Michael has over 29 years of experience working with private clients in the investment management industry. In March of 2011, Michael and his colleagues joined Wells Fargo Advisors in Walnut Creek, California. Michael entered the investment industry in 1992 with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc., the firm with which he spent the majority of his career. While at Bernstein, Michael worked entirely within the Global Private Client Group in New York, Los Angeles, and ultimately San Francisco. In 1997, he became a Partner in the firm.
In San Francisco, Michael was integral in establishing and opening one of the firm’s most successful offices at the time. His practice while at Bernstein was entirely focused on helping private clients create, manage, and transition their wealth. During his time at Bernstein, Michael managed over $1.1 billion in client assets while serving clients in multiple states across the nation. In 2004, Michael joined Merrill Lynch’s Global Private Client Group. While at Merrill Lynch, he continued to serve his clients while also training a significant number of the firm’s top advisors on his approach to ascertaining client goals and translating those goals into the most effective wealth plan.
In 2009 and 2010, he was ranked among Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors in California (1). In 2020 and 2021, he was named to the Best in State Wealth Advisors by Forbes (2). Michael has been recognized as a Premier Advisor (3) each year since joining Wells Fargo Advisors from 2011-2022.
Michael is a 1988 graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. He and his wife, Vicki, live with their two sons, Joey and Will, in Diablo California. As a family, they enjoy playing and watching sports particularly baseball, basketball and tennis, hiking in the Sierras, and travelling to new places.
(1) The Barron’s 2009-2010 lists of Top 100 Financial Advisors in California ratings are based on the previous year’s assets under management, revenue generated for the advisors’ firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. Investment performance isn’t an explicit factor because clients have varied goals and risk tolerances. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria.
(2) The Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisors rating algorithm is based on the previous year’s industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a rating. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria.
(3) The Premier Advisor distinction is held by a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors as measured by completion of educational components, business production based on either of the past two years, and professionalism. Additional criteria, including length of service, may also be used to determine recipients.