FIND A FINANCIAL ADVISOR

Merissa Brinkerhoff is a local financial advisor and a native of Prescott. She brings over 20 years of experience in financial services with her to Desert Financial Wealth Management and Raymond James Financial. Her passion is helping clients develop a plan and grow assets that will carry them through their retirement years. Merissa prides herself in being a good listener and putting the needs of her clients above her own. Her years of experience have taught her to navigate various economic conditions and regulatory changes.

Merissa believes in a holistic approach and that a well-designed portfolio is only the beginning of a sustainable financial plan. Appointments often include discussions on income, sequence of withdrawals, tax ramifications, wealth transfer, charitable gifts, and Roth conversions.

Additionally, Merissa specializes in assisting individuals upon the death of a loved one as they navigate the tasks involved in settling an estate.

Outside of the office, you will find her enjoying time with her 3 children and her husband Jeremy. They love to play board games, hike, kayak, and participate in various church activities. Merissa loves being outdoors, especially on her mountain bike.

Tim joined the investment industry in 2011 and currently serves the Southeast Valley. Getting to know clients is a key focus as he works with members and existing clients to determine their retirement and financial planning needs.

It all starts with the initial introduction and builds with interactions along the way; he gathers information, educates, reviews and implements the appropriate investment strategy that works toward meeting retirement and planning needs. Tim places an emphasis on educating his clients along with reviewing clients' risk tolerance, time horizon and investment objectives before making recommendations.

Financial planning is another key focus for Tim. He meets with clients to gather information on their current financial situation, review their retirement goals, and fulfill their needs and wishes. Tim uses this data to formulate an overall financial plan and then works with clients on the implementation of the plan. The last piece of the planning puzzle is a review of the plan, with the ability to make changes along the way.

Tim’s financial services career began in 1995 and has been with Desert Financial for almost 20 years. Before this, he was with Merrill Lynch for two years and another credit union in Iowa for five years. In Tim’s spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Jennifer, two daughters Kailey and Sydney and longtime family friends. Tim’s hobbies include golfing, BBQ and hosting gatherings.

Joe works primarily in the areas of pre-retirement planning and post-retirement needs. He has been with Desert Financial Services for over 15 years, and in the industry for more than 40 years. Prior to joining Desert Financial, he supervised more than 1,000 employees as District Manager for a major Arizona banking institution.

One of Joe’s proudest accomplishments is the large number of family and friend referrals he has received from satisfied clients.

Originally from New York, Joe has resided in Arizona for the past 42 years. He enjoys most sports—in particular ice hockey, which he played for many years. Joe and his wife enjoy the outdoors and have been blessed with four wonderful children and two granddaughters.

Dave has worked in the financial services industry since 1988, guiding members and clients get from where they are to where they want to go. “That process starts with a plan which leads us to a strategic approach to investment decisions,” he says. “In short, I provide my clients with the discipline that they often cannot or will not provide for themselves.”

Dave was formerly an Advisor at TruWest Credit Union and a Financial Consultant for Wells Fargo, Bank of America Investments and HSBC. He volunteers with the Financial Planning Association and the Chandler Compadres non-profit organization. In his spare time, Dave can be found reading, enjoying sporting activities and spending time with family.

Mitchell works with Desert Financial Services as a Financial Advisor and practices in the northwest Phoenix area. An Arizona native, Mitchell began his career in the financial services industry in 1989.

He utilizes a client-focused approach to financial planning which takes into account each client’s financial goals, time limitations and tolerance for risk when making recommendations. Whether you want to help ensure a comfortable lifestyle in retirement, leave a legacy for your loved ones or prepare for the unexpected, Mitchell will help bring confidence to your financial future.

Mitchell’s community involvement efforts include teaching seminary courses to high school students. He also loves spending time with his wife, Natalie and children Rylee, Macaela and Jake.

Grady Melton, Raymond James Financial Services Financial Advisor, has been in the financial services industry since 2009 and he is a former Assistant Vice President at JPMorgan Chase. Grady’s main focus is building strong, lasting relationships with clients and constructing holistic financial plans to help them meet their short-, mid-, and long-term goals. Whether it’s his clients’ desire to maintain their current lifestyle through retirement, save for their children’s education or simply finding ways to see better yield on their assets, Grady can help.

During his free time, you can find Grady hanging poolside with his beautiful pit bull Winnie or watching Denver Broncos football on Sundays.

Walter Mego’s investment career spans more than a decade. Prior to joining Desert Financial Wealth Management and Raymond James Financial, Walter worked at JP Morgan Chase, Vanguard and Charles Schwab. Through his years of experience, Walter discovered his love for helping people live out the retirement of their dreams.

Walter’s path to becoming a Financial Advisor started with his life-changing experience of assisting his immigrant parents and his father-in-law, a Vietnam War veteran, in planning, saving and investing for their retirements. Walter earned his associate degree from Paradise Valley Community College in 2014 and is currently working on his bachelor’s degree in Business Communication at Arizona State University. He also holds his Series 7, 66 and 63 licenses.

In 2010, Walter moved from San Francisco to Arizona with his wife, Ashley, and their children, Vienna and Jack. The Megos reside in Scottsdale and spend their free time traveling, camping in the mountains in their restored Airstream caravan and watching their hometown San Francisco Giants, especially at spring training games.

Whether it’s retirement planning or wealth preservation, Sammer Miqbel takes a comprehensive planning approach to identify his clients’ main goals and areas of concern. He enjoys collaborating with his clients on implementing a plan with customized solutions that focus on where they are now and where they want to be. Sammer joined Desert Financial Wealth Management and Raymond James Financial in 2021 and he has been in the financial services industry since 2015. His previous positions include opportunities with Wells Fargo Advisors and US Bancorp investments.

Originally from Yakima, Washington, Sammer has lived in Arizona for the past 16 years. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, and he was married to his wife Ammunah in 2022. The couple enjoys spending time outdoors and staying active playing golf and basketball.

Eric has 24 years of experience in the financial industry, helping clients find the right financial products for their needs. He aids members in understanding which products are most suitable, what they can expect and how much each financial product will cost.

Eric has worked as a financial advisor for the past 12 years at companies including Compass Brokerage, where he also served as bank manager. In his free time, Eric enjoys riding motorcycles, sports activities, and spending time with his wife, daughter and Labrador retriever.

Over a 20-year veteran of the financial services industry, Jason Romero has spent his career helping clients manage and preserve their wealth by developing and implementing a financial plan tailored to each client’s specific needs. Jason understands the dynamics of wealth, how to balance the complex forces at work and how to adapt intelligently as conditions change.

As your life and needs as an investor evolve, so will your vision for the future. Jason will work with you every step of the way, offering objective advice and solutions designed specifically for you. He strives to create a long-term, meaningful relationship with you and provide personalized financial advice. His investment process takes into account your investing experience, expectations for returns, and tolerance for risk. Based on what he learns about you and your goals, Jason designs a customized investment portfolio based on recommendations made solely with your best interest in mind. Once you are comfortable with your new plan, Jason puts it into action and reviews its performance and makes adjustments to life changes and new goals.

Originally from Hawaii, Jason has lived in Arizona for over 20 years. Outside of work, Jason is a dedicated husband and father. He is heavily involved in his church and is an avid cyclist.

With over 20 years of experience as a financial advisor, Paul assists high-net-worth individuals and small business owners in working toward achieving financial goals by developing a financial plan. Paul says, “This plan is implemented by efficiently positioning assets to work toward the client’s goals, while also limiting risk and expenses. Then, I review the assets and am in contact regularly with my clientele to make adjustments as needed.” Paul previously served as a financial advisor and Vice President at Wachovia Securities & Wells Fargo Advisors.