Our Team
Steven Guggenheimer is a co-founder of Guggenheimer Zaki Wealth Advisors at Janney Montgomery Scott. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1986 and transitioned to managing client assets in 1987 one week prior to that year’s market crash in what is now commonly referred to as Black Monday.
It was that event early in Steve’s career that helped shape his approach to managing client portfolios –through both bull and bear markets. Within the Guggenheimer Zaki Wealth Advisors, Steve is responsible for setting investment strategy and asset allocations. During his nearly 40-year career in the industry, Steve has built a reputation for providing personalized guidance and cultivating lasting partnerships with his clients. Steve takes time to understand his client’s investment goals and risk tolerance to better inform his investment strategy.
Throughout his career, Steve has worked predominantly with individuals, helping them grow, preserve, and transfer their wealth. A large sub-component of the team’s client base is widowed and single women – a focus that came about because of Steve’s work with the families of the victims of 9/11. He currently holds the professional designation of Certified Divorced Financial Analyst and has his Certificate in Long Term Care Insurance.
Steve resides in Purchase, NY and West Palm Beach, FL with his wife Julia. Steve is an avid golfer and is currently president of his local country club. Additionally, he is the former president of his homeowner’s association and of the Old Greenwich- Riverside Community Center and former Trustee of the Bronx Prep Charter School.
George Zaki is a co-founder of Guggenheimer Zaki Wealth Advisors. He began his career at Neuberger Berman, a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers, amid the financial crisis in 2007. The lessons he learned from this volatile period continue to influence him and his approach to wealth management. With two decades of dedicated service in the financial industry, George is a highly respected financial advisor known for his focus in asset allocation and asset placement through intentional and custom portfolio implementation.
Throughout his career, George has demonstrated a remarkable ability to craft tailored investment strategies that align with his clients' unique financial goals and risk tolerances. His deep understanding of market dynamics, coupled with his analytical prowess, enables him to design portfolios that seek to optimize returns while mitigating risk.
As a strategic partner, George serves as a trusted confidant and advisor throughout his clients’ financial journey. Whether clients are planning for retirement, saving for a major life milestone, or seeking to preserve and grow their wealth – George provides insightful guidance and strategic recommendations to help them achieve their objectives. His unwavering dedication to acting in his clients' best interests and his transparent communication style have fostered long-lasting relationships built on trust and mutual respect.
Outside of work, George is actively involved in his community and his church. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and insights with others, whether through seminars, workshops, or mentorship opportunities. He has dedicated some of his free time to volunteering with the Brownsville Community Culinary Center, serves as a board member of his local parish, Saints Peter and Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church, and was a former board member of The Shippan Gourmet Club. Living in Stamford, Connecticut, George prides himself on his sous vide cooking skills and dreams of starting a vlog called "The Foo[d] Fighters." Fun fact: George has cooked with the founder of the world’s number one restaurant while listening to The Beastie Boys, reflecting his Brooklyn roots.
Courtney Carnevale is a seasoned financial professional passionate about helping individuals and families achieve their financial goals. Holding the prestigious Certified Financial PlannerTM (CFP®) professional designation with over a decade of experience in the financial services industry, Courtney has honed her skills in comprehensive financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, tax strategy, and estate planning. Her dedication to excellence and client-centric approach have earned her a reputation for delivering tailored solutions that empower clients to navigate complex financial landscapes with confidence. Courtney remains committed to ongoing professional development and stays abreast of industry trends and regulatory changes to provide clients with the highest level of service and expertise.
Courtney plays a pivotal role in overseeing the administrative aspects of the team, ensuring seamless workflow, efficiency, and client satisfaction. Her strategic leadership and attention to detail have been instrumental in driving the team's success and fostering a culture of excellence.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Courtney is actively involved in her community, volunteering her time to various charitable organizations. In her spare time, Courtney enjoys traveling, eating at the best restaurants, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Laura Mitchener is a Senior Registered Client Service Associate with a passion for delivering exceptional service and support to our clients. With a wealth of experience in the financial services industry, Laura is committed to providing personalized attention and guidance to assist clients. In her role, Laura serves as a trusted liaison between clients and their most trusted professional partners, ensuring seamless communication and execution of client requests. Her extensive knowledge of account administration, operations, and compliance procedures enables her to navigate complex financial transactions with precision and efficiency.
Laura's dedication to serving clients with excellence extends beyond her day-to-day responsibilities. Whether assisting with account inquiries, processing transactions, or addressing client concerns, Laura strives to exceed expectations at every opportunity. She plays a key role in upholding the team’s commitment to delivering superior service and support. Her professionalism, attention to detail, and proactive approach ensures that clients receive the highest level of care and attention throughout their financial journey. Laura holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation, and has obtained her New York State Life, Accident, and Health Insurance License.
