Laurence is a principal and founding partner of Weiss, Hale & Zahansky Strategic Wealth Advisors. He is the Chief Investment Officer (CIO), leading portfolio management efforts and chairing the firm’s Investment Committee. In addition to developing goal-driven financial plans for clients, Laurence has extensive investment experience with estate planning and charitable strategies. Laurence is a Five Star Wealth Manager and has a particular focus on helping pre- and post-retirees and estate planning clients.

He is proud to have been recognized as a Leaders Level advisor for 2024—a distinction based on annual production that places him among the top 5 percent of advisors affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network. He is also a recipient of the Five Star Wealth Manager Award for the last eleven consecutive years, a recognition granted to less than 8 percent of Connecticut-area wealth manager candidates considered for the award.

(2014-2024 FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD, created by Five Star Professional. The 2024 award was presented in November 2024 based on data gathered within 12 months preceding the issue date. 3710 advisors were considered, 282 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay a fee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Your experience may vary. For more information, please visit https://www.fivestarprofessional.com.)

Laurence brings many years of institutional investment experience, having started his career in the institutional defined contribution business for Putnam Investments. In addition to more than 29 years of investment management for our clients, Laurence has volunteered his professional talents on behalf of many non-profit and public institutions. He formerly served as an appointed member of Connecticut's Investment Advisory Council (IAC), an advisory body to the Connecticut State Treasurer, overseeing the approximately $29 billion in the State of Connecticut's retirement plans and trust funds, on behalf of more than 200,000 beneficiaries. He also formerly served as chairman of the Endowment Committee for the YMCA of Greater Hartford.

When not advising clients, Laurence is active with several non-profit and charitable organizations. Laurence is currently a Trustee for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut’s Donations and Bequests (D&B) fund as well as a member of the Hale YMCA Youth & Family Center’s Board of Advisors. He is a former member of the Pomfret School Board of Trustees, former Board Chair for the Rectory School Board of Trustees, Day Kimball Healthcare’s Finance Committee, past President of the Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) Foundation, and over the years has supported many other organizations.

A lifelong resident Northeastern Connecticut, Laurence loves the long-term relationships he has built with clients since co-founding WHZ in 2006. When he isn’t advising clients, he enjoys traveling with his wife and three (mostly adult) children and can often be found soaking in the peace and tranquility of Sebego Lake in Maine.

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