Mr. Seetoo is a Partner & Sr VP. with 21 years of experience in developing investment strategies for affluent business owners and high net worth families. Prior to joining Morton Wealth in August 2007, he served as the Director of Investment Research for Georgina Asset Management, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor located in Santa Monica, CA from September 2003 until July 2007 and as the Director of Operations from May 2000 until September 2003.  Mr. Seetoo began his investment career with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc. in 1998.  Mr. Seetoo is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a member of the CFA Institute and the Los Angeles Society of Financial Analysts.  Additionally, Mr. Seetoo is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Certified Financial Planner®  and a member ProvisorsTM .

Mr. Seetoo earned his Black Belt Degree in Krav Maga and was an instructor for nearly a decade.  He successfully completed Sealfit Kokoro Camp 37 in June 2015.

He has served a number of philanthropic organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley, Water Buffalo Club, Project ECHO & the Dubinoff School for Child Development.

He received his Bachelors degrees in Economics and International Relations from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia.  Mr. Seetoo is married, has 2 daughters and resides in Agoura Hills, CA.

Dennis Clapp is an Executive Director with J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Los Angeles. He specializes in working with institutions and high net worth families to build and preserve assets by leveraging J.P. Morgan’s global platform.

Dennis previously served as a Sr. Vice President with U.S. Trust, Bank of America Wealth Management and as Vice President with Wells Fargo Private Bank. He began his finance career as an intern with UBS PaineWebber. He is Past-President of Toastmasters Club #2847612 and current board member of the Woodland Hills Tax & Estate Planning Council.

Dennis earned his MBA in Finance and BA in Marketing, both from Loyola Marymount University. He completed his Certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation.

Dennis is an avid offshore sailor, skier/snowboarder, and scuba diver.

Esther Hopkins, founder and principal of the Law Offices of Esther Hopkins, P.C., provides personalized legal counsel to individuals and families in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, probate and trust administration, and special needs planning. She is particularly adept at handling the planning and administration challenges unique to high net worth individuals and families, complex estates and business successions.

Esther spent the first 13 years of her career as a business litigation and transaction attorney. During this time, she saw how lawsuits between family members often tore families apart. She realized that many of these lawsuits could have been prevented with proper planning. As a result, she decided to focus on estate planning and closely related areas. Esther’s experience as a litigator gives her a unique perspective on planning and how to avoid the types of mistakes that can lead to lawsuits and other potential problems.

Esther has a very large and close-knit family. Her father was one of twelve children, while her mother had eight siblings. Esther has approximately 50 first cousins. Family has always been the most important part of Esther’s life, and this is another reason why she has chosen to focus on planning rather than litigation. She takes a great deal of personal and professional satisfaction from helping families protect the people they love, the assets they have worked so hard to achieve, and working to prevent the types of infighting over “who gets what” that can destroy family relationships for a lifetime.

Esther received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1990. She earned her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1993. She became a member of the State Bar of California in 1993. In addition, Esther is fluent in Spanish.

Esther’s community participation has included volunteer work for the Advocates for Children’s Rights and Bet Tzedek Legal Services. Esther was also active on the Board of Directors for the Southeast Ventura County YMCA. She is an active member of WealthCounsel and Provisors. In her free time, Esther enjoys hiking, biking, running, and most of all, spending as much time as possible with her family.

Eric counsels privately held companies and their owners in the structuring, negotiation and closing of strategic transactions. His transactional expertise includes stock and asset acquisitions, financings, mergers, entity conversions and dissolutions, commercial transactions and corporate governance matters. Eric previously worked as a tax and transactions attorney in the Los Angeles offices of Venable LLP and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. He works closely with clients’ tax advisors to address tax issues that may impact pending transactions. Eric speaks on important legal and business issues and has contributed to several legal publications.

Eric earned his Master of Laws in Taxation from New York University School of Law and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law. Additionally, he graduated summa cum laude from the California State University at Northridge with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Business Administration (Honors in Business Option).

Robert began his financial services career in 1998 and founded Heritage Capital Strategies, Inc.(HCS) in 2004. HCS is a boutique consulting firm specializing in life insurance solutions for businesses and high net-worth families. The combination of Robert’s analytical approach and
relationship with M Financial has positioned HCS as a top resource for professional advisors and
clients throughout the country.

