Ben Jones
Ben grew up in the rural outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio in a family of five. As with many families, money was tight, but family was tighter. He eventually found his way to Malibu, CA where he attended Pepperdine University on scholarship. After acquiring his B.S. in Business Administration from Pepperdine University, Ben started his career as a financial advisor in 2006 with American Express. His career then took him through the ranks of two banking institutions until he found a home as an independent advisor with LPL Financial. It was here he co-developed the vision of National Wealth Management Group with Gary Mathews and Vivienne Schleu where he now serves as Chief Executive Officer.
Ben attributes his success to the good fortune of being surrounded by wonderful people, without whom NWMG could not exist. While he is proud of the work he is a part of, his crowning achievement is his amazing family which includes his wife Katherine, three sons and one daughter. Together, they are his biggest fans and raison d'être.
The SmartVestor program is a directory of investment professionals. Neither Dave Ramsey nor SmartVestor are affiliates of National Wealth Management Group or LPL Financial.
Vivienne Schleu CPA®
As Co-Founder and CFO of National Wealth Management Group, LLC, Vivienne transforms our firm’s values and convictions into an actionable reality for her clients. Through her twenty five years of experience running her own tax practice and subsequent advisory practice, Vivienne has learned first-hand what people need in order in a financial advisor.
Vivienne earned her CPA designation in 1991 and began offering investment advice to her clients in 1995, around the same time she began working alongside Co-founder Gary Mathews. In 2008, Vivienne and Gary transferred their investment practice to LPL Financial and combined their businesses to create Alpina Financial Consultants, LLC. The success of their practice along with ambitions to add more value to their clients ultimately gave birth to the idea of LPL Financial’s hybrid RIA, National Wealth Management Group.
Vivienne brings more than professional experience and high-mark credentials to the table. Her unique personal accomplishments and rich family legacy are the things of all-American novels. From her storied immigrant parents who found their American dream in the Florida Keys to her sailing adventure around the globe in a boat no larger than a New York apartment, Vivienne has had the fortune of garnering experiences others only read about. Her natural drive for excellence and these unique experiences combine to form a powerful asset to our team of advisors and our clients.
As both a member of the Executive team and a producing advisor, Vivienne ranks among LPL Financial’s best and brightest qualifying for the LPL Financials Director's Club*. She is also an active member of the LPL Political Action Committee and is committed to influencing positive change through political action. In her free time, Vivienne enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, experiencing arts and culture, and gardening. Vivienne speaks fluent German and often travels to Europe to broaden the understanding of her heritage.
*Based on annual production
Angela Howard
Angela became the second in a family line of financial service professionals having joined Model Wealth Group, the company founded by her father Marshall, in 1995. With over two decades in the financial services industry and a wealth of family experience to draw from, Angela is a highly effective provider of asset management for retirees and life planning for income earners. She is passionate about educating herself, keeping up to date on industry trends and applying this information to her clients in useful ways through common sense advice. To this end, The Institute of Business & Finance (IBF) awarded her with a Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) graduate degree. The degree is conferred upon candidates who complete a multi-year educational program focusing on annuities, employee benefits, estate and financial planning, income taxes, insurance, investments, mutual funds, portfolio management, real estate and retirement.
Angela currently operates her practice from her office location in Gahanna, Ohio, where she also lives and raises her family.
Claire D. Hart
Claire joined NWMG in November 2018 as a Senior Financial Advisor. Her specialties for more than 22 years in the corporate and individual markets include business, retirement and estate planning strategies for her clients throughout the United States. She dedicates herself to providing professional financial advice in return for a successful business relationship and it is her responsibility to get to know you and find investments designed to help you meet your financial objectives.
She began her career at Dean Witter in 1996. During this time, she spent 2 years at Dean Witter and 2 years at Prudential Securities before branching out on her own in 2001. She holds her Series 7, 24, and 63 registrations with LPL Financial and the Series 65 registration with National Wealth Management Group, LLC, and is a licensed health and variable annuity agent. Claire obtained her Bachelors of Science Degree in Information Systems with a minor in Business at Pace University in Pleasantville, New York.
On a personal note, Claire has 2 amazing girls and enjoys watching them grow into beautiful young ladies. She enjoys family time, playing scrabble, the beach, traveling, baking and exercising. She has lived in Northwest Broward County for 20 years.
Noah Henson
Noah is working to help educate and assist individuals and groups in creating plans for pursuing their goals for the future, while connecting and forming relationships throughout his process.
Earning his degree in finance from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University, he began as a financial planner with the Skylight Financial group in 2017. Being service oriented and a people person, Noah has a desire to make clients lives easier by first learning about their lives, understanding their outlook & long-term plans, and being prepared to adjust for any changes along the way.
Noah spends his free time enjoying the outdoors, playing in different sports leagues with his wife Leslie, as well as serving as the JV Head Baseball Coach at the Villa Madonna Academy in Kentucky.
