Our Qualifications

SHEILA N. KEATOR
Partner
skeator@wachoviafinet.com

As the Founder of Keator Group, LLC. Sheila devotes her time working with clients in defining and achieving business and investment objectives. For clients seeking less volatility in their investments Sheila’s strength in fixed-income management can help provide a stream of income while also helping to buffer them from the daily turbulence of the equity markets. With over 25 years of experience, her knowledge of the investment industry is invaluable. Prior to the First Albany Corporation — First Union Securities (now Wachovia Securities) merger, Sheila was a member of First Albany’s President’s Club and First Albany’s Directors Advisory Council. Currently, Sheila is a member of Wachovia Securities Chairman’s Circle and sits on a number of advisory committee. She was named to the 2004 Research Magazine’s Women’s Winner’s Circle of top-ranked Women's Advisors in America¹ and Barron's Top 100 Financial Women in 2006, 2007, & 2008.² 

A graduate of The College of Our Lady of the Elms, Chicopee, Massachusetts, Sheila went on to receive her certificate of finance and accounting from the Wharton School of Business. She holds her 7, 63 and 65 securities registrations, and is licensed to sell insurance and annuities.

Sheila and her husband George reside in Lenox and Becket. They have eight children.

¹Criteria was based on more than 7,000 filtered nominations from over 80 investment, insurance, banking and other related firms, which were narrowed down by quantitative and qualitative criteria as well as by examining regulatory records and talking with peers, supervisors, clients and the advisors themselves. Portfolio performance is not a criterion because most advisors do not have audited track records.

DAVID P. G. KEATOR
Partner
dkeator@wachoviafinet.com 

David’s specialty in tax-efficient investing, business succession and wealth transfer offers our clients an opportunity to help minimize their taxes and maximize their returns.  Through his knowledge, especially with respect to retirement plans and his extensive experience in investment and estate planning, David strives to give our clients proactive choices in managing their future. David’s investment focus is more blue chip equity oriented with an eye toward picking the dominant company in the sector.

He holds his series 7, 63 and 65 securities registrations, and is licensed to sell insurance and variable annuities.

David currently serves on Wachovia Securities Client Strategy Group Advisory Council and is working on a number of corporate and client initiatives.

In addition to his duties with the Keator Group, David is a frequent guest of the lecture circuit, offering estate and investment planning seminars to the Federal Reserve Bank, LVI, and Fortune 100 companies.

A graduate of Fordham University with a B.A. in Economics, David completed his M.A. from the State University of New York at Albany. After working in the tax planning field in New York City concentrating on high-net-worth individuals and closely held businesses, David moved to Lenox with his wife, Joanne, and their two children.

Wachovia Securities Financial Network and Keator Group, LLC. do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice.  Please contact your tax or legal advisors before taking any action that may have tax or legal consequences.

FREDERICK KEATOR
Partner
fkeator@wachoviafinet.com 

Frederick's strengths lie in his ability to assess opportunity in the equity markets.  As the person responsible for the Group's equity trading, Frederick takes both a fundamental and technical approach to investing. Appropriate diversification is crucial to the group’s management style whether in growth, value or balanced portfolios. Through the use of creative strategies, Frederick works with our clients to help dampen the effects of high volatility while offering them an opportunity to participate in the fast-paced and potentially fast-growing segments of the equity markets.

Overall, Frederick strives to maintain a responsible balance for long-term growth. He holds his series 7, 63, 66, 9 and 10 securities registrations, and is licensed to sell insurance and annuities.

A graduate of Siena College, Frederick relocated to Pittsfield after working as a Syndicate Trader. He now resides in Lenox with his wife, Renee, and their three children.

*Asset allocation/diversification cannot eliminate the risk of fluctuating prices and uncertain returns.

MATTHEW D.M. KEATOR, CFS
Partner
mkeator@wachoviafinet.com

Matthew focus is as a liaison between his firm’s institutional clientèle and the fixed income markets. He tracks the current interest rate environment in addition to monitoring possible future moves and how they can affect the markets and client portfolios.  He offers swap and ladder ideas designed to seek maximum return while measuring the need for tax efficiency and aversion to risk. *

Matthew serves in an advisory capacity for the group to banks, credit unions, trust companies, public pension funds and municipalities.   He holds his series 7, 63 and 65 securities registrations.  He is a graduate of the Institute of Business & Finance where he received his CFS designation.  He is a member of the Fixed Income Analysts Society (FISA) and is a certified member of the LaSalle Bond Institute.  Matthew has been recognized by the Heritage Registry of Who’s Who in Business.  

As a graduate of West Virginia University, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and communications where he also studied economics. He is a Member of West Virginia University’s Maramaduke Dent Society.  Matthew is currently serving as an Ambassador to the school and is a lifetime member of the WVU Alumni Association.  He is a former Board Member and active Big Brother of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Berkshire County.  Prior to his work in the securities industry, he worked with lobbyists and legislators across the country helping to educate them on a wide range of legislative matters.

Matthew and his wife, Hannah presently reside in Lenox, MA with their daughter.

Margot Shandoff
Senior Sales Associate                                                                             mshandoff@wachoviafinet.com

Margot is responsible for all operational aspects of the business including securities transactions, dividend/split/spin tracking, deposits, wire transfers and check requests. In addition, she tracks the performance of our managed portfolios. She holds her series 7, 63 and 65 securities registrations and is licensed to sell insurance and variable annuities.

Margot graduated from Trinity College in Washington, D.C., with a B.A. in French.

She resides in Pittsfield and has three grown sons.

Michelle Wohrle
Operations Manager
mwohrle@wachoviafinet.com

Michelle and her husband John live in Cheshire, MA with their daughter Kelsey. 

Michelle’s role within the Keator Group is to assist in all aspects of the operational business. Since joining the Keator Group in 1999 her various functions include but are not limited to: deposits, check processing, booking physical securities, data entry and processing of portfolio reviews. She is often the first point of contact via the phone and is a familiar voice to our customers.

Stephen Q. Nesbit

Branch Administrator

Stephen is responsible for numerous aspects of the business and assisting in daily operations.  He holds his Series 7 and 63 securities registrations.

A graduate of The University of Massachusetts, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in classics with a concentration in classical civilizations.  Prior to joining the firm Stephen worked for nine years with the Greylock Federal Credit Union where he was a consumer loan officer in charge of coordinating the credit unions large indirect auto loan program.

Stephen and his wife Patti live in North Adams, MA with their daughter Madeline.

 Wachovia Securities Financial Network and Keator Group, LLC. do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice.  Please contact your tax or legal advisors before taking any action that may have tax or legal consequences.