Alexander Dinser is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with Horizon Advisers. Alex began his career in 2007 with MetLife, before graduating with his bachelor’s degree in Finance from Western Michigan University. He continued his studies at Oakland University to obtain his CFP® certification in 2010. While studying, Alex spent over four years working with MetLife, growing his financial planning practice and becoming one of the youngest, top advisors in Michigan. Due to the “Great Recession” and tough economy many Americans faced at this time, Alex was able to gain a wealth of knowledge surrounding capital markets and personal financial planning. In February 2012, Alex left MetLife to gain independence as a financial advisor and provide a variety of services to better fit his clients’ individual needs.

Alex taught at Oakland University in the same CFP® program from which he graduated for 8 years, retiring in 2021. He has also earned the designation of Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), with a concentration in estate planning. Alex is an accomplished financial planner with a dedicated aspiration to help each person he encounters. He has been mentioned in several national publications, including Hour Detroit magazine and Investment News. Alex enjoys interacting with his clients and having a personal relationship with them and their families. His dedication to this business is displayed through his passion for planning and helping people meet their financial objectives.

PERSONAL LIFE

Alex is a proud alumnus of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Preparatory Catholic High School. He enlisted in the Air Force National Guard after graduating and proudly served with honors for nine years. In 2007, he completed a tour in Balad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Alex currently lives in Royal Oak with his wife, Jessica, daughter, Adalyn, and son, Brady. He enjoys bow hunting, fishing, recreational golf, and spending time with his family at their up-north cottage.

Ryan Kus graduated with high honors from Rutgers University in New Jersey in 2003. Following graduation, Ryan took a sales position with the insurance company American Income. There he found immediate success, and after one year, took a management role where he organized and then led a team of ten salespeople. Ryan was off to a great start, but he felt a desire to help people in a deeper way. In 2005, Ryan was recruited by MetLife’s second most productive office to work as a financial advisor. While there, Ryan built an independent company that focused on working with business health insurance and employee benefits. This really took off, and by 2008 his team was working with over 135 companies. That same year, Ryan married his wife Rachel, sold his employee benefit business, and moved to Plymouth, Michigan. He continued his financial planning practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In 2010, Ryan was approached by M&O Marketing, a national marketing organization located in Southfield, Michigan, and was offered an executive position with the company. He was responsible for building a new division with a focus on distributing financial products to financial advisors around the country. During this time he wrote the book “Got MELC?” and wrote articles for “Life Insurance Selling,” a national trade journal.

Ryan separated from M&O Marketing in 2013, to help create Horizon Wealth Management, the predecessor to Horizon Advisers. He uses his past experience to assist his clients in working toward achieving their goals, and utilizes his leadership skills to continue to expand the Horizon team. In 2015, Ryan helped put together an acquisition of a CPA firm, and then in 2016, Ryan helped create Horizon Advisers and merge two other tax practices.

PERSONAL LIFE

I currently reside in Plymouth, MI with my wife, Rachel, daughter, Charley, and son, Gage. I moved around a fair amount as a kid. I have spent parts of my life living in Michigan, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.

My favorite sports are basketball, football, and tennis. One of my passions in life is traveling, and while I have been all over the world, I have many stops to go.

I value hard work. My mother and father were both Marines. We grew up with little and in our home, hard work was a way of life. I still embrace this today, and will always appreciate this quality.

I have had to overcome great obstacles in my life and have learned from each one. My greatest being the death of my sister and mother when I was 17 and 19.

Mark Merski is a tax accountant and self-employed business owner who has been working in the industry since 2005. Mark joined his father’s practice in 2007 after graduating with a finance degree from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in taxation from Walsh College. He went on to take over the business and expand it to what it is today. Mark grew up in Northville and attended Catholic Central High School. He bought a home in Northville three years ago and currently resides there.

His expertise is individual tax preparation and small business accounting. Mark delivers a unique style of tax preparation often not seen in the industry. The client sits down across from him at the table while the tax return is actually prepared. The client comes in with their paperwork and leaves with a finished product. This approach ensures a timely, efficient, cost-effective savings to both parties.

Mark recently merged with a partner and is going to be expanding his practice again. His father Terry Williams, who originally founded Wisley & Williams – the current firm Mark is managing, still works with him to this day. Mark has learned a level of personal service from working alongside his father and transitioning into running a tax practice with more than 500 individual tax clients.

Wisley & Williams is not affiliated with Cetera Advisor Network

Alexander focuses in working with individuals, young families, retirees and business owners to assist them in attaining their financial goals. He takes time to understand what his clients truly want and applies advanced concepts to help achieve clients’ goals. Alexander uses investment strategies to bridge lump sum pension buyouts; life insurance and the benefits to loved ones, disability insurance and long-term care insurance to formulate a sensible strategy that will endure for the long haul. Alexander is dedicated to bringing added value to the consulting process by assessing his clients’ immediate needs and ensuring their future goals are considered part of a long-term plan.

