearstead Trust in February of 2022. As an Equity Research Analyst, Tyler maintains coverage of existing portfolio holdings, sources additional investment candidates and oversees trading for Clearstead Trust. Tyer works closely with the Clearstead Investment and Research Groups following trends and changes in the global capital markets. Tyler also acts as the secretary of the Clearstead Trust Investment Committee.
Prior to Clearstead Trust, he served as an Engagement Specialist for Eze Software, a global financial software company specializing in Hedge Fund trading platforms headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tyler earned a B.S. in Finance & Accounting from the University of Maine Orono where he participated in the Student Portfolio Investment Fund - acting as the VP of Fixed Income. In his senior year, the club competed against 157 universities in the Quinnipiac GAME Forum where they won best value portfolio.
Tyler is an avid golfer and lives in the Portland metro area.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the BOARD of DIRECTORS
- President
Bill Hall has more than 30 years of experience in the investment advisory, financial planning, and fiduciary services business. He serves as President & CEO of Clearstead Trust. Mr. Hall oversees all aspects of the trust company's business and works directly with clients.
Previously, he was President & CEO of Plimsoll Mark Capital, a wealth advisory firm that was folded into Clearstead Trust. While at Plimsoll Mark, he authored The Safe Money Report, the flagship national investment newsletter of the Weiss Publishing Group. Before founding Plimsoll Mark Capital in 2009, he served as Chief Executive and President of WP Stewart & Co., a publicly traded company with operations in New York City, Bermuda, London, and Hong Kong. Prior to joining WP Stewart, Mr. Hall was Managing Director of HM Payson & Co., a private trust company in Portland, Maine. He is also a founder and the managing principal of Hazzard & Hall, CPAs, PA.
Mr. Hall has been a member of numerous not-for-profits boards including Southern Maine Community College Foundation, Maine Education Services, and Winter Kids where he held the position of Chairman. Bill is an avid sports fan with a keen interest in sports analytics. As such, he is a strategic advisor to Game Point Capital, a firm that, along with Lloyd's of London and its own captive underwriting capacity, provides risk optimization and specialty finance products to the sports industry. He is also a certified NBA player agent.
Mr. Hall lives in Cape Elizabeth, Maine with his wife Jenny.