Our Team
Dan & John are focused on understanding each client's needs & financial education. Then they work to educate each client regarding his or her strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots in regards to financial planning. Finally, they work to create a focused financial portfolio to meet the client's need. Friendly, available, and willing to pivot with their clients, Dan Gut & John Adams work to ensure their clients obtain not the only the best service, but also an education which will last a lifetime.
— VIJAY DUGGIRALA, MD,
CLIENT,
PHYSICIAN, HOSPITALIST
The testimonials presented may not be representative of the experience of all clients and are not a guarantee of future performance or success.
We lead with both head and heart. Our values are not just words taking up space on our website; they shape and dictate our whole practice. They are also promises we make to you.
Trust: We vow to work only in your best interests. We promise we are solely influenced by our mutual investment in your success.
Passion: While financial planning may sound boring to some, we love what we do. We promise to mirror your passion for your goals with our passion for making them happen.
Hard Work: Like you, we know the way to true success is through dedicated, hard work. We promise to work as hard as you do to make sure your financial foundation stays rock solid.
John R Adams CLU®, ChFC®, CASL®, RICP®, CFP®
Private Wealth Advisor
John Adams carefully cultivates client relationships as a means of remaining in touch with evolving needs and maintaining alignment between today’s life and tomorrow’s goals. Similarly John believes in continuing education to keep the professional edge that makes him a valuable resource. Complementing his continual quest for improvement is a dedication to honesty and integrity in all business dealings.
Background
John Adams began his association with the Northwestern Mutual as an intern in 1987 before graduating from The University Akron the following year and embarking on his career. John graduated with Bachelor of Science in Business.
From 1995 through 1999, he served on the Disability Insurance Committee of the Financial Representatives Association (FRA), including two years as Chairman. Other FRA offices John Adams has held include At-Large Board Member (1999-2001), Vice President and Treasurer (2001-2002) and Chairman of the Marketing Committee (2003-2005).
Professional Designations and Certification
John Adams has earned a number of professional designations including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), the highest level of studies in the life insurance profession; Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), the most extensive education for financial solutions professionals; Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL®), an expertise dedicated to the full range of financial, health, psychological and sociological issues confronting older individuals; Certified in Long Term Care (CLTC), Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP™), and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Designation, a distinction for financial planners rooted in education, examination, experience and ethics.
Associations and Memberships
John Adams is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), a national nonprofit organization representing the interests of more than 70,000 insurance and financial advisors nationwide, through its federation of over 900 state and local associations. Founded in 1890, NAIFA is the nation's largest financial services membership association.
John Adams is a 2015 National Quality Awards qualifier (NQA 1995-2010 and NAIFA Quality Award 2011-2015). The National Quality Award was created in 1944. The award recognizes agents whose persistency records indicate competence and dedication to the insurance industry and their clients. Agents who win this award have tangible evidence signifying that the products they sell will meet clients' needs.
John is also a qualifying/life member of the Million Dollar Round Table (2004-2015). MDRT is The Premier Association of Financial Professionals. Founded in 1927, MDRT provides its members with resources to improve their technical knowledge, sales and client service while maintaining a culture of high ethical standards.
John Adams is a current member of the Akron Tax and Estate Planning Council.
Awards and Recognition
- National Quality Award: 1995-2015
- National Sales Achievement Award: 1996-1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010
- Million Dollar Round Table:
- Qualifying/Life Member: 2004-2015
- Qualifying Member: 1996-2003
- Provisional Member: 1995
- Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award: 2002
Dan began his career in personal financial services in 2003 and then gained several years of experience in executive benefit planning. In 2014 he began working with John Adams and they formed Adams, Gut & Associates. As a private wealth advisor and partner with John, he co-leads the team in training and development, Investment portfolio management and setting the course for the firms growth. Dan's commitment to serve in a fiduciary capacity and his passion for continuing education are evident. He holds the following professional designations and licenses: Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), Life, Accident and Health insurance; Series 6, 63 and 7 securities.
Dan and his wife Alicia live in Medina and enjoy raising their five kids, Connor, Owen, Lilly, Ella and Harper. Dan and his family love exploring the local parks northeast Ohio has to offer. They also enjoy the many excellent restaurants and eateries as they are always finding something new worth trying while also enjoying their old favorites. He very much enjoys cooking for his family, trying and sharing new recipes.
Dan works closely with our clients to provide excellent planning and support, participating in both in-person client advising and behind-the-scenes planning and investment management. His 17 years of financial planning and executive benefit experience makes him a great partner as we engage in the lifelong planning process with our clients.
Alex Daher CFP®
Private Wealth Advisor and Director of Financial Planning
Alex, our Director of Planning, started working in financial services as an intern and later joined our team full-time in 2014. He is responsible for generating our planning analyses and assisting in formulating client recommendations. He ensures excellent client service and is a partner in daily client meeting preparation for our growing practice. Alex holds the following professional designations and licenses: CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Life, Accident and Health insurance; Series 6, 63 and 7 securities registrations. In his spare time, he enjoys the arts, cooking, nature, extreme sports, and spending time with his family.
Jennifer, our Chief Operations Officer and Workflow Manager has been an integral member of the team since 1999. She is responsible for office management, human resources and maintaining compliance procedures. An important part of Jennifer's role is handling the opening and processing of accounts as well as developing and updating proposals. She ensures excellent client service in all aspects of our business and is a partner in daily client meeting preparations for our growing practice. Jennifer holds her Life, Accident and Health licenses as well as her Series 6 investment license. She lives in Akron with her two daughters, enjoys spending time with family, watching softball and going to the beach.
How can Jennifer help you?
- Provide information and service on your insurance policies
- Provide information and service on your investment account
- Oversee communication process with our clients
Tara, our Director of Insurance Operations, joined our team in the fall of 2019 as intern and later joined our team full-time in 2020. She graduated from the University of Akron in 2020, receiving a Bachelor’s in Business Administration majoring in Financial Planning. Her frugal spending habits and saver mentality have led her to want to help others manage their personal finances over the years. Tara, the youngest of 3, hails from Randolph, OH. Being from a small town, she enjoys traveling and her favorite place to visit is Nashville, TN. In her spare time, she enjoys camping and spending time with her dog and family.
Steve, our Financial Planning Associate, started working full- time for Adams, Gut & Associates in May of 2023. He is responsible for building financial models to facilitate discussion around client goals and aspirations. Steve has a personal affinity for solving puzzles, as well as inclination towards math, finance, and technology. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family. “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care…”