Karl H. Graf, CPA/PFS, CFP
Mr. Graf is the founder of Graf Financial Advisors, LLC, ("GFA") a firm dedicated to providing consulting, personal financial counselling and wealth management services on a Fee Only basis. The firm serves many clients including; executives, professionals, business owners, and middle market families. The firm also provides income tax preparation services to many of our clients. GFA is registered as an investment advisor with the SEC and the State of New Jersey.
Mr. Graf is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with broad experience in financial counselling and wealth management services. Mr. Graf has been named as one of the "Best Financial Advisors for Physicians" by Medical Economics magazine for the last several years. Mr. Graf has been certified by the various Courts as a financial expert and has provided expert testimony in court on several occasions.
Mr. Graf has been published on various personal financial planning issues and has been a frequent speaker on financial planning issues. He has been interviewed on national and local television, including CNN's "Your Money". Mr. Graf is a client advocate and helps clients successfully address with the critical financial issues they face.
Over the years Mr. Graf has also devoted considerable time and energy to charitable endeavours, primarily as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society ("ACS"). He spent seven years serving ACS in various roles including: Four years as Chair of the Board of Directors of the North Jersey Chapter, staying on for an extra term to assist in helping a smooth transition at a time of significant structural and operational change in the functioning of ACS (both locally and nationally). Additionally, he was co-chair for Planned Giving activities for the New Jersey Division of ACS for three of those years. This role involved speaking to potential donors about estate planning and how they could benefit charities while also remembering their heirs.
He is a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the New Jersey Society of CPAs (NJSCPA). He has served as a director of the Bergen County Chapter of the New Jersey Society of CPAs, and chairman of the Personal Financial Planning Committee of the New Jersey Society of CPAs.
Early in his career as a CPA Karl spent four plus years at Price Waterhouse in the small and emerging business area, managing audits and consulting engagements. He also spent time in the tax department working on complex individual and estate tax issues.
Karl enjoys being outdoors (hiking, biking, kayaking and dozing) and unusual travel (by some standards) in his off time.
He is an honors graduate of Upsala College and currently resides in Mahwah, New Jersey.
Frani Feit
Associate Financial Advisor
Ms. Feit joined GFA in 2006 working primarily in the financial planning and income tax areas. She provides investment research support and is an integral part of the preparation of client financial plans. She recently completed the professional coursework in all aspects of financial planning in preparation for taking the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam.
Ms. Feit began her career in public accounting at Laventhol and Horwath CPA's (a National Firm) in Philadelphia. Upon moving to Northern New Jersey, she joined Consulting Actuaries, Inc. as a Pension administrator. She gained broad experience in all aspects of pension plans working with individual entrepreneurs, partnerships and corporations. Subsequently, she trained owners and employees of professional firms to properly use and obtain maximum efficiency and effectiveness from various accounting and medical practice management software programs.
Frani has served on the Board of Directors of the YM-YWHA of North Jersey; held a Cabinet position for the Women's Division of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey and is now co-chair of the Commerce and Professionals Division. She is a founding Board member of the David Feit Memorial Foundation whose mission is to raise and distribute funds to benefit youth activities.
Frani is a graduate of George Washington University with a degree in Accounting.
She currently resides in Wayne, New Jersey with her two college age children and enjoys Pilates, snorkeling and skiing.
Richard J. Fichtel, CPA, CFA
Director of Investments
Mr. Fichtel is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and possesses the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Prior to joining GFA, Mr. Fichtel was Assistant Treasurer, Benefit Plan Investments at Wyeth for approximately 15 years. In that role, his primary responsibilities included managing the investments of Wyeth's $4.0 billion defined benefit pension trust and overseeing $3.0 billion in 401(k) plan assets, as well as advising the company's foreign subsidiaries and affiliates on retirement plan investment matters. Mr. Fichtel served as Secretary of the Wyeth Investment Committee, a board-appointed body assigned fiduciary oversight of the company's U.S. and Puerto Rico retirement plan investments, and also served on the Wyeth-Canada Pension Committee and the Wyeth-U.K. Trustee Investment Subcommittee. Mr. Fichtel has spoken at a number of investment conferences and plan sponsor association meetings regarding large-scale investment transitions and the role of passive strategies in institutional portfolios.
Prior to joining Wyeth, Mr. Fichtel was Manager of Pension Investments at Ingersoll-Rand Company ("I-R"). In addition to his pension and savings plan-related duties, he conducted personal finance and investing workshops at many of I-R's U.S. locations to promote financial literacy and greater familiarity with the I-R retirement benefit program among the company's employees.
He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the CFA Institute and the NY Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA).
Early in his career as a CPA, Mr. Fichtel worked as an independent auditor for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells and an internal auditor for Capital Cities/ABC and CBS.
He earned an MBA in Accounting from the NYU Stern School of Business and a BS in Management from St. John's University. Rich financed the full cost of his education with income earned as a professional musician and music instructor.
In his spare time, Rich enjoys playing the drums and is a fitness enthusiast. When his children were younger, he coached them in baseball, basketball and hockey.
Beth Wozniak
Administrator
Ms. Wozniak joined Graf Financial Advisors, LLC ("GFA") in 2002 and is responsible for all administrative aspects of client service. She is GFA's primary liaison with TD Ameritrade and takes care of the supremely important details involved in all aspects of account management including but not limited to; opening and closing accounts, the reconciliation of funds and securities that are being transferred in, as well as; depositing, withdrawing and moving funds, within TD Ameritrade, to other custodians and to our clients.
She makes sure that clients who are in the distribution phase receive the funds they want, when they want them. In most instances she is your first point of contact when you call the firm.
While staying at home to raise her daughter, Linda, Beth was very active in the community. She served on the PTO Board as Secretary; as Corresponding Secretary and Membership Chairperson for the Band Booster Organization; and was on Fund Raising Committee at her Church.
Previously Beth was a Supervisor of Administrative Support for Scribner Publishing Company.
Beth currently serves as Secretary for the Preakness Volunteer Fire Company #4 Auxiliary in Wayne. Beth's husband, John, has been an active member of Co #4 for 36 years and is currently serving as Chief.
She enjoys regular outings to New York City, including shows, concerts, dining and shopping.