Our partnership with Commonwealth Financial Network®, a leading independent broker/dealer, provides us access to a team of investment research specialists who assist us in our efforts to provide you with the best possible service. Each of the professionals on this team brings a breadth of experience in the industry and within his or her own specialization. Learn more about the Commonwealth team below.
Commonwealth Research Team
Brad McMillan, CFA®, CAIA, MAI
Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer
- Chairs the Investment Committee and is the primary spokesperson for Commonwealth's investment divisions
- Shares his comment and thought on the economy in his blog, The Independent Market Observer
- Is a Member of the Appraisal Institute, the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Institute, and the CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) Association
- Holds a BA from Dartmouth College, an MS in real estate from MIT, and an MS in finance from Boston College
- Has prior experience as the founder of Dartmouth Realty Advisors
Brian Price, CFA®
Vice President, Investment Management and Research
- Manages the Equity Research and Investment Management teams
- Oversees asset allocation, fund selection, and overall management of Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select program
- Holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations and the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation
- Holds a BA from Georgetown University
- Has prior experience as a senior financial advisor associate at Bernstein Investment Research & Management
Susan Kelly, CAIA
Director, Investment Management and Research
- Analyzes, approves, and monitors on an ongoing basis all products within alternative financial strategies (e.g., managed futures, hedge funds, private equity, structured products)
- Manages the Fixed Income Research group that assists advisors with fixed income portfolio construction and design, as well as identifies potential opportunities in the fixed income market for advisors and their clients
- Holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation
- Holds a BS in management with a concentration in finance from Purdue University and an MBA from New York University
- Has prior experience in positions at Citizens Advisors, John Hancock Advisers, and Citigroup/Smith Barney
Chad LaFauci, CFA®, CAIA
Director, Real Assets
- Analyzes, approves, and monitors all products with real assets (e.g., commodities, infrastructure, and real estate) as their underlying investments
- Manages the Real Assets team, which assists advisors with portfolio construction, as well as individual investment research and analysis
- Holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations and Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations
- Holds a BS in economics from Bates College
- Has prior experience in a position at Investors Bank & Trust
Jim McAllister, CFA®
Director, Equity Research
- Oversees the Equity Research team, which assists advisors with ongoing due diligence and analysis of equity-based mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, separately managed accounts, and individual securities
- Guides the ongoing implementation and execution of the team’s investment philosophies and process
- Responds to advisor inquiries on equity portfolio construction, individual equity research, and equity portfolio reviews
- Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation
- Holds a BS in finance from Lehigh University
- Has prior experience as a research analyst at Loomis Sayles and State Street Global Advisors in the U.S. quantitative group
Fred DeBaets
Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income
- Manages Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select Fixed Income SMA (Separately Managed Account) strategies
- Assists with portfolio construction and ideas on fixed income market opportunities
- Holds a BS in financial management and economics and an MBA from Plymouth State University
- Has prior experience in fixed income positions at Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns
Meagan Rogers, CFA®
Manager, Fixed Income Research
- Responds to advisor inquiries on fixed income portfolio construction and design and generates ideas regarding opportunities in the fixed income market
- Assists with fixed income research, as well as researching industry trends related to the fixed income market
- Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation
- Has prior experience in positions at Babson Capital Management, Fidelity Management & Research, and Acuity Capital Management
Peter Essele, CFA®, CAIA, CFP®
Portfolio Manager, Investment Management and Research
- Serves as a member of the Investment Management team, which oversees Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select program and the Commonwealth Model Portfolios
- Holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 31, 53, and 66 securities registrations
- Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations, as well as the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification, and is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society
- Holds a BS in industrial economics from Union College
- Has prior experience in positions at Albany International and Kestner Engineers
Chris Fasciano
Portfolio Manager, Investment Management and Research
- Serves as a member of the Investment Management team, which oversees Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select program and the Commonwealth Model Portfolios
- Assists with asset allocation, security selection, and ongoing portfolio monitoring
- Responds to advisor inquiries about their own model portfolios
