Mitchell A. Kovitz, CFA, CPA

Founder & Principal, Portfolio Manager

Mitch helped form the Kovitz Group within Rothschild Investment Corp. in 1994. After forming Kovitz Group, Mitch was promoted to the position of Vice President in 1995, Chief Operating Officer in 2001, and President in 2002. In October 2003, Mitch and his partners founded Kovitz Investment Group to continue providing asset management services and solutions to high net worth individuals and institutions. Mitch has been featured in publications such as: Crain's Chicago Business, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Value Investor Insight. In addition, he has been interviewed on Bloomberg broadcast television. Mitch graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. He became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in August 1986, and received a Masters in Taxation from the University of Illinois in 1987. Mitch is a CFA Charterholder.

Jonathan A. Shapiro, MBA, CFA

Founder & Principal, Portfolio Manager

Jon joined the Kovitz Group at Rothschild Investment Corp. in 1999 as a Portfolio Manager in the firm's Investment Management Department. In October 2003, Jon and his partners founded Kovitz Investment Group to continue providing asset management services and solutions to high net worth individuals and institutions. Jon has been previously employed as an Analyst at Vector Securities from 1997 to 1999, and a Management Consultant with KPMG and Towers Perrin from 1986 through 1997. He has been frequently featured in Crain's Chicago Business and the Chicago Tribune. He has also been featured in such publications as Value Investor Insight. Jon graduated from Carleton College in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. He later received his MBA degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business with concentrations in finance and accounting. Jon is a CFA Charterholder.

Marc S. Brenner, JD, CPA

Founder & Principal, President

Marc and his partners founded Kovitz Investment Group in October 2003 to provide asset management services and solutions to high net worth individuals and institutions. Before co-founding Kovitz Investment Group, Marc joined the Kovitz Group at Rothschild Investment Corp. in 2001 as a Portfolio Manager in the firm's Investment Management Department. Marc has also been a partner in the Chicago law firms of Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, Rosenberg & Liebentritt, and Hopkins & Sutter, specializing in real estate and corporate finance and representing various public and private corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and individuals. Marc received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, earning recognition on the Bronze Tablet. Subsequently, he received his JD from the University of Chicago where he was awarded the Order of the Coif. Marc is a Certified Public Accountant and was awarded the National Gold Medal in recognition of the highest score in the nation on the May, 1985 CPA examination.

Bruce A. Weininger, CPA, CFP®

Principal, Senior Financial Advisor

Bruce has been the primary source of financial advice to more than a dozen Fortune 500 Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Officers, and has spent more than 20 years providing comprehensive financial planning advice to high net worth individuals and families. Prior to joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2004, Bruce was a partner at Deloitte, LLP, leading their Midwest financial planning practice. He has spoken at national conferences on wealth planning topics and has been featured in Barron's and Worth Magazine as one of the top financial advisors in the country. His work has been published in the Journal of Financial Planning, Financial Advisor Magazine, and Investment Advisor Magazine. Bruce has also guest lectured at the University of Illinois, and has been quoted extensively locally in the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times and, nationally, in Business Week. He also serves on the Journal of Financial Planning’s Advisory Board. Bruce received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional.

Harold (Skip) Gianopulos, Jr., JD, CFP®

Principal, Senior Financial Advisor

Skip joined Kovitz in 2005 from Harris Trust & Savings Bank in Chicago, where he was a Senior Vice President. In his most recent position at Harris he was the Managing Director of the Wealth Management Group in Barrington. Prior to joining Harris, Skip co-founded a successful fee-based investment advisory firm located in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. Skip has been featured in Worth Magazine as one of the top financial advisors in the country and has focused his entire career counseling high net worth individuals in all areas of wealth management. He was also named by Consumers Research Council of America as one of "America's Best Financial Planners". He is a published author and speaker on various wealth management strategies. Skip graduated from Taylor University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems Analysis. He received his JD and Masters in Taxation from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Skip is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional.

Theodore J. Rupp, MBA

Principal

Ted joined the Kovitz Group of Rothschild Investment Corporation in 1999 where he focused on the management of fixed income portfolios. Upon formation of Kovitz Investment Group in 2003, he became responsible for managing the firm's finances and internal operations. Currently, Ted continues to focus on these items in addition to working with the firm's alternative investment offerings. Ted received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from DePaul University and his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University with concentrations in Entrepreneurship and Management & Organizations. He is licensed with FINRA under Series 4, 7, 24, 27, 53, 63, and 66.

