Meet The Team
The team behind Montgomery Financial is made up of qualified financial professionals who are passionate about helping individuals and families achieve their ideal retirements.
Jeffrey D. Montgomery, CTS™ Owner and President
Jeffrey D. Montgomery is the founder and president of Montgomery Financial, a fully independent, Registered Investment Advisory firm. As a financial coach, Jeff is passionate about helping retirees achieve a greater understanding of the need for building a comprehensive financial strategy for retirement using his Fiscal Blueprint™ process covering the 4 main areas of Income, Investment, Estate, and Tax Planning.
After graduating from Towson University in 1991 with a degree in business and economics, Jeff worked for the well-known mutual fund company T. Rowe Price in Baltimore, Maryland, where he specialized in investment services. Now he utilizes 25 years of experience to work with retirees in planning and executing some of the largest financial decisions they will ever make.
Jeff holds a nationally recognized tax designation, CTS™ (Certified Tax Specialist™) This graduate-level designation is conferred upon candidates who complete a 135+ hour educational program focusing on personal income taxes and methods to reduce tax liability. CTS™ certification requires mastery of the basic income tax formula and its computation, retirement plans, deductions, credits, capital gains, depreciation, payroll taxes, and tax planning.
Jeff understands the importance of planning for a financially secure retirement and regularly conducts public seminars to spread his knowledge. His topics often include areas of behavioral finance and helping clients deal with the emotions that come with investing. Investor coaching is so important to Jeff that he equipped Montgomery Financial's corporate offices with a state-of-the-art financial resource center where he and his staff help inform clients on their investment strategies in a high-tech environment.
Jeff works primarily with pre-retirees, retirees, seniors, and affluent small-business owners, helping them grow, protect and distribute their financial assets.
Outside of work, Jeff resides in Berlin, Maryland, with his wife, Joan. They have two grown children. He enjoys the outdoors, golf, and offshore fishing in his boat.
Nicholas C. Craven, CFP® Vice President
Nicholas Craven is a financial coach and investment advisor representative at Montgomery Financial. He joined the firm full-time in 2016 after having spent three years under the mentorship of Montgomery Financial owner and president Jeffrey Montgomery.
Nick has met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements of the CFP Board, has successfully completed extensive financial planning coursework, and has passed the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination covering the following areas: the financial planning process, risk management, investments, tax planning and management, retirement, employee benefits, and estate planning.
Nick is well-versed in the art of helping to determine the best financial plan of action for each individual client. As an associate advisor, Nick specializes in investment management and advanced planning strategies. His passion is coaching the ideology of passive asset management to ensure that his clients can achieve complete financial peace of mind.
Nick graduated in 2016 from Bucknell University, where he studied economics and history. While attending, he was a member of the Bucknell football team and played defensive tackle. Nick currently resides in Ocean City with his wife, Casey, and their dog, Chewy. In his spare time, Nick enjoys duck hunting, boating, and working out.
Joani Gursky Director of Operations
Joani Gursky is the director of operations at Montgomery Financial. She has been with the company since 2012 and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company, including processing client applications and transfer forms, handling account deposits and withdrawals and ensuring that client required minimum distributions are satisfied.
It's often Joani's friendly voice you hear when you call the office. She is willing to assist clients and prospective clients in any way possible.
Joani holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and literature from Salisbury University. She resides in North Carolina with her husband and they often spend time traveling to visit their three very active sons who are in college. Her hobbies include reading and taking her golden retriever, Nash, on long walks.
Edward J. Loftice
Senior Vice President, Baltimore Division
Financial Coach & Investment Advisor Representative
As a financial coach with Montgomery Financial, Ed Loftice is committed to informing retirees and those nearing retirement through personal, one-on-one consultations and workshops he conducts throughout the region. He informs retirees of current information and investment strategies available to them to assist in their pre- and post-retirement planning to help ensure they never run out of assets.
Edward is an Investment Adviser Representative and has passed the Series 65 securities exam, and he holds life, health and disability licenses in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Florida, and West Virginia.
