R. Bennett "Benny" Firestone, Jr
President
RBennett@LegacyWM.com
R. Bennett “Benny” Firestone, Jr. is the President of Legacy Wealth Management, LLC, and a Managing Partner of Financial Advocacy Network, “F.A.N”, LLC. He has been working in the financial services industry for 19 years. He provides personalized investment and preservation strategies, as well as retirement, tax, and estate planning services.
He was a district agent for Mass Mutual, an agent for Minnesota Life and Prudential Preferred Financial Services, as well as an investment advisory representative for MMLISI, Ascend Financial Services, and Pruco Securities. Today, he is “Gladly going against the Grain of the big firms: “Legacy Wealth Management focuses on Service, not Sales; People, not Products”, as published in Forbes May 2006.
Estate beneficiaries, those in transition, business owners, and professionals, are regularly referred to Benny by tax attorneys and accountants. Regardless of their particular circumstances or investment experience, clients enjoy the dual benefits of in-depth experience and individually tailored advice, all the result of a team of dedicated advisors.
“Helping clients pursue their financial objectives is far from being an academic exercise. While providing comprehensive advice is paramount, "Achieving true service excellence is about cultivating mutual respect and trust.” Benny strives to build long-term relationships by keeping the firm independent and taking a straightforward approach dedicated to helping his clients manage their goals.
Benny is very active in public speaking sharing his knowledge of financial services & investments with the residents of Charleston, SC and beyond. He hosts workshops and events on a frequent basis concerning current topics of interest in the financial services industry.
Originally from Virginia, Benny and his wife, Melissa, moved to South Carolina in 1992. They were blessed with a daughter, Alexandra, in 2006. Benny is very active in the community, particularly in the interests of helping children build a foundation for a bright future. He serves on multiple boards in and around the Charleston and is very active with the March of Dimes. Benny is an avid outdoorsman. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, boating, travel, and a variety of other sports related activities.
Reach Benny via email: RBennett@LegacyWM.com
Alan K. Majak
Senior Vice, President Wealth Advisor
amajak@legacywm.com
As a Wealth Advisor, Alan K. Majak helps his clients take a comprehensive, Strategic approach to financial planning even in the early stages of asset accumulation. Utilizing an in-depth financial needs assessment and in partnership with Legacy Wealth Management Strategic Credit, Risk Management, Investments and Trust & Estate Planning, he develops recommendations tailored to his client’s needs, priorities, and preferences. Investment portfolios are then closely monitored to ensure continued relevance to clients’ needs.
Alan attended Florida International University where he earned a master’s degree in Finance and Loyola University of Chicago where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources. He currently maintains the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) designation and the Series 7, 24, and 66 held with LPL Financial, and insurance licenses. Alan had been in banking for more than 32 years, before joining the Legacy Wealth Management team.
Alan and his wife Anne have lived in Palm Beach County, Florida since 1987. They have three grown children and six grandchildren and enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle.
Cathryn A. Cato
Wealth Counselor
CCato@LegacyWM.com
Cathryn A. Cato, is a Wealth Counselor with Legacy Wealth Management in Mt. Pleasant. She joined Legacy in 2008 after more than eight years with Smith Barney as a Financial Advisor. Cathryn’s mission is to provide her clients with strategies that help them make the most of their own accomplishments and lead an independent life. Cathryn has more than 25 years of client experience in the financial services industry as a financial planner and investment advisor representative. Cathryn holds a master’s degree in Personal Financial Planning and her bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Cathryn is active in several non-profits in the Charleston area. She is a past board member for the Center for Women and the National Association of Women Business Owners SC. She has also been a street chairman each year for the Historic Charleston Foundation's annual Festival of Homes and Gardens since moving to Charleston in 2000.
Reach Cathryn via email: CCato@LegacyWM.com
David J. Mandell
Vice President
DMandell@LegacyWM.com
David holds the Series 7 and 63 registrations with LPL and is a financial consultant with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He also holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Colorado/Boulder.
