Experienced wealth management

and financial planning professionals

The past few years have seen many changes in the economy and the markets. World events influence investors and their investments as never before. That’s why it’s very important to have a skilled professional in your corner when it comes to managing your portfolio and your financial future.

Here at Avonda Wealth Management of Raymond James, Peter Avonda is a veteran financial advisor with years of experience. Which means your portfolio will be developed and managed right here in our office by a professional who has seen their clients through many different markets – both the highs and the lows. Importantly, when you have concerns or questions, he is only a phone call away.

Peter is also a Certified Financial Planner professional, who can help you create a complete financial plan that goes far beyond your portfolio alone. The plan will take into account your complete financial picture and can even help guide your investment strategy. You’ll find that financial planning at this level can make a meaningful difference in your complete financial life – a difference that our team is distinctly equipped to provide for you and your family.

PETER AVONDA, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC®, RICP®

Peter Avonda, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC®, RICP®
Senior Vice President, Investments
 


If you ask Peter what gives him the most professional satisfaction, he’ll tell you it’s providing personalized financial planning and privately managed investing services that enable clients to look toward the future with confidence. And for more than a decade, clients have had the benefit of Peter doing just that.

Like many financial advisors, Peter didn’t begin his career in the investment business. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from York College of Pennsylvania in 1992, and successfully managed large and small businesses. But it wasn’t until he created and operated his own business for several years that he developed the desire to assist individuals in planning for their financial futures. So, in 2002, Peter entered the financial services industry. Today, Peter focuses on providing responsive, attentive, personalized private portfolio management for individuals, trusts and family partnerships. His professional credentials include those of Certified Financial Planner professional, Chartered Financial Consultant®, Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM and Retirement Income Certified Professional.

Peter was born and raised in Westchester, New York, and settled along Florida’s Treasure Coast in 2002. He resides in Jupiter, Florida, with his wife Diane and their two children. Peter enjoys R/C airplane building and flying, classic car restoration, and gardening. Peter belongs to the Treasure Coast Vintage Car Club and supports community organizations such as the Hobe Sound Early Learning Center, LifeSavers of Martin Health Foundation, the House of Hope, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Martin County, Dogs and Cats Forever, Domino’s Cat Rescue League, and the Lyric Theatre. Peter is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the Estate Planning Council of Martin County and the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA).

Raymond James is not affiliated with the above independent organizations.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM and CRPC® are trademarks or registered service marks of the College for Financial Planning in the United States and/or other countries.

LOUISE NASH

Louise Nash
Senior Registered Client Service Associate
 


Along with her extensive experience striving to provide the highest level of client service within the financial industry, Louise holds Series 7 and 63 licenses, as well as an Insurance Foundation Certificate (obtained while in the U.K) and a Certificate in Financial Services Practice (obtained while in the U.K). Her primary focus is on providing responsive and caring client services in a cheerful, timely and efficient manner, and helps ensure the accuracy of every detail while keeping the process as smooth and streamlined as possible. Louise takes great pride in ensuring that each interaction our clients have with us results in their total service satisfaction.

A native of the UK, Louise was born and raised in the village of Wantage, England, and has worked in the financial services industry since the age of 16. She lived for a time in Brighton, England, and was employed at American Express as the manager of the Executive Office, before emigrating to the United States, where she and her husband, Bill, reside in Port Saint Lucie. Louise enjoys traveling, reading and swimming. Louise and her husband proudly earned their United States citizenship in 2013.

H. LAUREL KNAPP

H. Laurel Knapp
Registered Client Service Associate
 


Laurel strives for excellence in serving our clients and assisting our team on a daily basis. She takes care of the administrative needs of our team and assists clients with any questions or requests they may have in a timely and efficient manner. Laurel enjoys fostering close relationships with the families and individuals we serve, and helping ensure that they receive quality attention and support.

She also manages a wide range of administrative matters, from account maintenance and service requests to our client communications. Empathetic and detail-oriented, Laurel’s goal is to always make working with us easy and effortless.

Before joining our team in September 2022, Laurel was a personal banker at PNC Bank. She holds an Associate’s degree in Business Administration from Indian River State College as well as Series 7 and Series 66 Licenses.

Laurel is originally from Stuart, Florida and now lives in Jensen Beach with her partner, Edward. When not in the office, Laurel enjoys attending concerts when she can and working with her hands, either in the yard or in an art studio.

Raymond James is not affiliated with the above organizations

ABOUT RAYMOND JAMES
BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH A CFP?

Most people think that all financial planners are “certified,” but this isn’t true. Anyone can call himself or herself a “financial planner.” Only those who have fulfilled the certification and renewal requirements of CFP Board can display the CFP® certification marks.

Individuals certified by CFP Board have taken the extra step to demonstrate their professionalism by voluntarily submitting to the rigorous CFP® certification process that includes demanding education, examination, experience and ethical requirements. These standards are called “the four E’s,” and they are four important reasons why the financial planning practitioner you select should display the CFP® certification marks.

When selecting a financial planner, you need to feel confident that the person you choose to help you plan for your future is competent and ethical. The CFP® certification provides that sense of security by allowing only those who meet the following requirements the right to use the CFP® certification marks.

CFP® Certification Requirements: the four E’s.

Education

CFP® professionals must develop their theoretical and practical financial planning knowledge by completing a comprehensive course of study at a college or university offering a financial planning curriculum approved by CFP Board. Other options for satisfying the education component include submitting a transcript review or previous financial planning-related course work to CFP Board for review and credit, or showing the attainment of certain professional designations or academic degrees.

Examination

CFP® practitioners must pass a comprehensive two-day, 10-hour CFP® Certification Examination that tests their ability to apply financial planning knowledge in an integrated format. Based on regular research of what planners do, the exam covers the financial planning process, tax planning, employee benefits and retirement planning, estate planning, investment management and insurance.

Experience

CFP® professionals must have three years’ minimum experience in the financial planning process prior to earning the right to use the CFP® certification marks. As a result, CFP® practitioners possess financial counseling skills in addition to financial planning knowledge.

Ethics

As a final step to certification, CFP® practitioners agree to abide by a strict code of professional conduct, known as CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, that sets forth their ethical responsibilities to the public, clients and employers. CFP Board also performs a background check during this process, and each individual must disclose any investigations or legal proceedings related to their professional or business conduct.

How the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics benefits you

Through the Code of Ethics, CFP® practitioners agree to act fairly and diligently when providing you with financial planning advice and services, putting your interests first. The Code of Ethics states that CFP® practitioners are to act with integrity, offering you professional services that are objective and based on your needs. They are required to provide you with information about their sources of compensation and conflicts of interest in writing.

Ongoing certification requirements

Once certified, CFP® practitioners are required to maintain technical competence and fulfill ethical obligations. Every two years, they must complete a minimum 30 hours of continuing education to stay current with developments in the financial planning profession and better serve clients. Two of these hours are spent studying or discussing CFP Board’s Code of Ethics or Practice Standards. In addition to the biennial continuing education requirement, all CFP® practitioners voluntarily disclose any public, civil, criminal or disciplinary actions that may have been taken against them during the previous two years as part of the renewal process.

CFP® | Certified Financial Planner |
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., owns the certification marks above, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.