Ben Weiner is a founder and principal of the Winter Park Wealth Group and for more than 30 years, Ben has been providing sound investment and financial advice to his clients. He found a well-established mentor in his father who, more than a half-century ago, worked at a small firm that would become Smith Barney. Today, Ben’s many areas of specialization include financial planning, estate planning, portfolio management and college planning.
Ben’s mission is to help his clients plan for and achieve the financial goals that are important to them – and to do so by taking the least amount of risk, while providing the highest probability of success. He has seen clients go through the accumulation phase of wealth during their working years, as well as the distribution phase in retirement. As a result, Ben has developed insightful, yet distinct, strategies for addressing both of these important stages of life.
Ben cares deeply for his clients, and throughout his long career, has always reminded himself that trust and integrity must be earned each day. He spent more than 23 years working alongside his father, Richard, who enjoyed a 47-year career beginning in 1962 with Shearson Hammill and ending with Smith Barney in 2009, when he retired.
Ben feels very fortunate to have been a part of his community and his clients’ lives throughout the years and looks to continue this family tradition into the future. He also feels fortunate to have such great partners, with whom he shares like values and mutual trust and respect.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Florida in 1984, Ben began his career with Shearson Lehman/American Express as an Options Strategist in the commodities department. He became a financial advisor for Shearson Lehman in 1986 and remained there through the succession of name changes – Shearson Lehman Hutton, Shearson Lehman Brothers, Smith Barney Shearson, Salomon Smith Barney, Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and eventually, simply Morgan Stanley.
Active in the community, Ben has served as a past president of Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando, past chair of the investment committee of the Tampa Orlando Pinellas Jewish Foundation, and on the board of governors of University of Florida Hillel. He has received awards from Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando, Israel Bonds, and the Jewish National Fund.
Ben is an Orlando native and lives in Winter Park with his wife, Maura, and children, Jacob and Josh. In his free time, Ben enjoys golf, volunteering at the Jewish Academy of Orlando, following the Florida Gators and staying involved in his sons’ soccer and lacrosse activities.
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.
