Our Team

Joshua Gottfried, CFP®, CDFA, AIF®, is a founder and principal of Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC, an independent investment and financial services firm.

Josh helps affluent clients transition into retirement. While helping clients over the past 20 years, he has earned advanced credentials to further his expertise and holds CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Accredited Investment Fiduciary and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designations.

Throughout his career, his insights about investing and retirement planning have been published and quoted in The New York Times, Morningstar, Financial Planning Magazine, Investment Advisor Magazine, and other industry publications. He is currently pursuing an MBA in Asset Management at Yale.

Josh has been recognized by a number of organizations over the past 20 years, most recently:

Honored by Forbes as an elite advisor for the fifth year in a row on the 2023 Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors List. This award created by SHOOK Research and presented in April 2023 is based on data gathered from June 2021 to June 2022. 22,243 were considered, 7,321 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. Click here for more award information.

Five Star Professional Wealth Manager in Connecticut Magazine by Crescendo Business Services every year since 2012. 2012-2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. The 2022 award was presented in Nov 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2950 Connecticut-area advisors were considered, 290 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Josh is proud to have been recognized as a Commonwealth Chairman's Level advisor for 2021—a distinction based on annual production attained by just 4 percent of advisors affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network.

Josh lives in the west end of Hartford with his wife and three children. He is an avid outdoorsman and reader of 19th- and 20th- century history.

Before co-founding GSWM, Josh graduated from Muhlenberg College and The Loomis Chaffee School.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Ranked by Barron's as one of the Top 100 Independent Advisors in the country, Matthew Somberg is co-founder and Principal of Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC, an independent investment and financial services firm that provides sophisticated wealth planning and investment management strategies to individuals and small institutions.

Since 2000, Matthew has worked with a wide variety of affluent clientele and their families, including physicians, business owners, educators, and serious investors.

Matthew divides his professional time between taking care of a small group of clients, working closely with his clients' estate planning attorneys and accountants, and leading a team of advisors within the firm.

Awards:

• In 2022 Matthew was honored by Barron's named a Top 100 Independent Advisor for the second year in a row.

2021-2022 Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors, created by Barron's.  The 2022 award was presented in Sept 2022 from data gathered from June 2021 to June 2022. 514 Advisors were considered, 100 Advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. Click here for most recent award information.

• In 2023 Matthew was honored by Barron’s as an elite advisor for the sixth year in a row on the Barron’s list of America’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors for 2023, Matthew was named #6 of thirty six Wealth Advisors in Connecticut and #2 in the Greater Hartford area.

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2018-2023 Barron's Top 1200 Advisors, created by Barron's. The 2023 award was presented in March 2023 based on data gathered from Sept 2021 to Sept 2022. 5,630 Advisors were considered, 1200 Advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For most recent award information visit https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/1000

• In 2023 Matthew was honored by Forbes as an elite advisor for the sixth year in a row on the Forbes’  Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list for 2023.  

2018-2023 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, created by SHOOK Research.  The 2023 award was presented in April 2023 based on data gathered from June 2021 to June 2022.  22,243 Advisors were considered, 7,321 advisors were recognized.  Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary.  Click here for more award information.

• A Five Star Professional Wealth Manager in Connecticut Magazine by Crescendo Business Services (2012-present).

2012-2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional.  The 2022 award was presented in Nov 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2950 advisors were considered, 290 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com

• The Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisers list (2020, 2019, 2017, 2016)

2016-2020 Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisers, Created by Ignites Research. The 2020 award was presented in Oct 2020 for the past 12 months. 940 Advisors were considered, 400 Advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. Click here for more award information.

• Matthew Somberg is proud to have been recognized as a Chairman's Level advisor for 2019 (2010-present)—a distinction based on annual production attained by just 3 percent of advisors affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network.
  
  Each year, Commonwealth, the Registered Investment Adviser–broker/dealer that helps us process investment transactions on your behalf, recognizes Chairman's Level advisors by inviting them to an exclusive gathering of their peers, leading industry experts, and Commonwealth home office staff. Chairman's Level advisors benefit from an intensive learning and networking experience designed to help them hone their expertise, share best practices, and provide ever-higher levels of service, education, and leadership to their clients.

Matthew holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation. He maintains client relationships and registrations to practice and serve clients in many states throughout the country.

Education:

Matthew is an honors graduate of Brandeis University, with degrees in both economics and history. He is a member of the Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society, and his writings on the effects of North American Free Trade Agreement have been published.

Community Service: 

• Board Member of the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) Foundation
• Chair of the Investment Committee of Connecticut Children's Medical Center
• Former Treasurer and Board Member of Kol Haverim Synagogue
• Finance Committee Shelter Harbor Golf Club

Personal:

He is a devoted husband to his wife, Amy, and father to his three kids, Ella, Eli and Cooper. They reside in South Glastonbury, CT.

He is a registered representative of Commonwealth Financial Network®, member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker/dealer.

Kevin Blain joined Gottfried & Somberg in February 2022 as a Senior Financial Planning Analyst. With over ten years in the investment and banking industry, Kevin brings additional experience to our team in portfolio management, financial planning, and client service.

Kevin graduated from Central Connecticut State University’s School of Business, holds FINRA series 7 and 66 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network and a State of Connecticut insurance license.

Kevin and his wife live in Southington, CT. When not in the office, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, performing music, cooking, and traveling with his wife, Chrisma Joyce.

Jim DeMartino, CFP®, joined Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC in October 2009.

Jim is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 19 years' experience in the financial industry.

Jim is committed to providing every client with superior, impartial financial planning advice that is specific to each individual’s unique circumstances—and to communicating that advice in straightforward, easy-to-understand language.

Jim specializes in retirement income planning, and is exceptionally knowledgeable about the many complex intricacies of both the CT State Employees Retirement System and the CT Teacher Retirement System, as he has helped shepherd hundreds of clients through the often daunting retirement process. Jim is also involved in all other areas of financial planning, including investment management, insurance and estate planning. Jim's knowledge of the various aspects of financial planning, combined with his strong organizational skills and his personable, welcoming style, make him a joy for our clients to work with and a valuable member of our team. In addition to his CFP® certification, Jim holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network®, and is insurance-licensed for, and well-versed in, life insurance, variable life, annuities, and long-term care insurance.

.Jim has been recognized as a Five Star Professional Wealth Manager in Connecticut Magazine by Crescendo Business Services for the past 4 years.  2019-2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. The 2022 award was presented in Nov 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2950 Connecticut-area advisors were considered, 290 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jim has resided in Connecticut for the past 15 years, and lives in Glastonbury. In the 1980s Jim earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and his MFA in painting from Yale University, where he also taught for five years. In his spare time, he enjoys painting and drawing, traveling, listening to all kinds of music, and playing guitar.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Kathleen Erickson, RICP^®, joined Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC, in 2012 with more than 30 years of experience in the Financial and Insurance industries.

Kathy has counseled numerous clients to help them build, preserve and enjoy their wealth.

As a Wealth Advisor and Retired Income Certified Professional (RICP^®), Kathy combines her skills and personal approach when providing wealth management and retirement planning.  She works closely with you to build a cohesive financial plan to simplify the demands of managing your wealth and retirement, which frees up your time to devote time to your family, business, and personal endeavors.

Kathy holds numerous professional certifications and registrations, including FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network.  She also has licenses for Life Insurance, Fixed and Variable Annuities and Long Term Care insurance.

Kathy has been recognized as a Five Star Professional Wealth Manager in Connecticut Magazine by Crescendo Business Services for the pas nine years.  2014-2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. The 2022 award was presented in Nov 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2950 Connecticut-area advisors were considered, 290 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Kathy was born and raised in the Boston, MA area with a few places in between and now resides in Manchester, CT with her husband, Steve, her daughter Christine and two lovable Pomeranian dogs, Kona and Kuma.  Rounding out the family are son's Kyle in Newington and Blake in Colorado.  In her spare time Kathy enjoys cooking, boating and spending time with family and friends.

