The MERiTAGE Story
The five partners came together in 2019 after being financial services colleagues for more than 20 years. Changes in the industry provided a unique opportunity to bring together the experience and excellence of these industry leaders. The founding partners each have more than two decades of experience working with highly successful Financial Advisors in a consultative capacity. Over the course of their careers, the partners have been:
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Industry leaders
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Thought leaders
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Responsible for the development, design and implementation of customized insurance plans
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Trusted to develop intricate plans for high net worth individuals
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Part of a specialty business unit supporting the Private Bank and Financial Advisors
MEET THE FOUNDING TEAM
A Heritage of Experience and Excellence
Meritage Overview to Go
An Expanse of Experience at Your Service
Gulf Coast
Chuck Adam has provided life insurance and advanced planning strategies in South Texas and Louisiana for high net worth individuals and families for more than 30 years. Most of the work Chuck performs is directed toward wealth transfer and wealth preservation. Chuck served as the region's life insurance specialist for Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. Chuck’s entire practice is focused on high net worth individuals, families and business owners.
Pacific Northwest
Erik Copeland focuses on protection planning, wealth accumulation, supplemental income planning, and wealth transfer strategies for high income and high net worth clients. Working with Financial Advisors and wealth management teams, he develops strategies that are designed to be in harmony with overall financial, estate, and business succession goals to protect and preserve assets for the next generation. Erik has more than 28 years of experience in the insurance industry.
Northeast Coast
Doug Dunne focuses on protection planning, wealth accumulation, supplemental income planning, and wealth transfer strategies specifically for high income and high net worth clients. Working with your Financial Advisor or wealth management team, he develops strategies that are designed to be in harmony with your overall financial, estate, and business succession goals to help protect and preserve your assets for the next generation. Doug has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. He has been the Insurance Specialist/Expert at Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. His extensive knowledge of advanced life insurance strategies and their applications allows him to work closely with your financial team, including attorneys and accountants, to execute the program best suited to meet your objectives. We recognize that each comprehensive plan requires an individualized approach and unique strategies. Our focus is to bring you creative, personalized financial strategies that take advantage of how life insurance can function as a premier wealth transfer, wealth accumulation, protection, or estate planning vehicle.
Atlantic Seaboard
Jorge is a founding partner of Meritage Wealth Insurance Advisors. He has over 25 years of experience working with clients to structure and incorporate insurance as an integral component of their comprehensive wealth plan. His expertise in implementing insurance strategies has helped hundreds of clients to grow and protect their assets as part of their overall wealth transfer and legacy goals. Mr. Fuentes specializes in Estate Planning, Executive Benefits, and Business Succession Planning. As a legacy Wealth Insurance Specialist at Wells Fargo, Jorge has spent 19 years in the DC Capital area working with clients of both Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Private Bank to achieve their financial goals. Jorge is a former United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant with tours of duty including the Presidential Honor Guard and Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
Southwest
Rick is a founding partner of Meritage Wealth Insurance Advisors. He has over 35 years of experience working with clients to structure and incorporate insurance as an integral component of their comprehensive wealth plan. His expertise in implementing insurance strategies has helped hundreds of clients to grow and protect their assets as part of their overall wealth transfer and legacy goals. Stein specializes in Estate Planning, Supplemental Income strategies, and Business Succession Planning.
Point of Sale Team
Ken Cress
Ken is an experienced financial strategist focused on creating effective insurance solutions for wealth managers, attorneys, CPA's and their clients. While at Meritage WIA, The Financial Strategies Group, Highland Capital Brokerage, and Lincoln National, Ken’s expertise includes analysis and solutions in the following areas:
• Risk Protection Planning
• Tax Efficient Accumulation & Distribution Strategies
• Asset Protection
• Estate Planning
• Business Planning
Business Succession Planning
Executive Benefits & Compensation
• Life Insurance Valuation Analysis
• Charitable Gifting Strategies
Barry Cronin
Barry has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and has been serving Wells Fargo Advisors clients since 1999. His extensive knowledge of advanced life insurance strategies and their applications allows him to work closely with your financial team, including attorneys and accountants, to execute the program best suited to meet your objectives.
Barry focuses on protection planning, wealth accumulation, supplemental income planning, and wealth transfer strategies specifically for high income and high net worth clients. Working with your Financial Advisor or wealth management team, he develops strategies that are designed to be in harmony with your overall financial, estate, and business succession goals to help protect and preserve your assets for the next generation.
Barry recognizes that each comprehensive plan requires an individualized approach and unique strategies. His focus is to bring you creative, personalized financial strategies that take advantage of how life insurance can function as a premier wealth transfer, wealth accumulation, protection, or estate planning vehicle.
Bill Fortner
Over the last 25 years William Fortner has provided life insurance and advanced planning strategies for more than a thousand high net worth families in Southern California and Hawaii. Much of the work Bill performs is directed toward wealth transfer and wealth preservation for Estate Planning, Supplemental Income strategies, Defined Benefit Plans, and Private Placement Insurance. Bill has served as the region's life insurance specialist for Union Bank of California, Edward Jones, Bank of America Private Bank, Merrill Lynch, and Wells Fargo Private Bank.
ABOUT MERiTAGE
Meritage is a National Insurance General Agency with full support capability for client advisors managing important, sophisticated client relationships. Our team offers:
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Point of sale support when meeting with clients
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Back-office support with high-end case management experience and underwriting support
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Advanced case design access through private practice rms and life insurance carrier legal and accounting professionals
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Numerous life insurance carrier relationships based on exceptional track records of placing large cases
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We are supported by seasoned administrative staff and operational support with decades of experience.
Proven Performance over the Decades
PARTNER CAPABILITIES & POINT SALE SOLUTIONS
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Highly credentialed with 135+ years of aggregate experience.
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Ability to navigate Jumbo life insurance cases (underwriting support and servicing)
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Seasoned on-team support and advisory professionals located throughout the country
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Local support with national capabilities
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Back office structured to accommodate sophisticated, complex underwriting strategies
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Experienced in providing consultative strategies for clients and professional advisors. Planning capabilities include:
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Annuities
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Business/Executive Benefits
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Charitable Giving
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Legacy
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Life Insurance
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Long Term Care
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Retirement
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Tax Advantaged
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Broad experience with private practice and institutional practice
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Supported by a dedicated sales and service desk to manage submitted cases from application to issue