Alexander’s approach to consulting with his clients is based on a four-step process that identifies financial concerns: addresses client concerns, recommends short-term solutions, recommends long-term solutions, and implements recommendations. He is focused on building life-long relationships with his clients and following through or modifying strategies as necessary over the life of the client relationship. Alexander can recommend strategies for protecting against an unanticipated loss of a wage earner, a crippling disability, or a long-term care event that would put a financial and emotional strain on a family.

Alexander is an Oakland University Business Finance graduate and is engaged in the local community by volunteering his time performing community service at his church. He is also engaged as a volunteer for the Wounded Warrior Project and helps raise funds for wounded veterans.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Alexander has a passion for the outdoors and enjoys following college and professional sports. He spends his leisure time improving his golf game and plays at many of Michigan’s most challenging golf courses. He also enjoys traveling to experience new cultures and languages. Alexander currently resides in Rochester, Michigan with his wife Rachel and daughters Kennedy and Presley.

Andrew Hinrichs graduated with honors from the University of Dayton in May 2018. He further pursued his academics at Wayne State University, where he graduated from their M.B.A. program as one of the top in his class. Andrew has always had an interest in finance and investments. He decided to work as an intern in the wealth management business during the summer of 2017. While there, he gained valuable firsthand experience of the industry that he could utilize and apply throughout his final year in college.

Using that knowledge as a foundation, he has been able to grow significantly over the years as a financial planner. Andrew has since achieved his AIF® designation and also earned a “Five Star Professional Wealth Manager” award in 2023. Andrew is currently pursuing the certified financial planner designation as he continues to help Horizon Advisers bring an innovative and unique approach to financial planning.

Andrew enjoys communications, such as public speaking and presenting. Throughout his college career he continuously stood out as one of the best public speakers in his class. Andrew continues to use these skills in his professional career through both seminar, webinar and group benefit educational meetings. In 2022, Andrew became our Director of Employee Benefits, watching over our retirement plan and group benefit business.

Andrew holds the Series 66 and Series 7 registrations, which makes him an Investment Adviser Representative with Cetera Advisor Networks. He also holds Michigan Life and Health insurance licenses.

PERSONAL LIFE

Andrew currently resides in Plymouth, Michigan. He has had the privilege of traveling the world from a young age, and has lived in the USA, Canada, and China. He has also spent time visiting far away countries such as Australia and South Africa. His travels have been a formative part of his life and have allowed him to learn a lot about the world along the way. Adaptability and embracing change are characteristics he utilizes to tackle the challenges that arise day to day.

Andrew is passionate about sports, but soccer and football are his favorites. His biggest hobby outside of work is hunting. He has found that nature allows him to get away and enjoy himself.

Andrew values hard work and fairness above all else, and he believes that the end results are a product of the effort put in. He applies these values to both work and his personal life. He pushes himself to succeed at any task he undertakes while refusing to cut corners along the way.

Christopher T. Roberts is a Senior Partner at Horizon Advisers. As a Financial Advisor, Christopher has over 34 years of experience and is dedicated to using his knowledge to help his clients define and prioritize their goals. In order to achieve these goals, he works to develop and implement financial strategies. Christopher also is passionate about protecting the financial wellness of his clients. He focuses on what is right for his clients and strives to educate them so they can make informed choices about their financial future.

Christopher is an Investment Advisor Representative with Cetera Advisor Networks. He holds both Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter designations from the American College of Financial Services, along with FINRA Series 6,7 and 63 registrations. He is also licensed in life, health, disability and variable insurances.

PERSONAL LIFE

Christopher lives in Troy Michigan, where he has proudly served 15 years with the Troy Fire Department. After serving eight years as firefighter, he eventually achieved the rank of Captain of his station. His passion for leadership and helping others has carried into all aspects of his life.

John “Jay” Schuch is a Financial Adviser with Horizon Advisers. Jay believes everyone deserves the benefit of the financial planning experience, and his main focus is helping others invest for a comfortable and secure retirement. He understands every household is unique, and therefore, believes that every plan should accommodate his clients accordingly. Jay works closely with his clients to help determine their goals and priorities, and then provides the guidance needed to achieve them. He is committed to providing a relationship that is professional, informative, and confidential. As part of a dedication to Horizon’s service oriented values, Jay will often travel to meet with his clients face-to-face at any of the several Horizon Advisers offices located throughout Southeast Michigan, and can make in home or on-site visits when needed. His top priority always has been – and always will be – putting his client’s best interests first.

