Our Team

 

Meet Our Team

 

Paris International has been providing financial advice and solutions to individuals, families, and businesses in the Tri-State area for nearly half a century. We offer the expertise, credentials, and unique multigenerational perspective of a family-run firm to deliver forward-looking guidance that can help you achieve your vision.

We are proud to be named to the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) 2019 Top Defined Contribution Advisor Teams list.* An affiliate of the American Retirement Organization, NAPA is an advocacy organization focused exclusively on issues relevant to retirement plan advisors and dedicated to enhancing the security of retirement plans in the United States.

 

Stuart A. Paris, CIMA®, AIF®

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Stuart A. Paris, CIMA®, AIF®, is the founder and president of Paris International, an employee benefits consulting firm; a principal of Granite Retirement Services, LLC; and the creator of The ETF 401(k) Solutions and co-creator of The 401(k) Compliance Solution. Stuart received his BA in politics from Brandeis University and holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) designation from the University of Pennsylvania Aresty Institute of Executive Education at the Wharton School. He has been a regional group manager for the Prudential Insurance Company of America and a general agent for the Travelers Insurance Company and is currently a Registered Representative, a Registered Principal, and an Investment Adviser Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network®. Stuart has received numerous industry awards, including the prestigious Quality of Life Award for service to company, industry, community, and humankind.

Michael R. Paris, AIF®

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Michael R. Paris, AIF®, is President of the Paris International family of companies. Paris International specializes in employee benefits consulting as well as wealth management and financial planning.   Michael was chosen as one of the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Advisors.*   He was also chosen as one of New York’s Five Star Wealth Managers for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 by Five Star Professional**  and 2017 Top Retirement Plan “Young Gun” Advisors Under 40 by the NAPA***.  Michael, a resident of New York City, lives with his wife, Caroline, and his almost 3-year-old twin sons, Owen and Levi.  He is an avid basketball fan and is active in several basketball leagues throughout New York City.  He currently serves on the Commonwealth Retirement Advisory Council. Michael is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® Designee and is also the creator and head of the employee benefits communication team. He holds multiple securities registrations, including FINRA Series 6, Series 7, and Series 63, and is insurance licensed for life and health.

 

Robert Testa

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Robert Testa, senior vice president, joined Paris International’s Client Services division in May 2000. He is responsible for the overseeing of all 401(k) Plan operations and assists in providing services to the employees of Paris International’s 401(k) client organizations. Prior to joining Paris International, Bob spent 15 years with Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, a provider of retirement plan services, as a retirement benefits consultant in their New York City regional sales office. Bob, a native of East Williston, New York, is a graduate of Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts, with a BS in business administration. He is an Investment Advisor Representative and holds several securities registrations, including FINRA Series 6 and Series 63, as well as Series 65 in the state of New York. along with life and health licenses.

Paul Kim, CFA®

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Paul Kim, CFA®, vice president, joined Paris International in July 2010. He serves clients by helping them identify and realize their financial objectives and any account service-related tasks. He is also involved with constructing asset allocation models used in client portfolios and responsible for trading. Prior to joining Paris International, Paul spent two years at UBS as a client service associate. Paul is a graduate of New York University with a BA in economics and a minor in business studies. He holds several securities registrations, including FINRA Series 7 and Series 66, and is also insurance licensed for life, health, and long-term care. 

Athena Bubell

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Athena Bubell, senior account manager, has 31 years of experience in the insurance industry and has been with Paris International for 27 years. She began working in new business processing and underwriting areas, handling life, disability, and long-term care cases and customer services. She graduated from the Katharine Gibbs School in New York City after attending C. W. Post College of L.I.U. Athena handles investment advisory compliance matters and general compliance issues and also provides general compliance support to staff. She is responsible for security licensing and registration of representatives and supervises continuing education and termination issues. She is a detailed-oriented professional highly skilled in multitasking and daily execution of assigned tasks. Athena holds multiple securities registrations, including FINRA Series 6 and Series 63, as well as Series 65 in the state of New York. She is also insurance licensed for life, health, and annuities.

Denise Harris

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Denise Harris has been the marketing director at Paris International since 2007. Before joining the Paris International team, Denise taught computer education for 16 years. She graduated from Queens College with a BA in education and has an MS in special education from Hofstra University. Denise is the creative force behind Paris International. In her role as marketing director, she is responsible for creating all of the brochures and seminars that are used with clients as well as maintaining the company website. She holds several securities registrations, including FINRA Series 6 and Series 63.

Mark Zigman

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Mark Zigman joined Paris International as an Investment Adviser Representative in February 2008. He specializes in working with employers to create and manage employee retirement savings programs. He also works with individuals to create a personal financial plan. Mark, a native of Melville, New York, graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook with a bachelor of engineering degree in electrical engineering. As an Investment Adviser Representative, Mark holds multiple securities registrations, including FINRA Series 6, Series 63, and Series 65, and is insurance licensed for life and health.

