Experience

Makes all the difference

Diane Johnston

Senior Vice President–Wealth Management

Institutional Consultant, UBS Institutional Consulting Program

I am a navigator! I navigate complex situations to pilot deal structures to help business owners monetize and also solve for asset allocation and investment fiduciary duties for small institutional plans (ERISA plans or E&F). My clients take care of so many people that they often don’t have time to take care of themselves. That’s where I step in to help them with their wealth. Often that includes plans that fall under ERISA or Endowments and Foundations, and I help with employee and donor education.

For over two decades, I have brought sophisticated solutions to complex investors to position them for optimal outcomes. I help to uncover unique beliefs and goals to form a financial road map not only for specific circumstances, but for dreams and ambitions, all while using an institutional skill set and toolbox.

Challenges that business owners face today are all too real. From regulatory and tax concerns to remaining passionate about a business or mission that may face outsized obstacles; being winged and ready is more important now than ever. The more an owner can pre-experience financial decisions and conditions, the better connected to their wealth creation’s success they will be.

Endowments and foundations, and ERISA plans, face their own unique set of circumstances that have only increased as headwinds blow harder. Unfortunately, limited time and resources can make for missed market opportunities and governance missteps. As a seasoned finance leader, I identify the roadblocks to success and curb them by bringing alternative solutions to navigate choppy conditions.

I live on Long Island with my husband, Doug, and am the proud mother of four young men. I enjoy racing and cruising with my family on our sailboat, and am learning to transition away from being a distant runner and finding new sports. I also like to stroke my artistic side as much as possible through writing, painting and sketching.

Registered States:
  • CT
  • DE
  • FL
  • MI
  • NY
  • VA

Education

  • Sewanee: The University of the South, B.A., Economics
  • Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, Executive Certificate in Business Administration
  • Yale School of Management, Investment Management Theory & Practice, Executive Education

Credentials

  • Institutional Consultant, UBS Institutional Consulting Program
  • Certified Investment Management Analyst®
  • Series 7, 24, 31, 55, 63, 66

Our advice is comprehensive. We help diverse clients in a broad range of areas, including:

Institutional consulting
Cash management
Business owners
Exit planning
Philanthropy
Corporate executives
Alternative investments
One Jericho Plaza
Suite 205
Jericho, NY 11753

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Taylor Gray

Financial Advisor

Institutional Consultant | Portfolio Manager

Taylor’s range of experiences and passion for learning serve as the basis for his qualitative and quantitative approach to investment management and philanthropic engagement. 

Early in his career, Taylor had a role in systems implementation at JPMorgan, pioneering the use of PCs for backend information analysis.  A move to BankBoston provided opportunities to be a business unit CFO and refine the bank’s global cost allocation program which was critical to business unit Economic Value-Added (EVA) measurement.  Taylor returned to New York to co-found Analytic Asset Management with his father where they managed investment portfolios for HNW and Institutional clients while Taylor additionally managed all operational, compliance and administrative aspects of the business.  Taylor and his partners sold their firm to Fieldpoint Private where he remained for a decade before joining UBS in 2022.

As an Institutional Consultant, Taylor brings to bear his extensive experience - both as an institutional RIA and as Trustee and Treasurer of a private foundation - and is versed in the fiduciary requirements of UPMIFA, grantmaking, and annual audit readiness and regulatory disclosure.  Taylor is a thought leader regarding optimizing and utilizing third-party charity measurement platforms such as Candid’s GuideStar.

As a Portfolio Manager, Taylor brings 20+ years of discretionary investment experience to bear via UBS’ Portfolio Management Program which places a select group of qualified FAs in the role of a client’s personal portfolio manager.  As a PM, he provides nimble, efficient decision making on his client's behalf by designing and delivering customizable investment strategies that can be tailored to individual preferences and needs.

Registered States:
  • CT
  • DE
  • FL
  • MA
  • NC
  • NJ
  • NY
  • VA

Education

  • New York University Stern School of Business, Master of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting
  • Colgate University, Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Credentials

  • Institutional Consultant | Portfolio Manager

Our advice is comprehensive. We help diverse clients in a broad range of areas, including:

Financial planning
Philanthropy
Legacy planning
Custom portfolios
Asset allocation
Alternative investments
Institutional consulting
Sustainable investing
709 Westchester Avenue
Suite 400
White Plains, NY 10604

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Ellen Spathis

Wealth Strategy Associate

Ellen has over 21 years of experience in the financial services industry. Ellen’s background is in retirement planning and investment consulting, with experience at Taft-Hartley Defined Benefit Funds and Health & Welfare Funds. She also worked with Morgan Stanley and Marcum Wealth, an independent advisory firm. She began her career at Goldman Sachs & Company in private wealth management.

Ellen’s primary focus is on client relationships, assisting with account inquiries, account opening and maintenance, and effective communication to provide relevant information in a timely manner. She provides support to the team and implements an overall positive client experience.

Ellen earned a BBA in International Business and MBA in Finance from Hofstra University. She currently holds her Series 7, Series 6, Series 63 and Series 66 licenses, and has a certification in the Essentials of Investment Consulting Certificate Program from the Investment Management Consultants Association. Ellen and her husband and family reside in Plainview. 

Registered States:
  • AZ
  • CT
  • FL
  • MI
  • NJ
  • NY
  • SC
  • TX
One Jericho Plaza
Jericho, NY 11753

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