the san fernando valley business journal presents …at our recent annual trusted advisors event, we...

The San Fernando Valley Business Journal presents

This special advertising supplement did not involve the reportingor editing staff of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

August 20, 2012 Advertising Supplement

TRUSTEDADVISORS

2012

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22 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL AUGUST 20, 2012

Once again, we’re pleased to recognize more than 100 accountants,attorneys, business bankers, insurance professionals and wealthmanagers working and doing business in the greater San FernandoValley region.

These individuals, all of whom are trusted advisors to theirclients, are recognized for their commitment to high-quality client service,their longevity as professionals in their chosen fields, and their commitment tooverall excellence.

When we designed this awards program, our plan was to focus on profes-sionals who were actually servicing clients and accounts - those individualsactively engaged predominately as a client’s main point of contact and doingmost of the client services work. Even with these criteria in mind, we were alsoable to recognize a few executive-level professionals who met our client serviceawards guidelines.

Each of the five professional categories had individual awards criteria.Certified public accountants and attorneys had annual billing requirements,business bankers had a portfolio threshold, insurance professionals wererequired to meet minimum annual premium revenue, and wealth managershad to maintain a minimum portfolio as well. While the size of the clientaccount was certainly considered during the awards selection process, the keydriver was client and referral source testimonials. Reading through the submit-ted material told us clearly that all the nominees are key players in theirclients’ respective success stories.

I want to thank the members of our advisory committee: Michele Grace ofChase, James Hillman of BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Maria Nazario ofCalifornia Society of CPAs, Don St. Clair of Woodbury University and CarolSuruki of Moss Adams, LLP. Each of these individuals was instrumental in identi-fying our honorees. It was no easy task by any means. It required each memberto read through a few hundred pages of biographical information, statistics, c-lient testimonials and professional experience.

At our recent annual Trusted Advisors event, we proudly announced the 2012class of Trusted Advisors, whose stories are also detailed in the pages of this specialsupplement to the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

Congratulations once again to each of our 2012 nominees!

Best regards,

Josh SchimmelsAssociate Publisher

Publisher’s Letter

TRUSTED ADVISORS 2012

Michele Grace

Vice President &

Area Manager

Chase

Advisory Committee

James Hillman

Regional Managing

Director Portfolio

Management -

Southern California

BNY Mellon Wealth

Management

Maria Nazario

Strategic Relations

Director

California Society

of CPAs

Don St. Clair

Vice President of

University Marketing

Woodbury

University

Carol Suruki

Partner

Moss Adams LLP

21 52_sfvbj_trustedadvisors_08_20_12.qxp 8/15/2012 8:18 PM 2

AUGUST 20, 2012 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL 23

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DAVID ADELMANPartnerGreenberg & Bass LLP

Transactional attorney DavidAdelman is no stranger to thebusiness world. Adelman is a part-

ner at Greenberg & Bass LLP in Encinowho works with entrepreneurs, privatelyheld companies, public corporationsand nonprofit organizations, generallyas outside general counsel. Adelman specializes in real estate, cor-porate and finance matters, and generalbusiness planning. He is one of onlyabout 150 attorneys in California cre-dentialed as a Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED)Accredited Professional, according to thelaw firm. That means he’s equipped toadvise about green building practices.

Previous experience as a business-man gives Adelman an ability to betterconnect to his clients, he said.

“I had roughly eight or nine years’worth of time as a businessman, bothas an employee of a Fortune 100 com-pany and as the president of my ownbusiness,” Adelman said. “I’m able tolook at their (clients’) business issuesfrom a unique perspective because I satin their chair before as a businessman.I know what may be concerning themthat just lawyers in and of themselvesmight not know.”

Adelman’s real estate practice dealswith matters such as commercial leas-ing, real estate finance, purchases andsales of real estate, and land use matters.On the corporate practice side, he han-dles matter such as entity formations,capitalization, buy-sell agreements, suc-cession planning and more. One area ofinterest for Adelman is working withhybrid legal structures made possiblethrough California’s Flexibility Act. Thisact allows for the formation of new cor-porate entities that combine the corpo-rate for-profit structure combined with asocial mission.

“He’s extremely capable—a very goodattorney. He provides good advice anddirection and asks good questions thatcause me as a client to think about specificissues as they are associated with the itemwe’re dealing with. He’s very responsiveand accessible.”

Brad Rosenheim, president of Rosenheim& Associates, Inc. in Woodland Hills

JILL CAMPBELLPresidentCampbell Tax & Financial Services

Wealth manager Jill Campbellhas expanded her businessscope over the years, allow-

ing her to today offer her clients abroad span of services.

Campbell is president of CampbellTax & Financial Services in Sun Valley,where she advises clients on tax,investments, insurance and risk man-agement matters. Campbell, who has42 years of experience as a wealthmanager, founded her company in1970. She started out just focusing ontax and accounting services, but sheadded investments and financial plan-ning services to the business in 1996.

Campbell estimates that she hasbeen working with at least 35 percentof her clients for more than 20 years.

“We’re on the second generation (offamily members) for many of ourclients,” she said.

Campbell says she can better con-nect with her clients by focusing onthem rather than on making sales.

“It’s really a dialogue,” she said. “Imeet with them not to talk about prod-ucts and performance, but about wherethey are going. I feel that the productsare just a method of trying to get tothat point. They (products) certainlydon’t drive the conversation of themeeting.”

Campbell is an enrolled agent andan investment advisor representativethrough National PlanningCorporation, a full-service broker-dealerserving independent financial advisors.She holds multiple security licenses, areal estate license and an insurancelicense. She is also one of the foundersof Mission Valley Bank, an independ-ently owned community bank thatopened in Sun Valley in 2001.

“We have known her for 45 years, approx-imately. She’s knowledgeable and experi-enced in business, financing and account-ing, and she has been very helpful to us allthese years. … She’s really updated on allthe new laws and changes in legislationand how it affects our business.”

JoAnn Cardona, co-owner of CardonaManufacturing Corporation in Burbank

MARIANNE CEDERLINDSenior Vice President and ChiefBusiness Banking OfficerMission Valley Bank

Business banker MarianneCederlind has climbed the bank-ing leadership ladder, but to her,

the view is still the same—her eyes arefocused on the clients.

Cederlind is one of Mission ValleyBank’s founders, and she now serves asthe bank’s senior vice president andchief business banking officer. She has28 years of experience in the bankingindustry, during which she moved herway up through various positions.

Cederlind first got her start in bankingin 1979 when she started working atManufacturers Bank. Through a series ofbank acquisitions, she next ended upworking for American Pacific State Bankand then City National Bank over thenext two decades. Cederlind’s positions atthose banks included commercial lender,branch manager, senior vice president andbranch administrator, and senior vice pres-ident and team leader for a San FernandoValley commercial banking center.

The business banker eventually cameacross an opportunity to help open anindependently-owned community bankin Sun Valley. She became one of thefounders of Mission Valley Bank, whichopened in 2001. Once the bankopened, Cederlind wore many hats,working in commercial lending andbusiness development, overseeingbranch operations and marketing, andassisting in finance and credit adminis-tration. Currently, Cederlind is chargedwith overseeing Mission Valley Bank’sbusiness banking team while dealingwith her own clients.

Cederlind says she maintains strongrelationships with her clients throughher hands-on approach and accessibility.

“They know I spend time thinkingabout their situation and coming upwith ideas,” she said. “They’ll call meabout things that aren’t even banking-related. It’s just building trust and doingwhat you say you’re going to do.”

“She always seems to have a plan for me,how to do what I need to do. … Her businessethics are great. I can go to her and talk toher about anything. She has great strategies.”

Janis Pusic, president ofS M Sales in Santa Clarita

KYLE deVRIESPresidentdeVries Financial

Insurance professional Kyle deVrieshelps business owners save moneyas they pass down their companies

from generation to generation.deVries is president of deVries

Financial in Westlake Village. The busi-ness, which was founded in 1990, workswith business owners and high net worthindividuals in insurance services relatedto estate and business succession plan-ning. Through these services, deVrieshelps enable his clients in passing theirbusinesses and assets down to the nextgenerations in a tax-efficient manner.The firm has a specialty focus of workingwith auto dealers and dealerships.

deVries has 31 years of experience asan insurance professional and has been aspeaker on the subject of estate planningat national conventions for auto dealers.He has conducted 30 workshopsthroughout the country on estate plan-ning and business succession planning.

The long-time insurance profession-al says his communication skills allowhim to better connect with his clients.

“I’m able to communicate complexideas to my clients and get them totake action, not just on insurance, buton estate planning,” deVries said, not-ing that he helps clients integrate thetwo types of service areas.

He said he also makes sure to con-tinually follow up with his clients.

“The guys in my (profession) arenotorious for making a sale and thenjust moving on to the next becausethey have to do a high volume of busi-ness,” deVries said, noting that he takesa different approach. “They (the sales)have to be administered afterward. …Something I do with my clients is tomake sure that they stay current withwhat their plan is and administer whatwe sold them properly.”

“He is extremely knowledgeable in whathe does. He is interested in helping you. Hisfocus is not on what’s best for him, butwhat is best for his client. He is extremelyefficient. He is always available, and I justfound him a pleasure to work with.”

Dr. Roger D. Friedman,pediatric ophthalmologist in Encino

San Fernando Valley Business JournalTrusted Advisor Honorees of 2012

➼



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C A S H F L O W



DENNIS DeYOUNGBranch ManagerFinancial West Group

Wealth manager DennisDeYoung doesn’t rely on coldcalls or marketing materials

to bring him new clients—he just relieson the quality of his service.

DeYoung is branch manager atFinancial West Group in Northridge.He manages about $95 million inassets for about 200 individual and cor-porate clients. He says 100 percent ofhis new clients business is generated byclient referrals.

DeYoung, who has 29 years of expe-rience in his field, is an investmentplanner, stockbroker and a certifiedfinancial planner. At his branch, hesupervises six stock brokers. Withretirement planning as his specialty,DeYoung has established more than3,000 IRAs and college plans through-out his career. The wealth manager isalso a licensed real estate broker and amember of the Southland RegionalAssociation of Realtors.

The ways DeYoung goes above andbeyond for his clients is by doing housecalls, especially for elderly clients. Healso makes sure he’s accessible.

“I answer the phone myself—noautomated system,” he said. “Very rarelywill a client call me and get an answer-ing machine, unless I’m with a client. …I’ve had clients call me on vacations,weekends or even at night. I treat eachclient like my own mom or dad.”

DeYoung is highly active in variouscommunity organizations and boards,including California State University,Northridge’s Alumni Association’sboard of directors (where he is presi-dent); the Valley Fair board; the NorthValley Regional Chamber ofCommerce’s board of directors and var-ious others.

“He won’t just say ‘I don’t know,’ or“There isn’t any,’ or ‘I can only think ofone or two.’ He really will do his home-work and gives me a cafeteria worth ofchoices. He’s also a very pleasant man …(and) he’s just one of these very connectivepeople, even outside of insurance services.”Kevin Breard, managing partner of Breard

& Associates, Inc. in Northridge

MICHAEL FREDLENDERFounding PrincipalMichael S. Fredlender CPA

Michael Fredlender is thefounding principal of MichaelS. Fredlender CPA, A

Professional Corporation in WoodlandHills, which he founded in 2003.Fredlender has 26 years of experienceas a certified public accountant, duringwhich almost 17 years were spent as atax partner at a national accountingfirm. At that firm, he was on the fami-ly wealth planning committee. He wasalso formerly a tax partner at a “BigFour” accounting firm, where hedirected financial counseling servicesfor the Pacific Southwest area.

Fredlender’s services have includedincome tax, estate tax, financial plan-ning and gift tax planning services fora diverse customer base. Some of theindustries he works in include realestate, health care, manufacturing, dis-tribution, retail and banking.

Fredlender said he makes sure tohave a “compassionate bedside man-ner” with his clients, especially whenthey are dealing with issues such asfinancial problems, the death of a fami-ly member or the breakup of a business.

“When everything’s good, every-body does a great job, but a real test ofan advisor’s ability to delivery world-class service is when there’s roughtimes,” he said. “Our job is to takethose cares and concerns that are trans-lating into financial issues and try tocreate a structure that becomesextremely tax efficient (for them).”

Fredlender has also brought hisexpertise to both the courtroom and theclassroom. He has provided expert wit-ness testimony on matters related to hisfield. He has also lectured for variousaccounting profession-focused organiza-tions and institutes in California andother parts of the country.

