As a registered investment advisor, O/L is comprised of a group of specialists who oversee diverse financial disciplines for individual investors and corporate retirement plans. As a broker/dealer, our firm also incorporates business and financial experts who maintain a state-of-the-art investment management infrastructure to support in-house as well as field registered representatives.
Investment Professionals
Clifford B. Backes
Vice President – Investments & Partner
Clif’s focus is on the long-term building of wealth for individual investors. He uses a proprietary system of investment analysis, drawing from strict top-down fundamental analysis from and his experience as a technical analyst and stock market historian. He has been in the investment business since 1982. Before joining O/L, he worked with First Investors Corp., Mosley Securities, and Fahnestock & Company. He is a registered options principal. Learn more about Clif’s Technical Analysis Seminar Series.
Jeffrey Cohan
Vice President – Investments
Jeff manages investments for individual, retirement, and institutional clients focused on growth and total return objectives. He began his career in 1980 as compliance and operations manager with Denton and Company, a Hartford-based regional broker. In 1990, he opened and managed the Hartford office of Boston-based regional broker Fechtor Detwiller. Before joining O/L in 2006, he was managing partner at Hartford’s Buell Securities Corp. Jeff received a BS in economics and finance from the University of Hartford and attended University of New Hampshire’s Whittmore School of Business.
Cliff Jarvis
Vice President – Investments & Partner
Cliff has been assisting individuals with comprehensive investment planning and implementation since 1983. He has been with O/L since 1991. He received a BA in economics from the University of Hartford and an MA in economics from the University of New Hampshire. Visit Cliff's Blog
Michael Lecours
Financial Advisor & Marketing Manager
In addition to being a financial advisor, Mike is responsible for the company-wide marketing efforts of Ohanesian/Lecours. Mike sits on the board of directors for both the Connecticut Forest & Park Association and the Farmington Land Trust. Prior to joining O/L, Mike was a senior account executive for Cashman + Katz Integrated Communications in Glastonbury, CT where he worked with clients in the financial industry. He received a BA in business administration from Marist College.
Ronald G. Lecours, CFP®
Senior Vice President & Partner
Ron was a major force in building the investment firm and now manages more than $100 million of retirement assets for his clients. He specializes in the unique rules, investment management, distribution, and estate planning considerations for IRAs and other assets for retirement income planning. A Certified Financial Planner, Ron has served on the boards of the International Association for Financial Planning and the Institute of Certified Financial Planners. He has been a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, and was named to Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor Group®, a national network of IRA specialists. He is a member of the Connecticut Chapter of the Financial Planning Association and the Estate and Business Planning Council of Hartford. Ron received a BA in psychology from the University of Connecticut and an M.Ed. from Boston College.
Thomas F. O’Brien, CFP®
Vice President – Investments
Tom has 45 years of investment experience focusing on total return–oriented strategies for individuals and retirement programs. He uses value-driven fundamental analysis to design creative equity and option strategies to build client wealth and enhance current return. Prior to joining O/L, he was an investment account executive with A.G. Edwards. He also has extensive experience as an investment analyst and institutional equity manager. He received a BS in accounting from Quinnipiac University and did MBA work at the University of Hartford.
Richard Ohanesian, AIF®
President & Partner
Dick’s focus since 1977 has been on the management of defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans. He is actively involved in the design, installation, and ongoing asset management of retirement plans. He represents both public and privately held corporations throughout the East Coast. He employs an extensive list of rigorous standards and practices in managing pension plans as established by the Foundation for Fiduciary Studies. Dick also advises numerous trusts and foundations in establishing Investment Policy Statements and setting up monitoring policies and practices to encompass their stated investment objectives. As an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, he is a co-fiduciary of the plans he advises. Prior to joining O/L, Dick worked at major Wall Street firms including Paine Webber and E.F. Hutton trading institutional corporate and municipal bonds. He received an AB from Kenyon College.
