John Carey
Chief Executive Officer
John joined Aquilance in 2024 as CEO, and brings with him a passion for creating digital technology solutions that enhance the wealth management and financial administration industry. Recognizing the already strong proprietary technology solutions offered by Aquilance, and their importance for managing client needs, John is committed to expanding these offerings while maintaining the firm’s commitment to white-glove service.
Before joining the firm, he served as the Head of Consumer Experiences for Envestnet and was previously the GM of Wealth Management for Harvest Savings & Wealth Technologies. Prior to this, he served as the Private Banking Lead for Accenture, and Chief Operating Officer for FolioDynamix. His extensive expertise in technology and operations are critical for scaling the firm’s existing infrastructure, providing more solutions for a wider segment of HNW families and individuals.
John has an MBA from New York University. Outside of work, he enjoys time with his wife and two adult daughters, and recently started learning to play guitar.
Joe Farren
President, Partner
Joe started working at Aquilance (formerly My Accountant) in June of 2008. Prior to joining Aquilance, he worked for 13 years at various architectural firms throughout the country, most recently as a Project Architect, for Lake Flato Architects, a nationally recognized, award-winning architecture firm in San Antonio, Texas. While honing his skills as an architect, Joe developed a creative problem solving and critical design thinking toolset. Approaching problems with the mindset of a designer allows him to deconstruct and reimagine possible solutions and improvements that take into consideration a broader range of possibilities.
Joe is a registered architect, and retains membership in the AIA and an NCARB certification. In his off-time, Joe enjoys travelling with his wife and 2 kids, kayaking, and playing tennis.
Andrew Farren
Vice President, Partner
Andrew joined his father at Aquilance (formerly My Accountant) in early 2001. Recognizing the important role technology would have in the future of the company, he followed in his father’s footsteps and upgraded what was one of the first networked computer systems in Connecticut to a state-of-the-art system that matches or exceeds bank-level security and functionality requirements. Andrew has also created several pieces of custom software that help run the operations of Aquilance.
Andrew regularly participates in industry-wide information security and developer conferences and workgroups. He has a comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges of the high-net-worth industry and a deep understanding of the security and privacy requirements of this delicate sector. Andrew is an avid golfer and enjoys snowboarding on the rare occasion New England offers more snow than ice.
Nicole Clabaugh
Vice President | Client Operations
Nicole joined the Aquilance team as a recognized and experienced leader working with high-net–worth families and their varied needs. Providing families with curated financial reporting and analysis, coordinating with their trusted advisors, and resolving various accounting and business issues are all within Nicole’s daily purview. Well-versed in maritime, film, professional sports, financial services, real estate entities and unique family dynamics, coupled with an exceptional ability to work with clients, she is able to provide a coordinated advisory approach to family needs.
Prior to joining Aquilance, Nicole was Director, CFO Solutions at Cohen & Company, a national CPA firm. She holds a B.S.B.A in Accounting from York College of Pennsylvania. Nicole loves the outdoors, sports, and travel.
Patty Fitzsimmons
Vice President | Accounting
Patty Fitzsimmons is Director of Partnership Accounting at Aquilance (formerly My Accountant). Patty joined the Aquilance team with significant leadership experience in investment operations, accounting, and strategic planning. She has particular expertise in leveraging technology to drive innovation and efficiency enhancements and in coordinating services provided by custodial banks, investment managers, legal counsel, tax and audit into the accounting operations. Patty has experience in fund accounting, performance and reporting for private equity, real estate, private loans, marketable securities, and alternative investments and has worked with many fund and portfolio structures including partnerships, hedge funds, and mutual funds.
Prior to joining Aquilance, Patty had roles in accounting and operations at Lime Rock Partners (Private Equity), Edgewood Capital Advisors (Real Estate Investments & Bridge Lending) and Commonfund (Marketable Securities & Alternative Investments). She began her career as an auditor with KPMG where she obtained her Certified Public Accountant license. Patty graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from SUNY Binghamton.
Jessica Florendo
Vice President | Growth
Jessica dedicates her energies at Aquilance to building and enhancing channel and partner relationships. She complements the team with fifteen years of experience in the financial technology sector and across the alternative investments ecosystem.