“Whether it be weekends or whether it bemidnight, whether we have a question oran emergency, he’s always accessible. …He makes you feel like he’s on board withyou all the way through. He’s a great guyyou can lean on, and that’s important.”

Rodney Peete, former NFL player andphilanthropist in Encino

LARRY HAWORTHFounding PartnerBessolo, Haworth & Vogel LLP

Larry Haworth, a founding part-ner at Bessolo, Haworth &Vogel, LLP in Sherman Oaks,

has been a certified public account-ant for 29 years and uses his broadrange of experience to help hisclients. He provides accounting,auditing, taxation, financial planningand forensic accounting services toclosely held, middle-market compa-nies in various industries.

Haworth got his start in publicaccounting in 1978. Before joininghis current firm, he was a partner at aLos Angeles firm where he helped setpolicy for the firm’s audit departmentand assisted with staff training anddevelopment.

Haworth says there are a few thingsthat help him to not only serve hisclients as a CPA, but also as a trustedadvisor. The first is to listen closely tohis clients to determine their questions,needs and wishes.

“Don’t be quick to give advice.Listen to the client and learn fromyour clients first,” he said. “The secondpart is to treat it as a relationships busi-ness as opposed to looking at the clientas a series of projects. … You need totry to develop a relationship with themand make them feel comfortable com-ing to you with questions and notbeing afraid that they’re just going toget billed for time spent.”

“He’s obviously way more than someonewe turn over our tax records to at the endof the year. He’s someone who we workclosely with all throughout the year onlots of different financially related issues(who) can give us not only tax prepara-tion advice, but also sound businessadvice in terms of proper management ofour company.”

Stephen Pollack, president and co-founderof Anchor Loans in Calabasas

CARLOS HERRERAVice President and SeniorRelationship ManagerUnion Bank

For Carlos Herrera, it’s all aboutbridging the gap between his bank-ing clients and their business goals.

Herrera is vice president and seniorrelationship manager for Union Bankin Woodland Hills. The businessbanker, who has 16 years of commer-cial banking experience as a senior rela-tionship manager, serves as a go-between for the bank and its clients.

Herrera primarily works with busi-nesses with annual revenues in the $75million to $2 billion range and particu-larly those involved in the distribution,manufacturing and services-relatedindustries. These clients might includepublicly traded, equity-sponsored orprivate and family owned-businesses.

Herrera said he focuses on helpinghis clients anticipate certain eventsahead of time, such as future acquisi-tions. He noted that he helps clientsconsider important questions such asthe size of the company they expect toacquire, how large of a purchase pricethey can manage and how they wouldfinance the purchase.

“There’s a lot of market factors thatcome into play,” he said. “(I’m) givingthem advice in terms of ‘This is howyou need to start thinking about yourbusiness as you continue to grow.’”

Accessibility is a key client relation-ship builder for Herrera. “I’m available to them 24/7,” he said.“Everyone has my cell phone number,and I’m available to my clients at anytime—weekends, evening times (and)early morning.”

“For us, it’s (about) the access and avail-ability outside of what we would call nor-mal working hours. We went through twomajor financing transactions with veryaggressive deadlines. Carlos was availableto us literally on a 24-7 schedule to makesure that we hit all of our deadlines andthat we completed the transaction.”

Margaret Hardin, President and COOof Munchkin, Inc. in North Hills

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Trusted AdvisorHonorees of 2012



MICHAEL KAPLANPartnerMiller, Kaplan, Arase & Co. LLP

Michael Kaplan, partner at Miller,Kaplan, Arase & Co. LLP inNorth Hollywood, provides his

tax expertise to businesses big or small. Kaplan, who has 16 years of experi-

ence as a certified public accountantworks with individuals and businesses in10 different industries. Kaplan offersnearly 20 specialized services, with hisareas of expertise being in business man-agement, private enterprise, financial taxplanning and employee benefits plans.

He noted that he works with manyhigh net worth individuals and enter-tainment industry professionals, and thebusinesses he works with ranges fromstartup companies to corporations withrevenue of up to $500 million.

Kaplan says his clients can always relyon him to be completely honest withthem.

“I tell people what they need to hear,not necessarily what they want to hear,”he said.

He noted that he also makes sure tobe a proactive CPA, which means help-ing identify problems before they arise.

“A lot of accountants, they just gothrough the motions—they prepare taxreturns,” Kaplan said. “They are reactive.

I’m very proactive in terms of bringingthings to the client and helping themstrategize as to make their businessesmore efficient, effective and profitable.”

“I go to him for advice on non-accountingissues because of the respect that we have forhis capabilities. We don’t view him as anaccountant, but more as an advisor on help-ing strategize in growing your business andthe direction that the business is taking. He’svery easygoing, doesn’t get flustered (and)deals well with different personalities.”

Jon Bromberg, CEO of Universal ArquatiMoulding in Santa Clarita

Congratulations2012 Award Winners and Nominees

and our own Russell Sun

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A special congratulations to our very own Marty Seiden for sharing his wisdom and

laughter with us and our clients for 35 years!

BARRY KURTZFounding PartnerKurtz Law Group

When it comes to assisting fran-chises, attorney Barry Kurtz isthere to help with issues that

occur from beginning to end.Kurtz is founding partner at Kurtz Law

Group in Woodland Hills. He has beenpracticing law for about 39 years and hasspecialized in franchise and transactionallaw for about 32. He works with nearlyevery part of the franchise process, includ-ing creation, development, purchase andsale regulation, financing, operations andrelations between franchisors and fran-chisees. Kurtz’ range in size, from startupsto international operations.

Kurtz also has first-hand experience inthe franchise business, which he says helpshim better serve his clients. He has servedas a franchisee in a quick-service restaurantchain, as well as the chief operating officerand general counsel for a franchisor.

“I learned through both of those expe-riences a lot of valuable information fromthe point of view from the people thatactually sign the contracts, sign the leasesand borrow the money,” Kurtz said. “I didit myself, so know there are a lot of prac-tical assets to the advice that we give. Wecan’t just sit behind our desk telling peo-ple what to do without really understand-ing what happens in real life.”

A few of Kurtz’s clients have included

franchisors and franchisees related toBaja Fresh, Carrows Restaurants, Coco’sBakery Restaurants, and 1-800-Flowers.com, among others.

Kurtz became certified as a legal spe-cialist in franchise and distribution lawby The State Bar of California Board ofLegal Specialization in 2009.

“I was fortunate enough to becomeacquainted with Barry on a major restau-rant start-up that required his expertise infranchise development. What developed overtime was my appreciation for his excellence,his impeccable standard of accountabilityand his sincere care of others.”

Al Da Costa Sochin, hospitalityconsultant and partner/founder of

Socius Consulting in Santa Barbara


➼



Congratulations to all of the outstanding nominees, and to our own Lon Morton on being selected as one of the top honorees at the recent Trusted Advisors Awards.

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STEVE LANDSMANPrincipalSquar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda &Williamson LLP

Certified public accountant SteveLandsman provides his clientstax- and audit-focused services

with a forensic twist. Landsman is principal at Squar,

Milner, Peterson,Miranda &Williamson, LLP inEncino. Landsman hasspent 21 years as a cer-tified public account-ant. During that time,he helped clients plan-ning for and preparetheir taxes and complywith tax laws. He alsohas experience infinancial reporting.

Landsman said thatbesides being a good listener and relation-ship builder, his work in forensic accountingis one thing that sets him apart from manyothers in his field. Through the specializedfocus, he often has to provide expert report-ing and testimony in court settings.

Landsman also leverages his localconnections to provide additionalresources to his clients, he said.

“I’m a Valley guy,” Landsman said,noting that he grew up in the StudioCity-North Hollywood area. “I know alot of other professional service

providers, so I can help direct (clients) toothers. I’m in several networking groupsto learn more about the needs and chal-lenges of the businesses in the Valley.”

Before joining Squar Milner, Landsmanworked at the firm that is now calledWhite, Zuckerman, Warsavsky, Luna &Hunt, LLP as a senior manager in the taxand auditing department. He providedforensic accounting services in that posi-

tion as well. In other pre-vious positions,Landsman served as thechief financial officer fora commercial and resi-dential real estate compa-ny and a wholesale/distri-bution business, as wellas a tax and accountingmanager at Landsman,Frank & Bloch.

Landsman works invarious industries,including wholesale,

distribution, retail, professional services,real estate and entertainment.

“Stephen’s knowledge, expertise and experi-ence in real estate have been crucial in sup-porting us so that we can support ourclients. … He’s very responsive when I havequestions. Via email or voice message, he’salways there. I never get held up not beingable to receive a response from him.”

Dona Eng, CEO of Eng Flanders Groupin Woodland Hills

Attorney Trusted Advisor of the Year.

Community Service Award Recipient.

Colleague, friend and mentor.

Congratulations,David Adelman.

From all of us at Greenberg & Bass.

16000 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1000 Encino, California 91436 818-382-6200 www.greenbass.com

“Our clients like the fact that they can talk directly to a partner.”-- Michael Kelfer

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GREG MARTINEZ-MILLERCommercial Relationship ManagerWells Fargo

Greg Martinez-Miller, commercialrelationship manager at WellsFargo in Woodland Hills, says

clients should always come first. Martinez-Miller serves middle-market

customers throughout the San FernandoValley and Santa Clarita Valley regions.He oversees portfolios of 40 customerswith loan commitments of more than$125 million. His customers are general-ly the owners and managers of business-es with revenues spanning between $20million and $1 billion. The businessbanker says he goes above and beyondfor his clients by making sure to puttheir needs before dollar signs.

“It’s all about keeping the customers’interest in the forefront … always doingwhat’s best for the customer, not neces-sarily what is going to be most profitable(for the bank),” Martinez-Miller said.

He said he also knows how to lever-age his resources when searching foranswers. He has about 90 partners atWells Fargo who are experts in a varietyof areas, from interest rate hedging toforeign exchange.

“I think it’s important to bring thoseresources to the forefront when and if itcan provide a benefit to the customer,” hesaid. “I know my way around in the bankwell enough that I know who to call for

whatever the financial services might be.”Martinez-Miller, who has six years of

experience as a business banker, joined WellsFargo in 2006. Besides being a businessbanker, he is a member of the Associationfor Corporate Growth and a member of theboard of governors for Valley CommunityClinic in North Hollywood.

“Greg works very hard to meet our bankingneeds, whether the requirement is finance-relat-ed or just a daily banking activity. He is veryknowledgeable of the banking business andhas spent the time learning about our business,including traveling out of state to visit ourfacilities. He is very professional, very likeableand follows through on his commitments.”

Wadi Aranki, executive vice presidentand chief financial officer at Wamar

International, LLC in Simi Valley

➼



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SANFORD MICHELMANFounding PartnerMichelman & Robinson LLP

When it comes to representingbusinesses, attorney SanfordMichelman is a man familiar

with many trades.Michelman is a founding partner at

Michelman & Robinson, LLP in Encino,and chair of the firm’s executive com-mittee. Michelman specializes in busi-ness-related issues in the insurance,commercial, regulatory and financingindustries. His clients run the gamutfrom individuals and small companies tomulti-national institutions.

One major industry Michelman hasbeen active in is insurance. His insuranceclients have included insurance compa-nies, third party administrators, softwarecompanies, brokers, agents and many oth-ers. He also has industry experience in thebanking and lending, financial services,consumer manufacturing and professionalservices sectors. Michelman has extensiveexperience dealing with class action law-suits on behalf of clients in these indus-tries. He has represented clients in arbitra-tions, state and federal courts and admin-istrative proceedings.

Working in so many industries hasled to a depth of knowledge forMichelman, something he said is neces-sary for being a trusted advisor.

“It’s paramount that, if you’re going

to advise somebody, you understand theindustry they (the clients) are in… thatyou understand it equally if not betterthan your client,” he said. “It’s knowingthe industry so that when the clientcomes to me, I understand not just theshort-term implications, but the long-term business implications.”

Other law professionals have beenable to glean from Michelman’s experi-ence. He regularly lectures about legalmatters and has published many articlesabout topics in his field.

“Sanford is a brilliant strategist. He’s alwaysfive steps ahead of everyone else. Sanford hasgreat foresight and foresees the multiple pathsin which situations can play out. … He asksgreat questions, actively listens and is verycreative, yet on point, with his advice.”