Kathy is passionate about various charities and foundations particularly the American Cancer Society/Melanoma Research, Wounded Warrior Project and the Connecticut Humane Society.

Since 2017
The educational, ethical, and experience requirements established by the Board of Trustees of The American College of Financial Services have been satisfied. The right to use the RICP^® designation is contingent on adherence to the ethics, Continuing Education and other requirements of The College’s Professional Recertification Program and requires ongoing recertification.

Rita Ferreri joined Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC in June 2021 as a Private Wealth Relationship Manager.

Rita began her career in the Financial Services Industry in 1995 after graduating from Suffolk University in Boston with a Bachelor Degree in Finance.  She has over 20 years of experience in Life Insurance and Financial Planning.  Rita held many operational positions over the years at Cigna, Lincoln Life Financial Group and ClearGuidance Financial.  Her previous roles included Sr. Compensation Consultant, Team Leader, Representative Support of IT and a Client Relationship Liaison.  In her current role as Private Wealth Relationship Manager, Rita will assist clients with new accounts, transfers, cashiering, and scheduling. Rita is a notary public.

Rita resides in Southington with her husband, Joe, their 3 wonderful children Bianca, Mario and Isabella and their Golden Retriever “Munson”.

In her free time, Rita and her husband enjoys watching their children in their many sporting activities - Rugby, Football, Basketball and Baseball.  They also love spending family time in Narragansett, RI during the summer and fall months.

Dan Heffernan, AIF^®, RICP^® is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® and Retirement Income Certified Professional® who joined Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC, in May 2006.  Dan graduated with honors from Northeastern University, where he earned his bachelor's degree.

As an experienced financial professional, Dan vicariously retires dozens of times a year—taking clients’ retirement personally and helping them pursue the financial goals they’ve invested in for decades.

Specializing in income planning and investment analysis, Dan has a unique blend of interpersonal skills and financial planning abilities.  His work brings together several aspects of asset management and retirement income planning into a cohesive financial plan, providing clients with a single, unified course of big-picture action all in one place.

Dan holds numerous professional certifications and registrations, including FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network^®, and his Connecticut life and health insurance licenses. Dan is a Registered Representative of Commonwealth, member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker/dealer.

Dan has been recognized as a Five Star Professional Wealth Manager in Connecticut Magazine by Crescendo Business Services for the past nine years. 2014-2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. The 2022 award was presented in Nov 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2950 Connecticut-area advisors were considered, 290 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Dan currently resides in Wethersfield with his wife Tiare and dog Stewart.

Since 2017
The educational, ethical, and experience requirements established by the Board of Trustees of The American College of Financial Services have been satisfied. The right to use the RICP^® designation is contingent on adherence to the ethics, Continuing Education and other requirements of The College’s Professional Recertification Program and requires ongoing recertification.

As COO, Lisa works behind the scenes to optimize the smooth operations of our workflow processes, HR, financials, technology, compliance, legal, infrastructure and vendor relations. Lisa’s 10 years of experience in the financial services industry includes advisor expertise as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM practitioner and managing two Fidelity branches as a branch service manager. 

 

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements. 

Melinda joined Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC, in May 2017 as our Wealth Management Services Concierge and was promoted in March 2021 to Private Wealth Relationship Manager.

Melinda has a diverse background; from theatre performance to over ten years' experience in financial services.  She supports Wealth Advisors Ryan Olschefskie, Steve Draczynski and Jim DeMartino and is responsible for their clients' new accounts, cashiering, servicing and scheduling. Melinda is a notary public.

David is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder and serves as a Senior Investment Analyst at Gottfried & Somberg.  He is integral to the investment research and selection process. David also works closely with advisors to integrate our clients' goals with their portfolios and oversees the model portfolio management system. 

