Investment Research, Tax Planning & Prep, Social Security Advice
Unlike many firms, we have a broad range of independent consultants providing expert advice ensuring there are no gaps in your planning.
We do more then manage money, we take a holistic view of your financial plan and incorporate all aspects with our expertise.
Jim has served as an independent consultant to T.R.U.E Financial Guides Investment Direction Committee (IDC) since inception. Jim has spent more than fifty years in the financial industry and previously operated the investment advisory firm that would later become High Falls Advisors. He specializes in building individual equity portfolios and conducting broad economic research. Aside from investment expertise, Jim has years of experience as a Trust Officer, President of Key Bank. Earlier in his career, he held various positions in commercial banking throughout Upstate New York.
Jim received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine. He is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and holds the Series 66 license.
He is a member of Grantmakers Forum of New York. He has held various board positions at St. John’s Home, Including Board Chair. He also volunteers at various charitable organizations and is active in his church.
Jim resides in Hilton with his wife, Linda. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren, fishing, water sports and playing golf.
What’s the most likely place people could find you on a Saturday night?
At home with family.
Which would you pick: Living on the beach or living near the mountains?
Near the mountains.
Imagine being approached by a genie who offers you three wishes. What might those wishes be?
Good health, wisdom, & heal divisiveness in the US & World.
If you had the ability to travel back in time, what’s something you would tell your 18-year-old self?
Live well to age well.
*James McBride and High Falls Advisors are not affiliated with either Mutual Securities, Inc. or Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA T.R.U.E. Financial Guides.
Maryellen Foley-Eckert began her career with the Social Security Administration (SSA) shortly after graduating from Rush Henrietta Senior High School. Beginning as a Claims Development Clerk in Rochester, NY, she developed her skills and successfully grew in her career.
Maryellen moved up within the downtown Rochester office, working as a Service Representative and then as a Claims Specialist. She brought her expertise as a Claims Specialist to Knoxville, TN for a number of years before finally returning to the Rochester area to work in the suburb of Greece, NY.
In the Greece office, she was promoted as a Technical Expert, successfully conducting training courses, reviewing trainees’ work for technical accuracy, and acting as a technical resource for journeymen Claims Specialists.
Utilizing her years of experience working as a Claims Specialist and training future workers, she transitioned to Batavia, NY to work as an Operations Supervisor. In the Batavia office, she was responsible for running all operations - acting as the primary congressional liaison, purchaser, System Lan Coordinator, and Safety Officer.
After 26 years of service in the administration, Maryellen retired in 2017. Throughout her career, she’s had the opportunity to work with a variety of people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. She’s immensely proud of her ability to help thousands of people navigate every aspect of SSA services, from complex initial claims adjudication to simpler post-entitlement actions.
Currently, she enjoys volunteering, spending time with her family, cooking, and exploring her passion for animals. She also works as an independent consultant on a referral basis.
What’s the most likely place people could find you on a Saturday night?
You would find my at home playing with my kids or watching a movie. I'm a definite homebody.
Which would you pick: Living on the beach or living near the mountains?
Both! My dream home is in front of a lake with a mountain in back of it.
Imagine being approached by a genie who offers you three wishes. What might those wishes be?
Aside from the standard wish of 3 more wishes???....I'd wish for good health for my family and loved ones, to eradicate cancer, and my dream home.
If you had the ability to travel back in time, what’s something you would tell your 18-year-old self?
Don't worry so much or waste energy on negative things.
*Maryellen Foley-Eckert is not affiliated with either Mutual Securities, Inc. or Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA T.R.U.E. Financial Guides.
Stephen Schwanke has joined T.R.U.E Financial Guides as a Medicare advisor, where he will work to educate Medicare beneficiaries about their options, customize financial plans, and serve as a health care expert.
In the past 10 years with Fidelity Investments, Stephen has worked with some of America’s wealthiest families and Wall Street institutions by providing charitable planning through Donor Advised Funds.
Prior to joining Fidelity Investments, Stephen was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. While there, he achieved success by building strong personal relationships with clients through advocacy and service, driving lasting impact during the Great Recession.
A graduate from the Virginia Military Institute, Stephen holds a degree in Business and Economics. When not hard at work doing Medicare planning, he enjoys coaching his sons at lacrosse, hiking the Adirondack Mountains, and running.
*Stephen Schwanke is not affiliated with either Mutual Securities, Inc. or Mutual Advisors, LLC DBA T.R.U.E. Financial Guides.