Ed started his career in financial services in 1997 with The Advantage Retirement Group in Eldersburg, Maryland. While with the company, Ed continued to inform the public about retirement planning by conducting over 1,000 workshops and seminars throughout the East Coast. Prior to his career in financial services, Ed owned and operated a custom home building and remodeling business.
Ed has strong ties to the Sykesville/Eldersburg area since his parents moved the family there in 1973. He still resides in Eldersburg with his wife and dog. His son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters also live in Eldersburg. In his spare time, Ed is an avid golfer and musician. He can be found most weekends somewhere in the Baltimore area entertaining the crowd with one of his bands.
Matthew Danmyer, CFP®
Matthew Danmyer is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ at Montgomery Financial, LLC. He has met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements of the CFP Board, including having successfully completed the comprehensive CFP® certification exam. The exam covers the following areas: Professional Conduct and Regulations, General Principles of Financial Planning, Risk Management and Insurance Planning, Investment Planning, Tax Planning, Retirement Savings and Income Planning, Estate Planning, and Psychology of Financial Planning.
Prior to joining the Montgomery Financial team, Matt held a position in financial services with Bank of America-Merrill Lynch where he focused on helping to improve the financial lives of individuals and small businesses. Since beginning his career in 2016, he has helped hundreds of clients to plan for what’s most important to them. To this day, Matt’s favorite part of financial planning is helping clients to better understand their goals and how to obtain them.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Messiah College where he was also a member of the lacrosse team. In his free time, Matt enjoys nature, working out, and spending as much time as possible with his wife, twin girls, and their family dog.
Merrie McElrath Marketing Manager and Event Coordinator
Merrie McElrath Marketing Manager and Event Coordinator
Merrie Mcelrath joined Montgomery Financial in 2010, bringing with her over 20 years of managerial and sales experience as a jeweler. She is responsible for setting up our informational workshops and client seminars and ensuring all goes smoothly at those events. Additionally, Merrie schedules and confirms client appointments and is committed to helping all clients feel at home when they visit the office.
Merrie resides in Berlin, Maryland, and is an active member of Bethany United Methodist Church, where she has served as a Sunday school teacher since 1991. She is also the proud dog mom of her 3 dachshunds, Rooney, Romeo, and Rigatoni.
Kristen Ruggiere Director of Client Relations
Kristen Ruggiere Director of Client Relations
Kristen Ruggiere is the Director of Client Relations at Montgomery Financial. Usually the first friendly face you see in our office, she enjoys assisting clients with anything they might need! She has been with the team since 2018 and serves alongside Joani on the operations team.
Kristen graduated in 2016 from Salisbury University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in finance with a dual-track in corporate finance and investments. She joined us after spending 2 years in secondary mortgage finance in Washington, D.C.
Kristen currently resides in Ocean Pines with her husband, Steven, and their dog Coco. She loves spending quality time with friends & family and her hobbies include anything outdoors such as, running, hiking, camping, and going to the beach.
Tammy patrick
Director of Marketing
TAMMY PATRICK Director of Marketing
Tammy Patrick joined Montgomery Financial in 2024 as Director of Marketing. She is responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies, as well as organizing client events and experiences. Tammy collaborates closely with the team to manage the company's marketing and branding initiatives.
Tammy is an active community member, supporting several local non-profits, and will serve as the liaison for community partnerships at Montgomery Financial. She brings extensive experience from her roles in Development at Coastal Hospice and the Atlantic General Hospital Foundation, along with a career largely spent as a restaurant and business owner.
Tammy studied accounting at Salisbury University and now lives in Glen Riddle. She enjoys spending quality time with her two sons, Connor and Carson, and in her free time, she loves boating, traveling, and outdoor activities with family and friends.
Coco & Chewy
Director of First Impressions & Chief of Security
Ready to Take The Next Step?
For more information about any of the products and services listed here, schedule a meeting today or register to attend a seminar.
