DMK ADVISOR GROUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Manager, Fixed Insurance Sales
Job Titles:
- Chief Marketing Officer / Director, Public Relations
Job Titles:
- CEO
- CIO
- Investment Advisor Representative / Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer / Principal
- Investment Advisor Representative / Chief Investment Officer, Chief Executive Officer / DMK Advisor Group, LLC
- Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer for DMG Advisor Group
- Professional Highlights
Harold Schwartz, managing partner and chief investment officer for DMG Advisor Group, brings more than 40 years of experience to his current roles.
In 1975 Mr. Schwartz began his career as a life insurance agent with New York Life, and was recognized as Rookie of the Year. In 1978 the New Jersey Association of Life Insurance Agents honored him with its "Man of the Year" award for both his professional and public service accomplishments. He joined E F Hutton in 1982 to broaden the product selections he could offer his clients. His strengths in life insurance came to the attention of management, and in 1988 when Shearson Lehman Brothers bought Hutton, he was made First Vice President and National Product Director. He served in that capacity for over four years, developing many marketing programs that remain industry standards today. In 1993 Mr. Schwartz launched his own firm, the Del Mar Group, Inc.
From 1995 through 2006 he crisscrossed the country doing as many as four public seminars a week on financial topics for both clients and other sales representatives. During that time he was recognized for his achievements with membership on the Fidelity Advisor Council in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, and 2011; and for ten consecutive years membership in the Million Dollar Round Table's TOP of The Table, a designation achieved by only .5 percent of all financial services professionals. In 2003 he expanded his services to include complete money management, including fee-based planning. Today Hal manages over $100 million in assets for clients across the country.
Hal's success with his own clients at the Del Mar Group prompted the creation of DMG Advisor Group, a nationwide financial services organization of affiliated financial professionals who together serve 11 states and Puerto Rico. Hal's role today is much like it has been throughout his distinguished career: working with clients to offer them products and planning solutions to help them meet their financial goals. Despite the demands of serving as managing partner and CIO of DMG Financial, Hal prides himself on the fact that he is always available to his clients to answer any of their questions. Hal, a father and grandfather, is also a published author. He and his wife Karen enjoy traveling internationally and sailing.
Job Titles:
- Fellow of the Life Underwriting Training Council
- Professional Highlights
Janak earned his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in India. Despite his technical training, however, he quickly realized that he enjoyed providing customized financial services to individuals and families.
For several years, Janak worked as an insurance agent for national life insurance companies. As an agent, he earned several awards for production and for retaining clients.
Later, his leadership skills earned him promotion to agency manager, a role in which he excelled and again earned several industry awards. Among the honors he achieved was Agency Manager of the Year.
Janak is a fellow of the Life Underwriting Training Council, and is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He is active in his community and his heavily involved in charitable activities, such as Habitat for Humanity. He is also active in his church.
Job Titles:
- Investment Advisor Representative / Vice President, Operations
- Professional Highlights
The son of a former Cuban political prisoner who was released to the United States with his wife and young child in 1967, Jorge Perez has experienced the full promise of the American dream. As founder of Soper, Perez & Associates*, Jorge Perez has served as president of his independent insurance firm since 1990, garnering extensive expertise in all facets of the insurance industry in the process. His three decades in the insurance industry guide Jorge in providing clients with the sound professional judgment needed to help them meet their goals. Over the years, he has ensured that his firm focuses on honesty, integrity and concern for his clients' insurance needs.
A graduate of Wayne State University School of Business Administration, Jorge has extensive training in the insurance and financial services fields. He has earned the Licensed Underwriter Training Course (LUTC) designation, and participates in continuing education through memberships in the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA), and the Trusted Choice agents' group. His hard work has earned him membership in the Million Dollar Round Table's TOP of The Table, a designation achieved by only .5 percent of all financial services professionals.
Jorge is an active member of his community in Winter Springs, Florida, where he lives with Karen, his wife of 32 years. Jorge has been active in youth sports with his children as well as youth activities in his church. His charity work includes the March of Dimes and a personal interest in the Alzheimer's Foundation as a result of his late father's illness.
Job Titles:
- Investment Advisor
- Representative
- Professional Highlights
Juan Carlos Meléndez has had a varied and successful career in business and financial services in both Florida and Puerto Rico.
After obtaining his bachelor's of business administration and marketing from the Universidad de Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, he worked for the US Small Business Administration in Buffalo, New York, as a loan specialist working on commercial loan processing.
That experience gave him a springboard to a career with more diverse challenges at PFS Investment, where he would ultimately become president of the organization. While at PFS, he not only served as compliance officer and manager of 46 financial professionals, but he also developed a personal financial workshop for consumers.
After PFS, Mr. Meléndez moved on to Ikon Financial, Inc., for which he served as director and compliance manager. He oversaw product sales in insurance, investments, and retirement planning.