Kenneth A. Rizzio, CLU, ChFC, AIF®
Vice President – Investments & Partner
Ken has been advising clients in the areas of individual portfolio management, corporate retirement plans, and personal and corporate life insurance since 1981. Ken was affiliated with O/L for more than 10 years while a principal with Arthur A. Watson Co., Inc., and joined the firm full time in 2007. He uses asset allocation model portfolios designed specifically for the client’s risk tolerance and time horizon. Ken holds the Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designations from the American College and the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies.
Office Staff
Sandy Hart
Senior Vice President & Partner
Sandy is an original partner of O/L and was integral to the set-up of the firm in 1989. She has been involved in all facets of the business, including broker support, licensing, commissions, payroll, benefits, operations, IT, and management. As part of the management team, Sandy is responsible for the operational, administrative, and staffing functions of the firm, including developing and implementing company policy in these areas. Prior to joining O/L, she worked at PaineWebber. She attended the Morse School of Business in Hartford, Connecticut, where she received a secretarial certificate and studied English at Central Connecticut State University. She is a Connecticut notary public.
Liz Keenan
Receptionist & Operations Support
Liz efficiently bounces between front desk responsibilities and operational support. She was active in underwriting in the insurance industry for many years prior to joining O/L in 2009. She holds a BA from Wheaton College.
Erika J. LeBaron
Operations and Commissions Manager
Erika has been working in the field of brokerage operations since 1988. She oversees client operations for the firm and is directly responsible for O/L’s commissions and accounting functions. Erika is also actively involved in training office personnel. Prior to joining O/L in 1991, Erika worked at PaineWebber.
Celia Li
Bookkeeper
Celia is responsible for commissions processing and general bookkeeping for the firm. Prior to joining O/L in 2000, she worked at the Salvage Alert Company. She received a BS in accounting from Central Connecticut State University.
Sharon M. McQuillan
Retirement Plan Administrator & Registered Representative
Sharon is responsible for O/L’s retirement plan reporting functions, including performance and statistical analysis. She also manages the firm’s investment research, including Morningstar, ValueLine, and Standard & Poor’s. Before joining O/L in 1999, Sharon gained valuable experience at CIGNA Investments, Inc., Shearson Lehman Brothers, and Prudential Bache. She has been in the financial industry since 1981.
Cathie Meredith
Portfolio Administration & Licensing Support
Cathie is responsible for the firm’s insurance licensing, product selling agreements, and portfolio administration support. She has been with the firm since 2007. Cathie holds a BA in political science from the University of Connecticut.
William J. Nicholson
Chief Compliance Officer
Wil oversees and manages O/L’s compliance issues, ensuring that the firm is acting in accordance with regulatory requirements, and that the firm and its employees are abiding by internal policies and procedures. In addition to being a general securities representative, Wil is a general securities principal, a registered options principal, an introducing broker/dealer financial and operations principal, and a municipal securities principal. Prior to joining O/L in 2007, Wil served as vice president, compliance officer with Infinex Investments, Inc. He received a BA in history and sociology from the University of Connecticut.
Donna S. Rizzio
Operations Support Specialist
Donna services all custodial client operations. She is O/L’s operational liaison with its clearing firm, Pershing, as well as other custodians. She works directly with clients and registered representatives to process requests, solve problems, and manage the flow of paperwork. She received a BA in communications from Central Connecticut State University.
Thomas Alexa Email
Robert Andrews Email
Raymond Brodeur Email
Richard Caruso Email
Brian Corridan Email
Gregory Guidone Email
Richard Hammond, CFP®Email
Andrew Hochberg Email
Darlene Kuerzel Email
Max Lynds Email
Lynette McLaughlin Email
Vaughn Marecki Email
Harold Moore Email
Stanley Muzyk Email
Christopher Seeley Email
Thomas Sweeney Email
Vito Taccardi Email
Eric Weiss Email