James P. Chave

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James P. Chave joined Paris International in March 2015. He is a member of the Paris International 401(k) team, acting as the client relationship manager who helps oversee all qualified plans. He also works closely with advisors and plan sponsors and assists in helping them administer their plans. Jim has more than 25 years of experience in the 401(k) and retirement plan industry. Jim, a resident of East Northport, New York, is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, where he received a liberal arts education. Prior to joining Paris International, he was a senior account manager at Transamerica working on large case plans.

Elena Germani

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Elena Germani, financial consultant, joined Paris International in 2013. Before starting her career as a financial consultant, Elena owned and operated a fine jewelry shop for 20 years, managing her business, employees, and customers. After a successful career and understanding the intricacies of being a business owner herself, she now oversees the financial planning and wealth management strategies for individuals and business owners and their employees. Elena graduated from Fordham University with a BA in math and economics and is a Registered Representative and Investment Adviser Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network®. She holds multiple securities registrations, including FINRA Series 6, Series 7, and Series 63, and is insurance licensed for life, health, and long-term care.

Corinne Kurucza

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Corinne Kuruzca joined Paris International in 2017 and serves as a relationship manager and client service professional.  In this role, she works with clients to analyze their investment, financial planning and cash flow needs to build comprehensive yet practical solutions to their specific goals and objectives.   She came to Paris from a career in strategy consulting, where she worked with both Fortune 500 companies and small businesses to help drive growth and efficiency through the identification and implementation of industry best practices.  Previously, Corinne served as a Private Wealth Advisor in Morgan Stanley’s private wealth management division.   She began her career at Atlantic Trust as a member of their marketing and branding team.  Corinne graduated with a BA in American History and a minor in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, and earned an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, where she also serves as her class agent.   She holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, as well as licenses in life and health insurance.  She currently resides in New York City with her husband Bryan.

Matthew Rizzo

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Matthew Rizzo, wealth planner, joined Paris International in 2020.   He started his career as a financial advisor in 2007 specializing in developing plans for individuals and small businesses to achieve a dignified retirement.  Matt received a BS from Fairfield University and an MBA from St John’s University.  When he is not working for his clients, he enjoys coaching youth sports, golfing, and spending quality time with his wife Mary Beth and their three children.  He holds several securities regulations, including FINRA series 7 and Series 63 and is also insurance licensed for life and health.

Janet Madison

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Janet Madison, Client Services, has worked 12 years in the financial industry and joined Paris International in September 2016. Janet’s diverse experiences have brought a unique perspective to our company. Prior to joining Paris International, she taught Health & Physical Education, coached lacrosse at Rutgers University and served 10 years as an Administrator at a local private preschool. She also traveled the world for several years as an international flight attendant. Janet’s focus for the company is to provide excellent service to our clients, ensuring all work is done effectively, efficiently and on time.

Charlotte Snyder

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Charlotte Snyder, Client Services, has over 30 years of professional work experience.  After holding positions in human resources and in the legal field, Charlotte transitioned to financial services and started at Paris International in 2007. She is responsible for office management and client services.

 

 

 

*The Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Plan Advisors is an independent listing produced annually by the Financial Times. The FT 401 is based on data gathered from advisors, regulatory disclosures, and the FT's research. The listing reflects each advisor's status in seven primary areas: DC plan assets under management (AUM), DC AUM growth rate, specialization in DC plans, years of experience, advanced industry credentials, compliance record and DC plan participation rate. 770 qualified applicants were nominated, of which 401 were recognized (52% of candidates). This honor is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Your experience may vary. Neither the advisors nor their parent firms pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 401. For the full methodology, please visit FT.com

**Based on 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria, including a minimum of 5 years as an active credentialed financial professional, favorable regulatory and complaint history, accepts new clients, client retention rates, client assets administered, education, and professional designations. 1,680 New York City wealth managers were considered for the award; 155 (9 percent of candidates) were named 2017 Five Star Wealth Managers. (The criteria provided reflect the most recent year for which advisor received the award. The criteria used, the number of wealth managers considered for the award, and the percentage of those who receive the award may vary from year to year.) These awards are not indicative of the wealth managers’ future performance. Your experiences may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

***The NAPA Top Retirement Plan Advisors Under 40 list includes plan advisors who have built a solid practice—either alone or as part of a team—and are established leaders ready to take their defined contribution (DC) and 401(k) plans to the next level. Nominations were solicited by NAPA members. Nominees were asked to complete an application and winners were chosen based on criteria that include current and new DC assets under management, DC plans for the past 12 and 24 months, and DC/DB plan revenue. Votes were utilized to break ties, if applicable. The nominated advisor need not be a NAPA member. 309 advisors were considered for the award. 75 (24.3% of candidates) were recognized. This award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.napa-net.org.