Michael Singer, CEO ofStrategic Partners, Inc. in Chatsworth

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Managing Shareholder

Chair, Commercial Finance Practice Group

Co-Chair, Real Estate Practice Group

Corporate Practice Group

Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group

Lewitt Hackman

warmly congratulates our own

Keith T. Zimmet, Esq.

and all of the

2012 Trusted Advisors& Nominees

Lewitt Hackman

Lewitt, Hackman, Shapiro, Marshall & HarlanA Law Corporation

16633 Ventura Boulevard, 11th Floor

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LON MORTONPresident and CEOMorton Capital Management

Financial advisor Lon Morton isknown for making major strides inhis industry through a firm he

founded more than 30 years ago. Morton, president and CEO of

Morton Capital Management inCalabasas, is a pioneer of the fee-onlyadvisory model in wealth management.Morton is a former professional baseballplayer, insurance professional and pen-sion consultant who wanted to breakinto the investment advisory business.In 1981, he founded Morton CapitalManagement, which became a registeredinvestment advisory firm in 1983.

Striving to be viewed as truly objec-tive in the industry, he sprung for a fee-only model through which he wouldnot take any commissions or compensa-tion other than the pre-agreed fees setwith his clients. That move madeMorton Capital Management one of thefirst fee-only advisory firms in SouthernCalifornia, according to the company.

“The only way that I could really pro-vide the appropriate advice was to haveno other financial stake other than theclient’s best interest,” Morton said.

Over the years, Morton has addedalternative investments beyond the tradi-tional stocks and bonds. These includeinvestments such as hedge funds, struc-

tured notes, private equity and real estate. “We continue to provide, or source,

investment that I believe adds a tremen-dous amount of value to our clients’portfolios in an environment wherebonds are not paying anything andstocks have a great deal of inherentvolatility and risk,” he said.

More than 100 of Morton CapitalManagement’s clients have been with thefirm since before 1992, and some havebeen Morton’s clients from as early as 1969.

“Lon is an intelligent and honest person whoI’m happy to have as my investment advisor.He communicates and knows what the mar-ket conditions are. He’s got (over) 35 years ofexperience in the business. I just consider hima good friend who takes care of us.”

Charles Delle Donne, Tarzana resident

➼



Wells Fargo Private Bank provides products and services through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and its various affiliates and subsidiaries. Financial Advisors are registered representatives of Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (member SIPC), a registered broker-dealer and separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Insurance products are available through insurance subsidiaries of Wells Fargo & Company and underwritten by non-affiliated Insurance Companies. Not available in all states. © 2012 Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Member FDIC. NMLSR ID 399801

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ROCHELLE NAKAJIMASenior Audit ManagerJ.H. Cohn LLP

Certified public accountantRochelle Nakajima has taken ona highly interactive role at J.H.

Cohn LLP, as well as in her community. Nakajima serves the role of senior

audit manager at J.H. Cohn’s WoodlandHills office. Besides serving her clients,she assists in developing and deliveringJ.H. Cohn’s technical training courses,as well as recruiting and mentoring pro-fessional staff at the firm. Her firm hasrecognized her potential as a leader. Lastyear, she was selected to participate inJ.H. Cohn’s Partner CandidateDevelopment Academy, which workswith senior managers who want to oneday become partners in the firm.

Nakajima, who provides financialstatement assurance and accountingservices to emerging and middle-marketcompanies, is also an active member ofthe accounting professional organiza-tion California Society of CPAs, orCalCPA. She is currently secretary of theorganization’s Los Angeles chapter andhas a seat on CalCPA’s State Council.

Nakajima, who has been a CPA for 14years, says she tries to act as a trustedadvisor by being responsive and accurate.

“It’s the simple basic things such asresponding to client phone calls orclient requests in a very timely manner,doing research on their questions ortheir issues very well and being certainof my answer before I call them back,”she said. “I (also) try to connect withthem (the clients) on a personal level.”

Nakajima works with clients in manyindustries, including high technology,manufacturing, distribution, real estate,rental equipment and financial markets.She was a senior auditor with accountingfirm Arthur Andersen LLP before shejoined J.H. Cohn in 2002.

“I have worked with Rochelle for severalyears during my time as CFO at SpecialtyMerchandise and now as CFO at SignalProducts. Rochelle provides outstandingclient service. She acts as a sounding board,helps explore new ideas and solutions toproblems, and above all she is credible,honest and discreet. I would highly recom-mend her services to others.”

Jill Ause, chief financial officer ofSignal Products, Inc. in Los Angeles


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CAREN NIELSENOwner & PrincipalLaw Offices of Caren R. Nielsen

The numbers tell the story of elderlaw attorney Caren Nielsen’sprominence in her field.

Nielsen, owner and principal for theLaw Offices of Caren R. Nielsen inWoodland Hills, is one of eight attor-neys in Los Angeles County to be certi-fied as an elder law specialist by theNational Elder Law Foundation. She isalso one of 100 nationwide selected as amember of the Council of AdvancedPractitioners of Elder Law. Nationwide,there are only 850 certified elder lawattorneys in the country, said Nielsen,who has been an attorney for 28 years.

Nielsen’s practice focuses in the areasof estate planning, trust administration,conservatorships, Medi-Cal planningand elder law. She said she makes aneffort to be professional and caring withher clients.

“I treat each client as a unique indi-vidual when solving their legal prob-lems,” Nielsen said. “I use creativity infinding legal options.”

Law-focused organizations have rec-ognized Nielsen as a leader in her indus-try. She was appointed to serve on theNational Elder Law Foundation’s boardof directors from 2008 to 2010. She wasalso appointed to the Elder LawCommittee for the Los Angeles CountyBar Association from 2007 through2011. Other positions include past presi-dent of the Warner Center Estate andTax Planning Council, past chairpersonof the Probate & Estate PlanningSection of the San Fernando Valley BarAssociation, past president of theSouthern California Council of ElderLaw Attorneys and past trustee for theSan Fernando Valley Bar Association.

Nielsen has made sure to share herknowledge with other attorneys and thecommunity by lecturing on topics with-in her field.

“She has a very personal relationship withall of her clients, with us. She can talkabout end of life issues, which is certainly adifficult subject … in such a way that isreally disarming and pleasant. We lookthrough all of our documents very carefully,and she’s very complete. ... (She’s) someoneyou also want as a friend, which is really atrusted advisor.”

David Booth, co-owner ofEloqui in Calabasas

➼



Congratulationsto all of the

outstanding nominees in the

San Fernando Valley

Business Journal

Trusted Advisors Awards 2012.

Including our own

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STEPHEN REDMONDSenior ManagerMoss Adams LLP

Stephen Redmond is a certified pub-lic accountant who knows how towork with large-scale clients.

Redmond, who has been a CPA foreight years, is Moss Adams LLP’s seniormanager in Woodland Hills. He providesassurance services to businesses in themanufacturing, distribution and retailindustries. Some of his current clientsinclude a 226-Pizza Hut franchisee, SportChalet and Cherokee, Inc. Before joiningMoss Adams, Redmond spent nine yearsat a “Big Four” accounting firm, where heserved clients ranging from mid-sizedcompanies to multinational Fortune 100companies. Some of those clients includ-ed a 7-Up and Dr. Pepper bottling compa-ny in Los Angeles, a canning machinerymanufacturer and several large retailers.

Redmond’s focus areas includeSecurities and Exchange Commissionpractice, international services andemployee benefit plans. He said thatbeing a trusted advisor requires beinghonest with his clients and offering vari-ous solutions to their problems.

“I provide clients with all availableoptions when they’re faced with chal-lenging decisions,” he said. “I’m lookingout for their best interest and won’t ever

try to sell them or steer them in a direc-tion that’s not in their best interest.”

Redmond is active in CaliforniaSociety of CPAs’ (CalCPA’s) Los AngelesChapter, serving as the chapter’s vicepresident and council representative. Heis also a member of the AmericanInstitute of CPAs.

“He is great at responding to questions anddoing background research. He’s also veryunderstanding in general. He understandsour business, understands the drivers of thebusiness and what’s important. … He’s agreat guy. He has a good personality.”

Howard Kaminsky, chief financial officerfor Sport Chalet

JASON ROMANOPartnerMoss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC

Jason Romano, who has 19 years ofexperience in the industry, is a part-ner at Moss Adams Wealth Advisors

LLC in Los Angeles. The wealth manager, who also works

in Moss Adams’ Woodland Hills office,provides personal financial planning andinvestment management services for hisclients. Some specific areas he deals inare investments, taxes, estate mattersand retirement. His clients include fami-lies, businesses and business owners.

Romano is involved in Moss Adams’sWealth Advisors Portfolio Managementteam and in the company’s PersonalFinancial Planning technical disciplinegroup. He has co-led an expansion ofMoss Adams’ wealth management prac-tice in the greater Los Angeles area, par-ticularly after a merger with anothercompany, Braverman Codron LLP.Romano previously had an investmentadvisory practice with that company.

Being a trusted wealth manager,according to Romano, requires interact-ing with clients in both a professionaland personal way.

“The first thing I do is listen to myclients,” he said. “The second thing I dois ask them a lot of questions. I also try

to understand not only the financialmatters … but also that which is goingon in their personal lives and help themtry to achieve their goals.”

Romano often lectures on financialplanning and investment management atthe University of California, Los Angeles.

“Jason takes such complicated financialinformation for me and my husband andmakes it seem manageable. … It’s reallyhard to trust anyone when it comes tomoney, but Jason is someone who I wouldtrust with all of it. He has made us moneyand he takes care of our money so that myhusband and I can live our lives and knowthat we’re protected.”

Beth Haiken, Agoura Hills resident andexecutive director of media relations for CBS

➼



MillerKaplan.com

Congratulationsto our partner

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San Fernando ValleyBusiness Journal’sTrusted Advisors

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DAVID ROSSOSenior Vice President andBanking Center ManagerCommunity Bank

David A. Rosso is senior vice presi-dent and banking center managerof Community Bank’s Burbank

office. In his position, he oversees fivevice presidents and relationship man-agers, along withoperational staff. Atthe same time, hemanages his ownclient relationships.

Rosso has been inthe banking businessfor 41 years. He hasworked for WellsFargo, Bank ofAmerica, Union Bank,Instituto Bancario SanPaolo di Torino andNational AustraliaBank in addition toCommunity Bank. Through his profes-sional background, Rosso has gainedretail, middle market and large corporateexperience.

Rosso has worked with middle marketcompanies located in the great SanFernando Valley region over the past 10years. He said his focus has been showinghis clients that he’s in it for the long haul.

“As a banker, you have to realize that

you’re trying to develop long-term rela-tionships, not just for the moment ortransactional,” Rosso said. “You have tomake them comfortable with you as aperson, and I guess that’s personality-based. … You have to enjoy people, orelse you hang yourself in this industrybecause it’s all people-based.”

Rosso is a member of several profession-al community groups, including ProVisor’s

Ventura group, theMid-Valley CommunityPolice Council and theBusiness andTechnology Partnershipof California StateUniversity, ChannelIslands.

“It’s easy with Davidsimply because he’s sucha great problem solver.He knows the currentmarket environment forthe banking industry. He

basically knows solutions. He can put bothtogether, and he can always come up with agame plan. He cuts to the chase immediately.… Time is money, and if you can do thatquickly, you’re way ahead of the game.”

Chris Nikchevich, president of TNG RealtyServices in Westlake Village

JEANNENE SCEARCEDirector of Property andCasualty ServicesMontage Insurance Solutions

Jeannene Scearce is an insurance pro-fessional who started from scratch inthe profession and worked her way

up to management.Scearce is the director of property and

casualty services for Montage InsuranceSolutions in Woodland Hills. She has 17years of property and casualty insuranceexperience, with her areas of expertise includ-ing market negotiations and client services.

Scearce got her start in the profession asa receptionist at the Woodland Hills officeof Dodge, Warren & Peters InsuranceServices, Inc. in 1995. She eventuallymoved up to a position as a technical assis-tant for the company’s employee benefitsdepartment, and then into a position ofnew business coordinator.

Since that time, Scearce has workedfor various companies, including Lange& Associates in Calabasas, LibertyCompany Insurance Services in NorthHollywood (which bought Lange &Associates) and Venbrook InsuranceServices in Woodland Hills, where shestayed for nine years. At Venbrook,Scearce held the positions of producer,account executive, senior account execu-tive and benefits unit manager.