Robert’s ability to identify the most efficient way to acquire the asset of life insurance sets HCS apart. His experience in wealth transfer, business succession, and executive compensation markets allow him to create innovative solutions that are tax efficient. Currently, HCS manages over $1 Billion of policy Death Benefits for clients.

Robert is supported in his Westlake Village office by a high quality team of professionals and together they have over 60+ years of experience in the life insurance industry. The team is dedicated to providing a unique client experience and is committed to servicing the existing in-force business.

Robert, his wife, Stephanie, and their two children reside in Newbury Park, CA. They support their community through various school and philanthropic endeavors, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Robert’s work on the Planned Giving Advisory Council for California State University, Channel Islands.

Education:
• Bachelor of Science ~ Le Moyne College
• Masters Degree ~ Binghamton University

Melisa Silverman is a Partner in The Founders Group, a Business Transitions firm, and President of
Avenue M® Advisors, Inc., a national and international, boutique financial valuation, exit planning and consulting services firm. With more than twenty years of industry, valuation and consulting experience, Ms. Silverman is a dedicated and impartial valuator and consultant who analyzes the numbers, uncovers the truth behind the numbers and tells the financial results of the business so that business owners can decide whether to grow their business or exit from the business.

Avenue M Advisors adopts and self-imposes the highest professional standards of the certifying
organizations. Ms. Silverman has a JD degree. She is a member of the Exit Planning Institute (EPI) and she holds the professional designation of Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA). Ms. Silverman is a member of the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) and she holds the professional designation of Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA). NACVA’S CVA® designation is the only valuation credential accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies® (NCCA®), the accreditation body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence™ (ICE™). She is also a member of the International Society of Business Analysts (holding the professional designation of Senior Business Analyst (SBA)); and the National Equipment & Business Brokers Institute (holding the designation Certified Machinery & Equipment Appraiser (CMEA).

Ms. Silverman has prepared hundreds of complex business valuations on companies in every industry. She works with startup, growth and mature, well-established privately held companies. The valuations vary from investment purposes, such as sale of a business, partner buyout; to tax related purposes, such as a company structure conversion, potential capital gains tax, estate and gift tax compliance, IRC §409A compliance, purchase price allocations; to litigation support purposes, such as a shareholder dispute, bankruptcy, lost profits determination or intellectual properties.

The detailed reports include both the financial analysis and legal basis for the conclusions of value, and comply with the following industry standards and/or regulatory requirements:
• USPAP and NACVA
• IRS
• SEC
• ERISA and DOL

Ms. Silverman has worked with companies helping them with their exit (succession) planning, due
diligence, financial and operational assessments, strategic and business planning, developing cash flow projections, feasibility studies and analysis, SWOT assessments, business development strategies and implementation, analysis of potential acquisitions, assist clients with financing needs, and much more.

Lior Temkin is the Lead Partner with SingerLewak’s Tax Practice in the Los Angeles and Woodland Hills offices. He also oversees the firm’s Nonprofit niche practice specialization.

Experience

Lior has over 19 years of experience in individual, business entities and Nonprofit taxation. He has significant experience with high net worth individuals as well as with Nonprofit. He works closely with Nonprofit organizations on complicated matters such as UBI, sponsorship and transactions with interested persons.

Industries & Focus

Nonprofit, Real Estate, Construction, Professional Services

Education & Affiliations

Lior received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy and Masters of Science in Taxation degree from California State University, Northridge. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of CPAs.

Lior has written many articles for SingerLewak’s publications as well as published an article regarding Nonprofit related matters in the Tax Advisor, a nationally recognized magazine for tax professionals.

As part of the firm’s in-house training programs, Lior conducts seminars on Nonprofit as well as for-profit tax related issues. Lior has also done many training seminars for clients and through the CalCPA Education Foundation and
Center for Nonprofit Management.

Kathleen J. Tepley is the Founder of Los Angeles Consulting Group (LACG), which specializes in business development advisory services to: professional service firms, family offices, city/municipalities, and non-profit organizations.

LACG is known for their business development support services and business growth events, including co-managing the Lido Family Office Investment Symposium, since 2010. The annual event for the nationwide Family Office community has secured esteemed guest speakers such as, former President Jimmy Carter.

