A wealth of knowledge for a wealth of assets.
Legacy Trust’s management team has the financial expertise needed to prepare comprehensive wealth management plans that build successful long-term client relationships. This knowledge is backed by a commitment to deliver highly personalized customer service at a level that large institutions simply cannot match.
All decisions concerning your account are made right here in West Michigan—not in some distant corporate office. There is no unfamiliar voice at the end of an “800” line or complicated telephone answering system to contend with. Just real, friendly, accessible people who care about you to make sure your needs are promptly, courteously and efficiently met.
As shareholders of Legacy Trust, the leadership team takes the long view of the road and is deeply committed to the future of this business. You can count on Legacy Trust to be a stable and reliable team partner both now and in the future.
William A. Walker - President and Chief Executive Officer
Robert C. Prevette - Executive Vice President
Timothy M. Anderson - Chief Investment Officer
Christi J. Powers - Administrative Assistant
Melanie S. VanderHoff - Senior Operations Manager
Brian D. Moore - Senior Account Executive
Brian L. Downs - Senior Account Executive
Nancy Iannelli Zacha -Senior Account Executive
Laina M. Mills - Portfolio Manager
Randii R. Smith - Administrative & Marketing Associate
Hilary Roelofs - Office Administrator
Peter DeBoer - Investment Operations Associate
William A. Walker
I am honored to be the leader of an exceptionally talented ensemble of financial professionals. As President and Chief Executive Officer, it is my responsibility to ensure the fulfillment of our stated mission - assisting successful people and organizations in the management of their financial resources, both to achieve their long-range goals and to create a lasting legacy for their families, constituencies and communities.
During a career of over thirty years, I have constantly pursued effective, disciplined and rewarding investment strategies which benefit clients and learned that quality communication is at the heart of every successful client relationship. In early 2002, I was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and with my wife’s blessing, set out to form Legacy Financial Advisors LLC; the predecessor to Legacy Trust. Going back further, I am very proud of my twelve years at Old Kent Bank, where I supervised the bank’s Grand Rapids portfolio management team and managed some of the bank’s larger corporate and individual clients. During my time at Old Kent Bank, I had the privilege to work under the leadership of Dick Gillett and John Canepa. It is my solemn commitment to make certain that the corporate culture developed by both men lives on through Legacy Trust.
My early days were spent in the farming country of downstate Illinois. Most of my summers were spent baling hay, walking beans, or pumping gas at my father’s service station. Now you can see why I chose to pursue a Finance degree from Eastern Illinois University –a desk job sounded pretty good. However, the small town tradition of responsibility and giving back to the community continue with me today as I share my time in a leadership position with my local church, as a citizen member of the Kent County Pension Board and as a member of the Grand Rapids Symphony Board.
wwalker@legacygr.com
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Robert C. Prevette, J.D.
The year was 1974 and after serving for two years as an Army officer, I enrolled in the MBA program at Northern Illinois University. My wife and I settled nearby and I applied for any available part-time work. As fate would have it, the head of the trust department at a local community bank was looking for an office assistant. Thus began my life’s career in the wealth management business. As a small bank with no formal training program, I learned by doing and self-study. I eagerly sought educational opportunities which led me to take introductory classes in contracts, property and estate planning. Eventually I earned a law degree from NIU. I gained more practical experience working in smaller banks in Illinois and Northern Michigan but it was Old Kent Bank that gave me the opportunity to grow professionally. I enjoyed over 25 years in progressively more challenging assignments. Old Kent was a class organization, and although it is gone, I am forever grateful to have played a small part in its history.
The issues my clients face are not always financial in nature. My own personal experiences of raising a family, caring for aging parents, losing a wife to cancer, being twice blessed and marrying Teresa, welcoming more children to love into my life, beating cancer myself and co-founding a successful business helps me to relate to my clients. These experiences along with training have equipped me with the skills and know-how to guide my clients through the obstacle course of life. I care about the well-being of my clients and always try to represent their interests above all. I feel confident that my clients believe that too.
