Our Team

Tim Fisher, CFP^® MPAS^™

tim@fisherfinancialadvisors.com

Tim's 25 years of portfolio management and financial planning, was preceded by an interesting career trajectory. Unlike many in the financial services industry, Tim's passion for teaching and coaching, led him, after graduating from Middlebury College, into English teaching at Lebanon High School, and then ski coaching at Dartmouth College, where over a ten year span he guided 13 athletes to All-American status, coached two NCAA National Champions, and was honored in being asked to serve as one of the coaches of the U.S. Team at the World University games in Strebske Pleso, Czechoslovakia.

His entrepreneurial skills led him into real estate brokerage with Coldwell-Banker, Redpath, and then commercial real estate appraising with Valley Appraisal in Lebanon, where he began his interest and knowledge in investments and financial analysis.

Joining Advest, Inc. in 1995 he entered the financial planning and portfolio management field, earning his AAMS certification in 2005, his CFP^® designation in 2008 and his Masters in Personal Advanced Studies in 2017. After working with Smith Barney for five years, Tim helped start his own firm and became a partner at Brendel & Fisher Wealth Management from 2011-2017. Late this summer Tim started his own firm, Fisher Financial Advisors with his assistant Brenda and son Nate in the heart of downtown Hanover. Tim continues to offer comprehensive financial planning, retirement planning, portfolio management, trust and estate planning, as well as insurance and risk management services.

Tim currently serves on the Board of the Upper Valley Music Center, which since 1995 has offered opportunities to musicians of all ages and playing abilities to engage in the study and performance of chamber music.

Tim has enjoyed involvement with the community of Lyme, NH where he has lived since 1982, with his wife, Prue. His four children have fled the nest but have since returned as of late with many beautiful grandchildren. He has served on the Lyme Recreation Committee and coached Lyme soccer and baseball teams. He also served as a coach for the Ford Sayre Ski Club from 1989 - 1998.

His passions include skiing, hiking, travel, gardening, raising chickens, Christmas tree farming, bird hunting, golf and soccer. 

Brenda Fusco, CDFA ^®

brenda@fisherfinancialadvisors.com

Brenda Fusco earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from The University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT in 1989. While attending The University of Connecticut, Brenda studied International Finance at The Tilburg University, Holland. Upon graduation, she worked at Fleet National Bank's headquarters in Providence, RI as an Internal Auditor before moving back to her home state of Connecticut to become the Finance Manager working between two Orthodontist's offices.

In 1994 Brenda moved on to work at Advo, a publicly traded Direct Mail Advertising Firm, as a Financial Analyst until her first child was born in 1997. Her second child was born in 1998 and, wanting to work from home, earned her certification in residential real estate appraising and began Interlakes Appraisal Services.

Once her children were older she found herself wanting to get back into the financial arena and began working at Smith Barney in Wolfeboro, NH in 2006. By 2007 Brenda earned her Series 66 thereby deeming her a Registered Representative. She left Smith Barney in 2011 to join Brendel & Fisher Wealth Management, LLC and assisted in the smooth transition of our clients from Morgan Stanley Smith Barney to Brendel & Fisher Wealth Management and as of September 2017 to Fisher Financial Advisors. In addition, Brenda opened and primarily operates from the Wolfeboro office servicing our clients' needs, assists in trades and as always, helps to manage all our clients' accounts while traveling amongst both offices. 

Brenda also holds a CDFA®, Certification in Divorce Financial Analysis. As a trained divorce analyst, this allows Brenda to meet with divorcing clients to show the financial effect of any given divorce settlement along with providing expert financial advice as it relates to the division of marital income, assets and debt. This process brings certainty to the divorcing client in a very uncertain time of their lives as well as assisting the client with the financial transition of post-divorce once the financial settlement is reached. 

Nate Fisher, FPQP^™

nate@fisherfinancialadvisors.com

Having grown up in rural Lyme, New Hampshire, Nate discovered two passions, wildlife and skiing. After graduating from Gould Academy, Nate traveled to the University of New Hampshire where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology and Management and raced for their Division I Ski Team.

Nate is a financial advisor at Fisher Financial Advisors. Over the past couple of years, he has been working to make a career change and phase into his current position as junior partner to his father, Tim. Previously, Nate spent many years coaching, teaching and developing high level alpine skiers. His unique background has helping to develop strong relationships and ideas for our firm as well. 

