AMS Financial Group was founded in 2005 when its principals left a well-known large financial services firm that they had been with for nine years and affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network®, the largest privately held independent RIA-broker/dealer in the US. This move allowed them to design the firm from the ground up, an opportunity they took to implement a business model that they themselves would want if they were clients. This included a focus on developing comprehensive financial roadmaps, access to a wide universe of investment solutions, and a structure that aligned the firm's interests with those of the clients. Today, the firm's team collaborates to execute well-defined processes that ensure that a consistently high-quality experience is delivered year after year and client after client.
Gerard L. Suarez
Wealth Manager and Principal, CRPC®, AIF®
Gerard graduated cum laude from the University of Washington School of Mechanical Engineering. He worked as a mechanical and project engineer in the aerospace industry for five years before realizing that he wanted to make a more meaningful personal impact in other peoples' lives. This led him to follow his interest in financial planning and investments. In 1996, he joined one of the nation's largest financial planning firms, where he found that he could use his analytical and diverse background to help clients pursue their financial goals and objectives. He takes particular joy in educating his clients so they understand not only what is being done but why and relishes finding ways to do so that makes the complex easy to understand. He is an Investment Adviser Representative of Commonwealth Financial Network®.
Gerard holds the following designations, registrations, and licenses:
- Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorTM (CRPC®) certification
- Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) certification
- FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations
- Life and health insurance licenses
Grace T. Suarez
Cofounder and Licensed Paraplanner
Grace serves as the firm's paraplanner. She graduated from the University of Washington School of Business with concentrations in finance and marketing. Upon graduating, she worked in commercial real estate, brokering investment properties for seven years. In 1996, to further broaden her investment background, she joined a large financial planning firm where she eventually combined her practice with Gerard's and later helped him establish AMS Financial Group. She now works behind the scenes helping research ideal investments, developing strategies to help their clients reach their financial goals, and supporting the firm where she is needed most.
Grace holds the following registrations and licenses:
- FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations
- Life and health insurance licenses
David C. Lee
Financial Advisor, APMA®
David graduated from the University of Washington School of Business with concentrations in accounting and finance. He started his work career at a local CPA firm for eight years and then transitioned to be the CFO for Bonney-Watson for another fourteen. His passion for finances and helping people reach their financial goals led him to join a large financial planning firm for six years prior to joining AMS Financial Group.
David holds the following designations, registrations, and licenses:
- Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA®) certification
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA-Inactive®) certification
- FINRA Series 7, 63, 65 and 66 securities registrations
- Life and health insurance licenses