Introduction
Each member of our team brings a unique set of education, skills and experience to serve your needs. Please click on a name or photo to learn more about any individual team member.
Ann M. Stebe-DeVault
Ms. Stebe-DeVault is Vice President - Administration. She began her career in accounting and bookkeeping positions in the retail, wholesale, manufacturing and construction industries. She joined FLI in 1989 as Office Manager. She is primarily responsible for wealth administration and services for our clients. This includes accounting, insurance, money transfers, mortgages and personal bookkeeping services. She is also available to ensure that our clients' special needs, and challenges are resolved. Ms. Stebe-DeVault studied accounting at Nassau Community College.
Bruce A. Siegel
Mr. Siegel is Executive Vice President and General Counsel and has been employed by FLI since 1989. Mr. Siegel began his career as an attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He worked in private practice with a New York City law firm, was assistant general counsel for a public company, and managed the Partnership Review Group for Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith. Mr. Siegel was a Senior Vice President of W.P. Stewart Asset Management (N.A.) from 1998 to 2003. Mr. Siegel is a member of FLI's Investment Committee. His responsibilities at FLI include wealth management, estate planning, insurance evaluation and acquisition, and real estate advisory services. Mr. Siegel serves on the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Long Island
Region Board of Directors. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the
New York Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, International
(JDRFI) for ten years, as Vice-President - Government Relations, and was
Government Relations New York State Leader - Downstate. He served on the investment committee of JDRFI from 2001-2002 and served on
the Board of Directors as chairman of the nominating and major gifts committees
of JDRFI's Westchester Chapter for over twenty years. Mr. Siegel graduated from Cornell University in 1970 and received a J.D. degree from New York University Law School in 1974. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1975.
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Edward C. Palleschi
Mr. Palleschi is Vice President - Investment Management. Mr. Palleschi began his career at Lazard Asset Management LLC, a subsidiary of Lazard Freres & Co. where he spent three years in the areas of marketing, client service, and investment research. Mr. Palleschi joined FLI in June 2003. He is a member of FLI's Investment Committee and his responsibilities include research, client service, marketing, and investment management. Mr. Palleschi earned his B.A. from Hofstra University in 1998 with a double concentration in Marketing and Finance. Edward is currently enrolled in the Executive MBA program of Hofstra Univesity and was recently selected as a member of the international honor society Beta Gamma Sigma.
George N. Rifkin
Mr. Rifkin is a Senior Vice President and has been employed by FLI since 1984. He is primarily responsible for operational and strategic planning and analysis and wealth management consulting for clients. He is also a member of FLIs Investment Committee. He was President of the Mid-Island Y, Jewish Community Center and was a Member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Long Island. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Central Nassau Guidance and Counseling Services. Mr. Rifkin graduated from The City College of New York in 1967 and earned his M.B.A. from The University of Chicago in 1969.
Mary Hoerburger
Miss Hoerburger is Assistant Vice President - Administration. She was a bookkeeper in the automotive, wholesale, retail, school district, and architectural industries prior to joining FLI in 1995. Miss Hoerburger is primarily responsible for bookkeeping and administrative services for our clients' family businesses, including a vineyard, a thoroughbred horse farm and thoroughbred racing and breeding operations.
Philip Malakoff
Mr. Malakoff is Vice-President — Wealth Management and a member of FLI’s Investment Committee. Mr. Malakoff joined FLI in June 2007. Prior to joining FLI, Mr. Malakoff provided equity and fixed income investment research, and asset allocation services at Westport Resources Management, Inc., a boutique brokerage and investment management firm. Mr. Malakoff was President and Chief Investment Officer of Metropolis Capital Management, a hedge fund, and held various positions in asset management and research at Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Mr. Malakoff’s responsibilities at FLI include investment research and analysis, partnership manager research, asset allocation, and client service. Mr. Malakoff currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Long Island Children’s Museum and has served as Co-Chair of the Museum’s Cupcakes and Cocktails fundraising event. He is also active in the New Leadership Division for Pediatrics at Cohen's Children’s Medical Center. Mr. Malakoff’s past philanthropic activities included serving as a Board Member and Head of Fundraising for New Destiny Housing Corp., as well as serving as a member of the Investment Committee of the Grace Church School, located in New York City. Mr. Malakoff's community affiliations have included serving as a member of the Lake Success Park Commission, and as an original member of the Lake Success Traffic Safety Committee. Mr. Malakoff received a BBA from Emory University in 1986 and earned an MBA in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1990.
