Let's move forward. Together.

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John began his career in the financial industry by joining UBS (formerly PaineWebber) in 1988. As a Financial Advisor and a key member of the Petika Wealth Management Group, he works closely with clients to craft and provide high-touch and custom wealth preservation and estate planning strategies. In 2010, John was named to the prestigious UBS Directors Council. He is also a member of the Clearwater Lions Club and a past president. John coached Little League and high school baseball for over 25 years. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, and gardening. John and his wife Linda have three children: John Jr., DeeAnn, and James.

• Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in April based on information from a 12 month period ending June of the prior year.
• Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams, 2023, 2024, 2025The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in January, based on information from a 12 month period ending March of the prior year.
• UBS Wealth Management Director’s Council, 2024UBS Financial Services Inc. Councils are a distinction held by UBS Financial Advisors based on criteria including evaluation of compliance with firm rules, standards & policies and revenue. Council membership is not representative of any one client's experience and is not indicative of the advisor’s future performance.

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What he does
Since 1986 Steve has worked in the financial service industry helping affluent families and individuals manage and preserve their wealth. He strives to take client's financial goals and implement solutions that help achieve them. By focusing his investment management strategy on risk control, he constructs clients' portfolios based on their specific risk tolerance in efforts to maximize potential returns.

Who he serves
Over the years, executives, entrepreneurs, affluent families and businesses have turned to Steve for financial planning and insight. He presently works with multiple generations of investors, many of them children, and grandchildren of his earliest clients. By educating the future inheritors of his client’s wealth, he helps instill sound financial practices in the future generations.

How he works
Steve tailors investment strategies biased on each clients' financial objectives and tolerance for risk. Having worked with a wide range of individuals, he understands how a combination of investments may work towards achieving a client's long-term goals. He offers clients a highly consultative approach with tailored solutions bridging investments, liability management and financial planning capabilities. Working together, we bring trust, experience and a clear sense of purpose to your investment journey.

Steve started his career at Shearson Lehman Brothers in 1986. In 1995, Steve joined PaineWebber, which would eventually become part of UBS.  He holds his FINRA Series 3, 7, 63 and 65 licenses, Life Health Variable Life Insurance Licence, Long Term Care Insurance Licence, as well as a Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration from the University of South Florida. Steve holds the title of Senior Portfolio Manager and has been an active CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Practitioner since 1989. With more than three decades of experience, Steve has been through various market cycles and uses that knowledge to guide his investment management process

• Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors, 2009The Barron's rating is awarded annually in March and is based on information from the prior year Q3. 
• Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams, 2025The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in January, based on information from a 12 month period ending March of the prior year.

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John and his team addresses the full spectrum of wealth management needs for
their clients, including liability management, trust and estate planning, tax
management and philanthropic strategies.

John is a Retirement Income Certified Planner (RICP) who specializes in providing
clients a comprehensive, systematic approach to building efficient retirement income
plans.

He is also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) which is a unique designation
for financial professionals who advise business owners on how to sell or transition
their business successfully, a strategy referred to as ‘exit planning’.

Turning possibilities into a plan
Today, John focuses on helping families manage the many facets of their often
complex financial lives. For each client relationship, he takes the time to understand
all you want to accomplish and then helps craft a flexible plan aligned with where
you are and where you want to go, including a retirement on your terms. Drawing
on his in-depth experience, John can provide you with the advice, insights and
customized solutions you need to pursue what’s important to you now and in the
future.

Education and credentials

– Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, 2022 – 2023

The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in April
based on information from a 12 month period ending June of the prior year.
Eligibility is based on quantitative factors and is not necessarily related to the quality
of the investment advice.

- Forbes America's Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors 2022

The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually between
June and September based on information from a 12 month period ending in
March of the award year. Eligibility is based on quantitative factors and is not
necessarily related to the quality of the investment advice.

• Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in April based on information from a 12 month period ending June of the prior year.
• Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams, 2023, 2024, 2025The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in January, based on information from a 12 month period ending March of the prior year.
• Forbes Top Next-Gen (Generation) Wealth Advisors Best-in-State, 2022, 2023, 2024The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in August based on information from a 12 month period ending in March of the award year.

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James joined the Petika Wealth Management team in 2019 after serving in the risk management industry for several years and focuses on serving a diverse group of entrepreneurs as well as successful individuals and their families. He is a graduate from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida where he earned his B.A. degree in Business Management. While attending Eckerd, James also served as the team captain for the baseball team.

• Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams, 2023, 2024, 2025The Forbes rating is compiled by Shook Research and awarded annually in January, based on information from a 12 month period ending March of the prior year.

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Vicki Suits has been in the financial services industry for over 20 years. She previously worked with Merrill Lynch for 12 years. She started at UBS on 2/27/17 as a Senior Registered Client Service Associate and Branch Office Administrator. Vicki is fully licensed with the FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 licenses, as well as, her State of Florida Insurance license. She earned her BA degree in Organizational Management from Warner University with a concentration in Finance and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Vicki lives in Lakeland with her husband, Frank. They have two grown daughters and four grandchildren. Her contact information is listed below:

Vicki L. Suits

Direct phone number: 863-298-3637

Email: vicki.suits@UBS.com

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Pam has been working in the financial services sector since 1986 and holds 9 securities and insurance licenses. She joined UBS in 1997 after serving as Compliance Manager of several mutual fund and financial services companies. At UBS, Pam has been an Operations Manager for 10 years and is currently a Wealth Management Associate. Pam's primary role is to serve as a Relationship Manager, coordinating excellent and proficient client service. Pam is active in the fight against cancer and, for several years, has participated in a 3-day, 60 mile cancer walk to help raise awareness for the cause.

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Derek joined the Petika Wealth Management team in 2021 as a Registered Client Service Associate. He has worked in the financial services industry across the Tampa Bay area since 2013.

Derek is originally from the Sarasota area and graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. Derek is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ practitioner and was awarded the Chartered Life Underwriter designation from the American College of Financial Services as a specialist in risk management and estate planning. He continues to expand his knowledge in taxation and investment analysis.

On the weekends, Derek can be found spending time with his family which includes his wife Kali, their dog Kiki, and their horse, Fiona. He also enjoys fishing, golf, and many other outdoor activities.