As a family guy, I enjoy spending time with my wife, children and grandchildren. Throw in a lake, boat and a fishing pole and life is perfect. I enjoy reading and playing the role of family techie by keeping everyone’s computer running smoothly. This repair skill has helped out a client or two. People might also be surprised to know that I occasionally pull out my guitar for a song or two around the campfire. I am a proud Chippewa, having graduated from Central Michigan University in 1971 with a degree in business. I enjoy my visits back to campus for sporting events and participating on the University Development Committee. I have served as a volunteer for numerous charitable organizations and am a dedicated member of the Gilda’s Club Board of Directors. Being a co-founder of Legacy Trust, I am proud to have helped to assemble an outstanding team of professionals that believes as deeply in client service as I do.
rprevette@legacygr.com
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Timothy M. Anderson, CFA®
If you don’t recall what things were like in 1983, let’s just say that it was a very challenging economic environment to look for your first job after college. That was the environment in which I returned to Grand Rapids after finishing at Michigan State. I wasted a lot of money on typewriter ribbon and postage sending out resumes, and in spite of my best efforts, I returned home without a job. After some help from a variety of sources, including my high school hockey coach, I landed a position in the brokerage business. For the next six years, I honed my investment knowledge, and after careful consideration, joined NBD Bank in Grand Rapids as a Portfolio Manager. I had the very good fortune of being mentored by one of the finest investment minds I’ve ever known, and of being required to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. My passion for helping clients establish and meet their unique investment goals was developed during the six years I spent there.
In 1996, I decided to take on a new challenge, and convinced my wife and children to move to Miami, Florida where I had accepted a Portfolio Management position with Northern Trust Bank. As you may imagine, there are substantial differences between life in Miami and life in Grand Rapids, and they’re not all due to the weather! After three years in Miami, I was given the opportunity to return to Michigan and begin Northern Trust’s private client portfolio management operation at their newly established office in Bloomfield Hills. Our initial team of five employees started with no clients and no assets to manage. Within the next three years, we had opened two additional offices in Michigan, and our portfolio management staff had grown from one (me) to eight. My role expanded to include oversight of all aspects of portfolio management for the Michigan offices and management of the Trust and Estate Settlement staff in the Bloomfield Hills office. Along the way, we bought an old family cottage on Gun Lake and began spending time in west Michigan.
In 2009, I accepted an Investment position with JP Morgan in Bloomfield Hills, but missed having influence over the direction of growth of the business, and over the investment process. Over the last few years, the desires of clients were often discounted at the expense of the investment models developed by most large investment firms. When I spoke with Bill Walker and Bob Prevette at Legacy Trust about becoming part of their team, they told me that they were looking for someone to help influence the growth of their business and direct the investment process. I saw an opportunity to once again help clients establish and meet their unique investment goals. I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made.
tanderson@legacygr.com
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Christi J. Powers
Christi serves as Administrative Assistant for all account relationships at Legacy Trust. Christi joined Legacy Financial Advisors in May, 2002, after thirty-three years with Old Kent Bank (Fifth Third Bank). She most recently served as senior administrative assistant within the bank’s Wealth Management / Private Client Group. Prior to coming to Grand Rapids in early 1990 from Northern Michigan, Christi spent twenty-one years in various capacities in the retail banking and trust divisions of Traverse City State Bank, Pacesetter Financial Corporation, and Old Kent Bank.
She has attended the Cannon Trust School in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as well as various client servicing workshops and seminars.
cpowers@legacygr.com
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Melanie S. VanderHoff
Melanie serves as Senior Operations Manager for Legacy Trust. With more than 20 years in the Trust industry, Melanie has accumulated considerable experience with many of the industry’s leading trust operating systems. She began her career with Old Kent Bank in 1984 and quickly ascended to Assistant Vice President and Manager of Trust Securities, supervising a staff of thirty and overseeing the accounting and tracking of the Trust Department’s multi-billion dollar securities portfolio. In April, 2001, Melanie joined Grand Bank as the Head of Trust Operations, including responsibility for compliance over Grand Bank’s brokerage services. In January, 2002, she joined Fifth Third Bank as the manager of the Key Account Group, overseeing the largest retirement plans within the bank.
