Meet the Addessi Team

A team is a consortium of individuals organized to create synergies that far exceed what any one person could accomplish. We like to think that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." So, why does this matter?

Throughout our 40-year history, Addessi Financial Partners has assembled and cultivated a team of experienced, educated, and talented professionals who complement each other’s skills. Our goal is to provide you with the highest level of service, integrity, and competence from our professional advisory group.

Our team is dedicated to your success, and we pride ourselves on the personal care and attentiveness we bring to our relationship with you and your family. We foster lifelong partnerships with our clients and believe this approach is critical to your success.

Michael V. Addessi

President/CEO | CFP®, AIF®, EA

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Michael began his career in the financial services industry working as a tax accountant during his college years. After graduating cum laude from Long Island University with a BS in accounting and economics, he moved from Long Island to Florida. He worked as an analyst for Dean Witter Reynolds in Tampa and then spent several years as an auditor for Lockheed Martin Corporation. In 1983, Michael laid the foundation for his company which would later become Addessi Financial Partners. Michael is an Investment Advisor Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network®.

Michael works with his clients to keep them from making emotional decisions. He focuses them on their own specific financial circumstances rather than reacting to short-term fluctuations in the markets. His experienced, thoughtful, and calming approach helps clients make wise decisions, especially during times of turbulence and uncertainty.

Michael is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, and Enrolled Agent qualified to practice before the Internal Revenue Service. He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth and is licensed to offer health, life, and variable annuity insurance, and is certified in long-term care and disability policies. Michael also holds Florida commercial and residential real estate licenses. In addition to his earned licenses and designations, Michael is a Forbes’ Best In State Wealth Advisor, a nationally recognized award.

2023 Forbes Best In State Wealth Advisors, created by SHOOK Research. Presented in April 2023 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.

Michael O. Addessi

Financial Advisor | ChFC®, AIF®

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As a Financial Advisor, Michael works closely with the firm’s Senior Financial Planners to provide investment performance analysis and case management support. He also provides direct input and logistical support to the Firm’s President/CEO on matters affecting practice management and efficiency.

Michael’s commitment to our clients’ success is exemplified by the way he treats all clients like family. He enjoys providing professional financial guidance uniquely tailored to each client’s specific needs. Michael graduated from Stetson University in 2011 with a BBA in finance. As an undergraduate, he qualified to participate in the Roland George Investment Program.

Michael joined the firm in 2012 and is a Registered Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network®. He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations and is licensed to offer health, life, and variable insurance. Michael is a Chartered Financial Consultant® and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary®.

Michael cherishes spending time with his wife and is a proud father of three children, O’Connor, Michael, and Olivia. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, fishing, and traveling.

Tracy L. Hess

Tax and Business Planning Specialist | CPA

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As a Tax and Business Planning Specialist, her primary role is to provide clients with tax strategies aimed at minimizing federal and state taxes. In essence, Tracy assists in creating tax-efficient financial plans for our clients.

Tracy’s passion for our clients’ financial well-being is brought to every client interaction through her attention to detail and financial analysis, ensuring only the highest quality of personalized tax and business planning.

Tracy is a summa cum laude graduate of Assumption University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science. She received her MBA from Rollins College in 2001, with a concentration in entrepreneurship. She started her career as a mortgage underwriter. Her desire to keep learning and growing resulted in Tracy obtaining her CPA (Certified Public Accountant) in 2013. She earned the Nicholas Picchione award in Rhode Island in 2013 for the highest grade on the CPA exam that year. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounting (AICPA) and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA).

Tracy and her husband, Steve, have one son. In her spare time, Tracy and her family love to spend time together at Disney World. She also enjoys reading, crafts, and anything to do with animals.

Christine J. McLean

Senior Financial Planner | CFP®, EA

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As a Senior Financial Planner, Christine works closely with the advisory and financial planning teams in assessing clients’ current financial situations and assisting in planning, rebalancing, and reallocating client assets to help meet their unique financial goals.

Christine develops a personal rapport with our clients to understand their specific tax, insurance, and estate planning needs. She draws upon her considerable experience to find timely solutions to meet and exceed our clients’ wishes.

Christine graduated cum laude from Madison University with a BS in marketing. She joined Addessi Financial Partners in 1994 where she began cultivating her career as a leading financial professional.

Christine is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, an Enrolled Agent, a Certified Fund Specialist®, and a Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor^SM. In addition, she holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations. Christine obtained her Florida insurance license for life, health, and variable annuities from the University of Florida. She is also a Registered Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network®.

Christine and her husband have two sons, one in the Air Force and one in the Marine Reserves. When she isn’t in the office, Christine enjoys spending time with her family, movies, hiking, biking, birding, camping, and playing board/card games.

Laura N. Woods

Senior Financial Planner | CFP®

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As a Senior Financial Planner, Laura works closely with the advisory and financial planning teams by assessing clients’ current financial situations and assisting in the development of a strong financial plan, rebalancing accounts, and reallocating assets to help meet the client’s overall financial goals.

Laura is very detail-oriented and enjoys engaging clients through conversation to better understand their unique situation. This enables her to provide a completely customized financial plan to every client incorporating all of their tax, insurance, and estate planning needs.

Laura is a graduate of the University of Washington, where she earned her BBA in finance and economics. She has been a financial consultant since 1992 and joined Addessi Financial Partners in 2010.