Mary E. Anderson, MA, MBA

Senior Financial Advisor

Mary joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2007 from Harris Bank where she was a Vice President and a Senior Portfolio Manager. Mary joined Harris's Private Bank in 1995 where she specialized in developing asset management programs for large complex trusts and investment relationships. Mary came to the Private Bank from Harris's Treasury where she was one of the original members of the Risk Management team and later advised corporate and institutional investors. Prior to joining Harris in 1984, Mary worked at Continental Bank's Investment Department and has 28 years of experience in financial markets. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Marquette University and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota with a concentration in Finance. Mary also earned an MA from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Her primary responsibilities with Kovitz Investment Group are the construction and management of client portfolios.

Jenny P. Boyke, MAS, CPA

Senior Financial Advisor

Jenny began her career in the tax practice of Deloitte & Touche, LLP where she provided comprehensive financial planning advice to senior corporate executives and high net worth individuals and families. In 2005, she joined RSM McGladrey in a similar capacity. Jenny joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2007 where she now focuses on the maintenance and construction of client portfolios as well as client financial planning needs. Jenny received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a Minor in Finance from Northern Illinois University, graduating summa cum laude. She also earned her MA with an area of specialization in taxation from her alma mater.

Andrea R. Cohen, CFP®

Managing Director, Senior Financial Advisor

Andy has over 20 years experience working with corporate executives and high net worth individuals through her experience in the financial planning and executive compensation fields. Before joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2006, Andy was a Second Vice President at Northern Trust in Chicago where she provided comprehensive financial planning services to high net worth families. Prior to Northern Trust, Andy was Vice President of Personal Financial Planning, Inc., a fee based financial planning firm also providing comprehensive financial planning services to high net worth families. Andy served as Director of Executive Compensation and Benefits for Ameritech Corporation, and also consulted on executive compensation issues to other companies in the Chicago area. In 2011, Andy received the Five-Star Wealth Manager Award from Chicago Magazine, placing her among the top 2% of all wealth managers in the Chicagoland area. She’s also been published in the Journal of Financial Planning and has been a guest speaker for the Financial Planning Association. Andy earned her Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional.

John J. Conway, CRPC®

Senior Financial Advisor

John brings 14 years of experience of providing financial advice to high net worth individuals, trusts, private foundations, pension and profit sharing plans, and non-profit organizations. Prior to joining the Kovitz Investment Group, John was a financial consultant with the Merrill Lynch Private Client Services Group. At Merrill Lynch, John was part of a corporate services team with a primary focus on financial planning and asset management for high net worth individuals. In 2001, he joined the Kovitz Group of Rothschild Investment Corporation as a financial advisor where his primary responsibilities included the construction and ongoing management of client portfolios. John earned his CRPC® through the College for Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado and recently completed Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies Certified Financial Planner™ course. He attended Winona State University and specialized Economics.

Edward W. Edens, MBA, CFP®

Senior Financial Advisor

Ed was a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager with Wayne Hummer Asset Management Company prior to joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2005. In this position, Ed built a new wealth management office in Hinsdale, which he grew to more than $100 million under management. Prior to Wayne Hummer, Ed was a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Harris Trust & Savings Bank in its Personal Trust Department. Overall, Ed has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Since 1994, he has focused soley on providing financial advice to and managing investment accounts for individuals, trusts, private foundations, pension and profit sharing plans, non-for-profit organizations, and businesses. In both 2010 and 2011, Ed received the Five-Star Wealth Manager Award from Chicago Magazine, placing him among the top 2% of all wealth managers in the Chicagoland area. He is also a published author and speaker on various investment matters. Ed graduated from Augustana College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Finance. He received his MBA in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago.

John H. Erickson, MBA

Senior Financial Advisor

John joined Kovitz Investment Group in September of 2008. Prior to that, John served as the Director of Fixed Income Strategy for LaSalle Bank's Wealth Management Department. In that capacity, he set strategy and tactics for bond portfolios within the Department, and he also managed client portfolios with large fixed income allocations. Prior to his work at LaSalle, John served as the Senior Bond Fund Manager of First Chicago's Private Wealth Department where he managed both the Bank's municipal bond mutual funds and common bond funds. In that role, John received three Performance Achievement awards from Lipper Analytical Services and special recognition from The American Banking Association for top performance. His career at First Chicago spanned 17 years, all within the Private Wealth Management Department. His primary responsibility currently is the construction and management of client portfolios, especially those with income or capital preservation objectives. John received his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from The University of Notre Dame, and his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Amanda L. Falkum, CFP®

Senior Financial Advisor

Amanda was a Manager within the Private Client Advisors group at Deloitte & Touche, LLP prior to joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2008. In this position, she provided comprehensive financial planning and investment consulting services to high net worth individuals and corporate executives. Prior to Deloitte, Amanda worked in a similar capacity within the Personal Financial Counseling group at Ernst & Young, LLP. Amanda graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Personal Finance. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional.