Prior to joining Aquilance, Jessica was a Senior Business Development Manager at Context 365, a capital introduction community for alternative investment professionals including fund managers and allocators. In that role, she worked with hedge funds, private equity, family offices and registered investment advisors to educate them and increase their awareness of Context’s suite of products to help raise capital. She has also held business development positions at organizations including Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ and Pitchbook.
Jessica has a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Northwestern University where she was an NCAA All-American and scholarship athlete in Fencing.
Mark MacKeil
Vice President | Strategic Alliances
Mark MacKeil is Director of Strategic Alliances at Aquilance (formerly My Accountant). Mark joins the Aquilance team with a fifteen-year history of rendering critical support in the fast-paced wealth management and financial technology industry. Prior to joining Aquilance, he was a Senior Relationship Manager at Rockit Solutions, LLC, where he worked for ten years with some of the industry’s leading advisors, and helped to solidify and strengthen relationships with the company’s top clients. He believes that a strong business relationship is built on a foundation of trust and hard work. Mark earned his MBA from the University of Connecticut in 2016, and a B.A. in Economics in 2005.
Igor Davidson
Manager | Client Operations
Igor provides clients of Aquilance with truly rewarding experiences. With a clear and effective style of communication, Igor works with high-net-worth individuals, families and their other trusted advisers to solve problems and facilitate various activities, including charitable giving, accounts payable, tax support, and unique asset accounting. He also helps develop and implement best practices for operational processes. In his personal life, Igor enjoys playing basketball, football, soccer and tennis. In addition to sports, he also has a passion for cooking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Igor was previously a Senior Manager, CFO Solutions, at Cohen & Company, a national CPA firm. Igor earned a B.S. in Accounting from Towson University.
Blaine McGrath
Manager | Client Operations
Blaine helps clients of Aquilance meet their goals by providing timely and efficient work, accompanied by an engaging personality. With a background in accounting and tax matters for high-net-worth families and their trusts and business entities, he is able to offer exceptional advice combined with deep understanding of the complexities of wealth. Blaine enjoys reading, spending time with his family and friends, and playing and watching all sports. A true hockey fan, attending game three of the Stanley Cup finals in 2018 is one of his all-time favorite sports memories.
Blaine was previously a Manager, CFO Solutions, at Cohen & Company, a national CPA firm. Blaine earned a B.S.B.A. in accounting, from West Virginia University
Jamie McLaughlin
Partner, Strategic Advisor
Jamie is the founder and CEO of J. H. McLaughlin & Co., LLC, a management consulting firm. Previously, he was CEO of Geller Family Office Services, a partner at Convergent Wealth Advisors, the regional president of Mellon Private Wealth Management New York region, and a financial advisor at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc.
Earlier in his career, Mr. McLaughlin served in the Connecticut General Assembly for a decade as a two-term State Representative and a three-term State Senator. He serves on the Subscribers Advisory Committee of PURE, a policyholder-owned property and casualty insurance company. He is a Co-Founder of the UHNW Institute, an independent “think tank” directed at ultra-high-net-worth families and their advisors. He serves as an advisor to Addepar, Inc.
Philip Strassler
Partner, Strategic Advisor
Phil Strassler, through Strassler, LLC, consults with families of wealth and single-family offices (SFOs) on strategy, successful business practices, and building sustainable Family Investment Offices. He also heads the Family Office Division of JSB Partners, an executive search firm where he has been instrumental in the creation and staffing of some of the largest SFOs in the country.
In 2007, Phil retired as a Partner at Marcum & Kliegman LLP (Marcum), where he played a critical role in fueling the firm’s growth. At Marcum, he founded and was the leader of the Private Wealth Services and Alternative Investment Group practices and developed and taught the Emerging Leadership Program to Marcum’s Senior Managers and Partners. He was also the Publisher of Marcum’s quarterly publication Private Investment Forum.
Prior to Marcum, Phil was a Partner at a billion-dollar mezzanine/leveraged buyout fund, and also spent ten years working on tax, business advice and investment analysis for a single-family office.
Phil is a member of the AICPA and NYSSCPA and is a member of the NYSSCPA Taxation of Financial Instruments and Transactions and Family Office Committees, the latter which he previously Chaired. He was also a former Director of Fieldpoint Private Bank.