Jay received his Bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University; shortly after, he went on to complete his Masters of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance through the Executive Program at the University of Michigan-Flint. He holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation from the College for Financial Planning, as well as the FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 registrations. He is also licensed in life, accident and health, and variable insurances.

PERSONAL LIFE

Jay was born and raised in Northeast Metro-Detroit. He attended Immaculate Conception in Anchorville, followed by De La Salle High School in Warren. Jay, an avid sports fan, played lacrosse and soccer in high school, and participated in various clubs offered to the students. He and his wife, Sarah, try visit Kalamazoo several times a year, and at the very least make it back for the annual homecoming weekend at WMU.

Today, Jay and Sarah reside in New Baltimore, Michigan. He enjoys sailing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. He is active in his community and with local charities, and has served on the board of directors of Branches Crew, a local nonprofit whose mission is to assist under privileged children in the Metro-Detroit area.

Lori Oancea, J.D. is a Financial Adviser and Estate Planning Attorney* with Horizon Advisers. She has over 25 years of experience in the planning arena and as both an attorney and financial adviser, she is uniquely qualified to address the diverse needs of individuals, families, business owners and executive teams. She provides guidance to address concerns on insurance and estate planning, proper account titling, tax efficient strategies, asset allocation, funding for education and planning for retirement goals. In addition, she is the Director of Financial Planning at Oakland University since 2015, overseeing the program which provides the education to financial planners who wish to obtain their CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. Her expansive background, especially in the area of training and development of financial advisors, offers the unique ability to explain and simplify the often complicated and complex aspects of financial and estate planning and to assist her clients to comfortably and efficiently understand and work towards their financial objectives.

Education

University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, B.A. Economics
Professional Registrations: State Bar of Michigan, State Bar of Illinois (inactive)
• Life, Accident & Health
• Series 6
• Series 7
• Series 63
• Series 66

Memberships & Affiliations

Society of Financial Service Professionals
Estate Planning Council of Metro Detroit

PERSONAL LIFE

Lori grew up in Warren, MI where her parents still reside after nearly 60 years and is a graduate of Paul K. Cousino High School. She presently lives in Beverly Hills, MI with her husband, Tim and three college age boys, Zach (Oakland University), Alex (Michigan State University) and Jon (Wayne State University). As a financial representative who is a “sandwich-generation” member, she can readily relate to people no matter where their financial concerns lie and provide counsel on how to navigate these broad life challenges.

_{*Does not provide legal services on behalf of Cetera Advisor Networks}

Louis M. Messina is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with Horizon Advisers. Louis has dedicated his career to helping clients define priorities and address their needs, wants, and wishes. He understands the importance of a professional and confidential relationship. Louis works with clients to develop and implement financial strategies that help them obtain a secure, dignified, and comfortable retirement. He puts clients' best interest above all else, and then focuses on education, allowing clients to take ownership of their financial future.

Louis majored in Finance when he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Walsh College. In addition to his degree, Louis holds FINRA series 63, 65, and 7 registrations, as well as licensed in life, health, accident, and variable insurances. In 2020, he continued his studies at Oakland University to obtain his CFP® designation. In 2022, he began teaching other financial professionals in the same CFP® program from which he graduated.

PERSONAL LIFE

Louis currently lives in Commerce Township. He enjoys seeing his extended family and spending time outdoors with his friends; but his greatest reward comes from helping people and seeing the positive impact he has on their lives. His passion for helping people around him is evident in his work and reflected in his personal life and relationships.

At a young age, Matt knew he wanted to study finance and use this knowledge to help the public as a financial advisor. Matt was accepted into Michigan State University in the fall of 2009. While at MSU, Matt majored in Finance at the Eli Broad College of Business.

Matt was selected to study abroad in the Marketing and International Comparative Dimensions of Business in Europe program. He traveled through France, Switzerland, Spain and Belgium, and visited some of Europe’s top companies while working on several team projects, giving him a unique perspective on global companies.

He has passed his Series 7 exam which allows him to sell securities and makes him an Investment Adviser Representative with Cetera Advisor Networks. He also has the FINRA Series 66 license. Since joining Horizon, Matt has created hundreds of financial plans for clients. He has a detailed understanding of all the factors that create an outlook on retirement.

PERSONAL LIFE

Around home Matt enjoys playing hockey, flag football, softball and golf. In the summer he loves to get out on the pontoon and enjoy the lake.

Tom’s career began in the early 1990s when he got his start with a discount brokerage firm in Troy, Michigan. In 1997 he became an investment professional for ABN AMRO Investment Services, where he acquired his financial services experience. While at ABN AMRO, Tom received a President’s Council award for achieving the highest level of professional excellence in providing financial guidance. In 2000, he sought out the expertise of a wire-house operation and joined Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., working with high net worth individuals, small businesses and corporations of various sizes.