Laura is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations. She is also licensed to offer health, life, and variable insurance, including long-term care and disability policies. She is a Registered Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network®. Laura is also a lifetime member of Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Laura enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, skiing, and art.

Aaron M. Lyon

Financial Planner | CFP®

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As a Financial Planner, Aaron serves as a liaison between the advisory, financial planning, and operations teams. He also works to develop processes for maintaining and improving the client experience. Aaron’s love for his family and community is reflected in the way he engages with our clients on a personal level. He provides professional financial guidance that is uniquely suited for each client and prides himself on developing simplified solutions for complex situations.

Aaron is a graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. During his tenure within the financial industry, he has held a variety of positions including serving as bank branch manager for four years, and a licensed premier banker for five years. Aaron is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional who holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations, and FL 214 license for life and variable insurance. Aaron joined the Addessi Team in 2021 and is a Registered Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network®.

As a third generation Florida native, Aaron has a passion for the local community. He serves on the board of directors for Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, and for Mid-Florida Community Services.

Outside of his professional life, Aaron is supported by his beautiful wife Nichole, and three children, Amelia, Alexander, and Adeline. He is actively involved with his local church. He is an avid outdoorsman, who enjoys hunting, fishing, skiing, scuba, and is even a certified airplane pilot.

Emily C. Addessi

Business Operations Manager

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As the Business Operations Manager, Emily works diligently with our President/CEO to develop systems to support the firm’s growth—always with a keen eye on maintaining the caring and thoughtful culture that clients have come to expect. Emily oversees the day-to-day operations of the office. She also analyzes process efficiencies within the firm to help our clients experience the highest level of service.

Prior to joining Addessi Financial Partners in 2015, Emily worked for Raymond James Financial Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, on both the investment advisor and corporate sides of the business. She graduated cum laude from the University of North Florida in 2013 with a BBA in financial services. Ranking in the top 10 percent of her class, she was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society. Emily was also an active senator for the University’s Student Government all four years and took on leadership positions within the Kappa Delta Sorority, including serving as treasurer.

In her spare time, Emily enjoys the Florida sunshine, bike riding, sitting poolside, cheering on the Tampa Bay professional teams, traveling, and cooking. Above all, she cherishes spending time with family, friends, and her puppy, Hazel.

Wendy C. Addessi

Executive Administrator

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In her role as Executive Administrator, Wendy’s work includes assisting in enhancing client appreciation programs and events. She arranges and coordinates all travel to educational conferences, due diligence visits to companies we invest with, and trips to visit out-of-state clients.

Wendy enjoys being able to use her creative abilities to enhance clients’ experience as they interact with our firm. She gets great satisfaction planning client events, arranging travel, and seeing these plans play out seamlessly.

Prior to joining Addessi Financial Partners full-time in 1999, Wendy worked for 15 years in medical sales, medical laboratories, and medical information systems. She is certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) Board of Registry and is a Florida-licensed medical technologist. She is a 1984 graduate of Stony Brook University.

Outside of work, Wendy enjoys the sunshine of the outdoors, family vacations, and venturing out on the “road less traveled." She especially cherishes time with her grandchildren.

Jamie L. Griffo

Client Experience Coordinator

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As the Client Experience Coordinator, Jamie is responsible for creating, implementing, and measuring the success of Addessi Financial Partners’ comprehensive communication and public relations plan. She collaborates daily with the operations team to ensure that the Firm continues to provide the exceptional service that aims at exceeding our client’s expectations.

Jamie is consistent in her ability to do the right things, do them well and always keeps the best interest of our clients and business top of mind. Her attention to detail and caring personality have made her an integral part of fostering the relationships we have with clients and the professional partners we work with.

Prior to joining Addessi Financial Partners in 2023, Jamie worked in the financial industry as a Personal Banker. Originally from Syracuse, New York she began her career in management in a retail and a telecommunication store. Serving the industry since 2007, she specialized in client engagement with technology and digital resources. Jamie is a first generation graduate of Le Moyne College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and was inducted into the Psi-Chi National Honor Society and the 26th Edition of the Nationals Dean’s List.

Outside the office, Jamie appreciates spending time with her husband Anthony and their two children, Blake and McKenzie. She also enjoys playing cards, going for bike rides, and cruising.

Micki R. Montenare

Director of First Impressions

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Micki’s primary responsibility as the Director of First Impressions is to ensure that clients have an extraordinary customer service experience every time they interact with our firm. She coordinates scheduling and acts as a link between the professional teams, our clients, and partners. She also maintains the firm’s virtual filing system and assists with marketing, client appreciation events, and community service projects.

Micki gets the most personal satisfaction from interacting with everyone who enters our doors. She is truly a “people person” and enjoys social contact of every kind. She’s blessed to know all of our many clients on a somewhat personal level, as chatter and laughter are her strong suits. She’s grateful to have the role of making everyone feel comfortable and relaxed. Ask anyone who knows her: “I love my job” is her most quoted sentence!

Prior to joining Addessi Financial Partners in 2007, Micki worked for the Pinellas County School Board and also held positions within the banking and insurance industries.

Outside the office, Micki enjoys Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast, traveling, watching movies, and spending time with her two sons, family, and friends.