INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS     
 
Thomas J. Curran
With more than 40 years of experience in the securities business, Tom Curran has served his clients’ financial interests through his dedication and common-sense approach to successful investing.

As President and Chief Investment Officer, Tom chairs the Investment Committee and formulates the investment strategy for the firm. Tom is dedicated to meeting the investment needs of individual and Institutional investors. He brings to his clients a long-term perspective and service-oriented approach to the investment business. Tom’s primary objective is to ensure clients receive the highest level of personal service to and form long-term trusted client relationships.

Tom was one of only six advisors nationwide and the only advisor in New York State to be recognized by Research magazine, a national publication, which named him to its “2006 Advisor Hall of Fame.” Tom was recognized for his superior client service and earning the respect of his peers and the broader community for the honor he reflects on his profession.

Prior to creating his own firms, Curran Investment Management and Curran Advisory Services, Tom served as Managing Director and Certified Portfolio Manager of Curran Investment Management of Wachovia Securities. Tom received firm wide recognition as a Platinum member of Wachovia’s Chairman’s Circle of Excellence – the highest level of recognition awarded to the firm’s top Financial Advisors.
Tom began his career at First Albany Corporation, where he was a Senior Vice President and a Managing Director of First Albany Asset Management.  He held a number of respected positions at First Albany, including: Corporate Syndicate Manager, Corporate and Government Bonds Manager, and Manager of Life Insurance and Estate Planning.

A graduate of Temple University, Tom received his MBA from the respected Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968.  He was a Fels Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Local and State Government.
 
 
Kevin T. Curran, CFA 
As Vice President, Director of Research and member of the Investment Committee, Kevin helps formulate the firm’s investment strategy and ensures adherence to our investment discipline. Located in our Philadelphia office, Kevin markets the firm’s investment management services to consultants.
 
Kevin began his career at Lord, Abbett & Company as a Retirement Planning Specialist, where he consulted with investment advisors and helped them implement ERISA retirement plans and implement IRA asset allocation strategies. He gained valuable experience at Salomon Brothers Asset Management where he hosted meetings for prospective clients marketing equity and fixed income investment management services.
 
In 2000, Kevin joined Deutsche Bank where he was an Equities Research Special Situations Associate. In this role, Kevin initiated research coverage on companies and modeled and performed stock valuations. He also worked in Sales & Trading to resolve international equity trade problems and provided customers with rates on short-term instruments.
 
A graduate of Lafayette College with a degree in Government and Law, Kevin obtained a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance at the highly respected NYU, Leonard N. Stern School of Business.
 
Kevin has passed all three levels of the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Program and been awarded the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
 
 
Louis J. Suarato
As Chief Operating Officer (COO) Lou is responsible for managing the firm’s operational, financial, regulatory and administrative matters.  Louis’ high levels of accountability include acting as the firm’s liaison to outside regulatory agencies on compliance matters, interfacing with agents on Human Resource (HR) related issues, overseeing Information Technology (IT), ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of the firm’s accounting processes and acting as the primary contact for clearing and custody agents for all operational matters.
 
Prior to joining Curran Investment Management, Louis was a Corporate Recruiter, leveraging over 30 years of finding and selecting talent for companies. He has been a registered Financial Operations Principal in the securities industry and a member of the Securities Industry Association (SIA) and Bond Market Association (BMA) as well as an associate member of the New York Stock Exchange.
 
Louis has also Managed the Trading and Operations departments of Key Trust Company, established a department to support Drexel Burnham Lambert’s entrance into new domestic and global markets, developed and became Director of Nomura International Trust Company, the U.S. custodial subsidiary of Nomura Securities and was the Director of Operations for First Albany Corporation.
 
  
Arthur F. Dicker, JD, LL.M., CFP
As the Wealth Strategist, Art works with our relationship managers and clients to structure and implement financial plans.  He deals with client issues relating to estate planning, retirement planning, taxes and insurance, among other areas.
 
Art is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School.  He earned an advanced law degree (LL.M. in taxation) from New York University School of Law.  Art is admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey and California.  In addition he has obtained the Certified Financial Planner designation from the CFP Board of Standards.
 
Earlier in his career, Art practiced as a securities lawyer, working for the former PaineWebber Incorporated and for First Albany Corporation.  More recently he was employed by the Pierro Law Group LLC, specializing in taxes and estate planning.  Art has also worked in tax compliance for an accounting firm and for a financial planning firm.        
    
