By: Meghan Manas | Office Manager
Our Family Continues to Grow
At BWFA, we strive to provide the best possible customer service for our clients. with that goal in mind, and to keep up with the needs of our growing client base, BWFA is pleased to welcome our two newest staff members:
Benjamin Dorsey I CPA, CFP®, MST – Director of Tax Services
Ben Dorsey joined BWFA in 2013 as Director of Tax Services. Ben has a B.S. in accounting from Towson University and an M.S. in taxation from the University of Baltimore. Ben is a Certified Public Accountant and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and he is a member of the AICPA and the MACPA. Before joining BWFA, Ben worked as a manager of the Family Wealth Services Washington Metro division of McGladrey LLP, the fifth-largest accounting firm in the U.S.
Ben has more than eight years of experience building close relationships with high-net-worth families while addressing the full range of their financial needs—including personal financial planning, multi-generational wealth transfer, and sophisticated tax- and estate-planning strategies—in addition to representing individuals, businesses, and estates before the IRS. Ben attends and participates in periodic client family meetings, which are used to review the family’s assets and cash flow, minimize income taxes, maximize planning opportunities, and evaluate relevant legislative and judicial changes that might impact the family. Ben enjoys working with multiple generations of high-net-worth families and educating them about the challenges and opportunities of wealth.
Ben is a lifelong Maryland resident and currently resides in Clarksburg with his wife.
Allison Gowallis I MS – Executive Assistant
Allison joined the BWFA team in December 2013 as an Executive Assistant. She has an M.S. in social science from Towson University and a B.A. in political science, with a concentration in Middle East studies, from the University of Maryland. In the past, Allison has interned for a terrorism research consortium and the Department of Homeland Security. Allison has intermediate proficiency in reading and writing Arabic and welcomes opportunities to practice. She also enjoys baking – a talent that has not gone unnoticed by fellow BWFA staff members!
Employee Spotlight: Chris Kelly
Q. Tell us a bit about yourself. where did you grow up?
A. Born and raised in Cumberland, MD.
Q When did you first know you wanted to work as a portfolio manager?
A. In high school, while taking an investment course—The Wall Street Journal became my new best friend.
Q. What do you like best about working at BWFA?
A. My clients and my colleagues.
Q. What would our clients be surprised to know about you?
A. My wife and I first began dating at the beginning of our sophomore year of high school, and we just celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary.
Q. What is your favorite BWFA memory?
A. The day I accepted the position—I knew I joined a special place, where great things could happen.
Congratulations
to Thad Ismart for earning the designation of NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor. The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is the country’s leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors – highly trained professionals who are committed to working in clients’ best interests.
National Financial Literacy Month
is recognized in April to highlight the importance of financial literacy and to teach Americans how to establish and maintain healthy financial habits. With tax season also coming to a close, this might be a good time for you to schedule a complimentary initial consultation with a BWFA advisor. We can help you make sure that your finances are in order for the coming year—and beyond. Call our office to schedule an appointment.