Melanie attended Davenport College, Cannon Trust Operations School, as well as numerous workshops and seminars. Melanie received the Outstanding Performance Award each year it was presented at Old Kent Bank.
mvanderhoff@legacygr.com
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Brian D. Moore, CFP®
You may remember October 19, 1987, “Black Monday” for those who are historians of the stock market. It was a scary time for someone getting ready to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in finance from Michigan State University and high hopes for an investment career. Perhaps it was that fear, or the subsequent lack of investment related jobs, that led me to start my career in commercial banking and loan workout. Though I learned a lot in those early years, I never lost the desire to assist others with securing their financial future. That opportunity presented itself when I joined Old Kent Bank’s Private Client Group in 1995, just before receiving a Master’s degree from Western Michigan University.
During my time with Old Kent Bank I learned that being an effective financial advisor isn’t necessarily about providing the highest possible investment returns or next hot product. Effectiveness is realized when an advisor is willing to invest the time to develop a deep understanding of each client and has the integrity to put the client’s interest ahead of their own. These values are what drew me to Legacy Trust in 2003, when the firm was in its formative stages. As a Senior Account Executive, I am privileged to work with each of my clients and their advisors to deliver an investment and wealth management plan customized to their unique needs. Along the way I became a Certified Financial Planner licensee, Certified Trust and Financial Advisor and a licensed life and health insurance agent with extensive estate planning expertise. I utilize this training to develop comprehensive wealth management plans that integrate a client’s investment portfolio with their income, estate, retirement and insurance needs.
There is nothing more important to me than my family and I bring this family value to everything I do for my clients. When I am not working with clients at Legacy Trust, I spend my time supporting my daughter and son at sporting events, volunteering as Vice President of the Board for the Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan or as Vice President of the Kentwood Aquatics Club or enjoying boating, skiing and camping with my family.
bmoore@legacygr.com
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Brian L. Downs
It has been a privilege to care for my clients throughout my almost 40 year career and as a fiduciary, I hold their interests above all others. My career in this industry began in the 1970’s, following my first real job as an officer in the Navy. Although an unpopular war, I completed three tours of duty to Viet Nam and am proud to have served my country. Following my service, I joined NBD in Detroit where I was fortunate to go through a comprehensive training program being exposed to disciplines ranging from operations and client service to the investment trading desk. During this period I earned my MBA in Finance from Wayne State to compliment my undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University (Go Salukis!).
The famous blizzard of 1978 announced my arrival in Grand Rapids as a Trust Officer with Old Kent Bank. I overcame the storm and eventually had the privilege of responsibility for all Personal Trust services for the bank. Following completion of the Certified Financial Planner requirements, I enjoyed 12 years at Old Kent Bank, followed by three years at Michigan National and eventually accepted an offer to manage the trust department at Grand Bank, a private bank founded by Chuck Stoddard, which later became Macatawa Bank. My move to Legacy Trust in early 2010 has been a refreshing change. Without the typical banking distractions, Legacy Trust and I focus on clients and delivering comprehensive wealth management services.
When I am not at Legacy Trust, you will find me participating in the downtown Rotary Club, lending guidance as an Advisory Board member for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Covenant Great Lakes Retirement Village, Gerald R. Ford Boy Scouts Council or Y Heritage Foundation or enjoying the latest insights at the Economic Club where I am a member. My hobbies include golf and stamp collecting. In support of all that I do is my wife and children who are proud to be charter members of Thornapple Covenant Church in Cascade. My claim to fame comes from long boring days working in a machine shop between my college years in Illinois. Ask me to pronounce supecalifragilisticexpialidotios backwards.
bdowns@legacygr.com
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Nancy Iannelli Zacha
Nancy serves Legacy Trust as a Senior Account Executive responsible for key client investment accounts. She works closely with the portfolio management team in developing investment strategies, including recommendations as to tactical asset allocation of the Company’s approved security purchase list and third-party advisor engagements. Prior to joining Legacy Trust, Nancy held the position of Portfolio Manager for Macatawa Bank, where she worked closely with personal trusts, employee benefits and individual retirement accounts. She brings more than 20 years of brokerage and banking experience in portfolio management to the team.
