GRACE C. WELLWERTS, CIMA® MS, CFP®, CLU, President

Ms. Wellwerts brings to RMPG a comprehensive combination of education, skills and experience in financial services including insurance, brokerage, and banking.  For 25 years, Ms. Wellwerts has been providing financial and wealth management services to individuals and family held businesses.  She coordinates RMPG's team approach to provide current tactics and strategies in asset management, planned giving, estate planning, and business and financial planning.  Ms. Wellwerts works with individuals to create and implement comprehensive financial and estate plans.  She works with businesses to design effective compensation and succession plans.  She advises individuals and has advised charities on planned giving techniques.  Ms. Wellwerts has served on various task forces and was recently selected to serve on the Certification Committee for Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA). She has served on the CFP® Board of Examiners.  She has previously served on the Pass Score Committee, the Estate Planning Question Audit Committee, and the CFP® Examination Committee. Ms. Wellwerts has been quoted in various publications including Fortune, Bloomberg Personal Finance, ABA Journal, Mutual Funds, Journal of Elder Law Review, Elder’s Advisor, The Journal of Elder Law and Post-Retirement Planning, Journal of Financial Planning, Boomer Magazine and others.  Ms. Wellwerts was named one of the top 100 financial planners in the U.S. by Mutual Funds magazine. She has been a featured and panel speaker on such topics as estate and charitable planning, financial planning, employee benefits, and business development.  Ms. Wellwerts has completed a Master of Science degree with a concentration in Financial Planning.  This advanced degree encompasses study in the four areas of financial planning including tax planning, investments and capital markets, retirement planning and estate planning.  She manages assets on a fee basis and is also fully licensed in insurance. Ms. Wellwerts is a member of the Investment Management Consultants Association, Financial Planning Association, Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council, The Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable, and the Society of Financial Service Professionals. The firm Rocky Mountain Planning Group, Inc. is registered with the State of Colorado Division of Securities as a Registered Investment Advisor.  Ms. Wellwerts is very active and, when she is not participating in triathlons, enjoys skiing and hiking.

BARBARA HOCH, Director of Portfolio Services

Ms. Hoch joined RMPG in 2001. As RMPG’s Director of Portfolio Services, Ms. Hoch is the front line of RMPG’s client service and oversees all aspects of client portfolios. She is the client liaison for all custodial and other vendor related transactions.  As well as producing client’s portfolio reports, she is expert in numerous software applications and tracking systems. Ms. Hoch’s background includes a variety of office management experience.  Prior to her entering a career in financial services, she raised five children, home-schooling three of them.

NICOLE GERACI, CFP, Financial Planner Associate

Ms. Geraci spent most of her middle year’s right here in the Vail Valley.  After graduating from Battle Mountain High School, she returned to Chicago to attend college.  She graduated from DePaul University with two degrees: one in economics and the other in political science. Upon graduation, she was employed at First American Bank in Chicago.  She joined FAB in their fast track management program. She was then selected among several candidates to join their Private Banking division. Returning to Colorado, she joined RMPG in January of 2008.  Ms. Geraci, who has already completed her Registered Paraplanner designation and Accredited Wealth Management Advisor designation, has completed and received her Certified Financial Planning designation.  Her financial background goes back many years. While in middle school and high school, she wrote articles in the local newspaper for kids about money and served on Young Americans Bank Youth Advisory Board in Denver. At RMPG she assists with many of the client support activities, including interfacing directly with clients.  Ms. Geraci enjoys snowboarding, hiking with her dog, Hachi, and running.  She has completed three marathons.

Professional Liaisons:

WILLIAM K. (BILL) GUEST, J.D., LL.M.,

Mr. Guest has specialized in estate planning and taxation related matters since forming his own law firm in 1989.  Mr. Guest received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1972 and Juris Doctorate Degree in 1975 from the University of Nebraska, and a LL.M. (Master of Laws) Degree in taxation in 1979 from the University of Denver’s Graduate Tax Program.  He has worked for Exxon Production & Research Company, Houston, TX and for Dalby, Wendland & Co., P.C., a CPA firm in Glenwood Springs, CO, as a tax and planning consultant, and as a tax attorney for Garfield & Hecht in Aspen, CO.  Mr. Guest has been admitted to practice law in Nebraska, Texas, and Colorado.  He is a member of the Colorado Bar Association (Business Law Section, Probate Trust Section, Real Estate Law Section, and Taxation Law Section) and American Bar Association (Law Practice Management Section, Real Property, Probate and Trust Section, and Taxation Section).  Mr. Guest brings a diverse and considerate approach to our team.

PATRICK J. COMISKEY, CPA,

Mr. Comiskey is President of Comiskey & Company P.C., which he founded in 1984.  Mr. Comiskey holds a B.S. degree in accounting from University of Southern Colorado (now CSU Pueblo).  He received his CPA license in 1974.  As an expert in taxation, he oversees all tax and tax related engagements for the six CPA’s and one enrolled agent in his firm.  Comiskey & Company has a national client base.  Mr. Comiskey has served as an expert witness and has also supervised audit and consulting engagements for a wide variety of clients. He is a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants, Professionals for Construction Contractors Council, and Colorado Contractors Association, Inc.

ROBERT T. BALLARD, J.D., LL.M.

Mr. Ballard has 25 years of legal and tax and insurance experience specializing in business and estate planning: Executive planning, deferred compensation, business continuity, and estate liquidity.  His ability and specialized knowledge allow him to understand intricate and sophisticated details of multigenerational estate planning and business succession techniques.  Mr. Ballard has designed and written hundreds of estate plans with an emphasis on creative plan design. With his technical experience, Mr. Ballard serves as RMPG's professional liaison between the firm and the legal and accounting communities.  He is served as Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver, College of Law and Graduate Tax Program.  Mr. Ballard is a contributing author of five books and has written many articles for professional journals and news periodicals.  He has spoken at over 25 professional association seminars and appeared on Public Television, Nightly Business Report (Denver), and numerous radio stations. Mr. Ballard is:  A member of the Denver, Colorado, and American Bar Associations; the former Chairman of the Denver Tax Group; a past President of the Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council, a member of the Denver Estate Planning Council.  Bob is licensed in insurance and activity with in the Denver group of the Financial Planning Association. 

SITUATIONAL SPECIALISTS

In addition, RMPG consults with various consultants with the highest levels of expertise on an as-needed basis.  This depth of resources allows RMPG to provide more comprehensive planning services.

Rocky Mountain Planning Group, Inc.
P.O. Box 2882
48 East Beaver Creek Blvd., Suite 308
Avon, CO 81620
Tel: (970)949.9281
Fax: (970)949.1983
E-mail: admin@RMPG2.com