Derek Spencer serves as a Senior Director, Strategic Growth at Ellsworth Advisors. With more than 15 years of experience working with entrepreneurs, business owners, corporate executives, and multigenerational families, Derek focuses on expanding the firm’s strategic relationships and helping clients navigate complex wealth-planning matters. His work often involves liquidity events, major life transitions, and the stewardship of generational wealth.
Derek began his wealth management career at Ellsworth Private Wealth Management, the predecessor to Ellsworth Advisors. His background spans wealth management, corporate strategy, and entrepreneurship. In addition to Ellsworth Private Wealth Management and Ellsworth Advisors, Derek served as a Partner at CAVU Financial, a Private Banker with Key Private Bank, co-founded a strategic consulting firm focused on growth and market positioning, advised companies seeking capital through equity crowdfunding, and launched ventures in spatial computing technology and financial services.
Derek holds the Series 66 securities license and has held the Certified Wealth Strategist® designation for nearly a decade. He is also licensed in life and health insurance. Derek graduated Magna Cum Laude from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations.
Derek serves on the Boards of the Great Lakes Science Center and the Boy Scouts of America, Lake Erie Council. He previously served on the Board of Karamu House. Derek lives in Kent, Ohio, with his wife, two young children, and their Great Dane, Duke.
Cade Tonozzi serves as an Associate Advisor with Ellsworth Advisors. His primary responsibilities include fixed income and equity trading, fixed income and equity research, asset allocation modeling, and portfolio construction. He also provides wealth management services and financial planning to individuals and families.
Cade is a graduate of Miami University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance. During his time at Miami, he was a member of the Personal Finance Club and studied abroad in Spain and Italy. In his spare time, he enjoys watching sports, golfing, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
With more than 25 years in the financial services industry, Chris Prado serves as a Senior Vice President of Ellsworth Advisors. In this capacity, Chris is responsible for developing and supporting client relationships for individuals, families, and corporate retirement clients. Chris also takes an active role in financial planning for existing clients and prospective clients. Additionally, Chris has experience assisting business owners with business valuations, growth strategies, value maximization, succession planning, and both buy- and sell-side transactions. Chris is focused on developing deep, personal relationships with clients, which allow him to deliver the appropriate financial guidance.
Prior to joining Ellsworth Advisors, Chris was the Director of Business Development at Wentz Financial Group since 2019, where he held several roles and managed individual and corporate clients. Prior to his time at Wentz Financial Group, he spent 22 years at Federated Securities Inc., where he managed more than $1 billion in assets across Northeast Ohio and Columbus (2005 – 2019). He served in the same capacity in previous roles at Federated, including coverage of the Chicago market (2003 – 2005) and New York (1999 – 2003).
Chris is a graduate of John Carroll University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
In 1996, Chris and his lifelong friend, Tom Pirosko, founded the TC Open Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting military children. Chris and his wife, Ashley, live in Hudson, Ohio. They are the proud parents of Wyatt, Quin, Blake, and Brody.
Liz Lewis serves as an Administrative Associate of Ellsworth Advisors. Her responsibilities include managing communications between clients and the investment team, onboarding new clients, processing account changes, and overseeing asset transfers and wires. Liz is a dedicated administrative professional with a strong background in talent acquisition and client account management. Her career began at Swagelok, where she excelled as a Talent Acquisition Coordinator, skillfully managing travel arrangements and interview schedules for candidates across multiple locations. Liz’s commitment to efficiency led her to participate in Continuous Improvement Projects, where she played a key role in implementing new scheduling software, thereby enhancing organizational productivity.
Transitioning to Ellsworth Advisors, Liz now supports the administrative team, leveraging her expertise to ensure seamless management of client accounts. Her academic foundation in Early Childhood Education from Kent State University, coupled with her leadership experience as captain of her high school volleyball team, underscores her ability to lead and educate.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Liz is a passionate supporter of the American Heart Association, inspired by her late grandfather’s legacy. Her personal interests include painting, reading, theater, and caring for her beloved dogs.
