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Russell (Rusty) G. Cappelen, Jr. started his career in 1984 as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch. He served as the Assistant Branch Manager of the Prudential Securities Vero Beach office until he transferred to UBS in 1999, where he again served as the Assistant Branch Manager until 2010. He was named Branch Manager for the Vero Beach office and served until 2015 when he decided to devote his time entirely to his individual clients.

Over the past 38 years he has helped clients manage their wealth and establish their legacies. He emphasizes total portfolio management and asset allocation to manage risk and maximize risk based returns. He focuses on a holistic view of the client’s life to help them make the most of their retirement years. He also helps clients with education funding, structures for charitable giving and estate planning, as well as long-term care planning.

He is FINRA registered and holds the Series 3, 7, 8, 63 and 65 securities licenses, as well as the Florida Life, Health and Variable Annuity insurance license.

He is a graduate of the University of Florida and a lifelong resident of Vero Beach. He and his wife Franny have three sons, one of whom now works with him as a partner, along with two granddaughters and two grandsons. In his free time he enjoys playing golf and spending time with his grandchildren.

CA insurance license 0C50193

Russell “Rusty” R. Cappelen, a fifth generation native of Vero Beach, works as a Financial Advisor on the Cappelen Wealth Management team alongside his father, Russell G. Cappelen, Jr. Nicholas L. Bruce and Diane P. Nelson.

Prior to joining UBS, Rusty ran a commercial development real estate company, owned a number of small businesses in the community and worked for a venture capital fund in Winter Park, FL.  All of these prior experiences provided him with a better understanding of what it’s like being on the other side of the table when looking for financial advice. Rusty and his team bring a holistic approach to financial advising, which encompasses investment planning, retirement planning and estate planning.

Rusty has worked closely with a number of family offices and high net worth individuals. Outside of making investment decisions, he has helped families with their philanthropic needs and worked with them in setting up their family foundations and/or donor advised funds to create a lasting legacy for their families.

What it all comes down to for Rusty is working with individuals and families that enjoy and appreciate what our team does.  It is our job to listen to our clients and provide them with honest advice and at the end of the day our clients know that they can trust us. 

Rusty is a member of the board for the Jake Owen Foundation and participates in their annual charity event.  Rusty and his wife, Camille Cappelen, have four children with whom they enjoy traveling to various places in the United States.

After a career as an estate planning and tax attorney, in 2021 Nicholas L. Bruce joined UBS in order to help clients manage their wealth, estate and legacy so they can pursue what matters most to them. He works with clients across the spectrum of age and wealth, from young professionals planning for kids’ education and building wealth, to established individuals looking to transition to retirement and plan their legacy.

His holistic, planning based approach with clients involves an in-depth discussion to uncover what’s really important and their goals for their financial life. He then integrates their goals into a total picture so that they are confident that their cash flow is stable, they’ll have the resources to accomplish what they want with the rest of their lives, and their legacy is preserved - every plan is tailor made to fit their needs and objectives.

As a lawyer, Nick specialized in estate planning, estate and trust administration, and tax planning. He was “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell which is awarded to attorneys who rank at the highest level of excellence for their expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards. In 2017, he was board certified by the Florida Bar as an expert with special knowledge, skills and proficiency in Wills, Trusts and Estates. He was named a “Rising Star” by Florida Super Lawyers, which is awarded to 2.5% of Florida attorneys under the age of 40. He brings that background and knowledge to every client interaction to ensure they have an appropriate financial plan and picture that fits their unique circumstances. Since joining UBS, Nick has also earned the Certified Financial Planner® designation.

Originally from Texas, Nick moved to Vero Beach with his wife, Christina (Minotty) Bruce. They are the proud parents of twins Carlisle and Samuel and are actively involved in the community and various nonprofits. In his spare time, Nick enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, losing golf balls, and anything outdoors.

Diane P. Nelson started her career in 1995 at Prudential Securities in Vero Beach, Florida after moving from New Jersey a few years earlier. She left Prudential in 1999 as part of the team move to UBS and in 2022 she will celebrate her 27th anniversary with the team and 23rd anniversary at UBS. Diane is an integral part of the Cappelen Wealth Management Group, responsible for managing all team operations, client requests and account administration. She is committed to building lasting relationships with each client and takes pride in responding to client requests and working with the team to address their needs, no matter how small or complex. Diane also assists in delivering customized service and solutions, always striving to exceed clients’ expectations.

Diane is FINRA registered and holds the Series 7 and Series 66 Securities licenses as well as the Florida Life, Health and Variable Annuity insurance license.

Diane is a graduate of Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and in her free time enjoys reading, hiking, going to the movies and photography. She is a member of the United States Parachute Association and can often be found taking pictures of skydivers at various events on the east coast of Florida as well as events in other parts of the country.