 
Deborah M. Lyttle
 
As a Senior Research Analyst and member of the Investment Committee, Deborah provides analytical support for senior management and also contributes to IT projects.
 
After graduating from Barnard College, Columbia University, Deborah began her career at The Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where she received the President's Award for Excellence.  Subsequently, Deborah joined Citicorp's Office of the Chairman, where she provided strategic, financial, and systems analyses.
 
In addition, Deborah created new portfolio management analytics and processes as well as outlooks of the macro-environment for quarterly use by the Management Committee.  In later years, Deborah joined a private investment management firm, where she evaluated new investment opportunities for portfolios and business purposes.  She also directed the investment information center.
 
Before joining Curran Investment Management, Deborah worked as a Consultatnt for a range of individual and business clients.
 
 
Cristina L. Scheid
As a Relationship Manager, Cristina works with our team of professionals to deliver comprehensive wealth management solutions and provide our clients with the highest level of service and attention.
 
Cristina began her career in 1991 at First Albany Corporation. As a member of the Financial Services Department, Cristina was responsible for marketing special products to the firm’s Investment Executives. She also worked as a registered sales assistant for more than four years concentrating her efforts on client services. In 2000, Cristina joined Morgan Stanley as a Financial Advisor, part of a team of three advisors and specializing in financial planning. After assisting clients to put their plans into action, she continued to monitor the plan’s progress and to keep her clients updated as to the plan’s success. Cristina is a graduate of the State University of NY at Plattsburgh with a degree in International Business.
 
Cristina is currently enrolled in a series of Certified Financial Planner (CFP) classes, having already completed courses in retirement and tax planning and risk management.
 
 
James R. Durkee 
As a Relationship Manager, James works with our team of professionals to deliver comprehensive wealth management solutions and provide our clients with the highest level of service and attention.
 
James's financial services career has included a variety of responsibilities at blue-chip companies such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.   As a financial planner and seminar speaker, Jim has assisted his clients with all areas of personal income planning, including investment management and retirement income planning. Jim has extensive experience with deferred compensation, pension benefits and qualified retirement plans.
 
Jim received his Bachelor of Science degree from Southern New Hampshire University and is a Registered Representative with a Series 65 License.
 
 
Jim Troyan, CFP
As a Relationship Manager, Jim works with our team of professionals to deliver comprehensive wealth management solutions and provide our clients with the highest level of service and attention.
 
Jim earned degrees from St. Bonaventure University (Mathematics) and University at Albany/SUNY (English).  After forays into computer software development and teaching at the high school and college levels, he moved into financial services, where he has been for the past fifteen years.  At his second position in financial services, Jim was at the firm for a total of twelve years, initially focused on financial planning, portfolio design and implementation, but also became heavily involved in operations and technology.
 
After eight years, the firm was sold to a local bank.  The original staff was gradually eliminated, though until the final decision was made to assimilate all of the clients into the pre-existing bank platforms, the operation was continued as a seperate business unit.  For the final eighteen months, Jim has the experience of running a financial planning and investment management business on his own.
 
 
Teri King
As our Portfolio Administrator and Trader, Teri is responsible for our trading operations and maintaining our performance data.
 
Teri began her financial services career in 1992 as a Trust Representative with Key Bank where she administered a portfolio of accounts, including corporate debt, municipal bonds, and escrow accounts.  She started working with Tom in 1996 after she joined First Albany and became a Registered Account Administrator.
 
A graduate from Miami University in Ohio, Teri has an MBA from the State University of NY. She is a General Securities Representative with a Series 7 License, a Series 24 General Securities Principal, Series 4 Registered Options Principal, and Series 53 Municipal Securities Principal. 
 
 
Catherine A. Groden
As an Investment Advisory Assistant, Cathy works with our team of professionals to provide customer account maitenance and opperational support. 
 
A graduate of the University of Dayton in Ohio, Cathy earned her MBA from the E. Philip Saunders College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology.  She began her financial services career in Rochester, NY in 1985 as Operations Manager for Burgess & Leith/Advest.  She later held a major role in the growth of Brighton Securities, a locally owned full service financial securities firm.  She recently relocated to the Capital Region where she resides with her husband.