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During this season of gratitude, we’re thankful for all that you do for the M Community and for your clients. From our hometown to yours, we wish you much joy and happiness this holiday season.
As 2021 draws to a close, we’d like to recognize the many accomplishments of M’s Member Firms. Please join us in celebrating their hard work and dedication over the past year. We look forward to sharing your continued successes in 2022 and beyond.
The M Community mourns the loss of several longtime friends and colleagues who passed in 2021. We remember the immeasurable impact they had on M Financial and their tireless dedication to their clients.
Eli Morgan is a legendary figure in M Financial's history. After forming and serving as CEO for Management Compensation Group Northwest (MCG NW), he co-founded M Financial Group and was its first CEO.
Eli was the embodiment of M’s core values – innovating, collaborating, and advocating to lead M to unmatched excellence. As his partner Mark Solomon would say, in a world full of farmers and miners, Eli was the consummate farmer, always planting seeds for the future harvest and generations to come.
John was founding principal of Becker Suffern McLanahan, Ltd. He joined the M Community in 1984 and served on the Member Firm Relations Committee from 2005 to 2006.
Brian Becker says of John, “He was the bedrock of our firm and a friend, a leader, a mentor, and a colleague to many. His impact continues to be recognized, as the New Orleans Planned Giving Council on December 3 posthumously awarded John the Aaron F. Marcus Award for ‘exemplifying the highest values of professionalism, commitment to the service of others, outstanding community leadership, and invaluable contributions to humanity that inspire us!’”
William Roberts joined the M Community in 1985. He was a cofounder and principal of AUCTORIS, where he served his clients for nearly 40 years. In 2018, Bill joined Erben Associates, and in 2020, he partnered to launch a division at TCS Insurance focused on family business advising.
For decades, Bill served his clients with a passion to help them plan for the future. Among his many strengths was his ability to prepare them to walk through unexpected and sorrowful events.
It was always Bill’s vision to ensure ongoing care for his professional relationships. He spent the last 21 years preparing his son and business partner, Korbett, to provide perpetual care for his working relationships. Korbett is ready and honored to carry out Bill’s wishes.
John Ellerman had an illustrious career in the industry, specializing in estate planning and executive compensation. He became a member of the M Community in 1983 with the Ellerman Companies, later joining Summa Financial Corp. and MCG Chicago, where he served as Board Chair. John’s contributions during M’s early years were instrumental to our growth and continued success.
Sidney Levine was a founder and principal of the Executive Compensation Group, LLC (ECG). He joined the M Community in 2003, and those connections continue today. Sid’s son-in-law, Dave Graffagnino, is a Principal at ECG, and his grandson, Thomas Graffagnino, who previously worked at M Portland, is Vice President of Peter M. Williams & Company, an M Member Firm.
Sid’s career in the life insurance industry spanned more than 60 years, and he was recognized for his expertise in estate planning, business planning, and employee benefit plans.