Nate’s coaching experience has translated well into his role as an advisor.  There are many similarities in these positions. Nate was successful as a coach as he took the time to get to know each one of his athletes, understand their goals and motivations, and carefully craft a plan to help ensure a successful outcome. He is devoted and enthusiastic about helping our clients identify their life goals and enjoys designing a carefully thought out plan. Just like with coaching, Nate’s intuition about implementing and monitoring that plan is essential to ensuring a successful outcome and comfortable retirement.

As Nate says, “Working with people of all ages and making a difference in their lives is what I like most. I also love working where I grew up and connecting with the community that I am so fond of”.

Nate and his wife Lesley live in Wilmot NH and have two young children; Millie, and Felix. They are all passionate about skiing, biking, being in the outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Ronald J. Theissen, CPA, CFP^®

ron@fisherfinancialadvisors.com

Ron is a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Public Accountant. He has over forty years of diverse tax and financial planning experience. He specializes in comprehensive financial planning services that include tax consulting and investment management.

Prior to joining Fisher Financial Advisors, Ron was an owner and principle of several investment companies. He was also a tax partner at one of the largest international accounting firms, Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., (now KPMG), servicing a variety of clients from major corporations and executives to individuals and family interests. He co-found RealVest Corporation, a nationwide real estate investment firm. Ron was also an Adjunct Professor of Taxation and Retirement Planning at New York University and has been an independent trainer for IRS agents. Ron has recently been named an Elite Advisor with Ed Slott & Co, nationwide experts in retirement and IRA consulting.  

In addition to membership in the Vermont Society of CPAs, New York Society of CPAs, American Institute of CPAs, and Financial Planning Association, he is active in numerous community organizations.

Ron has worked with the U.S. Department of Defense providing pro bono financial planning and tax counseling for all branches of deploying and returning armed service members and their families.

Ron frequently lectures on the following topics: small business issues, partnerships, subchapter S corporations, corporate taxation, natural resources, estate planning, retirement planning, employee benefits, educational funding, starting a small business, financial literacy, and surviving an IRS audit. He is the co-author of several books, among them, How to Plan for Tax Savings in Investments.

Active in the local community, Ron is a past president of the Chester Rotary Club, a member of the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Chester Economic Development Corporation, Chester Community Alliance, Chester Academy, advisory board of the Windham/Windsor Housing Trust, and formerly a board member and treasurer of Springfield Hospital. He also holds elected positions as Town Auditor and Justice of the Peace in Andover, VT where he lives.

Diane Dougherty, FPQP™

diane@fisherfinancialadvisors.com

Diane has worked with Ronald Theissen, CPA, CFP since 2013 assisting clients with comprehensive financial planning and investment management services.  She relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida expanding her work in the areas of financial education and elder law. While continuing to work remotely for Ron, Diane became a certified Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional, FPQP™.

Happy to return to New England and thrilled to be with Fisher Financial Advisors, Diane enjoys working with clients to help educate, guide and support them through the complexities of comprehensive financial planning so that they can achieve their goals.  With over two decades of client management experience, Diane understands that integrity and attentive service is what builds lasting client relationships.  She makes it a point to get to know each client and works hard to ensure their needs are being met.

Diane holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, with an Industrial Organizational specialization, from The College of New Jersey.She and her husband Terry have one grown son who lives in New Orleans, whom they love to visit.  Her passions include traveling, yoga and baseball (Go Sox!)

Mike Shields

jmsinvest@sbcglobal.net

Mike founded Shields Tax & Investment in 1978. The firm began as a tax preparation company and gradually evolved into providing complex tax strategies, financial planning, and investment management. He earned an Enrolled Agent License in 1984, and his CFP® in 1989, His firm was registered as an Investment Advisory firm in 2001 with the S.E.C.

Michael Shields attended The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Commission in the USAF. He flew military aircraft in Europe, South America, and the Pacific theaters from 1963 -1966. Squadron operations moved westward in 1967 and 1968 to support the war effort in Vietnam which encompassed the Philippine’s, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, and Okinawa.

Mike joined American Airlines in November of 1968. Spent the next thirty-two years piloting commercial airliners over both domestic and international routes to Europe, the Caribbean, and South America. He retired from American Airlines June 6, 2001.

Mike points out that the many years of piloting high performance civilian and military aircraft necessitated forming sound detailed flight plans, alternate flight plans, and in some cases, fail-safe plans. Paying attention to a myriad of details was absolutely essential. Over the many years of working with clients he has applied these essential elements to the process of tax and financial planning. Every good investment plan requires a smooth take off and more importantly, a smooth landing to achieve your targeted goals.

He has been married for over thirty years to his wife Linda. His hobbies include golf, piano, and flying acrobatic radio control airplanes. Mike has seasonal offices in Vero Beach, FL and Kennebunkport, Maine.