Scearce eventually joined MontageInsurance Solutions in February 2010,

where she now directs the property andcasualty department. Some of Scearce’sclients include The Coffee Bean & TeaLeaf and nail polish maker OPI.

Scearce offers advice for other serviceprofessionals looking to become trustedadvisors to their clients:

“Get to know your clients in everyaspect,” she said. “Partner with them andit’s almost like you become a part of theircompany. By going above and beyond inmy position and doing what I do best, (it)allows clients to do what they do best.”

“I would highly recommend her and give herfive stars. … She returns my call or emailsvery promptly and just gives us pointers onwhere we can save money. (She offers) thingsto us that we were unaware of. … She’s justalways ready to go that extra mile for us.”

Debra White, HR benefits and payrolladministrator at Cobalt Construction

Company in Simi Valley



TM

®

21600 Oxnard St., Ste. 250 • Woodland Hills, CA • 818.676.1750 • www.sfvbj.com

MARTIN SEIDENPartnergish SEIDEN LLP

Martin D. Seiden is a partner atgish SEIDEN LLP where he fol-lows in his footsteps of his

father, who is a founder of the company.He joined the firm, located in WoodlandHills, in 1978 and became a partner in1986. Seiden has been a certified publicaccountant for 35 years, having earned hisCPA status in 1977. He assists his clientsin the area of income tax issue, financialissues and business consulting, withexpertise in estates and trust planning.

A good portion of Seiden’s clientshave been working with him for morethan 30 years, and he does a lot of workwith families that have used him as theirCPA for multiple generations, he said.He notes that the key to being a trustedadvisor is being a good listener.

“Listen to what they want … not justwhat you want to do,” Seiden said. “Hearthem and understand what they needbecause they don’t always know it.”

Other employees at gish SEIDEN call thepartner “a walking Almanac” due to hisability to easily recall information he reads.Seiden has helped the company with itsmergers and acquisitions, along with itsstaff training and mentoring efforts.

Over the years, Seiden has held vari-ous board positions in the CaliforniaSociety of CPAs (CalCPA), and he is cur-rently a member the Warner CenterEstate and Planning Council.

“He’s been my CPA for 35 years. … Healways returns calls promptly. He’s very pro-fessional (and) knows his business back-ward and forward. He’s Mr. Deadline. He’salways giving me incredibly worthwhile andbeneficial advice for my personal financialneeds and my business needs. I would rec-ommend him to anyone.”

Bill Steiger, a retired licensedreal estate broker and mortgage banker

who lives in Santa Paula

CHARLES SHULTZPartnerWasserman, Comden, Casselman& Esensten LLP

When it comes to helpingclients with estate legal mat-ters, attorney Charles Shultz

says it’s all about being responsive andproviding multiple levels of expertise.

Shultz is a partner at Wasserman,Comden, Casselman & Esensten LLP inTarzana and is certified by the State Barof California as a specialist in estate,trust and probate law. With 18 years ofexperience as an attorney, he representsclients in probate courts throughout LosAngeles and Ventura counties.

Shultz works on legal matters such asprobate and trust litigation, probate andtrust administrations, estate planning,conservatorships and other issues relatedto family wealth, succession planning anddispute resolution. The lawyer has workedon high-profile cases, including a familycustody case involving the children ofMichael Jackson after he died. Shultz rep-resented one of pop star’s relatives.

One thing that helps Shultz betterserve his clients, he said, is his ability towork in all three of the areas of estateplanning, administration and litigation.

“When I do planning, I’m actuallyable to see other issues that other plan-ners (don’t see) because of my litigationbackground,” he said, noting that it also

works the other way around.Shultz prides himself on being accessi-

ble “24/7” to his clients. One example iswith the case involving Michael Jackson’schildren, when he was receiving callsfrom the in the middle of the night andquickly following up with house visits.

“What I was able to do was step inimmediately, identify the issue and resolvethe matter with minimal conflict,” he said.

“He’s dependable, reliable, and trustworthy. Hecalled me back whenever I had a question in atimely fashion. When you meet with him, hegives you his time and attention. … If he did-n’t have an answer to a question I had, heeither referred me to a person who could getthat answer or he would get it for me.”

Vicki Ziegel, owner and vice president ofCertified Enameling Inc. in Los Angeles

➼




WILLIAM STALEYFounding PartnerLaw Office of William C. Staley

William C. Staley has his ownlaw firm, the Law Office ofWilliam C. Staley in Woodland

Hills, which was founded in 2003.Staley’s focus is on assisting companieswith their legal and tax problems, withexpertise in tax planning and generalbusiness law, nonprofit organizations,structuring, negotiating and document-ing business deals. He often takes therole of primary outside counsel for hisclients.

Staley’s 31-year career has involvedpreparing more than 130 buy-sell agree-ments for owners of closely-held compa-nies, as well as organizing and reorganiz-ing more than 100 nonprofit organiza-tions.

Staley said there are a few simple ruleshe lives by when dealing with his clients.

“Treat them like your sibling. Respectthe client and do not be too much inhurry with the client,” he said, notingthat he makes sure to give each personhis full attention when he is meetingwith him or her.

A few other areas where Staley hasexpertise include stock options andrestricted stock plans, business-relatedestate planning issues and charitablecontributions, among others.

Staley frequently speaks in front ofother professionals, including businessowners, accountants, attorneys andfinancial planners, something he sayshas helped him learn how to break legaljargon down to information that reallymatters to the client.

“I have worked with closely with literallydozens of attorneys over the years, over awide spectrum of issues. Bill has provenhimself to be one of those rare ‘keepers.’Not only is he shrewd, knowledgeable andcreative (as great attorneys should be), buthe is also ethical, kind and honest, elevat-ing him to that rare top echelon in his pro-fession – at least in my book.”

Yosef P. Rosen of Shinymind, Inc.in Agoura Hills

HEBAH TAHOUNVice President andRelationship ManagerJPMorgan Chase Bank

It has only been a couple of yearssince business banker Hebah A.Tahoun first started working in the

San Fernando Valley. Tahoun, vice presi-dent and relationship manager forJPMorgan Chase Bank in Encino, hadno local contacts or resources when shestarted working in the area in 2010.

Now Tahoun manages about 70clients, a portfolio she had to build fromscratch. Tahoun moved from New Jerseyto Arizona after she graduated from col-lege in 2001. After working as a legalassistant at a law firm and then withWells Fargo’s legal department, she decid-ed she wanted a career in banking.Tahoun started out as a business associateat Wells Fargo and took night classes at acommunity college, eventually movingup to a business relationship managerposition.

Tahoun moved to California andjoined JPMorgan Chase in 2010. She cur-rently specializes in managing small tomedium-sized business clients. She saidshe strives to keep her clients satisfied byhelping them identify all of their financialoptions.

“(It’s) determining another avenue toaccomplish exactly what it is they need,whether it is working on their financialsor their business,” she said. “Otherbankers with other lenders, if there’s aroad block or they’re not able to dosomething with a client, that seems tobe the end of the road. I try my best notto allow that.”

“We were looking to expand and purchasea building for the company. She helped uswith the loan, and she made it pretty easyfor us to get everything accomplished. …You can pretty much ask her anything. Ifshe doesn’t have the answer to the ques-tion, she’ll get it. She’s very responsive.”

Andy Rauda, president and owner of M &R Plating Corporation in Arleta



The litigation and planning attorneys in our Trust, Estate, Probate, Elder Law practice group, headed by Charles A. Shultz, are uniquely qualified to handle all aspects of the Trusts and Estates field including trust and probate litigation, probateadministration (settlement), accountings, conservatorships, complex estate tax planning, dynasty trusts, insurance trusts, special needs trusts, financial elder abuse and medi-cal planning.

Guided by years of experience in trust litigation, probatesettlement and financial elder abuse matters, our litigation team is able to handle any size litigation with any number of complexities. Our attorneys have successfully conducted trials and handled probate matters throughout Southern California. We are known for being tough but honest. This has earned us the respect of clients, colleagues, opposing counsel and, most importantly, the judges before whom we appear.

WassermanComdenCasselman Esensten

Tarzana :: Beijing :: Shanghai :: Tel Aviv :: www.wccelaw.com

Trust, Estate, Probate, Elder Law (Planning & Litigation)

Charles A. Shultz, Partner

KEITH TODD ZIMMETManaging ShareholderLewitt, Hackman, Shapiro,Marshall & Harlan

Attorney Keith Todd Zimmetknows the ins and outs of work-ing with businesses and has nego-

tiated billions of dollars in transactionsthroughout his career.

Keith Todd Zimmet is the managingshareholder for law firm Lewitt,Hackman, Shapiro,Marshall & Harlan inEncino. Zimmet has acommercial, corporateand real estate practiceand has been practicinglaw since for 25 years.His focus is on negoti-ating, structuring anddocumenting largefinancial transactions.

Zimmet says whathelps him better servehis clients is the factthat, unlike many otherlawyers, he’s been in his clients’ shoes.Zimmet was one of the owners and opera-tors of a hospital in Norwalk for nine years.

“I have a deeper understanding froma business perspective, not just a legalperspective,” he said. “Sometimeslawyers just get caught up in the detailsof a certain agreement, and they losesight of the bigger picture. … I try keep-ing in mind the long-term business

implications of what we’re working on.”Zimmet says his long-term approach

has led to lengthy client relationships, withsome having lasted more than 20 years.

Zimmet’s clients come from manyindustries, including the areas of bank-ing and finance, commercial real estate,entertainment, health care, education,manufacturing, among others. His expe-rience includes negotiating secured andunsecured financing; asset-based lend-ing; buying, selling and leasing of real

estate; mergers andacquisitions; share-holder disputes andmany other areas.

Zimmet has taughtbusiness law as anadjunct professor atthe University ofCalifornia, LosAngeles has writtenand edited for variouspublications.

“He’s efficient, timelyand excellent at what he

does. … He deals with the issue in a verylogical approach and stays with it until itbecomes a successful conclusion for theclient. In my real estate career, we have beenin some very challenging situations. He wasable to jump into the mire and mud anddeal with it.”

Monty Morton, real estate investor inAgoura Hills

SpecialtyAward Winners

David Cieslak of Arxis Tecnology, Jill Campbell of Campbell Tax & Financial

Services, and David Adelman of Greenberg & Bass LLP with their awards. For

more about the Trusted Advisor Specialty Award Winners, please turn the page.

➼



TRAILBLAZERAWARD

Trusted Advisor Specialty Awards 2012

COMMUNITY ANDPUBLIC SERVICES AWARD

DAVID ADELMANPartnerGreenberg & Bass LLP

Attorney David Adelman realizes that there isgreat power in his profession. A lawyer is an“officer of the court,” and that’s no role to be

taken lightly, he says. With that in mind, Adelman—partner at law firm

Greenberg & Bass LLP in Encino—has set out to use hisprofessional skills for the good causes. For years, he hasbeen volunteering for nonprofit organizations in theSan Fernando Valley and the surrounding area in hopesof making a large-scale impact. Some of those groups

include the San FernandoValley Green Team, theValley Industry andCommerce Association(VICA) and the Alliancefor Children’s Rights.

“There’s so muchpower and influence thata lawyer can have in waysbeyond what they teachyou in law school,” hesaid. “It makes me feelbetter about myself if I cando things to help others in

ways which are not necessarily obvious. It’s not likewriting a check to a charity.”

He also said working towards policy change giveshim the chance to impact thousands of people.

Adelman, with 28 years of experience as an attor-ney, says he has been more active in communityservice over the past 10 years. Realizing he wantedto do more for others, he started by doing pro bonowork for the Alliance for Children’s Rights. In thatrole, he completed the adoptions for children whoseparents were either in prison or dealing with drugadditions, often connecting the children with otherfamily members.

“It was one of the happiest things I’ve ever donebecause I really legitimized the relationship betweenan adult and a kid under circumstances in which theywould otherwise have been forgotten or left to be avictim of the system,” Adelman said. “That was thefirst thing that opened my eyes.”

Adelman is now involved with many groups. He cur-rently serves as the group’s pro bono legal counsel for theSan Fernando Valley Green Team, where he also sits on thegroup’s board of directors. He helped the team attain itsnonprofit corporation status, which was awarded in June.His role included helping the group create its operationalstructure with nonprofit bylaws, build its board of direc-tors, fashion its interim operating agreements with TheValley Economic Alliance and Pierce College, and prepareits 501(c)(3) application for the IRS.

“Without David’s expertise, I don’t think we wouldbe as far along as we are with the San Fernando ValleyGreen Team right now,” said Carolyn Casavan, thegroup’s president. “When I have a legal issue, I can askDavid and he can at least point me in the right direc-tion if not answer the question right out.”

Adelman serves as chair of VICA, where he lobbies onbehalf of VICA’s member organizations, particularly onissues that affect the local business community. VICAPresident Stuart Waldman calls Adelman a “consensusbuilder.”

Adelman also serves as a member of the TechnicalAdvisory Committee of the San Fernando ValleyCouncil of Governments, a board of trustees member ofThe Valley Economic Alliance and a special projectsadvisor for Bob Hope Airport and New Horizons.

DAVID CIESLAKPrincipal and Co-FounderArxis Technology

Certified public accountant David M. Cieslak is atrailblazer in his industry. He’s taken a leader-ship role in sharing his knowledge about tech-

nological advances in the accounting sector to profes-sionals all over the country.

Cieslak is the principal and co-founder of ArxisTechnology, Inc. in Simi Valley, which provides enter-prise resource planning (ERP) accounting software andtechnology-based consulting services for companies invarious industries. Cieslak has been highly active in pro-

fessional organizations inhis field, including theAmerican Institute of CPAs(AICPA), the CaliforniaSociety of CPAs (CalCPA)and the California CPAEducation Foundation.

He has previously servedas chair of the AICPA ITExecutive Committee, pres-ident of the California CPAEducation Foundation,chairman of the CalCPAState Technology

Committee, a member of the AICPA InformationTechnology Practices Sub-Committee and a member ofthe Information Technology Alliance’s board of directors.

Today, Cieslak serves on the AICPA Council, the SageMid-market ERP Business Partner Advisory Council,CalCPA’s State Technology Committee and WestsideMicro-computer Users Discussion Group, and variousother planning committees for AICPA and CalCPA.

Cieslak, who regularly serves as an advisor to chiefinformation and financial officers at his clients’ compa-nies, said it’s not unusual for him to give 30 or morepresentations a year at professional events throughoutthe United States. When he speaks, he emphasizes theimportance of cloud computing to companies today,particularly in the area of accounting.

“In the technology world, they’ve been talking aboutanywhere-anytime computing,” Cieslak said, noting thatcloud computing makes that possible. “It’s got tremen-dous potential to really help clients rethink their wholebusiness model. … (I’m) making sure I give back to theprofession and share my excitement regarding technolo-gy and how it can be transformative.”

Maria Nazario, a strategic relations director forCalCPA who works in the Los Angeles chapter office inGlendale, said Cieslak has definitely achieved that goal.

“He is known as the go-to person for technology asit relates to the accounting,” she said. “(The technologyfocus) is huge because accounting has gone from a pen-cil and paper profession to all electronics and technolo-gy-driven. He specializes in data security, which isinstrumental for serving clients because you have tokeep their data confidential and secure. He’s giving peo-ple the cutting-edge information.”

She noted that Cieslak has been highly involved in thelocal CalCPA chapter, where he has held various leadershiproles. He has been a member of the chapter since 1986.

“He has served the organization every step of theway in everything that’s been asked to do,” she said.

Cieslak has been named one of Accounting Todaymagazine’s “Top 100 Most Influential People” multipletimes over the past 12 years.

“David has always delivered what he says (he will deliver).He’s brilliant in coming up with solutions, and his teamhas been fantastic. … He has extensive knowledge ofaccounting and best practices, and also applications thatare used by those types of functions. I enjoy really workingwith him because he’s not just a sales guy.”

Valerie Spivey, IT director forBexel in Burbank

JILL CAMPBELLPresidentCampbell Tax & Financial Services

Wealth manager Jill Campbell says innovationis all about identifying a need and thenbeing the one to fill it.

Campbell, president of Campbell Tax & FinancialServices in Sun Valley, reached beyond her industryexpertise to create two personal protection smartphoneapplications, one for working women and the other forcollege students. The college student-focused app hasreceived an award from the White House.

Campbell started a tax and accounting servicesbusiness in 1970, whichshe expanded to alsoinclude investments andfinancial planning serv-ices in 1996. However,Campbell has not limit-ed herself to the con-fines of her own profes-sion. The wealth manag-er used her own experi-ences and leveraged herconnections to createthe apps. Campbell wasa widow and a woman

who worked late hours in an industrial area whenshe thought of the idea.

“I was leaving my office at night, walking to theparking lot near my car and I’m thinking, ‘My houseis alarmed, my office is alarmed, my car’s alarmed, butI’m not,’” she said.

Later, as she was travelling for meetings, Campbellsaid she started thinking of things her personal alarmshould include, if she had one. She soon realized heridea was a perfect match with smartphones. That ledher to team up with some of her clients who couldhelp her build the app, she said.

After a couple of years of working on it,Campbell and her team launched an iPhone appcalled WatchMe 911 in September 2011. The appacts as a personal GPS tracker and allows women tocontact pre-selected friends and call 911 with adouble-tap of a button in an emergency. The teamalso created a similar app for college students calledOnWatch, which ended up winning first-place inthe White House White House’s Apps AgainstAbuse Technology Challenge in November 2011.Campbell launched the app at the White House onApril 18, she said.

Campbell said she is currently in talks with univer-sity security teams and university-related groups, suchas sororities, to let them know about the app, whichshe said is not yet well-known. The app is now avail-able both for iPhones and Android phones.

“One in five women … is abused or assaulted atsome point during her college career, which is astaggering statistics,” Campbell said. “I think anytime you see a human need, it doesn’t matterwhether you’re a tax person or a financial advisor—you can start working on it.”

Tamara Gurney, president and CEO of MissionValley Bank, said she has always known Campbell tobe an innovative person. (Campbell is one of MissionValley Bank’s founders, along with Gurney.)

“She has a very inquisitive mind, so she’ll go outand search for solutions and other people to help,”Gurney said. “If Jill decides that she wants toaccomplish something, people that know her willknow to get out of her way because it doesn’t mat-ter if we think it’s impossible—somehow she man-ages to make it happen.”

INNOVATIONSERVICES AWARD



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Trusted AdvisorFinalists 2012

Louis Ashamallah Account Vice President UBS Financial Fiancial Services

Sally Aubury Partner SingerLewak

Steven J. Banks Partner J. H. Cohn LLP

Victor Berrellez VP, Relationship Manager City National Bank

Kendra Boots Executive Director Quisenberry Insurance Inc.

Matthew Carlson Vice President Risk Strategies Company

Rudy Cedillos Vice President Union Bank

Jim Chevalier Partner Moss Adams LLP

Thomas P. Christopher Attorney Christopher Law Group

Robert A. Cohen Partner Anker Reed HSC

Matt Crowley Principal Crowley Corporate Legal Strategy

Stephen W. Davis Wealth Management Advisor, Merrill Lynch, The Davis Group

Sr. VP, Wealth Management

David M. De Castro Partner De Castro & Morrow LLP

Steven Driss President Lifeline Employee Benefits

Maziar Esmailbeigi VP, Portfolio Management, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

Director Financial Advice

Teri S. Frankel President Taking Care of Benefits

Insurance Solutions

Jonathan Fraser Light Attorney LightGabler LLP

Karen L. Gabler Attorney LightGabler LLP

Timothy Gaspar CEO Gaspar Insurance Services Inc.

Madlen Ghookassian AVP/Business JPMorgan Chase Bank

Banking Manager

Andrew Goodman Partner Goodman & Faith LLP

Anthony B. Gordon Attorney Gordon & Gordon APLC

Patrick Greene Sr. Equity Partner White Zuckerman Warsavsky

Luna &Hunt LLP

Andrew Grey CPA SRG LLP

Sheri Grossberg Partner SRG LLP

Gary Guenther Broker B&B Premier Insurance Solutions

Jonathan Hersholt Relationship Manager, VP JPMorgan Chase Bank

Kevin D. Holmes Partner J. H. Cohn LLP

Daniel M. Howard Managing Partner Lodgen Lacher Golditch Sardi

Saunders & Howard LLP

Robin Israel Vice President JPMorgan Chase Bank

Sabita Jagtiani CPA Jagtiani & Company

Robert Jensen Vice President King King Alleman & Jensen

Gary Kelman Account Vice President UBS Financial Services

Tobias Kennedy VP of Sales & Service Montage Insurance Solutions

Daryl H. Kibota Vice President Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

Dennis King President, Managing Partner King King Alleman & Jensen

Brad Levin Founder & President Legacy Wealth Partners

Lindahl L. Lucas II President Lucas Insurance Services

Peter Magidoff Managing Partner Magidoff Sadat & Gilmore

David Maulding Principal Jones & Maulding

Derek McGowan Partner Moss Adams LLP

Thomas Means Director StoneTapert

Christopher Melcher Partner Walzer & Melcher

Darrow Milgrim Sr. VP Wells Fargo Insurance ServicesUSA Inc.

R. Hank Miller Sr. Deposit Manager Boston Private Bank & Trust Co.

Bruce C. Munster Executive Director Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

David L. Nadel CPA Nadel CPA’s APC

Garry C. Pace Sr. VP, Sr. Portfolio Manager Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Charles Parry Sr. VP, Wealth Management Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Advisor & PIA Program

Sr. Portfolio Manager

Joyce Pearson Attorney Pearson Law Corporation

Judith Perez Attorney Perez & Hawes, LLP

Gwyn Petrick Agent/Owner State Farm Insurance Agency

Matthew Pondella Executive VP Arroyo Insurance Agency

Pierre Rodnunsky Partner Santiago Rodnunsky & Jones

AM E R I C A N BU S I N E S S BA N K ®

M e m b e r F D I C

L O S A N G E L E S | O R A N G E C O U N T Y | S A N F E R N A N D O VA L L E Y | S O U T H B AY | I N L A N D E M P I R E

AMERICAN BUSINESS BANK wishes to thank

our customers, founders, shareholders and staff

as we celebrate another milestone in

EXCEEDING 1.2 BILLION DOLLARS IN ASSETS

after fourteen years in business.

As an independent bank serving “middle-market” businesses,

we continue to embody the old-fashioned values

of customer service and individual attention.

Thank you for sharing in our dream.


Richard S. Rosenberg Attorney Ballard Rosenberg Golper& Savitt LLP

Anthony A. Saccaro President Providence Financial & InsuranceServices Inc.

Warren Sacks CPA White Zuckerman Warsavsky Luna& Hunt LLP

Randall Sanada, Jr. CFP Alliance Financial

Jason Sands Sr. Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors

VP of Investments

Jim Scanlon President & CEO Scanlon & AssociatesInsurance Brokers Inc.

Brian M. Schimelpfening VP, Relationship Manager JPMorgan Chase Bank

Brandi L. Schnathorst Investment Associate Merrill Lynch

Steven C. Sereboff Attorney SoCal IP Law Group LLP

George Shalhoub Attorney Law Offices of George Shalhoub

Fima Sklyar CPA, Partner Kellogg & AndelsonAccountancy Corp.

Jahun Smith VP, Branch Manager Mission Valley Bank

Ron Smith SGB NIA Insurance Services

Martin Sniewski Managing Shareholder Crowe Horwath

Jeff Sorensen President & Wealth Adv. Sorensen Wealth Management

Joshua Spitz VP of Employee Benefits USI of Southern California

Lloyd Sreden CPA Stone Kory Sreden & Morgan

William C. Staley Owner, Principal Law Offices of William C. Staley

Brad W. Stark Principal & Co-Founder Mission Wealth Management LLC

Russell T. Sun Vice President First Bank

James Walters Chairman Kellogg & Andelson

Accountancy Corp.

Ali Zamani AVP, Sr. Portfolio Manager, Morgan Stanley SmithFinancial Advisor Barney LLC

Reza Zamani Sr. VP, Sr. Portfolio Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

Management Dir., Fin. Adv.

Scott Zimmerman Principal/Partner Corporate Strategies Inc.


TRUSTED ADVISORS

By SCOTT HANSEN

High net worth families havebeen given an unprecedentedopportunity to transfer large

amounts of assets to loved ones gifttax-free. The federal gift tax exemptionis currently at its highest in history -$5.12 million per donor ($10.24 mil-lion for married U.S. citizens). Thecatch is the exemption is set to expireon December 31, and revert back to $1million per donor in 2013.

