As the Chief Investment Officer and Head of ORBA Wealth Advisors, Michael leads the wealth management team in providing clients with tailored investment portfolios and financial planning solutions.

Prior to partnering with ORBA Wealth Advisors, Michael held positions at well-established financial institutions including S&P Global Ratings and Morningstar.

In 2017, Michael joined a private wealth management firm where he served as Managing Director, Co-Head of Investments. During this time, he led the investment committee, developed the firm’s investment philosophy, built and led the investment department, assisted with 14 M&A acquisitions, and helped scale and grow the advisory firm from $800 million to $12 billion in Assets Under Management (AUM).

Driven by entrepreneurial spirit, Michael then founded a financial technology company where he developed a patent-pending process for fixed income investing.

Michael’s financial services and entrepreneurial journey have uniquely equipped him to connect with clients, understanding firsthand the complexities of business ownership. This perspective enables Michael to forge meaningful connections with clients, adeptly addressing their unique investment and financial planning needs.

Michael believes on-going communication is the foundation to successful outcomes. He puts the clients’ interests first through a collaborative team-based approach to financial planning and investment management.

Outside the office Michael enjoys spending time with family and friends. He enjoys the outdoors, fitness, reading and traveling.

• Chartered Financial Analyst
• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®

• B.S., Public Management, Indiana University

Founded in 1993, American Endowment Foundation (AEF) fills a unique role as America’s largest independent donor advised fund program – a national, public charity.

Since its founding in 1993, AEF’s donors and their advisors have appreciated its independence from any sponsoring financial services firm or charity. The only people or organizations that benefit from donor advised funds at AEF are the donors, in partnership with their advisors, and the charities that donors support through their donor advised fund.

• AEF accrues no benefit from brokerage services or product sales, and never charges commissions or finder fees
• AEF does not sell proprietary financial products or services
• AEF does not provide financial, tax, or legal advice

Our independence gives us the ability to offer a conflict-free platform for your charitable giving – free of agendas (programmatic, geographic, religious, investment, or succession). Our independence also allows us to singularly focus on what we do best – deliver highly personalized service and administration.

As stewards of these meaningful assets, we at AEF adhere to these central principles:

• We believe transparency, communication, and accessibility are our clients’ core rights
• We team with our clients and their professional investment advisors to foster the most satisfactory experience
• We seek to help our donors create an enduring legacy
• We commit to maintain uncompromising independence

AEF provides highly personalized service to donors and their trusted advisors, offering great flexibility in accepting different types of simple and complex assets. Additionally, AEF uniquely offers open investment architecture and at the donor’s recommendation, AEF can enable their donors’ wealth advisors to manage the investments in their clients’ fund accounts on their preferred custodial platform.

Unlike donor advised funds sponsored by charities with a specific mission or a regional focus, AEF offers the ability for donors to give to all U.S. charities. Through their fund at AEF, donors can still make grants to their local community foundations or other charities that have their own donor advised fund offering. Partnerships with CAF America and GlobalGiving enables us to support select overseas organizations. Unlike commercial donor advised fund programs, offered by banks, brokerages and commercial mutual funds, AEF does not sell investment and financial products.

AEF’s true independence and innovative, tax-smart solutions offer donors and their families greater flexibility for their charitable giving while enabling them to simplify their giving and multiply their impact.

Russell Investments is a premier investment solutions partner, dedicated to improving people’s financial security. Visit RussellInvestments.com to learn more.

Frank Washelesky is a CPA with a Personal Finance Specialist designation and an attorney with more than 30 years of experience representing closely-held businesses, their owners and executives.

Frank’s main focus is on advising clients through the diverse stages of their careers. He works with individuals and entrepreneurs on personal financial planning, estate and retirement planning, including business exit planning strategies.

Frank is considered a thought leader in his field, both lecturing and authoring articles on estate and personal financial planning, business succession planning, business valuations, choice of entity and other tax issues.

Frank works with young professionals and entrepreneurs to organize, protect and build wealth. As wealth grows, Frank helps continue their success through tax efficient investing strategies.

As clients reach retirement, Frank provides a deep understanding of personal estate and financial planning, including gifting and charitable gifting strategies and business exit planning expertise.

Frank loves exploring and encountering challenging milestones. He enjoys photography and outdoor activities with his family. They can often be found hiking, camping, fishing and canoeing near Starved Rock, where Frank was raised, and throughout the Midwest. Frank and his family also enjoy geocaching around the city and wherever they are visiting.

• XPX Chicago – Impact of Tax Reform on Business Owners, Chicago, IL, February 22, 2018.
• XPX Chicago – Case Study and Discussion: Accounting and Valuation, Chicago, IL, April 6, 2017
• Important Financial Issues as You Age, ORBA, Chicago, IL, October 27, 2015

• Certified Public Accountant
• Certified Valuation Analyst
• Illinois Life and Health Insurance License
• Personal Financial Specialist

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Chicago Bar Association
• Illinois CPA Society
• National Association of Certified Valuators & Analysts

• B.S., Accountancy, Northern Illinois University
• Juris Doctorate, DePaul University College of Law

As the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, Jim Pellino brings more than ten years of financial expertise to ORBA Wealth Advisors. His client portfolio includes professionals in the manufacturing, restaurant, private equity, construction and professional service industries. Jim possesses a diverse skillset, including a deep knowledge of accounting, employee benefit plans, entity formation and structuring, and investment advisory.

Jim takes a proactive approach to his business. He believes that on-going communication with his clients is essential and allows him to provide the best value. With this enhanced communication, Jim is able to find solutions to his clients’ problems that others would not. Jim views every engagement as a team effort and is personally vested in his clients’ successes.

Jim believes opportunities present themselves in every situation, whether business or personal. In his free time, you can find Jim running on the lake shore or at one of the great Chicago restaurants spending time with his family and friends.

• Certified Public Accountant
• Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Illinois CPA Society

• B.S., Accountancy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• M.S., Accountancy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign