MEET THE TEAM

The team behind Secure Retirement Strategies is made up of qualified financial professionals who are passionate about helping individuals and families achieve their ideal retirements.

MARC SMITH

Managing Partner

Marc draws on his 25 years of financial services experience to help retirees and near-retirees work toward

MICHAEL NEFT

Managing Partner

With nearly 40 years of experience in finance and securities, Michael oversees the firm’s tailor-made retirement plans.

LOU AARONS

Chief Operating Officer

Lou puts his more than 30 years of financial services experience to work ensuring that every retirement

MERRICK SMITH

Managing Partner

Before joining Secure Retirement Strategies, Merrick helped manage the property and casualty insurance department at a leading

ANDREW SMITH

Vice President, Marketing Director

After working at Delaware Valley Financial Group as a marketing representative, Andrew joined Secure Retirement Strategies to

NICK YASHIN

Retirement Planning Specialist

Nicholas Yashin is a graduate of Temple University and started his financial planning career in 1999. His

JOHN BLAIR

Vice President – Underwriting and Case Design

John has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has committed himself to providing

GEORGE MARKUS

Executive Financial Planner

George is entering his 31st year as a financial services professional assisting individuals and families with investment

PHIL LORENZON

Vice President, Case Design Manager

Working as Vice President, Case Design Manager Phil designs individualized retirement plans that meet client’s goals. Phil

Glenn Kummery

10:43 08 Aug 21

For the past 22 years my wife and I have enjoyed a very satisfying retirement. George Markus has been very helpful in managing our investments during this wonderful phase in our lives. George’s knowledge, experience and caring have always been just a phone call away. Thanks George…

Richard Sacks

20:16 23 Jul 21

After I told Michael and George what I was looking for they put together multiple options to meet my needs. They were very professional, they were not pushy, and they were always available when I had questions or needed more information. I have been very impressed with their knowledge and willingness to respond to all questions. I would recommend SRS to anyone uncertain about managing their retirement.

Lori Pluda

18:53 02 Apr 21

Michael Neft has been a kitchen table friend since 2014, coming out in the cold snowy weather and honoring appointments to review our products' growth and benefits. We started investing with the group and our nest egg has done well, though thick and thin. He is honest and frank, responsive and professional in all our interactions. He, and the other group representatives are known to us also, and we feel comfortable with their capacity to keep abreast of all financial growth opportunities, what's best for us. Please give this group a big thumbs up and give a call, you will not be disappointed!

Dreux Daumer

00:41 10 Mar 21

The employees were GREAT to deal with. Most of our contact with them was via Zoom, & they were thorough, & extremely patient. Never EVER before dealt with financial professionals that valued the client as they did-5 ⭐️ company. 👍

Robert Czekanski

16:12 28 Feb 21

I have worked with Secure Retirement Strategies for the last four years. They have provided good advice and shown me products suited to my particular situation. There is no hard sell - they provide the information and their reasons for recommending that particular solution and let you take the time you need to make up your mind. When your do implement different strategies there is an annual review to see how the investment is tracking and what might be appropriate changes - if any. They are helping us meet our retirement objectives.

Dan Mansueto

18:17 19 Feb 21

We met Mike and Lou from SRS at a dinner presentation. Their presentation was different from the many others we experienced because they offered a variety of investment vehicles. We met for a one on one meeting where they asked us about our needs and wants in retirement. After several meetings, we found an investment product that we feel fulfills our long term financial goal. We were never pressured to purchase anything. Mike provided us with his cell phone number which we called a couple times with questions and he always delivered. I also had a question late at night so I emailed Mike, not expecting to get an answer until the next day. Surprisingly, Mike answered my email immediately. It’s important to know that someone is there when you have a question or concern. I’m happy to recommend Secure Retirement Strategies to help you with your retirement planning.

Rebecca Stackhouse

21:35 08 Jan 21

SRS Strategies developed a well thought out, detailed financial plan for my husband and I. They answered our numerous questions and worked with us throughout this difficult year. Their plan simplifies our finances. It consists of both annuities and a life insurance plan that provide death benefits and cash benefits directly to us, preserves the principal that we invested and minimizes our taxes. They offer trusted advice. We simply could not have accomplished this on our own. With SRS Strategies we feel that we have a secure retirement and look forward to their services for many years.

Tanya Shilstut

20:31 15 Dec 20

My husband and I had never worked with a financial advisor before coming across one of Secure Retirement Strategies' dinner invitations. We worked with Michael Neft and Merrick Smith and were very impressed with their professionalism, knowledge, and friendliness. They made everything very easy to understand, and we highly recommend them.

Tim Hagarty

14:10 21 Apr 20

These guys are good. Don't expect a sales pitch. Instead, you'll get a team that listens, evaluates your life situation and makes recommendations that match your needs. I'm retired with a nice nest egg that I thought I could manage alone. I spent a year attending meetings sponsored by other companies. I met with Fred & the A Team who identified several shortcomings, including the lack of a plan for long term health care. They presented options in simple terms that even I could understand. It was an easy decision to go with SRS. Take some time to talk to them.

R Parisi

23:03 16 Mar 20

We used SRS for some of our retirement accounts. They were fantastic! We started with one of those seminars at a local restaurant and just wanted to listen. They presented very interesting options and gave us the feeling they were focused on our needs and not their commissions. When we then visited and started the process they were very clear and easy to understand and work with. We are very happy with where we ended up and feel they have met all of our needs. We even beat this latest downturn and are safe from it! We also loved the fact of absolutely NO pressure to invest and all of our questions were answered completely and in easy to understand terminology before any discussion of what investments would work best for our specific needs. Loved how the entire process was streamlined to our individual investment goals.

Christine Cleaver

18:40 12 Mar 20

Excellent, professional staff with keen insights on steps to take for securing our financial future. Ultimately, the decisions were (and will continue to be) all ours, but Lou and Merrick answered all our questions and armed us with the tools and guidance to make the right ones for us based on our situation and goals. Their excellent knowledge base on markets, indices and strategies is helping us "stay ahead of the curve" post-retirement, which means our family also wins in the end.

Kathy Field

15:39 25 Feb 20

My husband and I first met this group through one of their dinner invitations and we are very happy we did. We were curious what this group could offer versus our 1 man financial provider. Everyone we have dealt with are professional and very knowledgeable with the products they recommend. Knowing very little of the investment world, they were able to explain the investment products to us in terms we could understand. And it is comforting that they have staff of all ages to help us many years in the future, which was one of our concerns. We highly recommend their group and look forward to working with them for many years to come.

Nischint Manelkar

21:35 12 Feb 20

The staff at SRS, particularly George M. and Tom Y., were fantastic. They presented themselves as knowledgeable and courteous throughout the process with them, which included multiple meetings. All our questions were answered and no stones were left unturned. In addition, it was refreshing to not have to sit through a high pressure sales pitch. Given the quality of their advisory services, no sales pitch was needed, simply the facts and helpful recommendations. Highly recommend these folks to help plan your retirement!

Duke Wright

12:51 06 Feb 20

From the very beginning I've been impressed with the entire staff at SRS. They were all very patient, knowledgeable, accommodating and obviously had my best interest in mind. They lead me through the maze of Indexed Annuities and created personalized options that suited and coincided with my retirement goals. It's been a pleasure working with each and every individual and without hesitation I would highly recommend this group of financial professionals.

James Stenella

13:55 31 Jul 19

I was comfortable from day 1 with Merrick & Mike. I experienced patience and understanding with Merrick and Mikes guidance throughout the process of becoming a client. The SRS team delivered on every promise during the course of our relationship. I could not be happier.

Jimmy Smith

19:48 26 Jul 19

The team that worked with us made the process easy. They are knowledgeable and informative. We understood our options of various products available to us. The team was professional and answered all questions in a timely fashion. We will readily recommend Secure Retirement Strategies to others.

Carol Taraska

23:48 25 Jul 19

Mike and the SRS team are attentive, honest and genuinely care for their client's needs. They have shown patience and understanding with our questions, by taking the time to give us a thorough review with our investments and their recommendations have performed as they promised.Wonderful to deal with.

Rita Blasko

23:03 09 Jul 19

Michael Neft, our agent, and the entire team at Secure Retirement Strategies have been so wonderful to work with. We have peace of mind about our financial future. We would recommend Secure Retirement Strategies to friends and family. They are always available to answer any questions we may have.

Theresa Clauss

22:50 22 Apr 19

My husband and I are so happy that we found SRS. We have been tired of losing money in our retirement accounts and wanted security and this is where we found it! Fred, Lou and Tom have been very helpful and patient with our questions and explanation of various plans and finding the best ones to fit our needs. We both feel more at ease with our financial future. A big thank you to the whole team!

Our Team

MEET THE TEAM

MARC SMITH

MICHAEL NEFT

LOU AARONS

MERRICK SMITH

ANDREW SMITH

NICK YASHIN

JOHN BLAIR

GEORGE MARKUS

PHIL LORENZON

Tennessee Office: