PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Our Focus

As a leader in the financial services marketplace, GWAG at Merrill Lynch (ML) drives solutions to meet clients' ever-changing financial needs. Guided by our shared values of empowerment, trust, dedication and accountability, we aspire every day to exceed your expectations.


Our Value

Business leaders continually seek ways to attract, retain and reward top talent. They also seek strategies to best manage their personal wealth planning goals. Via our three core business units and access to the vast resources of Bank of America and ML, GWAG delivers unmatched service and solutions to create, manage and preserve wealth for the world’s esteemed businesses and the personnel who are their most valued assets.

GWAG’s dedicated Global Equity Compensation Resources business provides global stock-based compensation plan administration to leading private and public companies. Our Risk Control & Liquidity Creation unit coordinates a variety of high-level banking, financing and M&A activities for individuals and corporations, with a focus on creating tax-deferred liquidity for executives who hold concentrated equity positions and seek a more complete approach to wealth management. The freeing of assets generates a natural progression toward the broader wealth management capabilities of GWAG’s Wealth Planning & Advisory Services practice.

Wealth Planning & Advisory Services offers customized financial planning and a strategic portfolio of investment solutions as part of our wealth management platform. The planning process addresses all aspects of wealth including: family dynamics and attitudes toward money, retirement and lifestyle goals, estate and philanthropic planning, education funding and insurance solutions, risk assessment and suitable asset allocation, and collaborative work with attorneys/CPAs to address tax and structural efficiencies. We aim to be an indispensable partner in our clients’ self-defined vision of lifetime and legacy success.

GWAG’s five-person team has over 70 years of industry experience and joined ML in 2009.

Our People

JEFFREY WENDEL – Jeff leads GWAG and the team’s overall efforts across all business units. Working closely with key business and banking contacts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, he also delivers tailored services and keen insight to GWAG’s public and private company clients across the Fortune 1000. With 30+ years of industry experience, Jeff has obtained numerous accreditations, consistently received industry accolades, and served on for-profit, nonprofit and institutional boards. He attended the Wharton School.

KATE SHANNON – Through her consultative and collaborative approach, Kate seeks to understand the nuances of each client’s situation and guide them through the financial planning process. Before joining GWAG, she served as 2nd Vice President/Financial Planning Specialist at Smith Barney, providing broad-based financial planning and investment management solutions primarily to private business owners and Rule 144 executives. Kate graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Minnesota and completed her Master’s in Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University.

BRIAN BOLDT – Brian’s focus is developing wealth management plans and monitoring the due diligence that drives our portfolio construction and investment manager selections. He has a diverse finance background, which includes 11 years in the banking industry and 5 years of corporate cash management. Prior to joining GWAG, Brian was a Financial Advisor at Smith Barney, where he presented financial planning and investment management solutions largely to business owners and families. Brian earned his MBA in Finance from the University of St. Thomas.

JAMES KIRK – Jim manages GWAG’s Risk Control & Liquidity Creation efforts. Throughout his financial services career, Jim has consulted exclusively with high net worth clients and their professional advisors to develop and implement sophisticated wealth structuring and asset advisory solutions. Prior to joining GWAG, he served as Vice President/Wealth Management Specialist for Citi Global Wealth Advisory Services. Jim graduated magna cum laude from the University of St. Thomas and earned the title of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificant, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

LUANA MARRIER – Luana is responsible for the support and administration of all GWAG business lines. She has over eight years of industry experience and is GWAG’s technology wiz.



Contact us at 952-476-5678, toll free at 1-877-876-9622, or by email at gwag_mail@ml.com to learn more about any of our corporate or individual service offerings.