Carrie Wood serves as an Administrative Associate of Ellsworth Advisors. Her responsibilities include supporting the firm’s retirement plan consulting practice with back-office tasks that provide up-to-date investment information on clients. She serves as a liaison between clients and third-party service providers to gather documents and complete investment paperwork. In addition, Carrie is responsible for maintaining clients’ fiduciary files, including quarterly investment reviews, quarterly meeting minutes, annual investment policy statements, and annual fee benchmarking reports.
Carrie grew up in Ohio and attended the University of Dayton, where she met her husband and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Carrie and her family have lived in six different states, and she has always maintained an active role in volunteering and supporting the American Red Cross through blood donations.
Carrie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, playing tennis, reading, attending theater productions, and baking. Carrie and her husband live in Hudson, Ohio. She is the mother of two adult sons.
Dave Jakubowski serves as a Senior Vice President of Ellsworth Advisors. With more than 30 years of portfolio management experience, Dave leads the execution of client trades, asset allocation modeling, and research on fixed income and equity investments. He is also responsible for providing wealth management and comprehensive financial planning services to individuals and families.
Dave is a graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. Dave holds the Series 65 Uniform Investment Advisor securities license and possesses over 30 years of experience with Prudential Securities, McDonald & Company Investments, Robert W. Baird, and Morgan Stanley.
As a community-minded individual, Dave is a member of the Parma Amateur Athletic Federation, the Boy Scouts of America, and several committees at St. Charles Borromeo. He lives in Parma, Ohio, with his wife and is the father of four adult children. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, hiking, and high school, college, and professional football, as well as Major League Baseball.
Tim Clepper is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Kaulig Companies Limited, the Single Member Family Office for Matt Kaulig, and his direct family. Tim is also the Managing Partner of Ellsworth Advisors. In 1997, Tim started his professional investment management career with McDonald & Company Investments, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Tim continued his career with two other premier firms, Robert W. Baird & Company, and Morgan Stanley.
For nearly three decades, Tim’s professional career has been in asset management, investment banking, and private equity. He holds the Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser securities license and has managed significant financial assets and transactions for individuals and businesses. Tim has also participated in many successful mid-market private equity and real estate transactions throughout his career.
In 2008, Tim was named Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager in Morgan Stanley’s Private Wealth Management Group. He then left the firm in 2015 to start the Kaulig Companies for Matt Kaulig.
Tim is a board member or board advisor to many businesses and 501(c)(3) organizations, including Gridiron Capital’s Board of Business Executives™, The Kaulig Foundation, The LeBron Advisory Board (LAB) for the I Promise School, PitCCh In Foundation, Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation, Hudson Community Foundation, Santa PICsU 501(c)(3), Haslam Sports Innovation Center, and is a Trustee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2013, Tim co-founded Santa PICsU, a 501(c)(3) organization, with the intent to bring the “healing power of giving” to children and families in traumatic situations. Santa PICsU focuses on the wellness of children and families in Northeast Ohio Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs).
Tim graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Kent State University. Tim and his wife Amy have three teenage children and reside in Hudson, Ohio.
Kelly Kuennen serves as President of Ellsworth Advisors. He possesses more than 30 years of wealth management experience. In 2000, Kelly earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. As the President and co-founder of Ellsworth Advisors, Kelly is involved in the firm’s overall management, strategy, and business development. In addition, he serves as Ellsworth Advisors’ Chief Investment Officer. In this capacity, he is responsible for portfolio oversight, including the development and management of the firm’s five primary equity strategies, its alternative investments, commodities investments, and its fixed income portfolios. Kelly also plays an active role in financial planning for existing clients and prospective clients. He is also licensed to underwrite and consult on life insurance.
