Suarez Financial Planning Group
Cathy C Suarez
Growth and Development Director
Join Our Team
My mission is to inspire and empower people to achieve more than they thought was possible. I get to lead a team of leaders who help people dream BIG and feel secure about the future.
Our team is one of the fastest growing, most successful teams in the country and we’re growing! We are a team of champions dedicated to excellence, while serving others. We are committed to service and impact. Our culture is focused on camaraderie, mentorship, training, and leadership, with the gift of high expectations.
None of us came from a finance background: USAF pilot, SpaceX engineer, Marine Raider, Deputy Sheriff, Spa Manager, Pro Golfer, manufacturing administrator, Navy Targeteer, Navy Logistics Specialist, Retail Manager, USAF reservist, Green Beret, Marketing/Advertising, education, a gym owner, mortgage banker, gym owner, and college athletes.
We're in business for ourselves, but not by ourselves. We get to manage our income, our schedule, and who we work with. Our top notch training, mentoring, and coaching will set you up for success. You bring the work ethic and values, and we will teach the rest.
Curious? Let's set up an introductory call or Zoom meeting.
Professional
Cathy connects driven and compassionate people to opportunities to live their best lives through goal planning, financial planning, career coaching, and community impact.
Cathy is the 1st woman and Hispanic Growth and Development Office in South Central Texas. Her accomplishments include:
- 2017 Internship Community Service Award for #NMIMPACT
- 2018 Recruiter of the Year for Diversity, College Conversions, and New Advisor Productivity
- 2019 Northwestern Mutual Foundation's Community Service Award
- 2020 Pacesetter 1st 40, Bronze Award
- 2021 Silver Award, 75 lives, Unit ranked #20 in NRGD, Lead of the Leaders South Central Texas Award
- 2022 Distribution Builder Blue Award, Unit ranked #12 in NRGD
- 2023 Distribution Builder Blue Award, Unit ranked #5 in NRGD, Leader of the Leaders South Central Texas Award
- 2024 Distribution Builder Blue Award, Unit ranked #3
Before joining the firm, Cathy spent most of her career in sales and marketing leadership roles in the advertising and tech world. She also has a strong background in education and community engagement work with nonprofits.
Cathy was born and raised in NY and lived in Miami for almost a decade before moving to Texas in 2009 to join her husband, Fernando, and children Laura and Alejandro. She earned her BBA from City University of New York, Baruch College. In her free time, she enjoys being with family, volunteering, dancing, traveling, and Zumba. Cathy's been to about 40 countries and speaks 5 languages-so far.
Business Partners
I partner with some of the top advisors in the industry to bring the most value to our clients.
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Fernando Suarez
CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®
Wealth Management Advisor
Our team’s mission is to help people dream big and feel secure through value based financial planning. We have been working with clients for over 35 years, helping people take care of their families, realize their dreams, and feel confident about the future.
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Zipporah Evania
CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®
Wealth Management Advisor
Zipporah has built a national practice primarily with clients that are ascending professionally in their careers, and clients who are stepping into retirement. Her relentless pursuit of excellence and higher education provides her clients with great confidence knowing that she always has their best interest at heart.
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Matt Occhipinti
MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, AEP®
Founder & Wealth Management Advisor
My commitment is to inspire action and maximize potential for those I work with. I seek to help people realize their dreams with financial security at the forefront. My firm focuses on working with affluent individuals and closely held business owners to implement tax strategies, business continuity and succession planning, and ultimately, multigenerational wealth management.
Zach Shannon
CLU®, ChFC®
Wealth Management Advisor
My mission is to inspire people to live proactively and create financially secure lives by design not by default. I strive to be a catalyst for people to help them take progressive action toward their goals. Through my work, I help people achieve financial security so they can chase their wildest dreams and live the lives they’ve always imagined.
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Diondre Montgomery
M.S.
Financial Advisor
My mission is to engage, educate, and empower others to gain clarity and feel secure in there financial situation. Through financial planning, I help people to take care of their families, realize their dreams, and feel confident about the future.
Cameron MacDiarmid
Financial Advisor
My nine years in the Marine Reconnaissance and Special Operations communities taught me the value of service to others. I specialize in comprehensive planning for veterans and active duty personnel as well as small business owners and driven professionals. Creating a plan that gives my clients peace of mind and a clear path toward financial freedom is my driving factor.
Michael Barney
Financial Advisor
I am passionate about helping people plan for success. I do this by building long term relationships and financial plans that are tailored to your goals and what’s most important to you. Together we plan for risk management, wealth accumulation, and distribution in retirement. I work with individuals, families, and businesses around the country.
Juliandra Goodman
Financial Advisor
I believe everyone deserves a trusted advisor and a well-structured financial plan tailored to their wants and needs. I operate a values-based planning practice, meaning it’s important to me to understand what my clients value the most. My mission is for every client to know with confidence they are on track for their future goals while still able to enjoy their lives today.
Karl Pitkin
Financial Advisor
I was born in London, England and have lived in San Antonio, Texas most of my life. I have been an athlete my entire life and played soccer at Texas State University. My mission is to tap into people's unrealized potential through intentionality, accountability, and the mindset of abundant thinking. Priding myself on bringing a fun approach to financial planning for my clients.
Marcelo Rodriguez
FSCP®
Financial Advisor
Originally raised in Mexico, I moved to San Antonio in 2020 with my wife Dany. Greta, our fur baby is highly present in our weekly activities. We spend our free time trying out new places. My core values are Family, Friends & Soul. I am passionate about financial planning because I enjoy helping you achieve your dreams.Our NM Experience & Growth Teams
Our team is committed to delivering the ultimate experience for advisors, staff, clients, candidates, and anyone who interacts with our firm.
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Karina Velez
Director of Recruitment and Selection
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Sabrae Fuentes
Associate Financial Representative
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Daniel Reller
Financial Planning Analyst
#NMIMPACT
Our team get's together to volunteer, fundraise, and support our community through our NM Impact program.
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF)
ALSF funds cancer research, raises awareness, and supports the families of children with cancer. Since 2012, Northwestern Mutual, its employees, and financial professionals like me have donated more than $20 million to support ALSF and fund over 400,000 research hours.
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Beads of Courage
Beads of Courage is an art-in-medicine program that helps kids with cancer tell their unique treatment story through colorful beads that are symbols of their courage.
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How We Help Our Clients
Financial Planning
Tax-Efficient Strategies
Retirement Planning & Income Strategies
Disability Planning for Physicians & Dentists
Estate Planning
Business Planning & Succession
Long-Term Care Planning
Education Planning & Funding
How Northwestern Mutual helps you live the life you want.
When people feel better about their money, good things happen—they become more confident and feel more secure. For more than 160 years, Northwestern Mutual has helped people achieve the financial flexibility they need to live more and worry less.
Being a mutual company means Northwestern Mutual reports to its clients, not Wall Street. They don't believe in chasing fads or taking undue risk for short-term gains. Instead, they take a long-term approach—both in the way we help people plan to reach their goals, and in the way they do business. This has served their clients (and mine) well through all kinds of economic ups and downs, including wars, recessions, even the recent pandemic.
It's why I'm happy to be part of a company that's in it for the long-haul and prioritizes clients over profit.
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