Wilmington Trust, a Wilmington, Del., subsidiary of M&T Bank, has appointed 12 new wealth advisors and wealth strategists across key U.S. markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Florida, Baltimore, and Pennsylvania, according to a news release.
Through strategic hires in key U.S. markets, the company will enter the international ultra-high-net-worth space—a first for Wilmington Trust’s Wealth Management division, the company said.
“Our experience has shown us that clients prefer a dedicated advisor-led model, with a single point of contact that can marshal sophisticated wealth planning, fiduciary services, Family Wealth, and Asset Management resources from across the firm,” said Doris Meister, head of Wealth Management at Wilmington Trust.
Bill Buccella, head of U.S. markets at Wilmington Trust, said that the appointments were not just an expansion of the firm’s leadership team.
“Our plan is to continue to increase our advisor force in additional communities throughout our footprint and beyond,” he said. “The new operating model launched throughout all Wealth Management divisions is designed to move decision-making and resources closer to clients and drive growth through an increased focus on the client and the advisor.”
The new roster of appointments includes the following professionals:
-Daniel C. Shaughnessy, formerly with BNY Mellon Wealth Management, joins Wilmington Trust as senior wealth advisor, Long Island – New York Metro. Shaughnessy was previously district sales manager and vice president at HSBC, responsible for managing operations for the company’s Consumer Lending Group in the Metro New York and Long Island regions. His practice will primarily focus on serving the financial needs of business owners in the region.
– Roberta Ruddy joins Wilmington Trust as senior wealth advisor, Los Angeles. She has over 25 years of experience working with HHNW families and their advisors in developing and implementing strategies to increase, preserve and transfer wealth. She will focus on expanding the Wilmington Trust Family Wealth division internationally.
– Kathryn “Kate” Freeman brings more than 20 years of professional experience across commercial and investment banking, institutional sales, and business management to her new position of senior wealth advisor, Florida, at Wilmington Trust. She has worked in management roles at A.H. Williams & Co., Legg Mason, and Brown & Connery LLP.
– RJ Nicolli, a native of Syracuse, N.Y. since 2011, joins Wilmington Trust as wealth advisor, central and southern New York. He was formerly a senior financial advisor for M&T Bank, the parent company of Wilmington Trust. Nicolli has also held wealth management positions at Guardian Life Insurance and at Morgan Stanley.
– David Shimshock joins Wilmington Trust as senior wealth advisor, Northern Pennsylvania. He has over 30 years of experience in the banking/financial sector. Most recently, he was a client/banking advisor for the Wealth Management segment at PNC Bank.
– Anthony Viducic has more than 20 years of comprehensive estate and financial planning experience. He joins Wilmington Trust as senior wealth advisor, New Jersey. He was formerly a wealth management consultant at UBS Financial Services.
– Alex Waxenberg joins Wilmington Trust as a wealth advisor, New York Metro. He was formerly with Fiduciary Trust Company International, where he was responsible for the administration of complex trusts and estates. Waxenberg is a member of the New York State Bar and an active member of the UJA-Federation of New York’s Trusts and Estates Committee.
– Mary Ellen Cologero has over 30 years of experience in wealth and portfolio management, and provides wealth management advice to high-net-worth clients throughout the Hudson Valley and New York regions. She joins Wilmington Trust as senior wealth advisor, Albany/Hudson Valley. Prior to joining Wilmington Trust, she served as a senior portfolio manager and New York regional leader with Berkshire Bank Wealth Management, and as a market leader at Key Private Bank.
– Phil Wintercorn joins Wilmington Trust as senior wealth advisor, Florida. He has worked in the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach markets for over 23 years, most recently as a senior private banking relationship manager at Wells Fargo Private Bank.
– Tom Kelley joins Wilmington Trust as a wealth strategist, Baltimore. He is a CPA and a Certified Financial Planner. His areas of expertise include estate and retirement planning, income tax strategies, investment planning, and charitable planning. Prior to joining Wilmington Trust, he held various senior tax and wealth planner positions with Bank of America and Brown Advisory.
– Matthew Lee will support Wilmington Trust in Northern New Jersey, New York City, Westchester, Long Island and Connecticut as a wealth strategist, New York (Tri-State Region). Lee, a Trust and Estates attorney, joins Wilmington Trust from Day Pitney LLP, where he represented clients in the areas of income, estate, and gift tax, as well as succession planning for business owners.
– Thomas Waters, with more than two decades of experience working in the institutional asset management industry, joins Wilmington Trust as senior wealth advisor, Western New York. He will provide comprehensive wealth management advice to high-net-worth individuals and families, institutions, and foundations and endowments throughout Western New York.