While many wealthy individualscould benefit from taking advantage ofthe exemption, time is running out forthose who are indecisive or wait toolong. The decision for a couple to makea $10.24 million gift (or potentially larg-er if more sophisticated gifting strategiesare employed) is not a simple one.

First, they must look at their lifestyleneeds to ensure that making the giftwill not make them cash poor, orimpair their ability to achieve personalgoals, such as retiring at a certain date,or purchasing a second home. Second,they’ll need to determine which assetsto transfer. The nature of an asset,whether it is an interest in a business, apersonal residence, or an encumberedasset, can affect the level of administra-tive complexity required to make thetransfer. Moreover, in order to set avalue for the gift that the IRS will more

readily accept, valuation from a quali-fied appraiser may be required. Lastly,it’s important to consider how yourloved ones are going to receive the gift.Some people are comfortable with mak-ing gifts outright, but others may wanta more measured approach to howmuch access over the gift the donees,

usually children, will have. This maytake into account the age of the child,financial maturity, or the donors maywant to employ means to retain controlover the asset themselves (such as gift-ing a minority interest and retainingmanaging control).

Federal Gift-Tax Exemptionat Highest in Historybut Set to Expire Soon

Continued on page 44

While many wealthyindividuals couldbenefit from takingadvantage of theexemption, time isrunning out for thosewho are indecisive orwait too long.



There are myriad ways to structure giftsand add in features such as creditor pro-tection or flexibility in case of futurechanges. It takes time to understand andconsider such options and then have yourprofessional advisors draft the documents,complete and file a gift tax return, or re-title the assets as needed.

With all of the professionals on youradvisory team, including an estate plan-ning attorney, certified public account-ant, certified appraiser, banker, andwealth planner, you’ll need to also con-sider the likelihood they may be unavail-able in the last quarter of the year aswealthy families scramble to get it alldone in time.

Serious consideration should be givento how you transfer wealth, especially tochildren. We can all name examples ofhow too much wealth has derailed anheir or heiress’s career and life. Poorpreparation can result in immatureinvestment choices, overspending, lack ofambition or self-worth. It is easy forwealthy heirs to not value money theydidn’t earn, become isolated from the restof the working world, or worse yet, feelthe wealth defines them and they cannotachieve anything greater than what theirparents accomplished.

Some donors tackle this issue by put-ting incentive provisions in the trust fortheir loved ones. Behaviors that reflectthe donor’s values, such as completingcollege, starting a business, purchasing ahome or getting married are encouragedwith lump sum payouts. Other donors

provide that the trust act as a familybank – giving out low-interest loans thatmust be re-paid for ventures that arebacked up with an approved businessplan. Even salary matching provisionshave been utilized to encourage participa-tion in society by making matching dis-tributions for every dollar earned fromlegitimate work.

Alternatively, other families choose toaddress such concerns through familymeetings. At a family meeting, the fami-ly’s assets, gifting plans and the seniorgeneration’s expectations regarding howthe gift will be used is discussed. Suchfamily meetings are helpful to define thefamily’s values, especially when gifts arebeing made across multiple generations,

such as from grandfather to grandchil-dren. Determining how much informa-tion to convey to the junior generationcan be decided and facilitated throughthe help of your wealth planner, or witha family dynamics professional.

Studies show more than 90 percent ofa family’s wealth will disappear by thethird generation. Such statistics under-score the need to carefully consider theseissues before taking advantage of theexemption. If you haven’t yet decidedhow you’ll take advantage of the increasein gifting, your Private Bank RelationshipManager can help you navigate theissues, come to decisions that are rightfor you, and most importantly – get themimplemented.

Scott Hansen is Senior Vice President andRegion Director for Wells Fargo WealthManagement. For more information [email protected] or (805)777-8369. Wells Fargo Private Bank providesproducts and services through Wells FargoBank, N.A. and its various affiliates and sub-sidiaries. Wells Fargo & Company and itsaffiliates do not provide legal advice. Pleaseconsult your legal advisors to determine howthis information may apply to your own situ-ation. Whether any planned tax result is real-ized by you depends on the specific facts ofyour own situation at the time your taxes areprepared.

TRUSTED ADVISORS

Continued from page 43

Studies show morethan 90 percent of afamily’s wealth willdisappear by the thirdgeneration. Suchstatistics underscorethe need to carefullyconsider these issuesbefore taking advantageof the exemption.



ValleyVillageValleyVillage

VolunteerVolunteer Orientation

August 23, 1:30 pm,Valley Villageemail our Volunteer Coordinatorat [email protected] to rsvp

VisitTour and meet some really wonderful

and happy people, email [email protected]

GiveBingo, October 21, 7:00 pm, Hamburger Mary’s, West

Hollywood

For over 40 years, Valley Village has served men and women with intellectual and developmental disabilities through day and residential programs. Valley Village is the sixth largest

services including the ability to take care of the most medically fragile individuals. Our clients are special and our staff is, too.

www.valleyvillage.org(818) 587-9450 Nicolette enjoying the pool

program at our Winnetka ADHC

Wells Fargo Insurance congratulates Darrow Milgrim on his nomination as one of

San Fernando Valley’s Most Trusted Advisors. As director of Wells Fargo Insurance’s School,

Camp and Non-Profit Division, Darrow has spent 25 years tirelessly helping organizations

manage complex risk challenges. His clients agree:

“Darrow has truly become an integral member of ourteam . . .He has helped us define a highly individualized

risk management philosophy, one that fits our unique

institution and its needs . . .

We consider Darrow Milgrim to be one of Harvard-

Westlake’s greatest external assets.” — Rob Levin, ChiefFinancial Officer, Harvard-Westlake School

“Campbell Hall has had the pleasure of Darrow’s sound and

timely advice as its insurance broker for many years.

His knowledge of the insurance industry is so essentialto all of the schools and businesses that he supports . . .

His dedication, hard work, and knowledge make him our

most trusted advisor.” — Fred C. McNutt, Chief FinancialOfficer, Campbell Hall Episcopal

Darrow Milgrim, like others at Wells Fargo Insurance, is with clients every step of the

way, providing knowledgeable guidance and comprehensive risk solutions for businesses’

changing needs. Congratulations, Darrow!

wellsfargo.com/wfis

© 2012 Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.All rights reserved.

Congratulations on Darrow Milgrim’snomination as SFVBJ’s 2012 Trusted Advisor

TRUSTED ADVISORS

By ANDREW ‘DREW’ GREY, CPA

The accounting profession has along history and has evolved overmany years. Benedetto Cortugli is

believed to have written the first doubleentry bookkeeping book in 1458. TheAmerican Institute of Certified PublicAccountants and its predecessors have ahistory dating back to 1887. The account-ant has evolved from a rudimentary accu-mulator of data to becoming acertifiedpublic accountant. There are many typesof CPAs: those that provide attest func-tions such as compilations, reviews andaudits; those that provide tax compli-ance, tax planning or controversy; andthose that provide business consulting.Most CPA firms hold themselves out asproviding all of these services. However,being a CPA does not automatically makeyou a Trusted Advisor. Therefore, a“Trusted Advisor” is not a title that onecan merely put on a business card; it isone that is earned by long term relation-ships and performance beyond the ordi-nary course of business.

The process of becoming a TrustedAdvisor takes time. Owners and key man-agers have to trust and be able to confidein the Trusted Advisor. The issues thatcompanies and their owners have varyduring their life cycle and changes due tothe economy. Our firm has had theopportunity to assist companies fromtheir initial formation, essentially guidingthem each step of the way. Companies

and their owners are nurtured through-out their growth, assisting in the earlystage of capital and/or debt, to the laterstage of expansion in capital and/or debt,to the eventual sales of their companies.However, there are other variables thatneed to be considered. Besides the finan-cial, tax and accounting issues, there arethe human complications. Our firm

interfaces with the employees, familybusiness members, and often dysfunc-tional family parties that need specialattention and handling. ConventionalCPA firms perform services such asreviews, audits, tax compliance, tax mini-mization and financial statement opti-mization which are integral componentsof the services we provide. In addition,our firm consults in operational opti-

mization, budgeting, capital and debt for-mation, employee legal matters, con-tracts, dispute resolution, Initial publicofferings, complex wealth transfer andsuccession planning. It is the integrationof all these services, coupled with theassistance of identifying and achievingthe owners’ goals, that enables us to betheir successful Trusted Advisor.

A Trusted Advisor has a deep under-standing in managing businesses. ATrusted Advisor is able to sit on the Boardof Directors and can act as the company’sChief Financial Officer and, in someinstances, as the Chief Executive Officer,without formerly being appointed. Thepartners of our firm have acted in the fol-lowing capacities: the Chief FinancialOfficer of a publically traded interchangecarrier; the Chief Financial Officer of apublically traded international commer-cial lighting company; the ChiefExecutive Officer of a consumer productcompany in 27,000 stores in 22 coun-tries; and the Chief Executive Officer ofcommercial and residential real estatecompanies. The business acumen devel-oped from these experiences empowersthe resources and skills of a TrustedAdvisor to provide powerful guidance tobusiness owners.

A recent tax savings example is a 77year old man with a $150M net worth,consisting of real estate around theUnited States. He had done no estateplanning and held most of his assets in aclosely held C-corporation. He was repre-

sented by one of the Big 4 companiesand a large estate tax firm. Neither ofthese highly acclaimed firms was able tomake a sufficient connection with theclient to solve his tax problems. In addi-tion, there were significant interpersonalfamily issues that made the estate plan-ning challenging. As a Trusted Advisor westudied the problems, listened carefullyto the owners concerns and desires anddeveloped solutions to meet his goals. Hewas presented with a plan that reducedthe built-in gains tax by over $20M andtransferred $100M of asset values out ofthe estate, while maintaining the suffi-cient controls that he demanded. Thisprocess took persistent proactive involve-ment from our partners. Thus, a TrustedAdvisor is proactive not reactive.

At SRG, LLP we thrive on providingcreative solutions for our clients issues.We offer a complimentary and confiden-tial review of tax, financial statement orestate planning. We guarantee that wewill find ways to reduce taxes withoutimpacting thefinancial statement incomeand transfer of wealth, thereby, reducingestate taxes and protecting assets fromcreditors as a result of the proper struc-ture. We will increase our clients’ networth by retaining more cash to invest.

Drew Grey is a CPA with Solomon Ross Grey,LLP (SRG LLP). Contact him directly via(818) 995-0090 or send an email [email protected] for a complimentary con-sultation.

The Evolution of CPAs as Trusted Advisors

A ‘Trusted Advisor’ isnot a title that one canmerely put on a businesscard; it is one that isearned by long termrelationships andperformance beyondthe ordinary courseof business.


By BRAD LEVIN, CFP, AIF

According to the 2010 NationalRetirement Risk Index published bythe Center of Retirement Research at

Boston College, 51% of American’s are notprepared to retire at age 65. Many reasonshave attributed to this, including the recenteconomic and financial crisis, which hasseverely impaired the financial security ofmany savers and investors, led to poor deci-sion making, and costly mistakes. It’s often atturning points, both market highs and lows,that individual investors can make the biggestmistakes, such as selling when prices are low.

In today’s complex and uncertain envi-

ronment, sorting through all the availableinvestment options can be difficult andintimidating. Also, as you get older, busierand have more wealth, your options formanaging it get more complicated.Individual investors have a tendency tomake decisions based on emotions ratherthan sound logic. Working with a financialadvisor can provide you with an emotionalbuffer and help you stay focused on yourgoals. Their coaching and support, as anexperienced professional, can help navigateand reduce frustration by assessing your cur-rent financial situation, determining realisticgoals and designing an effective roadmap toguide you to your “destination.”

Choosing a financial advisor that is bestsuited for you and your family should be athoughtful decision after some importantresearch has been done. You should look forlicensed securities industry professionals andresearch their regulatory and disciplinaryrecord at www.finra.org. Read the code ofethics that a financial planner adheres toand look for the word “fiduciary.” In short,this means that the planner has pledged toact in a client’s best interest at all times. Thispoint should be a deal breaker for you, asinvestment professionals who are NOT fidu-ciaries are held to a lesser standard. Afterdeciding on a select few who pique yourinterest, you should contact them and

request a complimentary consultation sothat you can discuss your current financialsituation and determine what specific servic-es the firm/advisor has to offer.

