Who We Are

Bruce has dedicated his nearly 50-year career in financial services to helping his clients manage and grow their wealth. While collaborating with influential, high-net-worth clients, he forms strong foundational relationships to assist in developing multi-faceted strategies, which include investment management, estate planning, and retirement planning.

Bruce founded his own investment firm in 1976, Gibraltar Securities, before moving to Prudential Securities in the late 1990s. Bruce has worked at Wells Fargo Advisors for the past 20 years, where he has grown his business to nearly $2 billion** in assets under management. 

Since then, Bruce has frequently found himself on Barron’s Top 1,200 State by State Advisor list, including his most recent inclusions in 2022 and 2023.* He has been recognized every year from 2006 - 2023 as a member of Wells Fargo Advisors’ Platinum Council (previously known as Premier Advisor), a distinction that is held by a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors as measured by completion of educational components, business production based on the past year, and professionalism. Additional criteria, best practices, and team structure may also be used to determine recipients.




* The Barron’s Top 1,200 State By State Advisors ratings are based on the previous year’s assets under management, revenue generated for the advisors’ firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. Investment performance isn’t an explicit factor because clients have varied goals and risk tolerances. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria.
_{**As of 9/30/22.}

As an advisor well-versed in serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clientele, Jake creates bespoke wealth and investment strategies to address his client’s complex needs. Jake believes that successful client relationships start with an open and honest dialogue, so he can better understand his clients’ fundamental goals and values. This information helps him establish long-term relationships, which often span multiple generations. 

With over a decade in the industry, Jake takes a hands-on approach to building relationships with his clients. He forms customized investment and wealth strategies, leveraging his expertise in retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, and investment management.

Jake partnered with Bruce in 2013 and has helped develop and grow 1776 Financial Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors to its current success. With Bruce as his mentor, Jake has integrated into the team and accelerated his growth in the industry, which has helped land him on Forbes’ 2022 and 2023 lists for Best-in-State Wealth Advisors and Best-in-State Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors.* He obtained his bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers-New Brunswick and also holds his series 7 and 66 licenses.


* Both the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor and the Best-in-State Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors rating algorithm is based on the previous year’s industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue, and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a rating. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria.

Leean has been in the financial services industry for over two decades. She loves assisting clients as they navigate through their finances and finds it rewarding to see when planning initiatives make a positive impact on a client’s life. 

Leean has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She currently lives in Denville, New Jersey with her husband and two daughters. In her free time, she loves hiking outside, tap dancing, and spending time with her family and their dogs.

Therese has over ten years of experience in the industry, where she has always enjoyed working on a variety of subjects with clients in a fast-paced environment. Her favorite part of being a Client Associate is getting to know her clients and helping them understand their finances to help reach their goals. She works in all areas of client personal wealth management and holds her Series 6, 7, and 63 licenses.

Therese graduated with highest honors from Binghamton University. She is married with three grown children and two grandchildren. Outside work, she gives to charities such as Calvary Hospital in the Bronx and St. James Church. In her free time, she likes to ski and travel, as well as watch classic movies and tend to her annual flower garden while at home.

Madonna has been working in financial services for over three decades and continues to remain interested and challenged by the industry’s continuous changes. As a Client Associate, she is focused on helping clients with their needs, particularly retirement accounts and estate planning. Madonna has passed several exams throughout her time in the industry, particularly principal/supervisory exams, general industry/product exams, and state securities law exams.

Paulo has worked for over 20 years in the financial sector. He always wanted to have a career where he could help others through their financial situations and is pleased to be a part of his clients’ journeys as they work to achieve their goals. He holds series 7 and 66 licenses, as well as principal Series 9 and 10 licenses. 

Paulo earned his associate degree in business administration from Union College before attending Rutgers University. He is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, and was a former second Treasurer for the Portuguese Cultural Club in Harrison, New Jersey. He currently lives in North Arlington, New Jersey and enjoys fishing and trap shooting in his free time. He has two beautiful daughters, Emma and Olivia, and enjoys helping them with sports and cultural activities.