Meet Our Team
Our value doesn’t stop at financial expertise.
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We take our business personally.
As in any family business, business is personal to us by nature. That’s why we treat each of our clients how we would want to be treated.
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We put our clients first.
Your success is all that matters to us - and success looks different to each of you. That’s why your financial & estate plan is always driven by your personal vision, goals and values.
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We’ve seen a lot.
With more than 100 years of experience, we’ve advised our clients through every stage in life.
Partners
Ralph is originally from the Boston area with family roots in Chelsea. Ralph grew up in Marblehead and it’s where he and his wife, Loretta, raised their three daughters. Ralph has been a leader in the insurance and estate planning for both individuals and businesses since he graduated from Wesleyan. If you know Ralph, you’ve probably heard him tell a tale or two about why “defensive” planning is so important and what he learned from his days on the Wesleyan football field with Bill Belichick.
Ralph was previously was a Partner with the Atlantic Benefit Group for many years. He co-founded Power 10 Advisory Partners with his middle daughter, Cassie, who brings her own complimentary experiences to the team and a great opportunity for our existing clients and the next generation. Ralph’s specialty is working with high net worth individuals and business owners on their estate and business planning strategies as well as corporate planning such as group benefits, 401(k)s, and bank/corporate owned life insurance. He prides himself on knowing the industry inside and out and strategizing to find unique and tax effective planning solutions for his clients.
Throughout his career, Ralph has continued to be a life-long learner and is repeatedly a nationally recognized advisor in the industry. He dedicates himself to being at the forefront of estate planning and was a past president of the Boston Estate Planning Council as well as a regular attendee at the national Heckerling Estate Planning conference.
Outside of work, Ralph can be found enjoying the ocean in Marblehead, traveling with his wife and family, volunteering at various philanthropic endeavors, exploring other cultures, or playing with his “granddogs” in the backyard.
Cassie is a Boston area native and grew up on the north shore in Marblehead, MA. She co-founded the Power 10 Advisory Partners team in 2018 with her father, Ralph. With their complimentary expertise, they are excited about how much more than can do for their clients together, including planning for the next generation. Cassie brings with her an expertise in wealth and investment management from her days at BNY Mellon and Windhaven Investment Management as well as a unique strategy mindset from her days as a management consultant.
As a co-founder and partner at Power 10, Cassie’s specialty lies in developing comprehensive financial plans and leading our Wealth Management team. She is also a member of the Boston Estate Planning Council and has a unique ability to understand the role of insurance planning as a piece of the estate, legacy, and tax planning puzzle. She also works with many businesses and business owners, bringing a strategic lens she developed as a consultant.
Cassie, like Ralph, is a life-long learner and she also loves to teach. She is passionate about sharing her financial planning expertise and has taught sessions at companies, schools, and other organizations. Cassie has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional since 2010, holds the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ designation, and has an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.
Cassie lives in Boston with her husband, Ben, and black lab mix, Gema. She loves to travel and even spent a year in Spain with School Year Abroad and studied abroad in China. She loves to be outdoors and when the Boston weather allows, Cassie can be found rowing on the Charles River in the mornings. Her past as a rower and a Captain of Colgate’s Division I women’s rowing team was the inspiration behind our team’s name, Power 10.
Sy is a resident of both Brookline, MA and Boynton Beach, FL. After receiving his Masters in Psychology from CCNY, he joined Northwestern Mutual transitioning from Psychological counseling to Financial counseling. Sy’s goal has always been to advise his clients on ways to successfully Protect and Grow their finances with the most cost effective and efficient strategies.
Sy joined the Power 10 Advisory Partners to “deepen his bench” and also assure his clients that a team of seasoned advisors would work together to continue to provide advice and service for multi-generational planning.
Outside of work, Sy is an active board member serving on several Charitable organizations. He is an avid cyclist and has combined this hobby with raising significant money for numerous charities along the way. With his wife, Ellen, they get to enjoy spoiling their Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren.
Team
Deb joined Northwestern Mutual & Power 10 in 2008 and is a seasoned client service professional with more than 30 years of experience in the industry working with insurance brokers and directly with clients.