- Holds a BA in economics from Bates College and an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
- Has 20 years of experience in small- and mid-cap stock research and managing small- and mid-cap value portfolios for institutional and high-net-worth clients
Anuradha Gaggar, CFA®
Senior Research Analyst, International and Emerging Markets
- Evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the international and emerging markets asset classes
- Responds to advisor inquiries on equity portfolio construction, individual equity research, and equity portfolio reviews
- Holds the FINRA Series 7 securities registration and the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation
- Holds an MS in finance from Boston College and an MBA in finance from NMIMS in India
Andrew Kitchings, CAIA, ERP
Senior Investment Research Analyst
- Serves as a member of the Investment Management team, which oversees Commonwealth’s Preferred Portfolio Services® Select program and the Commonwealth Model Portfolios
- Assists with asset allocation, security selection, and ongoing portfolio monitoring
- Holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations
- Holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and Energy Risk Professional (ERP) designations and is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society
- Holds dual degrees in economics and history with a concentration in East Asian studies from Emory University
- Has prior experience in positions at LPL and Bank of America
Brian McCormick, CIMA®
Senior Investment Research Analyst
- Evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the small- and mid-cap asset classes
- Conducts research and due diligence on exchange-traded products
- Responds to advisor inquiries on various investment topics, including asset allocation, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and separate account managers
- Holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 securities registrations and the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) designation
- Holds a BS in management from Quinnipiac University
- Has prior experience in positions at Signator Investors and Putnam Investments
Chris Stuart
Senior Investment Research Analyst
- Evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the large-cap equity asset class
- Responds to advisor inquiries on equity portfolio construction, individual equity research, and equity portfolio reviews
- Holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations
- Holds a BA in finance from UMass Amherst
- Has prior experience in positions at Columbia Management, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, and TheStreet.com
Nicholas Follett
Research Analyst, Fixed Income
- Evaluates and selects managers and disseminates research in the fixed income asset class
- Holds the FINRA Series 7 securities registration
- Holds a BFA from The New School for Social Research and an MBA in finance from San Francisco State University
Rob Swanke, CFA®
Research Analyst, Fixed Income
- Analyzes individual fixed income securities, responds to advisor requests, and assists with fixed income market research
- Holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation
- Holds a BS in finance and accounting from Boston College
Michael Comiskey, CAIA
Research Analyst, Alternatives
- Facilitates due diligence and research activities on alternative investments, with a focus on long/short equity and market neutral strategies
- Holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation
- Holds a BS in economics and finance from Bentley University
Robert Kane, CAIA
Research Analyst, Alternatives
- Facilitates due diligence and research activities on products within alternative financial strategies (e.g., managed futures, hedge funds, private equity, structured products, mutual funds, and exchange traded funds)
- Holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 66 securities registrations and the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation
- Holds a degree from UMass Amherst
Eduardo Ciuffo
Research Analyst, Real Assets
- Facilitates due diligence and research activities on real asset-focused investments
- Holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities registrations and is currently a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) candidate (level III)
- Holds a master's in finance from San Diego State University
- Has prior experience at LPL Financial, where he traded and rebalanced SMA platforms
Nathan Parker, CFA®, CAIA
Research Analyst, Real Assets
- Facilitates due diligence and research activities on real asset-focused investments (commercial real estate, commodities, infrastructure, and natural resources)
- Holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities registrations and the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations
- Holds a bachelor's in business administration from California State University, Chico, and a master's in finance from San Diego State University
- Has prior experience at LPL Financial
Sam Millette
Research Associate, Fixed Income
- Analyzes individual fixed income securities, responds to advisor requests, and assists with fixed income market research
- Assists with trading and rebalancing of SMA portfolios
- Holds a BA in economics from Tufts University and is currently a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) candidate (level II)
Peter Roberto
Research Associate, Equity
- Supports analysts with due diligence and research activities on mutual funds, exchange traded-funds, and equities
- Assists the Investment Management team with calculating, analyzing, and updating both internal and external performance and attribution reports
- Holds a BS in management, with an emphasis in finance, from Worcester Polytechnic Institute