During your consultation, it’s importantto get a clear and concise explanation oftheir compensation method and fee struc-ture. There are various structures advisorscan use and it’s important that you under-stand the pros and cons inherent to thestructure that you choose to avoid any mis-understanding. Keep an open mind as youget the answers to your questions, but beprepared to walk away if you hear predic-tions of market-beating performances andvarious guarantees. That may very well be ared flag that you would be dealing with aperson who is trying to take too many risks.

Ultimately, you’ll have a lot of informa-tion to process and consider before makinga formal commitment. One of the best waysto push you to one advisor vs. another,when all the variables are equal, is a clientreference, especially one who may have asimilar situation to you. Request a clientreferral list and make some calls to learnhow others have benefited from workingwith a particular advisor and his firm.

Now that you know some key steps inchoosing a financial advisor, you owe it to

yourself to consider Legacy Wealth Partnersfor all of your wealth management needsincluding, investment, retirement, tax, riskmanagement, and estate planning. LegacyWealth Partners is a boutique firm thatcaters to the day-to-day needs of its clients,regardless of how big or small the issuesmay be. That is not always the case withlarger firms. We take client service seriouslyand do everything we can to ensure thatthere are never any loose-ends. In doing so,we are always exceeding the expectationsplaced upon us by our clients.

Our professional staff consists of CERTI-FIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professionals,Financial Advisors and an Estate Planner whoall understand that longer life expectanciescan present some unique financial challenges.We have decades of experience and as fiduci-aries, represent only our clients’ interests – notthose of a Wall Street investment firm orinsurance company. Our dynamic investmentmanagement process includes a series of port-folios that we actively manage to respond tochanging market environments.

It is always our goal to empower ourclients to live the lifestyle that they envi-sion and have worked so hard to achieve.To learn more about how we can help youpursue your lifestyle and legacy goals withconfidence, we invite you to call us at(818) 995-7733 for a consultation.

Brad Levin, CFP, AIF, is President of LegacyWealth Partners in Woodland Hills. Formore information, call (818) 995-7733 orvisit www.legacywp.com. The financial advi-sors of Legacy Wealth Partners are RegisteredRepresentatives and Investment AdvisorRepresentatives with/and offer Securities andAdvisory Services through CommonwealthFinancial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, ARegistered Investment Advisor. Fixed insur-ance products and services offered throughLegacy Wealth Partners are separate andunrelated to Commonwealth.


Non-deposit Investment Products: � are not FDIC insured � are not Bank guaranteed � may lose value

Past performance is not an indication of future results. ©2012 City National Bank

City National Wealth Management cnb.com Member FDIC

Your family. Your legacy.Building wealth today and sustaining it for future generations can be challenging. Effective investment management must be integrated with strategic tax and estate planning, philanthropy and family culture.

At City National, we’ll help you master the complexity of wealth management so you can more fully enjoy your version of the good life. We’re with you every step of the way as you grow your wealth, enjoy it with your family and build a lasting legacy.

Experience the City National Difference.SM Call us today at (866) 618-5196.

TRUSTED ADVISORS

Working with a financialadvisor can provide youwith an emotional bufferand help you stayfocused on your goals.

Why It’s Important to Have a Financial Advisor


By MARY K. FISCHER

Private banking isn’t what it used tobe. Today, people in every walk oflife have the complex financial

needs that make them value the personalattention and expertise that a privatebank delivers.

One of the biggest differentiators isthe thoughtful, strategic and customizedfinancial advice that a private bank pro-vides according to your plans, be it inyour office, your living room or whereveryou may be.

The relationship should start with atrue understanding of who you are, whatyou value, how you want to live, andhow you want to be remembered. Whilegetting to know you, your family, yourbusiness, and your complex financialneeds, a private banker should providehighly personalized service and a trustedpartnership specifically designed to helpyou realize your goals and objectives.

Today’s private banking client is anindividual or business who seeks a bank-ing relationship with an experiencedbanking and investment managementprofessional who has expertise in a vari-ety of financial disciplines. This samebanking professional can anticipateclients’ financial needs and provide solu-tions designed to enable future growthfor them or their business.

What makes moving to a private bankthe right choice, and when is the righttime for you to make the move? If any ofthe scenarios described below resonatewith you, your decision to switch to a

private bank, and when to do so, maybecome clear.• You want to work with an advisor whowill take the time to get to know you,your family and your business very welland provide you with a customizedinvestment portfolio that will help youachieve your goals and objectives.• You are running your family-owned,multigenerational business, and are seek-ing financing advice from a senior lender

about the acquisition of capital assets orworking capital requirements.• You are a baby boomer looking to retirein the next five to ten years and youneed a financial institution that under-stands your retirement goals.• You are looking to finance a primary orvacation home and want to work with asenior mortgage lender who will ensurethat your real estate investments fit intoyour overall financial strategy.• You serve on a number of not-for-profitboards and are concerned that these organ-izations are being underserved by their cur-

rent banks and investment advisors.• You are an entrepreneur in the venturecapital community and your portfolio isbrimming with high-risk funds. You’relooking to diversify with more stable,lower risk investments.• You are an attorney, accountant, or realestate broker seeking a banking partnerwho is as committed to providing thesame level of trustworthy, personalizedservice and attention to detail that yourclients have come to expect from you.

If you recognize yourself in any ofthese scenarios, perhaps private bankingis right for you.

What does a private banker do?

The private banker serves as a trustedadvisor in a professional and personalpartnership with clients and their otheradvisors, such as accountants and attor-neys. The private banker is part of a highlycollaborative team of professionals whoare accessible and able to provide counselthroughout a client’s lifetime. This dedica-tion to providing personalized service andsupport is the commitment that a privatebanker fulfills on a daily basis.

Choosing a private bank

Once you have determined that privatebanking is the right solution, how do youchoose a private bank? Ask a client of theinstitution you are considering, or askyour attorney, financial planner, oraccountant. Determine if the private bankhas the stability and performance stan-dards that will help you attain your finan-

cial goals. Look at the institution’s missionstatement and see if it aligns with yourvalues and financial goals.

Make sure the people you interview arethe people who would actually be manag-ing your account. At a private bank, youshould have a dedicated relationship man-ager who is supported by a team of finan-cial specialists who work together to seam-lessly provide you with the right solutionsfor all of your financial needs.

It is important that you feel comfort-able with the team who will be workingon your behalf. The essence of privatebanking is evident in the quality andlongevity of the relationships that areforged over time.

As with any good relationship, commu-nication is key. From the outset, youshould have a very clear understanding ofwhat you want and what you can expectfrom your private bank. At the beginningof your relationship, you should be willingto spend the necessary time discussingyour goals and needs, and providing infor-mation so that your private banking advi-sor can tailor a financial plan that bestsuits your financial goals.

A good private bank will want yourinput. In the end, you should have a cus-tomized financial plan that will provide you,your family, and/or your business with thefinancial growth and stability you deserve.

Mary K. Fischer is Executive Vice President ofBoston Private Bank & Trust Company, a sub-sidiary of Boston Private Financial Holdings,Inc. (NASDAQ: BPFH). For further informa-tion, visit www.bostonprivatebank.com.


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Private Banking: Is It Right for You?

TRUSTED ADVISORS

A private bankershould provide highlypersonalized serviceand a trusted partnershipspecifically designed tohelp you realize yourgoals and objectives.



By MARIANNE CEDERLIND

Everyone knows that relationshipstake work. Building a relationshipwith your banker is no different – it

takes some time, some patience as well ashonesty on both sides. However, once thegroundwork is laid, and your banker hasearned your trust (and you have earnedtheirs) you’ll find that having a real rela-tionship with your banker can be invalu-able – particularly in today’s economic cli-mate – having a Trusted Advisor just aphone call away is pretty reassuring.

Bankers have earned a reputation for

delving deep into a sea of numbers –financial statements, transactions, pro-jections and the like. Often there’s theless known side of banking; the listen-ing, coaching and mentoring side thatdistinguishes a trusted advisor fromtheir transactional counterpart. Thechallenge comes in translating the num-bers into your own personal successstory and a relationship banker can helpyou do just that.

Remember the days when you couldwalk into a bank and everyone knewyour name? Well, relationship banking isbuilt upon that very principle and even

in today’s high tech, fast paced environ-ment, there are still banks that greet youby name the moment you walk throughthe door. These are banks that are dedi-cated to Relationship Banking. They workto build long-lasting relationships withtheir clients and are focused toward qual-ity rather than quantity. While most ofus do the majority of our banking elec-tronically these days, it is reassuring toknow that when you do have the need ordesire to visit your bank, they are actuallyhappy to see you.

As a 30-year veteran of the businessbanking industry there is no question in

my mind that relationship banking(though it should probably be referred toas Relationship BUILDING) is the key, forboth client and banker. A true relation-ship banker is really not very interestedin getting a single account, or funding asingle loan – those are simply transac-tions. A relationship banker wants to earntheir place as their client’s trusted advisorand is going to work hard to get to knowall they can about their client’s industry,their business as well as their financialneeds and goals and will then strive toprovide a suite of comprehensive solu-tions that will meet those needs.

So while it may take a bit more work,spend time choosing a bank and a bankerthat are right for your business. Get toknow them and help them get to knowyou and your business. A good banker iseager to learn about you and your com-pany, both the good and the bad. Themore open the discussion, the easier itwill be to define what works best for yourindividual situation. Remember: Buildinga relationship with your banker may takea little time, a little patience and a greatdeal of honesty, but it is worth it for bothyou and your business.

There may be times when even afterputting forth everyone’s best efforts, it’sjust not possible to obtain the financialproducts you are seeking. A good bankershould be willing to sit down and reviewyour financials with you in detail andwork to explain what areas may need tobe addressed so that you are able tosecure the financial products and servicesyou desire in the future. Learn from thesetbacks as much as the successes.

Having a relationship with yourbanker is invaluable, particularly intoday’s economic climate. A good bankerwill earn their role as a trusted advisor,invested in the growth and success ofyour business and will work closely withyou, helping you determine what finan-cial solutions work best for you.

Marianne Cederlind is the senior vice presi-dent and chief business banking officer ofMission Valley Bank, a locally-owned, full-service, independent, commercial bank servingthe San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys.She was just recently named as one of theValley’s “Most Trusted Advisor – BusinessBanker” by the San Fernando Valley BusinessJournal. Cederlind can be reached at (818)394-2300 or via MissionValleyBank.com

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Service and StrategiesBeyond The Numbers

SRG LLP, formerly known as Solomon Ross Grey, is a unique team ofprofessionals with one goal in mind—helping their clients plan for andachieve their financial goals. More than just accountants, the SRG teamserves as financial and business advisors to help develop powerfulstrategies to minimize tax while maximizing profits and value.

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Drew GreyCPA, Partner

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SRG congratulates partners

Drew Grey and Sheri Grossberg on their nominations for the

San Fernando Valley Business Journal’sTrusted Advisor Awards.

TRUSTED ADVISORS

Relationship Banking: It’s Worth the Work

Bankers have earned areputation for delvingdeep into a sea ofnumbers. Often there’sthe less known side ofbanking; the listening,coaching and mentoringside that distinguishesa trusted advisor fromtheir transactionalcounterpart. Thechallenge comes intranslating the numbersinto your own personalsuccess story.



By LON MORTON

Over my 40 years of investmentexperience, I have lived throughmany different kinds of invest-

ment environments. Through ups anddowns, I have always found my clients tobe good barometers of prevailing investorsentiment. Over the past few years, thecommon concern I’ve been hearing ishow retirees or those approaching retire-ment will be able to generate income inthis low interest rate environment.

Historically, traditional bonds have beenseen as safe sources of income. However,with the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond yieldingless than 2%, I see little safety or income.When interest rates and inflation eventuallybegin to rise, I think traditional bondinvestors will be in for a rude awakening.Beyond government bonds, there are manyother flavors of fixed income includingmunicipals, corporates (both investment-grade and “high-yield” bonds), and mort-gage-backed securities. While there are selectopportunities within these groups, there hasbeen a global compression of interest rates,making these asset classes less attractivethan in previous periods. Simply speaking,current yields on most bond investmentswill not suffice for many retirees.

In contrast to bonds, dividend payingstocks have the potential to keep pacewith inflation due to their ability toappreciate in price, and many high quali-ty stocks are currently yielding more thantheir companies’ bonds. While on a his-torical basis yields for these types of tradi-tional stocks are reasonable, it is impor-tant to be aware that you are taking onstock market risk. This may be appropri-ate for a portion of your total portfolio,but the inherent volatility in stocksmakes a large position less desirable.