Previously, Deb developed her analytical skills in operations with an insurance brokerage agency, supporting a Licensed Insurance Advisor and an independent Registered Investment Advisor. She takes pride in everything she does and a large part of the value she brings to the firm is her wealth of knowledge and expertise.
Deb earned a B.A. in Economics from Merrimack College and holds several professional certifications including Chartered Life Underwriter® and a Life, Accident, and Health Insurance License.
When Deb and her husband, Tom, are not outside enjoying the lakes and mountains of NH, they live in Wakefield, MA and are the proud parents of Kathryn and Christopher.
Victoria Gibbs CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®
Associate Financial Representative
Vicki joined Northwestern Mutual & Power 10 in 2008. She coordinates the new business and underwriting processes for the team.
Since joining the team, she has earned her Life, Accident & Health Insurance licenses, Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) designations from the American College of Financial Services, and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. She is also a registered representative of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC and holds FINRA series 7 and 63 registrations.
Outside of the office, Vicki enjoys training/competing in powerlifting, traveling, knitting, gardening, and attending car enthusiast events with her husband.
Michelle relocated back to Boston and joined Northwestern Mutual & Power 10 in May 2019. She has held positions in a variety of industries and has extensive customer service and project management experience.
Michelle leads daily marketing efforts and communicates with clients regarding service requests, client reviews, and policy questions.
She graduated from Boston University with a degree in History and holds her Life, Accident & Health Insurance licenses.
When not working, Michelle enjoys travel (she’s in pursuit of a visit to all 50 states), being in the outdoors, Boston sports, volunteering, and above all spending time with family – especially her 10 nieces and nephews – and friends, and her constant companion, rescue dog Scout!
Julie joined Power 10 Advisory Partners in January of 2022. However, her career with Northwestern Mutual started back in 1999 as an Associate Financial Representative. After several years with Northwestern, Julie moved to Connecticut to work within the property casualty industry at Travelers. Prior to joining Power 10, she has kept busy within the financial services and life insurance industry underwriting life, disability, and annuity applications. Julie takes pride in providing exceptional client service and client focus.
Julie holds a life, accident, and health insurance license in the states of NH and MA, as well as FINRA series 6 and 63 registrations. She is currently studying for more industry knowledge to better serve clients.
When not working, Julie enjoys spending time with her husband, Brandon, and their two children, Maxwell and Madelyn, hiking and exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Chris joined Northwestern in 2018 as a financial advisor before transitioning to his current role as Director of Investments for the Boston network office in 2019. He has thirty-plus years of institutional investment management experience having worked as an analyst and senior portfolio manager with Putnam Investments, portfolio manager and head of investments-US with Mercer Global Investments, director of consultant relations with HighVista Strategies and head of institutional portfolio management with Man-Numeric. His experience features an extensive track record of competitive investment performance through various market dynamics, innovative and client-driven investment solutions, and successful new business growth. In his current role, Chris leverages the depth and breadth of his investment acumen to design, implement and manage customized, multi-manager, multi-asset investment solutions on behalf of discerning clients.
In addition to his vast investment experience, Chris is a long-time Northwestern Mutual client and is well-versed with the integration of risk solutions and investment strategy as part of a comprehensive approach to personalized wealth management.
Chris earned his MBA from Boston University and his bachelor’s degree from Marquette University, where he specialized in finance. He is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society Boston, where he recently served as a mentor to younger members and was actively involved in the society’s financial literacy program. Chris also holds Finra Series 7, 24 and 63 licenses as well as his life, accident, and health state licenses in Massachusetts.
In his spare time, Chris enjoys outdoor activities including running, skiing, golf and walks in the woods with his wife, Becky, and their energetic dog. Together, Becky and Chris raised two awesome children, both of whom now live and work in the Boston area. Chris also serves on the Board and chairs the investment committee at Proctor Academy, a private coeducational day and boarding school for grades 9 – 12. His life’s motto is: Find the good in it, stay positive, go for a run.
A strategic sales & marketing leader with 20+ years of experience in leadership and execution. Accomplished in motivating teams, generating growth, and creating meaningful partnerships. Passionate about building, developing, and leading rock-star teams.