Michael J. Fenger

Director - Taft Hartley Client Services

Michael J. Fenger joins us as Director of Taft Hartley Client Services. Mike's responsibilities will include building KIG's investment management business with respect to Taft-Hartley and related pension plans. Most recently, he served as the Director of Institutional Sales for Vestor Capital Corporation in Chicago where he was responsible for their Taft-Hartley institutional division. Prior to that Mike served as the Director of Labor for the State of Illinois. He also served six terms as Business Manager for IBEW Local 364 in Rockford, Illinois. Mike has well-established relationships with the Taft-Hartley community and their service providers. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Ruth A. Fiorentino, CFP®

Financial Advisor

Ruth joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2008 after working as a Financial Representative at the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network where she advised clients on insurance, investment, and financial planning. In 2006, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a minor in French from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ruth currently works closely with financial advisors, financial planners, and clients on performance reviews, setting asset allocation targets, Roth IRA conversions, and funding college savings programs. She is licensed with FINRA under Series 7 and 66. Ruth is Certified Financial Planner™ Professional.

Catherine A. Flanagan

Financial Advisor

Katie joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2011 and works closely with financial advisors on client service.  Prior to joining Kovitz, Katie was a Relationship Associate at Credit Suisse in the Family Wealth Management Group where she focused on providing assistance with the comprehensive wealth planning needs of several high net worth family groups. Katie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Fordham University in 2006.

Deborah A. Hopkins, MBA, CFP®

Senior Financial Advisor

Debbie joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2011. Prior to joining Kovitz, Debbie was Chief Operating Officer for small wealth management firm in Chicago, Illinois. In this role, Debbie was responsible for managing the operations of the firm and developing long term strategy. Prior to that, Debbie was a Vice President in private banking at The Northern Trust. Debbie was responsible for managing the investment and credit relationships for senior executives from Fortune 100 companies. Debbie earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Debbie is a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional.

Kate E. Jonynas

Financial Advisor

Kate joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2008 as an associate and works closely with financial advisors on client service and account maintenance. Kate earned her Bachelor of Science degree cum laude in Economics with an emphasis in International Trade along with a Minor in Management from DePaul University. She is licensed with FINRA under Series 7 and 66.

Sanford Kovitz, JD, MBA

Senior Portfolio Manager

Sanford comes to Kovitz Investment Group with over 40 years experience in the investment industry. He joined us from Rothschild Investment Corp. where he was previously an Executive Vice President. Prior to Rothschild, Sanford was a first Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at the Exchange National Bank of Chicago. Sanford graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received his MBA from Northwestern University. He received his JD from DePaul University.

Maria C. Brumbach

Administrative Assistant

Maria joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2010. She brings over 15 years of experience in administrative support.

Lori Cullina

Executive Assistant

Lori joined the Kovitz Group in 1997 after working at Rothschild Investment Corp. since 1980. She assists the portfolio managers with new account paperwork and cash management. She has over 30 years experience in the investment industry.

Susan M. Herrick

Assistant Portfolio Manager

Susan has over 14 years experience in the financial industry, and prior to joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2008, she worked at Harris Associates, American Family Insurance, and William Blair & Co. LLC. She works with clients and portfolio managers on cash management and account maintenance. Susan received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from University of Michigan and is licensed with FINRA under Series 7, 63, and 66.

Dorothy J. Miyazaki

New Account Administrator

Dorothy joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2009 from Griffin, Kubik, Stephens & Thompson, Inc. and Smith Barney. She brings over 10 years of experience in client service and administrative support. Dorothy is responsible for the new account process.

Barbara A. Shafer

Executive Assistant

Barb joined the Kovitz Group in 2001. She assists the portfolio managers by enhancing our customer service level and reducing response time to special issues that may arise.