Nancy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kalamazoo College and attended the University of Bonn in Germany. She has completed select graduate classes at Western Michigan University in business administration. Nancy is active in the community where she volunteers her time with Junior Achievement, Forest Hills School District, American Youth Soccer, and Forest Hills Lacrosse.
niannelli@legacygr.com
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Laina M. Mills, CFP®
As a portfolio manager my main responsibility is to develop and implement investment policies and strategies for select client accounts. I am honored to be a part of the team at Legacy Trust and to serve our clients by helping them to achieve their long-term financial goals.
My road to this career began in Michigan, but a family move took us to Florida where I earned my Bachelor’s degree from Rollins College in Winter Park and began my career with Private Capital Management in Naples, working there during college. I happily returned to Michigan after graduation and began working in Grand Rapids for UBS Financial Services, and later with Summit Investment Guidance Partners. I have been very fortunate in my career to have had great hands on work experience which helped me gain knowledge and expertise in this field. I wore many different hats in the early part of my career which has provided me with invaluable experience as I serve clients. Always the student, I recently earned my certification as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and began studying to become a Chartered Financial Analyst. I believe that knowledge and staying current in this rapidly changing industry is the most important gift that I can share with my clients.
I love living in Grand Rapids and try to be an active participant in the community wherever I can. I serve on the leadership Council of Club Red, an affiliation of Gilda’s Club, where we work to support the mission of Gilda’s to provide free cancer and grief support to the community. I am a member of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids and InForum, a Michigan professional women’s alliance. I am a first soprano in the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and am active in the music ministry program at my church, St. Robert of Newminster in Ada. My co-workers were surprised to learn that in my free time I also like to shoot skeet and sporting clays with my husband at Kent County Conservation League.
lmills@legacygr.com
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Randii R. Smith
Randii brings many years of experience in investment operations to Legacy Trust in her role as Administrative & Marketing Associate. She is responsible for client administrative and marketing support. Randii began her career with Merrill Lynch in Lansing assisting the commodities sales force after completing coursework in business administration at Michigan State University. After transferring to Grand Rapids, she joined Old Kent Bank as a manager overseeing operations and supervising the sales support team before joining the trust department as an estate settlement administrator. Randii was responsible for the onboarding and training of new investment advisors.
Randii has completed numerous workshops in compliance and human resources. She volunteers in the community through Habitat for Humanity and was a key volunteer for the annual Riverbank Run.
rsmith@legacygr.com
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Hilary Roelofs
As Office Administrator, Hilary is responsible for the financial accounting system, payroll, and human resources activities including employee benefits. Prior to joining Legacy Trust, Hilary worked for the certified public accounting firm of Dolinka, VanNoord & Co., where she provided financial accounting services to Legacy Trust and other key clients. In that role, she prepared payroll, and financial statements, and provided consulting and training services. Hilary holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Aquinas College and is an active volunteer at Park Elementary School in Grand Rapids.
hroelofs@legacygr.com
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Peter DeBoer
I joined Legacy Trust as an Investment Operations Associate in March of 2012. In my role, I have responsibilities that are very diverse. I am working with the operations team and senior investment managers to support portfolio management, securities trading, client communication activities and operational functions. I am pleased to be part of a company that has core values in which I believe in; that the client’s financial goals and objectives come first.
My path to Legacy Trust began at Grand Valley State University where in 2009 I earned a BBA in Finance. With the job market opportunities all but non-existent for someone coming out of college with a degree in business finance in 2009, at the height of the financial crisis, I took a detour. Working in another sector of the business world, I gained valuable skills in management, problem solving, and planning. That offered me real world experience that simply cannot be taught in classroom. This experience gave me the opportunity to become better-rounded as a person, than perhaps I might be today if I jumped right into the finance field.
My free time is mostly spent with my wife and family. Summer in Michigan is the time that I enjoy most; although it seems to never last long enough. I can often be found at a cottage in Holland enjoying the beach at Lake Michigan. I am a member of the Lagrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church, and enjoy volunteering when opportunities arise.
pdeboer@legacygr.com
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