Since 2006, Mr. Meléndez has been president and principal consultant for PBF Solutions in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In this role, he develops and implements financial strategies for individuals and small businesses. He is also responsible for training and supporting other financial professionals in retirement planning and insurance product selection. He also presents financial planning workshops and provides consulting to support employees at different management levels in the organization.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Secretary
- Treasurer
Job Titles:
- Investment Advisor
- Representative
- Professional Highlights
Hard work is second nature to native Tennessean, Kelvin Douglas. While studying computer science at Fayetteville Tech in North Carolina, he was also serving in the army and stationed at Fort Bragg. After serving his three-year stint, Kelvin returned home and joined the 861st Reserve Unit. He was deployed with his unit to Saudi Arabia for Desert Storm in 1991, then was deployed to Turkey as a participant in Operation Provide Comfort. Through this military effort, he helped provide food and supplies to Kurdish refugees targeted by Saddam Hussein.
After separating from the military, he worked in the convenience store industry, servicing 25 to 30 stores per week and keeping a long schedule that would exhaust most people. Eventually, however, he decided to pursue a career in the life and health insurance industry. His trademark willingness to work hard quickly brought him accolades from his insurance company, and he repeatedly won sales associate awards and qualification for annual sales conferences.
In 2002, he began working with a local agency, and helped it grow to $2.5 million in annualized premium from all lines of business. After taking over the agency, he increased sales by over 40 percent from the year prior. In time, however, he came to realize that he would be best able to serve his clients as an independent financial advisor and in 2011 opened his independent agency, Douglas & Associates. In 2016, he joined forces with Justin Lanier to form the Douglas & Lanier Agency, Inc., a full-service financial services firm.
Kelvin is licensed to sell property and casualty, life, and health products. He has also obtained his securities license in order to provide his clients with products and planning strategies to help them meet their financial goals. Active in his community, he is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of McMinnville, the Middle Tennessee Nursery Association, and the Tennessee Landscaping Association. Father of two adult daughters, he enjoys kayaking and riding motorcycles.
Job Titles:
- Investment Advisor
- Representative
- Professional Highlights
A lifelong Tennessean, Mike Weist's first major career path developed into an executive role in sales and marketing for a local printing company. But after several years of exceptional financial and professional success, Mike realized he wanted a career that allowed him to help change his clients' lives for the better in substantial and long-term ways.
A chance meeting over dinner with a successful financial professional in the Nashville area introduced Mike to a career path that allows him to work closely with families to help them meet their goals for financial security. "There's a reason you can find me working late so many weeknights," he explains. "I take great pleasure in working with clients to address their goals, not just today, but for 20, 30 years down the road."
Mike's commitment to his clients has earned him top honors from the financial services company he has represented. In his very first year in the business, he was named Rookie of the Year by American National Insurance Company (ANICO). ANICO also recognized him as its top annuity producer, and he was awarded the coveted "Chieftan" honor.
Today as an independent financial professional, he owns and operates Mt. Juliet Insurance and Wealth Management, and he is able to offer clients the full spectrum of products and planning strategies to help them meet their financial goals.
Mike and his wife of nearly 20 years, Amanda, have four sons. He serves on the board of Mt. Juliet Youth Football, and coaches for the Mt. Juliet Little League.
Job Titles:
- Investment Advisor
- Representative
- Professional Highlights
Rubén is a talented entrepreneur, financial advisor and consultant, who has more than 40 years of successful experience business, investments, insurance and banking. His professional experience includes the role of managing director and sales manager for a commercial bank, a brokerage house, and an insurance company. He has also served as president and general manager for several privately held businesses. Rubén obtained bachelor's of business administration with a major in management and accounting. His long professional resumé includes:
• Senior Vice President and Sales Manager for Oriental Group, Oriental Financial Services and Oriental Insurance, respectively the bank, brokerage house and insurance company for Oriental Financial Group, now Oriental Bank, also known as OFG Bancorp. (NYSE-OFG). In that capacity, he was in charge of the distribution channels for investments and insurance among the 25 bank branches, the integration of all bank divisions, and the recruitment, training, and development of over 150 investment brokers and insurance agents. He also served as company spokesperson, representing Oriental in the media.
Job Titles:
- Firm Principal
- Professional Highlights
Sunil brings a wealth of experience as an entrepreneur and technology expert to his role as financial advisor. He earned his undergraduate degree in textile technology from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in India, and later augmented his technical expertise with a Masters of Business Administration from the University of North Florida.
In his new role, Sunil worked as a financial advisor in a large firm. In time, though, he found that he wanted greater independence. So, along with Janak Desai, he formed Indus International. Today he has the flexibility to provide clients with a wide range of financial solutions. .
In 2009, however, Sunil decided he wanted a career that offered more interaction and problem-solving opportunities with clients. He found the ideal outlet for his keen attention to detail, sophisticated skills in data management, and his analytical talents in the financial services industry.
Sunil has obtained his Series 6, Series 63, and Series 66 licenses. He is also an Investment Advisor Representative, a Chartered Financial Consultant® and a Chartered Life Underwriter®.
He is active in his community and is involved in the Rotary Club of Orange Park Sunset, serving as its president for 2018-2019. He currently serves on the District SHARE Committee for Rotary District 6970.