Michaelene J. Watson

Executive Assistant

Michaelene joined the Kovitz Group in 2011 after working at Edwards Jones Investments and the Chicago Board of Trade. She assists the portfolio managers with new account paperwork and cash management. She has over 15 years experience in the financial industry.

Joel D. Hirsh, CFA

Portfolio Manager

Joel joined the Kovitz investment group in 2006 as an equity analyst focusing on bottom up research. Joel's role expanded in 2007 to include portfolio management of the Long/Short and Long-only equity products. Prior to joining the Kovitz Investment Group, Joel worked as an equity research analyst for KeyBanc Capital Markets, a Division of McDonald Investments. In his previous role Joel focused on fundamental research in an award-winning basic materials research group. Joel has been quoted in the financial press and is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago's Education Advisory Group. Joel graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He is a CFA Charterholder and is licensed with FINRA under Series 7, 86, 87, 63, and 66.

Mark C. Rosland

Director - Hedge Fund Operations/Trading

Mark joined the Kovitz Group of Rothschild Investment Corporation in 2000 as a financial advisor working on the construction and maintenance of client portfolios. Upon formation of Kovitz Investment Group in 2003, he became responsible for the firm’s equity and equity options trading. In 2005, his role expanded to overseeing both the operations and trading for the firm’s long/short complex. Mark works with the investment team in the construction and execution of the trading strategies employed in the long/short offering. He also leads the firm’s institutional marketing for the long/short offering. Mark graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. He is licensed with FINRA under Series 4, 7, and 66.

Matthew R. Wieneke

Operations Associate

Matt joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2010 as an associate.  He executes equity trades for the firm and assists in execution for the long/short strategies.  Matt earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from The University of Wisconsin - Madison in 2009, and is licensed with FINRA under Series 7.

Mark C. Ott, Jr.

Trader

Mark joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2011 as a trader. He currently trades fixed income products such as municipal and corporate bonds. He received his Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in Finance and a minor in Economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jason M. Petitte, CFA

Assistant Director - Fixed Income

Jason joined Rothschild Investment Corp. in 2001 and primarily occupied the role of equity trader. After joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2005, he continued in his role as an equity trader and eventually transitioned into investment research and analysis for the firm's long equity, fixed income, and hedged equity strategies. Jason's current focus is on portfolio management and trading related to the firm's investments in residential mortgage-backed securities. Jason graduated from DePaul University with High Honors while earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a Minor in Accounting. He is a CFA Charterholder and is licensed with FINRA under Series 7 and 66.

Richard P. Salerno

Director - Fixed Income

Rich has over 20 years of fixed income experience, including time at Howe Barnes Investments and Gruntal & Co. in their fixed income divisions. He joined the Kovitz Group in 1998, and served as the primary fixed income specialist. While Rich has expertise in all aspects of fixed income investing, he currently focuses on Kovitz Investment Group's bond buying process in which he is able to achieve higher yields for clients through an open bidding process. Rich has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Lewis University and is licensed with FINRA under Series 7, 53, 63, and 66.

Steven E. Hengst

Chief Compliance Officer

Steve spent over six years as a Securities Compliance Examiner in the SEC's Midwest Regional Office in Chicago prior to joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2005. In this position, he participated in or led over 100 examinations of investment advisors and investment companies. Steve received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a Minor in Economics from Valparaiso University. He is also licensed with FINRA under Series 7, 24, and 66.

Carin L. Nesbitt

Portfolio Administrator

Carin brings 17 years experience in the investment industry. Prior to joining Kovitz Investment Group in 2007, Carin was a Senior Client Relationship Liaison with Frye Louis Capital Management assisting portfolio managers to high net worth families from 2000-2006. Carin has also worked as a Senior Investment Manager Liaison with Northern Trust servicing global & domestic accounts from 1990-2000. Carin is currently responsible for maintenance of client portfolios and client reporting.

Catherine J. Stronczek

Operations Manager

Catherine joined Kovitz Investment Group in 2007 and is currently responsible for account maintenance and internal operations for the firm. Catherine received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is licensed with FINRA under Series 7 and 66.

Patrick B. Wiese

Senior Associate

Patrick joined the Kovitz Group at Rothschild Investment Corp. as an associate in 2001. He currently focuses on the maintenance and construction of client portfolios and assists with operational activities. Patrick received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management with a minor in Finance from Roosevelt University and is licensed with FINRA under Series 7 and 66.