Noah and his wife life in the Cincinnati suburb of Hyde Park, Ohio.
The SmartVestor program is a directory of investment professionals. Neither Dave Ramsey nor SmartVestor are affiliates of National Wealth Management Group or LPL Financial.
Donald Bateman
Beginning his career with Morgan Stanley in Syracuse, NY in 2001, Don moved to Florida in 2005 to pursue an opportunity with Smith Barney as a Financial Planning Specialist for retirees. As his business grew, so did his demand for flexibility and objectively minded business solutions. He made the decision to transition to LPL Financial in 2013 where he continues to successfully operate his brokerage practice. Don whole-heartedly embraces what it means to be an independent advisor which is why he was one of the first advisors to join National Wealth Management Group. His outgoing demeanor and ability to communicate clearly and without prejudice make him an effective financial educator and coach.
Don runs his practice from the National Wealth Management Group Boca Raton, Florida office location. He lives nearby in Deerfield Beach and can often be found in the community playing guitar or drums for local bands in live concert. He is as passionate about music as he is about championing sound financial planning and wealth building.
Lisa Gerardi Gerardi Wealth Management
Lisa began her career in the financial services industry with Merrill Lynch in 1993 where she garnered experience in a myriad of roles from financial advisor to administrative coach. She is passionate about people and is a keen problem solver with an eye for detail. This has propelled her on a successful career path which has today cumulated into her status as Managing Partner with National Wealth Management Group and owner of her independent wealth management practice, Gerardi Wealth Management. Lisa’s commitment to providing exceptional customer service helps to set her apart amongst the competition. Her hallmark of continuous unparalleled service has drawn a loyal clientele following, many of which have worked with Lisa since her career began, and represents the embodiment of her passion for others.
Lisa came to Cincinnati, in pursuit of her career, from Delaware where she grew up. The lure of family, old friends and a hobby as a wine maker draw her back to the rural part of the state for several weeks every year. Her rugged, yet refined upbringing instilled a permanent influence promoting the ideals of hard work, attention to the finer details, and the pursuit of American idealism. She currently resides in northern Cincinnati, where she spends her down time spending time with her local family and friends, and raising a Rottweiler named Dozer.
Katherine Petrelli
Hailing from California’s LA area, Katherine moved to Southern Florida in 1992 where she planted her household and raised two sons and a daughter. Being the only girl from a family of six children raised by dedicated parents, Katherine understands the importance of sensible financial planning and her ambition mirrors this passion. While raising her own three children, she earned both a Bachelor’s degree and her Master’s Degree in Organizational Management and launched a career in financial services in 2001. Katherine acquired her securities licenses while at WMA Securities, which later became World Group Securities. She provided dedicated investment planning and administrative support as a critical component of her firm’s top producing female advisor team until 2015 when she branched out to run her own branch in Palm Coast, Florida. Katherine specializes in retirement and income planning, investment management and investor behavioral coaching. She is a dedicated educator, drawing from her family’s military background to motivate clients and friends alike to maintain prudent financial discipline to work toward the desired results.
*The SmartVestor program is a directory of investment professionals. Neither Dave Ramsey nor SmartVestor are affiliates of National Wealth Management Group or LPL Financial.
Janet Booth Gerardi Wealth Management
With a Master’s Degree in Business, more than 30 years’ experience in business, and achievement of the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) standard of excellence, Janet Booth is good at thinking through complex systems and presenting answers in a clear, common-sense way. She works with clients from all walks of life, helping them to improve their lives and follow their dreams. In addition to being a CFP® professional, Janet Booth holds securities registrations 7, 63, and 65 through LPL Financial, as well as an Ohio Life and Health Insurance License (OH Insurance Lic. #609075). She has an MBA from Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University and graduated summa cum laude from St. Ambrose University.
Janet is the mother of two and grandmother of four. Residing in Cincinnati, Ohio, it is only natural for her to be an avid Buckeye’s fan and an urban adventurer. She enjoys gardening, traveling, reading, cooking, needlework, puzzles and restoring her 174 year old home.
Christie Halko
Christie joined our team in August of 2021 with 12 years of experience in Client Service Management at Edward Jones Investments in Cincinnati. Previously, she and her husband Greg of 26 years owned and operated their own business for 15 years. Christie has a diverse background of knowledge and experience which allows her to take on a variety of complex tasks and responsibilities within the firm. She prides herself in providing dedicated quality service to her clients, as well as co-workers.
Christie currently lives in Morrow, Ohio in Northern Cincinnati with her family. She has a 25-year-old daughter, Gabrielle and a 21-year-old son, Tyler. They both are entrepreneurs and own their own business. In their spare time, the family loves to travel and are avid boaters, spending much of their time at Lake Cumberland in Kentucky with family and friends.