David received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Cornell University where he played varsity lacrosse. Following his collegiate career, he played lacrosse professionally in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse. He began in the financial services industry in 2007 at UBS in Chicago. In 2008 he joined Virtus Investment Partners as an internal wholesaler. Before joining Gottfried & Somberg he was a credit analyst at Newfleet Asset Management. He holds his FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations. David also belongs to the CFA Society of Hartford.

A long-time Hartford resident, David recently moved to Old Saybrook where he lives with his wife Amy. He grew up in Canada and enjoys playing golf, hockey, and lacrosse in his spare time.

Ryan Olschefskie, AIF^®, RICP^®, joined Gottfried and Somberg Wealth Management, LLC, in September 2015. Ryan is an  Accredited Investment Fiduciary® and Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP^®) with more than 24 years of experience in financial services, including 16 years as a Financial Consultant at Fidelity.

Ryan works very closely with his clients in reviewing their current and long-term investment and financial needs. He keeps consistent and timely communication with his clients to make sure they are informed of any investment or portfolio updates. As an RICP^® designee he specializes in retirement income planning, and walks his clients through the process to ensure they understand and address all potential risks that may arise in retirement.

Ryan has been recognized as a 2022 Five Star Professional Wealth Manager in Connecticut Magazine Business Services. 2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. Presented in Nov 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 2950 Connecticut-area advisors were considered, 290 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Ryan holds numerous professional financial registrations, including FINRA Series 6, 63, 66, 7, and 9/10 (held through Commonwealth Financial Network^®) and is insurance-licensed in life insurance, variable life, and annuities. He graduated from Central CT State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society.

Ryan was born and raised in Manchester, CT, and now resides in Glastonbury. He is a devoted husband to his wife, Kate, and father to their two children, Avery and Spencer. He has supported various charities and foundations including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with Team in Training, Special Olympics Connecticut, and the American Cancer Society. He is an avid runner and likes to golf, but, most important, he enjoys spending time with his family.

Since 2018
The educational, ethical, and experience requirements established by the Board of Trustees of The American College of Financial Services have been satisfied. The right to use the RICP^® designation is contingent on adherence to the ethics, Continuing Education and other requirements of The College’s Professional Recertification Program and requires ongoing recertification.

Kim began working with Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC, in August 2009. A native of Rhode Island, Kim has more than 40 years of experience working in the financial service and insurance industries. She holds numerous professional financial registrations, including FINRA Series 6, 7, 24 and 63 through Commonwealth Financial Network^®.  She also holds insurance licenses and actively assists clients with their home and auto insurance needs.

As Director of Administration, Kim leads our team of Relationship Managers and trains them in best practices.  She also serves as the executive assistant to Matthew Somberg and Joshua Gottfried, and handles all their client servicing and scheduling.

Kim is an avid golfer and racquetball player and enjoys traveling and spending time with her granddaughters, Madison and Kacey.

Magda joined Gottfried & Somberg Wealth Management, LLC in June 2021, through their merger with ClearGuidance Financial.

She worked at CGF for the past eight years, after starting her financial services career in 2011 at Bank of America.  Magda has gained a deep investment and financial planning knowledge through more than a decade of experience as a paraplanner and analyst.  She was closely mentored by Barbara Taylor and Terran Titus. As they began to shift towards retirement, Barbara and Terran helped Magda to advance into her own next career phase as an advisor.

Magda received her finance degree from the University of Connecticut School of Business and holds FINRA Series 6, 7, and 66 securities registration through Commonwealth Financial Network^®.  She has completed her insurance licenses along with CT Partnership Long Term Care insurance and is a notary public.  

After relocating from Poland to the United States in 2001, Magda became fluent in English and is bilingual. This experience helped shape her into a person who values family, empathy, and hard work above all, which she clearly translates into her understanding of clients’ unique situations and perspectives.

Magda comes from a growing family with three siblings, two nephews, Archer and Caden, and one niece, Izabela. In addition to spending time with her family and friends, Magda enjoys abstract painting, photography, gardening, reading, and road trips.