Ralph F. Palleschi
Mr. Palleschi is President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Palleschi began his career with the international accounting firm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., on their audit staff in 1968. During his nine-year tenure, he held various staff and management positions, including Manager on the audit staff. He joined Entenmanns, Inc., in 1977 as Assistant Controller. During his six years with Entenmanns, he held the positions of Assistant Controller, Corporate Controller, Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Palleschi was Chief Operating Officer of the New York Islanders Hockey Club, L.P. from 1993-1997. He was President of W. P. Stewart Asset Management (NA), Inc. from 1998 to 2003. He is a Director and Presiding Director of Astoria Financial Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange company, Director of Abilities! as well as chairman of its Investment Committee, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Variety Child Learning Center. Mr. Palleschi graduated from St. John's University in 1968 and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Robert D. Rosenthal
Mr. Rosenthal is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Investment Committee. From 1971 until 1983, Mr. Rosenthal held increasingly responsible positions at Entenmanns Inc., eventually becoming Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Rosenthal was Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of the New York Islanders Hockey Club, L.P. from 1992 to 1997. Mr. Rosenthal was also a member of the Board of Directors of W.P. Stewart & Co., Inc. from 1993 through 1998 and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of W.P. Stewart Asset Management (NA), Inc., a subsidiary of Stewart and Deputy Managing Director of Stewart from 1998 to 2003. W.P. Stewart & Co., Ltd. is a global investment advisory business and was a New York Stock Exchange company which Mr. Rosenthal helped take public in 2000. He is a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees of North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, as well as Chairman of its Investment Committee and Vice Chairman of North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System Foundation. He is also Co-Chairman of its Cardiology Leadership Committee. In addition, Mr. Rosenthal serves as lead director of Systemax Inc., a New York Stock Exchange company, and is a trustee and chair of the endowment committee of Hofstra University. Mr. Rosenthal graduated cum laude from Boston University in 1971 and received a J.D. degree from Hofstra University Law School in 1974. Mr. Rosenthal was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1975.
Stephen J. Juchem
Mr. Juchem is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and has been employed by FLI since 1994. He began his career with the international accounting firm of KPMG in 1990. During his four years with KPMG he held various positions on both the audit and tax professional staffs, the last being Supervising Senior Tax Specialist. Mr. Juchem’s responsibilities at FLI include estate planning, income tax planning and compliance, personal financial planning and wealth management. Mr. Juchem graduated cum laude from Hofstra University in 1990 and earned his M.S. in Taxation from Long Island University in 1994. He received the prestigious Elijah Watt Sells Award for performance with high distinction on the CPA Exam. He also served as a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants Estate and Personal Financial Planning Committee, and also serves on the Finance Committee and Board of Directors of Island Harvest, Long Island’s largest hunger relief organization.
Virginia A. Umbreit
Ms. Umbreit is Vice President - Portfolio Administration. She began her career with American Express Financial Advisors as a financial planner for three years. From 1989 to 2000 she served as an Assistant for an international money manager at Schroder's Investment Management Services. Ms. Umbreit has been with FLI since 2000. Ms. Umbreit is responsible for administration of client portfolios and is a member of FLI's Investment Committee. Ms. Umbreit earned her B.S. from The University of Rhode Island in 1985.
Brian Gamble
Mr. Gamble is an Investment Associate/IT Professional and a member of FLI’s Investment Committee. Mr. Gamble began his career at First Long Island Investors, LLC in June 2006. His responsibilities include equity research and analysis, client service, and investment management. In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Gamble is responsible for the coordination and execution of FLI’s information technology initiatives. Mr. Gamble graduated cum laude from Hofstra University/Hofstra University Honors College in 2007, where he earned a B.B.A. concentrating in Business Computer Information Systems with a minor in Finance.
Joan Bierbower Kaye
Ms.Kaye is Vice President – Business Development and a member of FLI’s Investment Committee. She joined First Long Island Investors in 2011 and oversees the firm’s business development client service initiatives. Prior to joining First Long Island Investors, Ms.Kaye spent the majority of her career at Morgan Stanley advising high-net worth individuals and institutions on asset allocation and investment management. She is a founding partner of the investment advisory firm, Meredith, Martin & Kaye, which she and her partner ultimately sold to UBS. Additionally, she spent three years at Butler Capital, a registered broker-dealer and capital placement firm, connecting qualified informed investors with quality fund managers. Ms.Kaye is a graduate of Georgetown University.