Co-founded by two long-term investment and insurance experts, Champlain Wealth Management, Ltd., is a leading resource in the region.
We are a regional, boutique firm whose mission is to make ordinary financial plans and decisions extraordinary. We recognized a need in the marketplace for a high-level service provider that is truly independent of any financial service organization and created our firm to fulfill this need. We treat our clientele the way we would want to be treated. We realize that each individual or company has unique needs and we, therefore, consult with them on a personalized level. We treat every client with respect because, regardless of size, their assets are hard earned and important to them and their family’s financial well-being.
It is our mission to provide our corporate clients value beyond the traditional broker relationship by assuring “Total Plan Management.” We pledge the following seven areas of commitment: 1) risk and financial management, 2) plan design, 3) documentation, 4) compliance, 5) administrative support, 6) participant communication and education, and 7) fiduciary reviews.
Steven J. Hipsley is the President and principal partner of Champlain Wealth Management, Ltd., a firm specializing in Employee Benefits, Personal Wealth Management and Fiduciary Plan Reviews. Mr. Hipsley was previously a Regional Vice President with American Funds Distributors, responsible for 401(k), 403(b) and defined benefit plan investment recommendations, and administration.
Mr. Hipsley has been in the financial service industry since 1989. As a representative for MetLife, he was awarded the prestigious “Leader’s Conference” award. Mr. Hipsley also held Regional Vice President positions for two third-party administrative firms in Connecticut. In these roles, Mr. Hipsley designed benefit plans for small to medium size companies, as well as investing business owner’s and executive’s retirement and personal assets.
Mr. Hipsley’s 20+ years of experience has lead to his involvement in the design and investment management of 1,000s of corporate retirement plans. The estimated combined assets of these plans are in excess of $15 billion. He also has extensive experience in working with individuals from an asset and risk management perspective.
Mr. Hipsley earned his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professional designation in 1998, awarded by the College for Financial Planning, Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Hipsley is active in his local community and serves on the board of Saratoga American Little League. He has been coaching youth baseball for the past nine years.
Mr. Hipsley lives in Saratoga Springs, New York with his wife and two sons.
Steven G. Kamen is the Vice President and principal partner of Champlain Wealth Management Ltd., a firm specializing in Employee Benefits, Personal Wealth Management and Fiduciary Plan Reviews. Mr. Kamen is also the founder and President of Complete Corporate Planning, Ltd., a firm specializing in Employee Benefits and Pension Plan administration. Mr. Kamen was also the co-founder and President of Signature Retirement Advisors, a firm specializing in Pension Plans and Actuarial Services; and a co-founder of Independent Retirement Advisors, Ltd., a firm specializing in Qualified and Non-Qualified Retirement Plans and group life, disability and medical benefits.
Mr. Kamen has been in the Life Insurance industry since 1978. As a representative of The Equitable Life Assurance Company since 1979, Mr. Kamen has received numerous awards, including the Million Dollar Round Table “Court of the Table”; Equitable Life “Legion of Honor”; and the “President’s Cabinet” multiple times. As president of Complete Corporation, Ltd., he was awarded Security Mutual Life of New York 2001 “Agency of the Year” award for their Security Division, in 2006 and 2007 Leading General Agency, and is a member of the Security Mutual President’s Cabinet.
Mr. Kamen has also earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary professional designation, awarded by the Center for Fiduciary studies, which is accredited with the University of Pittsburgh.
Mr. Kamen serves on numerous committees for Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. Some of which include designing new insurance products for the field forces, as well as being a presenter at the Advanced Marketing School and Pension School.
Proficient in employee benefits and life insurance, Mr. Kamen has written several articles and has been called upon by Baron’s and Money magazines for expert commentary for their in-house columns. He has been a speaker for the American Medical Association, Foundation for Accounting education, Saratoga Chapter of the Dental Society, the American Dental Society, numerous Life Insurance Companies and Investment Brokerage Firms. He has also received the designations of Employee Benefit Specialist and Qualified Plan Specialist.
Additionally, Mr. Kamen has taught Life Underwriter Training Council classes in Business Continuation, Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning.
Mr. Kamen has served on Congressman James G. Greenwood’s Working Advisory Group reporting directly to the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigation Sub-committee on Opportunities for Accounting, Auditing and Financial Practice Reform. Their mission was to draft new legislation in the wake of the ENRON collapse.
Mr. Kamen recently completed construction of a 24,000 sq. ft. multi-story office building housing Champlain Wealth Management, Ltd., as well as other retail and professional businesses.
Mr. Kamen resides in Saratoga Springs, New York with his wife and son.
Douglas J. Brady is the Vice President of the Financial Strategies Division of Complete Corporate Planning, Ltd. a firm specializing in Employee Benefits and Pension Plan administration. Mr. Brady is also associated with Champlain Wealth Management, Ltd., a firm specializing in Employee Benefits, Personal Wealth Management and Fiduciary plan reviews.
Mr. Brady has been providing proactive financial counseling advice to clients since 1996. He has focused on developing personalized strategies for each client relationship. Mr. Brady has designed over 1,500 financial plans for employees of Fortune 500 companies, as well as local Capital Region clients. He is a sought-after public speaker and author in his area of expertise, as well as a consultant for other planning firms.
Mr. Brady began his career with the Ayco Company where he was a Senior Financial Planner counseling executives and high net worth individuals. In addition, he has a thorough knowledge of guiding clients through the estate settlement process. More recently, he started the financial planning departments at the local Mass Mutual and MetLife offices. He earned his M.B.A. from SUNY-Albany and his Bachelors degree in accounting from the University of Michigan. Mr. Brady has his Series 7 and Series 63 securities licenses. In addition, he has his New York state life accident and health licenses.
Mr. Brady lives in Saratoga Springs with his wife and their two boys. He spends his spare time with his family, playing golf, running and watching Michigan football.
Nicholas Nachbur is Vice President for Investments and Financial Advice. Prior to joining CWM, Mr. Nachbur worked at Merrill Lynch as an Assistant Vice President from 2000 until 2009 having earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) designation in 2006 from the College for Financial Planning, Denver, CO. Taking a holistic approach, we learn about a client's past financial experiences, organizing and updating all of their current financial details and laying out a future strategy, Mr. Nachbur specializes in using a disciplined investment process based on the client's retirement, income, tax, philanthropic and estate planning needs to accomplish their goals.
Prior to joining the financial markets, Mr. Nachbur owned and operated a successful international shipping business, Intramar Chartering, circling the world to manage overseas clients and supervise the movement of their ships and cargoes.
Mr. Nachbur is actively involved in the local chapters of the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Double H Ranch, and sits on the boards of the Home Made Theater, the Waldorf School and the Keene Valley Country Club.
Mr. Nachbur is near completion on one of the most energy efficient and environmentally-friendly ("green") homes built in the state of New York which will be highlighted in the 2010 Saratoga Showcase of Homes.
Mr. Nachbur resides in Greenfield Center, New York with his wife and three sons.