Adam J Brindza

Hailing from Pennsylvania, Wes attended Case Western University to study finance. He began his journey with Northwestern Mutual in 2016 and has been ambitiously climbing the ladder since, achieving his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional certification, CLU, and ChFC. Joining forces with Ayo, they have formed a complementary partnership as Wes specializes in complex financial and investment planning. While managing our growing team and mentoring new advisors, Wes is able to fulfill his passion for guiding and pushing others to excel.

Wes and his wife, Carley, enjoy spending quality time with one another and their French Bulldog, Paul. In 2021, Wes was able to combine two of his aspirations—traveling and food—while in Denmark by visiting Noma, the Best Restaurant of the year. If Wes isn’t working, he is most likely to be found at a golf course with his friends and co-workers, or dedicating time to further his education.

Growing up in Oberlin, Ohio, Ayo obtained his degree in Corporate Communications from Cleveland State University. Coupled with his outgoing and welcoming personality, Northwestern Mutual was a perfect fit. He has been in the business since 2016, learning and growing exponentially throughout the years. He thrives when working with motivated young professionals, encouraging them to identify their definition of financial security. As an advisor, he aims to provide high-level financial planning to ensure his clients are well-prepared for their future, while also living in the present.

Along with his professional goals, Ayo has a lot of personal goals that he wishes to achieve. He is an avid cook and hopes to one day have his own vegetable farm, granting him access to the freshest of ingredients. He plans to travel the world, having already been to 40 countries. He currently has one Greyhound named after his favorite city, Cleveland, but hopes to grow his fur family in the near future.

Josh graduated from Baldwin Wallace in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. Joining Northwestern Mutual as an intern in 2018, he quickly found his purpose by helping others through financial planning.  He strives to guide his clients to achieve financial independence through designed planning. He is grateful for finding Wes and Ayo, who share the same passion and vision that he does. Also acting as a College Unit Mentor, he welcomes and guides interns that come and go through the program. Josh is very passionate about this role as he hopes to change the lives of young professionals. He has dedicated himself to furthering his education and training in this field and has earned his series 6, series 63, and SIE since rejoining Northwestern Mutual in 2021.

If Josh isn’t at the office, you can find him traveling with his wife, Ana, walking their goldendoodle, Duke, searching for his ball on the golf course or cheering on his favorite football teams, the Yellow Jackets and the Steelers.

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Austin moved to Ohio to attend John Carrol University obtaining a degree in Finance.  Joining the team as an intern in 2020, he has developed into our Director of Investments and Planning and while facilitating the team with the day-to-day operations, he also provides high-level service to all clients as it relates to their financial planning and investment accounts. Austin has continued to grow his education and has obtained his SIE, Series 63, and Series 7. Being the staff member that has been on the team the longest, he has watched the team grow while acting as a support system to all his co-workers.

In his spare time, Austin enjoys visiting his hometown to go skiing and showing his support to his favorite football team, the Buffalo Bills. He is an avid golfer and has yet to be beat by anyone on the team and plans to keep it that way going forward.

Rachael was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before she moved to Cleveland to attend John Carroll University. She graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education. Her passion for helping others succeed drew her to Coleman Trillow and Associates. She has the role of Insurance Coordinator, helping clients with all their insurance needs, while ensuring they are provided with the best possible experience.

After work, Rachael can be found reading, painting, and taking road trips with her friends. She also is constantly working on her garden and spending time with the people, and pets, that she cares about the most. Being an avid Steelers fan, she loves to "stir the pot" with the many Browns fans in the office.

Graduating from the University of Cincinnati in 2022 with a degree in Sociology, Nyima supports the team with planning and is an Administration Assistant as she works towards her dream of attending law school. She adds value to our team by assisting Austin in building financial plans and Belle with client appreciation and calendars. She is also currently working part-time as a remote research assistant in Sociology at Dartmouth College.

Nyima enjoys using her free time to indulge in film and writing. Her favorite activities to partake in are going on long walks and spending time with her loved ones. She is very passionate about learning and aspires to get her PhD in Sociology. Nyima is known as the “ray of sunshine” of the team.

Michelle was born and raised in New York City, where she attained her bachelor’s degree in 2021 in Law & Society. After graduating, Michelle moved to Ohio with hopes to pursue a master’s degree in law and eventually her JD as well. Although her academic background is focused around law, Michelle has always maintained a deep interest in the financial field. She joined CTA in May 2024, as a financial planning associate where she supports both our planning team and our clients, as they navigate the correct steps to take to best position themselves for the financial future they desire. Outside of work Michelle loves to watch Nollywood films, play Chess, and travel – [she’s been to 30 states within the US, and is building her international travel list]. Michelle’s intelligence, humor, and passion brings tremendous vitality to our team and our clients.