About Us
Nan Cohen is the founder and CEO of Creekside Financial Advisors, LLC, a full-service financial services firm dedicated to delivering customized, lifelong financial plans developed based on an individual's business and personal objectives. Nan specializes in retirement income planning, investment planning, and estate planning for physicians, attorneys, business executives and retirees who, like her, have built their careers on service, trust, and expertise.
She also has the privilege of working with individuals with unexpected life ending news whose planning needs are immediate, as well as women in life transitions due to a loss of a spouse or loved one.
Prior to forming Creekside Financial, Nan was a founding partner of Cedar Brook Financial Partners, a financial services firm. Before Cedar Brook, Nan worked with Cleveland Financial Group, an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors. During her 12-year tenure, she was one of the firm's top planners and she instituted the nation's first elementary school-level financial education program.
Before working at Cleveland Financial Group, Nan founded and ran CoFam Enterprises, Inc., a regional chain of retail food and gift stores. Nan's experience also includes six years with Owens-Illinois, Inc. specializing in executive compensation and benefits planning.
Nan is a graduate of the University of Arizona's School of Business and Public Administration, and received her MBA from Cleveland State University. She earned her Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 1999.
Nan is a member of In Counsel With Women, a membership by invitation only organization of the top 100 accomplished professional and community women in Northeast Ohio. She is also an honorary member of the Board of Trustees of WomenSafe, on the advisory board of Magnolia Clubhouse, and an active volunteer with the National Council of Jewish Women, Cleveland Section.
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Nan has lived in the Cleveland area since 1986. She currently lives in Pepper Pike with her husband, Daniel Abrams, and her Labradoodles, Yogi and Bandit.
Randy Schneider is a financial advisor at Creekside Financial Advisors, LLC. Randy’s clients consider him to be their personal CFO as he manages their finances as well as provides important counsel on other life decisions. His clients are physicians, families, professionals, automotive dealer executives, and business owners.
Randy’s specialties include financial strategy and plan development, institutional bond trading, and employee benefit plan management. Randy believes in viewing a client’s financial situation holistically, and then developing a customized plan to meet their individual goals.
Randy’s financial advising career includes partnership roles at Cedar Brook Financial Partners and Fairport Asset Management. Prior to Fairport Asset Management, Randy served as a Risk Manager for Prudential Funding Corporation, managing and trading the firm’s $8 billion commercial paper program. In addition, he held trading and corporate finance underwriting roles with Bank One Investment Advisors and NatCity Investments, respectively.
Randy received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from St. Michael’s college in Colchester, VT. He holds licenses in Life and Health Insurance, as well as Viatical Settlements Insurance. Randy is a past member of the National Advisory Board of the Charles Schwab Advisor Network. He was a charter member of Cleveland Bridge Builders and the Treasurer of the City Club of Cleveland’s New Leaders. Randy actively volunteers for the Solon, Ohio, public schools. His community involvement also includes speaking opportunities at University Hospitals and other local venues, on topics including employee benefits, structured products and fixed-income investing.
Randy is a Registered Representative with Securities America, Inc. and an Investment Advisor Representative with Securities America Advisors.
Randy and his wife, Melissa, live in Solon, Ohio, with their two children.
Alan Yanowitz is a financial advisor at Creekside Financial Advisors, LLC. Alan’s twenty-year career has focused on designing and implementing creative financial strategies, educating his clients, and assisting them in making the best decisions when it comes to their money, family, business, and careers. He believes in understanding his clients’ entire personal and professional situation first, and then developing customized strategies to help them pursue their lifetime financial goals. Alan’s specialties include estate, insurance, and retirement planning, and charitable giving.
Prior to joining Creekside Financial Advisors, Alan served as a Financial Planner with Cedar Brook Financial Partners as well as the Cleveland Financial Group. Before working for wealth management firms, Alan practiced law with a Cleveland-based boutique law firm where he specialized in estate and tax planning matters.
Alan received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Alan is an active leader with several community organizations including the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, The United Way, The Cleveland Jewish News Foundation, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland. Alan is also an honorary member of the Board of Trustees for the Cleveland Hebrew Schools.
Alan is a Registered Representative with Securities America, Inc. and an Investment Advisor Representative with Securities America Advisors.
Alan and his wife, Dara, live in Beachwood, Ohio, with their two sons.
Jessica D. Silver is the Client Manager of Creekside Financial Advisors. Jessica specializes in client communication and correspondence, client-centered software integration, organization and analysis of client data, portfolio research, and assisting with the development of financial plans.
Prior to joining Creekside, Jessica played an integral role in Nan Cohen's practice at Cedar Brook Financial Partners. Before Cedar Brook, she graduated cum laude from Case Western Reserve University where she earned a degree in Business Management with a concentration in Finance.
Jessica has earned a Series 7 license, as well as a Life, Health, and Variable Annuities license and is a certified Notary Public in the state of Ohio.
An avid Cleveland sports fan, Jessica enjoys spending time with her horse, CJ; and dogs, Hank and Bonnie.
Susan Svenson is a Client Manager of Creekside Financial Advisors. With over twenty years of financial services experience, Susan focuses on assisting with the plans Creekside’s financial advisors develop for their clients. In addition, Susan prepares customized financial reports for the advisors to deliver to the firm’s clients.
Prior to joining Creekside Financial Advisors, Susan worked for Cedar Brook Financial Partners and Fairport Asset Management, both in Cleveland, Ohio.
Susan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management from Baldwin-Wallace College where she also received a certificate in Human Resources Management. A certified Notary Public, she also has completed a number of courses to continue her education related to her field.
A native Clevelander, Susan resides in Northfield Center, Ohio, with her husband, David, and their daughter. Susan enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Susan K. Valerio is the Office Manager at Creekside Financial Advisors. Her role is to ensure that Ms. Cohen has all of the time and resources necessary to focus solely on her clients.
Prior to joining Creekside Financial Advisors, Susan worked for Progressive Insurance's Professional Liability Group for 19 years. During that time, she supported the attorneys in the Claims Department and served as an underwriting assistant.
Susan obtained her Property and Casualty license in 2001 and has attended numerous insurance law seminars. A Michigan native, Ms. Valerio was born and raised a University of Michigan fan. She attended Eastern Michigan University.
Ms. Valerio resides in Mentor, Ohio with her Great Pyrenees, Arwyn.