Tom has significant experience evaluating investment needs and helping deliver appropriate investment products and services. He also spearheaded the startup of a local title insurance business, supervising the coordination and implementation of residential and commercial loans while overseeing the operations of the company.

PERSONAL LIFE

Tom is a graduate of Oakland University School of Business, Finance (1993) and currently resides in Warren, Michigan, with his wife and two sons. He appreciates the arts, enjoys travel and is actively involved in various sports (golf, tennis, softball and racquetball). Tom is also a Theta Chi Alumni (Eta Phi Chapter, Oakland University, 1993).

Ryan Hoff graduated, with highest honors, as Summa Cum Laude from Madonna University in 2007. He has a Bachelor’s of Business Administration, major in Accounting, where he was a member of Delta Mu Delta, a business honor society. Ryan began his career, in the financial industry in 2007, when he joined Merrill Lynch. In 2008, the recession hit, and he saw firsthand just how impactful financial planning was for his clients. He has experience with wire houses, banks, and being independent. That experience brings a diverse knowledge of the different ways to help his clients.

Today, Ryan continues to refine ways that he helps his client to navigate both the working, and retired, stages of their lives. He works closely with his clients to understand the needs and challenges they face. With that knowledge, together, they are able to build a path that is unique to each family. 

PERSONAL LIFE

Ryan lives in Northville, with his wife, Andrea, and two sons, Owen and Aiden. He enjoys spending time with his family, and the busy life that being a multi-sport family brings. He enjoys all things outdoors, and active. Ryan is assistant coach for Owen’s travel baseball team, the Northville Broncos. He also has a constant reminder, from Aiden, that he will also be “my coach” soon, as well.

Emily is a native of the metro Detroit area and has a Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Business from Michigan State University. Emily began her career at one of the top event design studios in Metro Detroit. As a manager, Emily oversaw the organization and design execution of all company events. At Horizon Advisers, she now maintains operational effectiveness through systems management and assists with all compliance matters for the firm.

PERSONAL LIFE

In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband, Patrick, and their daughter Olivia.

Patti is a native of the metro Detroit area and a graduate from Miami of Ohio where she received a Bachelor Degree of Science in Accounting. Patti has seven years of experience working in the accounting field as an assistant controller for a private company. Patti focuses on assisting reps with securities transactions for clients while maintaining organization of client files and systems management.

PERSONAL LIFE

In Patti's free time she enjoys spending time with her husband Chris and their children; Joey, MaryGrace, and Emma.

Linda is a lifelong Metro Detroit resident with twenty-eight years of experience in the financial planning industry as a client service director and administrative assistant.

As Administrative Coordinator at Horizon Advisers, she continues to coordinate the service needs of our clients to provide them the best client experience possible. She will also focus on assisting advisers with securities transactions and service requests.

PERSONAL LIFE

In her free time, Linda loves spending time with her children and grandchildren. She spends a lot of her time cheering them on at all their athletic events.

Linda also loves to cook, bake and is always interested in trying out new recipes.

Terry has devoted the last 25 years to an expansive career in Mortgage Lending and the Management thereof. He began his mortgage career in July 1989 with GMAC Mortgage earning several awards in both production and management. Terry is currently a Licensed Loan Officer with National Home Lending, a division of Gold Star Financial Mortgage Services Group, Inc. (NMLS License # 380137). Terry specializes in providing a comprehensive portfolio of Conventional, Government loans, and Jumbo Mortgages. In this ever-changing market, Terry’s wealth of knowledge and targeted problem-solving abilities set him apart.

Along with providing lending to families, Terry has also been working with insurance products for the past twelve years. He has focused on working with estate planning utilizing life insurance and Long-Term Care. Being independent, he is able to choose from any insurance company he believes is best for the client’s situation, which has given him a strong advantage.

PERSONAL LIFE

Terry has lived in Plymouth, Michigan, for 3 years. He is an avid golfer, and loves to travel and play hockey. Terry played as team captain of varsity hockey for the University of Alabama in Huntsville and was a member of the UAH varsity hockey team. He also enjoys being active in the community and is a passionate coach for Victory HONDA 2007 AAA hockey team and is an active board member for the charity CATCH.

Paige is a native of the metro Detroit area and a graduate from Central Michigan University where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Event Management. Paige began her career at an expo center in Metro Detroit. As an event coordinator, Paige organized and oversaw the execution of multiple events. At Horizon Advisers, she coordinates and maintains operational effectiveness through administrative services and is the main point of contact for the firm.

Personal Life

In her free time, Paige enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband Kyle and new baby girl Nora!