Prior to Ellsworth Advisors, Kelly served as a Vice President with Morgan Stanley’s Global Wealth Management business. As a Financial Advisor, he counseled clients on their financial affairs and managed their investment assets on a discretionary basis. Upon his departure from Morgan Stanley, he held the title of Senior Portfolio Manager.
Kelly began working with clients in an advisory capacity while serving as a Vice President at Robert W. Baird. In addition to working with individuals and families, he assisted business owners in establishing and managing their qualified retirement plans. Kelly started his career at American Express Financial Advisors with a focus on financial planning, mutual funds, and insurance.
Kelly is a graduate of Miami University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. Kelly attended Miami as an Evans Scholar. He continues to be an active supporter of the Evans Scholar Foundation. Kelly resides in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, with his wife, Cathy, and has two adult daughters. He is an avid golfer and enjoys traveling and movies.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization’s initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification marks.
With more than 28 years of professional experience, Cameron Miele serves as a Managing Director of Ellsworth Advisors. As a Managing Director, Cameron assists with all operational areas of the firm, with a primary focus on client relationships and firm management. He also serves as Ellsworth Advisors’ primary contact for the origination, review, funding, and management of the firm’s private equity and private real estate investments. In addition, Cameron assists business owner clients with business valuations, growth strategies, value maximization, succession planning, and both buy- and sell-side transactions.
Prior to joining Ellsworth Advisors, Cameron served as a Director & Principal of Weinberg Capital Group (WCG), a middle-market private equity firm headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. WCG acquires private companies located throughout North America with a focus on businesses involved in manufacturing, business services, logistics, and value-added distribution. Prior to joining WCG, he was a Director & Principal with the investment bank of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL). At BGL, Cameron focused on mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, and financial restructurings for companies with enterprise values under $1 billion.
Cameron began his career at McDonald & Company Investments as an Analyst in the Energy Investment Banking Group. Throughout a 28-year finance career, Cameron has participated in more than 70 mergers, acquisitions, and capital-raising transactions totaling approximately $7 billion. Cameron is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. While at the University of Virginia, he was a three-year letterman for the men’s varsity track and field team.
Cameron is also involved with several charitable organizations. He is an Emeritus member of the Advisory Board for the Northern Ohio Chapter of A Kid Again, an Ohio-based charity that supports families raising children with life-threatening illnesses and developmental disorders. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northeast Ohio Foundation for Patriotism, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving local military personnel and their families.
In 2015, Cameron and his wife, Katie, founded the Cameron & Katie Miele Foundation. The family foundation is a private foundation dedicated to helping families raising children with life-threatening illnesses and developmental disorders, supporting organizations benefiting our military and their families, and advancing higher education. Cameron and Katie live in Hudson, Ohio, and are the parents of three adult daughters.
Max Schindler serves as a Managing Director of Ellsworth Advisors. Max started his wealth management career in 2005 as an 18-year-old intern. Over the past 15 years, he has developed substantial expertise in managing corporate retirement plans, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, profit-sharing plans, cash balance plans, SIMPLE IRAs, and ESOPs. As a result of his experience, Max oversees Ellsworth Advisors’ retirement plan consulting practice. In addition to his work with corporate retirement plans, he also provides comprehensive wealth management and financial planning to individuals and families. As a founding partner of Ellsworth Advisors, he is actively engaged in the firm’s overall management, strategy, and business development.
Max started his career after graduating from high school, working as an intern at Robert W. Baird. He transferred from The University of Dayton to John Carroll University to work full-time while obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Accountancy. Upon graduating, Max joined the team at Morgan Stanley full-time in 2009 and became fully licensed in 2010. Alongside Tim Clepper and Kelly Kuennen, Max established Ellsworth Advisors in 2018.
Max is involved with several charitable organizations, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Northern Ohio Chapter, Santa PICsU, and serves as an Ambassador for Akron Children’s Hospital. In his spare time, Max enjoys golfing, watching Cleveland sports, and spending time with friends and family. He lives in Brunswick, Ohio, with his wife, Amanda, and daughters Lennon and Murphy.