So where can investors searching foryield find relief? After investing in allkinds of market environments over severaldecades, I have learned that you oftenneed to look off the beaten path for alter-native sources of income. At MortonCapital, we’ve identified private lending,specifically on real estate, as a compellingincome-generating opportunity. Banks andother institutional lenders have substan-tially curtailed their lending activity fol-lowing the 2008 financial crisis. However,this lack of supply presents an opportunityfor private lenders to step in and requiregenerous interest rates on relatively con-servative loans. It is important to beaware, however, that even though theseloans tend to be short-term in nature, theyare illiquid and investors should be pre-pared to hold them until maturity.

Real estate equity is another alternativeasset class where we are currently findingvalue. In our opinion, this is one area of themarket where low interest rates can actuallybenefit investors looking for yield. Ifinvestors can lock in attractive long-termfinancing at historically low rates, this cansubstantially boost their current cash flowwhen investing in real estate. It is alsoimportant to note, however, that addingleverage adds to your risk. Also keep inmind that real estate is a truly fragmentedasset class where location drives prices. Onepitfall to avoid with purchasing real estate isconcentration risk, both in terms of thenumber of properties and diversity of loca-tion. One way to effectively diversify is to

invest in a real estate fund that allocatesacross a number of underlying real estateproperties. However, it is crucial to get“institutional” pricing on your real estateinvestment, so your returns and cash flowswill not be eaten up by egregious fees. Aninvestor can also attain real estate exposurethrough mutual funds or publicly tradedREITs. However, today we feel that privatetransactions provide a greater opportunity.

I’ve been investing for over 40 years,and over that period I’ve had manychances to make mistakes, but also tolearn a lot. One important lesson I’velearned is that market disruption createsopportunities. Those opportunities mayrequire you to search off the beaten path,in niche areas of the market beyond tradi-

tional stocks and bonds. Alternativesources of income can be challenging toevaluate, so if you are not an expert it is agood idea to hire a financial advisor withexperience in these areas. Just make surethat your interests are aligned with youradvisor’s so that you know that an invest-ment is being recommended solelybecause it is in your best interest. Finally,please remember that chasing yield with-out understanding the risks can be a dan-gerous endeavor. Investors looking to gen-erate income will ultimately be best servedby creating well-diversified portfolios withtheir eggs in a lot of alternative baskets.

Lon Morton is President & CEO of MortonCapital Management in Calabasas. For more

information, [email protected] or (818)222-4727, or visit www.mortoncapital.com. Thisarticle is intended for informational purposesonly and contains the opinions of MortonCapital Management. You must make yourown investment decisions based on your finan-cial situation, risk tolerance, and investmentobjectives. You should also consult with yourtax and financial advisor and legal counselprior to investing in any investment strategy,security or instrument, or participating in anytrading strategy. All of the assumptions includ-ed in this article are based upon current marketconditions as of the date of this presentationand are subject to change. Past performance isnot indicative of future results. All investmentsinvolve risk including the loss of principal.

TRUSTED ADVISORS

Generating IncomeWith AlternativeInvestments



Aportfolio that’s not thoughtful-ly managed is like a neglectedold house. Without the right

vision and experience you may notrealize its full potential—or sidestepits hidden risks.

Looking Beyond the Obvious

It’s impossible to answer the knock ofopportunity when you don’t knowwhere the door is. Positioning your port-folio for success in today’s landscaperequires not only vision, but the abilityto see beyond the obvious.

For example, the current low rates andyields of traditional fixed income sourcesare prompting a move toward non-tradi-tional income generators, such as certainemerging markets that offer greater stabil-ity and income at better values, as well asdividend-paying stocks.

Meanwhile, the fundamental strengthsof select domestic companies in sectorssuch as industrials, energy and healthcareare being overlooked, as well as underval-ued. Additionally, some emerging mar-kets hold more promise than internation-al developed markets challenged by polit-ical and growth pressures.

New opportunities are also being gen-erated by today’s low interest rates andrelatively low asset valuations, particu-larly for wealth transfer. In addition,today’s tax rules are creating favorablecircumstances for retirement planning,total return strategies, intrafamily loansand gifting.

The catch? You need to act now. Becauseevery opportunity has an expiration date.

Understanding the Risks of “Safety”

In a market rife with unpredictability,investors naturally choose wealth preser-vation over investment growth. Whywillingly assume risk when you arealready involuntarily exposed to the haz-ards of market volatility?

Yet, there is a downside to this “safe”approach, particularly over the long term.It’s not unlike clinging to a piece of drift-wood in the middle of a shifting sea. Thestrategy is initially effective, but sooner orlater, a wave is bound to render it useless.In short, what was safe yesterday maynot be safe today.

When crowds rush toward safe invest-ments, the value increases, sometimes toa price level that makes it virtuallyimpossible to receive adequate compensa-tion over time. Additionally, the desirefor security may lead to a portfolio over-weighted with “safe” investments, creat-

ing a harmful lack of diversification. Ineach case, the result is unintended risk,which defeats the original purpose.

Adopting a Level-Headed Mindset

Opportunities are more likely to bespotted by those who maintain a balanceof optimism and realism. It is importantto separate the truth from the chatter,particularly when the word on The Streetis often full of doom and gloom.

For some investors, it’s fashionable tobe pessimistic—bleak is the new black.For many others, volatile, unpredictablemarkets have left them paralyzed, expos-ing them to the significant risks of stand-ing still. Still others are somewhat opti-mistic, but not about today.

In fact, in a recent survey of investors byBNY Mellon Wealth Management, 59% saidthey are waiting for conditions to improvebefore taking action. Equally telling, 48%are worried that they will run out of moneyover the course of their lifetime.

Clearly, many investors are still grap-

pling with a crisis of confidence. Yet,those who remain inactive or wallow ingloom are missing out on opportuni-ties—and will continue to do so.

Navigating the Decade Successfully

The first step toward success in thiscritical decade is understanding what youneed to do. The second is having the for-titude to do it.

Start by implementing an investmentapproach based on knowledge, notinformation overload. Be certain it com-bines flexibility with ongoing discipline.Keep your diversification strategy nim-ble to act on short-term market swingsand disconnects. Your plan should alsoseamlessly integrate investments, taxstrategies and estate concerns. And youshould plan to keep planning, becausethe facts in this decade and emergingopportunities and risks, will keep chang-ing. Most important of all, believe inyour strategy and stick with it.

What Are You Not Seeing?

Mark Twain said, “I was seldom ableto see an opportunity until it had ceasedto be one.” Find out if you’ve been miss-ing opportunities or inadvertently creat-ing risk. Contact BNY Mellon WealthManagement today for our complimenta-ry, confidential 2020 Risk Audit.

This article was provided by BNY MellonWealth Management. For more information,visit bnymellonwealthmanagement.com

Where’s Your Opportunity Hiding? Uncovering the InvestmentOpportunities – and Hidden Risks – that Others Miss

Stay Informed.Burbank

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Offi ce Building23801 Calabsasas Rd.

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Offi ce Building16575 Ventura Blvd.

Glendale

Arco Station1118 Verdugo

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North Hollywood Metro Station Corner - Campo de Cahuenga/Lankershim

Starbucks5166 N Lankershim

Northridge

Carl’s Jr.9160 Reseda Blvd.

San Fernando

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Sisleys15300 Ventura Blvd.

Studio City

Western Bagel12920 Ventura Blvd.

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Financial Plaza100 Block Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Van Nuys

Dennys16575 Sherman Way

Post Offi ce6174 Van Nuys Blvd.

Burger King5109 Van Nuys Blvd.

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Warner Offi ces (Coming soon)6400 Canoga Ave.

Pick up a copy from any of these coin box locations:

www.sfvbj.com

TRUSTED ADVISORS

It’s impossible to answer the knock ofopportunity when you don’t know where thedoor is. Positioning your portfolio for successin today’s landscape requires not only vision,but the ability to see beyond the obvious.


By JEANNENE SCEARCE

Workers’ compensation has beensignificantly impacted duringthis difficult period in our

economy. Increases in medical andindemnity costs combined with a lowerreturn on investments can be sited as amain cause.

Insurance carriers rely on investing pre-mium dollars to provide a high return fortheir operational expenses. Since interestrates are low and stocks and bonds aren’tin peak performance mode, this is impact-ing everyone, which includes our insur-ance and reinsurance carriers. Additionally,they have fewer premium dollars to invest.Due to the last 4 years of economic sup-pression and a high unemployment rate,premiums were down.

While premiums were down claimcosts were rising. Claim costs are remain-ing at unsustainably high levels.Utilization and litigation have increased.Claims are being held open for a longerperiod of time. Medical liens are part ofthe cause for this. Medical liens must beresolved by a judge, which also adds todriving the cost upwards. Additionalcosts that drive the premiums higherinclude the cost of medical inflation. Thistype of inflation has grown considerablyover the past 5 years here in California.

Heading into 2012 the workers com-pensation market began to “harden.”

The increase in premium is being seenby many employers that have high expe-

rience modification factor or are in ahigh risk industry. The premium mayincrease so significantly that employersare being driven to insurance carriers oflast resort. The struggle may not be oneof how to leverage one carrier againstanother to obtain the best rate, but mayeven come down to just finding a carrierthat will write the coverage.

More than ever loss prevention andmitigation procedures need to be imple-mented and maintained. Work with yourbroker and carrier to make sure that safe-ty measures are in place. Ask yourself; isour Illness & Injury Prevention Program(IIPP) up to date? Have regular safetymeetings with your entire staff getting

everyone involved and creating a safetyculture. Everyone doesn’t need to be inthe meeting all at once, there could be asafety meeting with managers and theneach safety manager has their owndepartment meetings. However safety ispromoted, everyone should be involvedand feel as though they are part of it.

It is important that employers keepcontrol over the claims that do arise. Makesure you have someone properly trainedin how to conduct an investigation. In theevent of a claim, these steps could make adifference in reducing costs:• Be sure the injury is reported promptly.• Follow up with the injured worker, letthem know that you care and what may

be the “next steps.” Make sure they arebeing taken care of. The idea is thatwhen they are able that they get back towork as quickly as possible. • Conduct an investigation / review theincident. Not to place blame, but to findout the truth about what happened. Werethere any witnesses? You should take pho-tographs of the accident scene or considervideo surveillance. Accident investigationsdetermine how and why failures occur.• Take necessary and corrective actions toprevent injury to others.• Communicate with claims adjustersand your broker as to keep the claim “inaction” and not left alone and stagnant.

With the rising cost of workers’ com-pensation insurance, the safe bet is tokeep your frequency and severity low.Frequency being the number of claimsthat you have and severity being the costof the claims themselves. An issue witheither frequency or severity will likelyproduce an unfavorable result when itcomes to the cost of your policy.

We have kept premiums low for thoseemployers who have partnered with oursafety specialists and have taken safetyseriously. While the market hardens it isimportant to not let your premium getout of control.

Jeannene Scearce, ARM, is Director ofProperty & Casualty for Montage InsuranceSolutions. For more information call (818)676-0044 or visit montageinsurance.com

What’s Happening with Workers’ Compensation?


© 2011 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

Daryl Kibota Vice President Wealth Advisor 199 W. Hillcrest DriveThousand Oaks, CA 91360805-374-8131

A Morgan Stanley Company

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TRUSTED ADVISORS

The struggle may notbe one of how toleverage one carrieragainst another toobtain the best rate,but may even comedown to just findinga carrier that willwrite the coverage.

© 2011 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

Bruce C. Munster Executive Director Financial Advisor 21650 Oxnard Street, Suite 2300Woodland Hills, CA 91367818-713-4740

A Morgan Stanley Company

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At the Event

TRUSTED ADVISORS

Don St. Clair of event sponsor Woodbury University.

Attendees from event sponsor Woodbury University. Attendees from event sponsor Moss Adams.

Left, honoree Carlos Herrera with James Hilman of event sponsor BNY Mellon; Center, honoree Kyle deVries with Carole Suruki of event sponsor Moss Adams; Right, honoree

Marianne Cederlind with Michele Grace of event sponsor Chase.

Over 400 eventgoers were on hand for the event, held at the Warner Center Marriott.

Michele Grace of event sponsor Chase. Specialty Award winners David Cieslak, Jill Campbell and David Adelman


the san fernando valley business journal presents …at our recent annual trusted advisors event, we...

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