Kathleen’s strength is in connecting people and nurturing relationships.  She has over two decades of expertise in business development. She identifies, qualifies, implements, and cultivates new synergistic alliances, while cementing relationships for existing clients. Combining intuition with an unwavering commitment to “follow up and follow through”, she turns potential business into essential dollars. She loves serving people and does this by personally guiding the growth of their vision.

Kathleen is exceptional in everything that she does. She is personable, efficient, knowledgeable and an asset to any organization. If you want results, she is the one to hire!

Los Angeles Consulting Group strives to donate 30% of its resources to assist nonprofit and professional clients with a multitude of support services and targeted networking opportunities.  She volunteered on the Advisory Board for the Arthritis National Research Foundation for ten (10) years and now serves on the Advisory Committee, the Culver City Chamber of Commerce. From 2014 – 2017, her company managed & supported the Culver City Centennial Celebration, with 100 events in 12 months. She has been a leading member of ProVisor’s since 2004.

Kathleen is originally from Minnesota, where she earned her CAM certification from the Multi-Housing Association of America.  She spent 12 years managing multi-unit rental properties for Susee & Lee Associates and Metes and Bounds Management Company, A Professional Law Corporation. Kathleen also served seven (7) years on the Board of Directors for the Sylvan Shores Property Association, five of those years as Vice President.  During her term, she was able to revise management plans for the association and bring it into a financially thriving resort living, community and home association.

Jeffrey Knakal is a top performing investment banker. He is an investment banking thought-leader, and a strategic engineering center-of-expertise. Jeff built highly successful practices for three world-class firms in New York before embracing entrepreneurship via founding Growth Partners in 1994 and developing a next-generation investment banking model (vertically integrated), proprietary offerings (decision-making analytics for business owners), and a special set of practices, all dedicated to maximizing the value provided to clients beyond the confines of traditional investment banking. Jeff is a distinguished resource for companies and their owners.

Present: Jeff is the Managing Partner of Growth Partners (GPI) which is a boutique investment banking firm (fully registered FINRA member) serving middle-market companies. The firm’s tag-line is “First we are Farmers.., and then we are Hunters™.” Based on a clinical assessment of investment banking, Jeff concluded important, if not critical, value could be provided to owners before the inflection point of a transaction, which ultimately would contribute to a superior transaction outcome, aside from improving traditional investment banking transaction processes. As such, he designed a synergistic bifurcated model entailing the following client offerings:

• • GPI’s first set of activities pertain to pre-transaction analytical assessments of a company related to both, “what is” (buyer preference alignment), and “what could be” (value-creation potential). The outcomes afford owners with the basis to make optimal build/sell decisions.
• • GPI’s second set of activities pertains to M&A and capital formation transaction execution with a liquidity event centricity. The capability is distinguished by sophisticated information disclosures (no PowerPoints), embedded value-creation plans and counterparty synergy analysis.

Past: Jeff began his career with JP Morgan handling relationships and transactions with US multinationals in the northeast. He was then recruited to Credit Suisse to generate new business and proactively realize synergy among three affiliated firms (First Boston, CSFB and Credit Suisse) before being offered a position in Zurich. Thereafter, Jeff was the first American hired to build a US investment banking presence for Daiwa Securities (when Japan was liberalizing its capital market). He achieved “first-time” transaction events for Colgate-Palmolive and Aetna Life.

Education: Jeff received a Bachelor’s degree from the Wharton School, at the University of Pennsylvania (finance major), and a Master of Business Administration from the Stern School, at New York University (finance major).

Bona-Fides: Jeff has closed transactions totaling almost $1 billion in value for companies residing in most industries for GPI. He also founded and initially developed two manufacturing companies with each achieving revenues of $100 million (developed the supply-chain thesis, acquired the targets, recruited the management teams, prepared the build-plans and raised the capitalization structures). Jeff is a student of strategic development and advocates “Purple Ocean” strategies. He is an expert regarding valuation and crafting compelling narratives related to the sale of a company. Jeff has given speeches at MIT, Duke, Boeing, the Conference Board, etc., published a set of eight tutorial articles for C-Suite Quarterly, and is in the process of writing a book called “Optimal Exits.” Jeff’s greatest competency pertains to nurturing business owners, while earning their trust.

The “Why:” To best serve the heroes of the American economy, which are entrepreneurial business owners, by ensuring their courage and resolve are justly rewarded through a well-deserved maximized liquidity event return.