Residing in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and two children, Laura is active in her school parent-teacher association, serving on various committees and fundraising efforts. She is also a supporter and active participant in the annual Cycle for Survival event to raise funds for rare cancer research.
Serving as a Registered Client for our team, Chris brings a wealth of experience and a dedication to exceeding client expectations.
Prior to joining Guggenheimer Zaki Wealth Advisors, Chris began at Janney in our capital markets group, where he was part of the institutional equity sales team. During his time there, Chris developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of financial markets and built strong relationships with institutional clients. Chris has an unwavering dedication to client satisfaction and possesses a keen attention to detail, as well as a proactive approach, ensuring that client needs are not only met but surpassed. His integrity, experience, and client-centric approach make him an asset to our team.
In his free time, Chris enjoys traveling and playing golf. He also loves cooking and listening to classic rock music. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.
We collaborate with other Janney specialists, as needed, who have in-depth experience in specific disciplines. Together, we can assess your unique situation, analyze difference strategies, and develop a plan fit for your unique needs and goals.
Debra S. Roey joined Janney Montgomery Scott LLC in November 2006, as Janney Retirement Plan Services (JRPS) Manager. JRPS was founded in 1982 to provide Janney’s Corporate Retirement Plan Clients with support in plan design analysis, proposal procurement and review, investment fiduciary services, technical expertise, and problem resolution.
Debra has over 30 years of experience in the Retirement Plan arena. Prior to joining Janney, she served as Regional Director with Union Central Life Retirement and Investment Services. During her tenure, she received numerous sales awards including qualification for the company’s highest society membership. She also served on several corporate committees involved with Strategic Planning and Product Development.
Debra earned a B.A. in Business Administration from Rutgers University.
Guy LeBas is Janney’s Chief Fixed Income Strategist, as well as Head of Fixed Income for Janney Capital Management. As Strategist, he is responsible for providing direction to the Firm’s clients on the macroeconomic, interest rate, and bond market investing climate.
Guy authors bond market periodicals, which provide relative value recommendations across the fixed income spectrum. With Janney Capital Management, Guy is responsible for overseeing the Firm’s discretionarily managed bond portfolios, which take a client-tailored approach to generating consistent income across interest rate environments.
Guy joined Janney in 2006. Prior to joining Janney, Guy served as Interest Rate Risk Manager for U.S. Trust’s bank asset and liability portfolios, a role in which he oversaw risk and return on $20 billion of bank assets and derivatives.
Guy is also a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg TV and Fox Business News, as well as a regular speaker at financial industry conferences. He received his education from Swarthmore College, holds an M.S. in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University, and is a CFA Charterholder.
Mark Luschini is the Chief Investment Strategist for Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, leading the Investment Strategy Group. In that capacity Mark is responsible for establishing the Firm’s broad outlook relating to conditions in the capital markets and the economy and to develop investment strategies that align with the best interest, goals, and objectives of individual and institutional clients. He also establishes the Firm’s asset allocation models used for portfolio construction and financial planning.
As Chief Investment Strategist, Mark serves as the Janney's investment spokesperson, offering national market commentary and developing asset allocation models and investment strategies. He chairs the investment committee and actively interfaces with both current and prospective clients.
Additionally, Mark directs Janney Capital Management, the Firm’s discretionary investment management division. Under his leadership, Janney Capital Management has delivered competitive investment results across multiple strategies. The total assets under management has grown to more than $4 billion, with nearly $3 billion in traditional equity and fixed income assets, and over $1 billion in various strategic and tactical asset allocation strategies utilizing exchange-traded solutions and mutual funds. Mark served on the Board of Managers for Janney, and currently serves as a Trustee for the Firm’s Pension & Profit Sharing Plan. He is a member of the Janney Wealth Management Department’s Mutual Fund and Alternative Investment Committees.
In Janney Capital Management, Mark chairs the Investment Committee which sets asset class and sector policy and directly participates in managing the equity, fixed income, and asset allocation strategies under its advisory. Mark has spent more than 30 years in the investment industry. He utilizes that experience to speak on topics related to macroeconomics and investment management at seminars and conferences.
His comments and written articles have been circulated in numerous publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s to the New York Times, USA Today, Financial Times, and Money magazine. He has appeared in various media outlets including CNBC, Bloomberg Television, Fox Business News, and CNN.
He has a BA and MBA from Gannon University and holds the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designation from the Market Technicians Association