David has served as a financial advisor at such NYSE firms as Prudential Securities, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch. Originally residing in the Boston area, David and his family relocated to the Charleston area in 2004. He joined Legacy Wealth Management in March of 2012 as Vice President.
With over two decades of experience as a financial advisor, David has extensive experience in helping his clients navigate through difficult market environments by using a number of investment strategies to potentially help guard against risk. In a world today where global markets and economies have become interconnected, this condition has created unprecedented complexity, volatility and uncertainty in the capital markets. David believes it is absolutely critical that individual investors have an ongoing proactive relationship with their financial advisor and implement investment strategies to help manage risk and work towards the goal of consistent portfolio returns.
David advises a diverse group of clients in all facets of their investment and insurance needs including investments in stocks, bonds, ETF’s, options, annuities, and third-party money managers. By creating an individualized financial plan, we can help clients create a road map to work towards their financial objectives.
Reach David via email: DMandell@LegacyWM.com
Robert E. "Ned" Philbeck, IV
Vice President and Investment Specialist
NPhilbeck@LegacyWM.com
Robert E. “Ned” Philbeck, IV grew up in Columbia, South Carolina and attended the College of Charleston where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1992. He began his finance career in 1992 with Palmer and Cay, a large and well respected regional risk management firm.
During his tenure there, Ned earned the Accredited Advisor of Insurance designation, and mastered a number of key risk management concepts that are essential to his advisory processes today. Ned joined Financial Management Group in 1995. He was named Firm Investment Specialist in 2000, and in 2005 was appointed Vice President and head of the firm’s Investment Management division.
In March of 2009 Ned joined Legacy Wealth Management as Vice President and Investment Specialist. This change was instituted to merge his specialization with the experience of his new partners in Mt. Pleasant, SC and Rockville, Maryland to further his strategies to work towards the creation as well as preservation of wealth in both up and down markets. As a registered Series 7 and 63 representative with LPL Financial Ned has the experience and ability to work with both investment and insurance strategies. Most importantly, we believe, is his passion and commitment to finding his clients suitable investments for their portfolios and his wide range of investing and advising skills.
Reach Ned via email: NPhilbeck@LegacyWM.com
Thomas A. Brophy
Vice President of Investments
TBrophy@LegacyWM.com
Thomas A. Brophy is a registered financial advisor with more than 20 years of industry experience. A South Carolina native, Tom earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the top-ranked Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. During his career, Tom built extensive experience in financial markets, serving as an investment advisor for several NYSE firms—both regional and wire house—including J.C. Bradford, Morgan Stanley, and Scott and Stringfellow.
Tom joined Legacy Wealth Management in February of 2011 as Vice President of Investments. With experience in many volatile business cycles and up and down markets, Tom strives to leverage his market knowledge to create long-term strategies and exploit short-term opportunities. He takes an individual approach to navigating the complex financial environment, focusing on each client's unique needs and goals, and establishing strong personal relationships.
Tom advises a full spectrum of clients, from individuals who need help working towards retirement goals to high net-worth clients who need sophisticated financial strategies. His portfolio management background includes trading and managing investments in stocks, bonds, ETFs, and options, as well as advising on annuities, third-party money managers, and alternative investments. Tom's clear view of the financial markets, in real time and over the long term, enables him to craft strategies with the goal of preserving and creating wealth.
Reach Thomas via email: TBrophy@LegacyWM.com
Trent Derrick, CMT
Financial Advisor, Chief Market Technician
Trent@LegacyWM.com
Trent Derrick is a financial advisor and Chief Market Technician at Legacy Wealth Management. He is passionate about the value small businesses bring to their communities and specializes in serving small business owners by providing seamless financial advisory services tailored to their financial needs, including tax planning strategies, cash flow management, and retirement planning. Trent obtained his bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, studied economics at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and is a Chartered Market Technician® (CMT®) professional. Outside of the office, he serves as a guest lecturer for the College of Charleston’s MBA program and acts as chairman of the Market Technician Association’s Charleston chapter. To learn more about Trent, connect with him on LinkedIn.
Reach Trent via email: Trent@LegacyWM.com
