At The Valletta Group, we’re committed to providing personalized financial planning that’s as unique as you are. Founded by Martin Swiecki, our firm blends decades of experience with a methodical, detail-oriented approach inspired by Martin’s engineering background. Whether you’re a physician navigating the complexities of student loans, an automotive executive planning for retirement, or a business owner looking to optimize your wealth, we’re here to guide you through all of life’s financial milestones.
The name “The Valletta Group” is deeply personal to our founder, Martin. It honors his Maltese heritage—his mother’s courageous journey from Malta to the United States—and embodies the values of perseverance and a belief in forging one’s own path.
Martin’s engineering background and his passion for financial planning give him a distinct perspective that he brings to every client relationship. As a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Martin’s commitment to ongoing education means that The Valletta Group remains at the forefront of financial planning innovation.
Martin’s engineering background and his passion for financial planning give him a distinct perspective that he brings to every client relationship. As a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Martin’s commitment to ongoing education means that The Valletta Group remains at the forefront of financial planning innovation.
Our passion is working closely with clients as they pursue their aspirations.
A Four-Step Approach to Financial Independence
You talk, we listen. Our first step in working together is simply talking about the details of your life—your goals, concerns, and why you’re seeking financial guidance.
We make sure we understand the full picture of your life first before trying to create a financial plan.
Then we’ll walk you through how we work and make a mutual decision on whether we’re a good fit. If we are, we’ll discuss our fees and the next steps.
The next step is a data gathering meeting where we collect all the necessary information to develop your comprehensive financial plan.
You’ll bring or send ahead your financial documents, and we’ll dive deep into your financial situation. We’ll review and validate all the details, ensuring accuracy while discussing any changes that may impact your financial plan.
This step allows us to build a clear, precise foundation for crafting a strategy tailored to your goals.
Once we have all the data, our team works behind the scenes to build a personalized financial plan that outlines a clear path forward.
In our third meeting, we’ll present a plan—your “life in a book”—that details everything from investment strategies to tax planning and retirement goals.
We’ll walk you through how much you need to save each year to meet your goals and then focus on how we can work together to make it happen. If you’re on board with the strategy, we’ll move forward to implementation.
The wrap-up meeting marks the transition from planning to implementation. We review the steps we’ve taken together—what’s been completed, what’s in motion, and what’s still ahead. This is our time to make sure your accounts are in place, transfers are complete, and you have access to your client portal and reports.
It’s also where we confirm future priorities, table any longer-term goals for upcoming reviews, and establish your ongoing service schedule—typically semi-annual or quarterly—so your financial plan keeps pace with your life.
Our team is united by a common mission: to guide you through your financial journey with precision and care. We believe in offering personalized, transparent advice that reflects our values of family, hard work, and a dedication to your financial freedom.
Founder and CEO of The Valletta Group, an independent wealth management firm based in Northville, Michigan. With nearly two decades of experience in financial services, Martin specialises in helping individuals and families navigate life’s transitions, with a particular focus on serving medical professionals, automotive industry executives, and business owners.
A senior investment executive with 27+ years of success integrating fundamental analysis, quantitative research, technical, and derivative management strategies to meet portfolio management objective, risk, and performance goals.
Bringing over 30 years of industry experience, Malcolm acts as Chief Market Strategist and curates a range of market commentaries as well as facilitates in investment decision processes.
Travis holds a primary focus on investment analysis, and helps lead the Portfolio Management & Trading team for a network of advisors
Jacob Stewart is the Director of Information Technology for Stratos Wealth Partners. His team provides full-service helpdesk support firm-wide.
Kevin Elvington is the Director of Marketing for Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. He is responsible for managing the development, communication, and implementation of all marketing strategies and initiatives.
Martin Swiecki is the Founder and CEO of The Valletta Group, an independent wealth management firm based in Northville, Michigan. With nearly two decades of experience in financial services, Martin specializes in helping individuals and families navigate life’s transitions, with a particular focus on serving medical and legal professionals, automotive industry executives, and business owners.
Martin’s approach to financial planning is deeply rooted in his engineering background. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering graphics and design from Western Michigan University, which instilled in him a methodical, detail-oriented approach to problem-solving. This perspective allows him to create precise, customized financial strategies for his clients.
Since starting his career in 2003, Martin has been dedicated to truly understanding his clients – not just their finances, but their aspirations, concerns, and values. He founded The Valletta Group in 2023 to pursue what he believes is “A Better Way” to serve clients, emphasizing personalized attention and comprehensive planning.
The name “Valletta” holds special significance for Martin. It’s the capital city of Malta, the small Mediterranean island where his mother was born. The firm’s name honors his family’s heritage and his mother’s courageous journey to the United States, embodying values of perseverance and a belief in forging one’s own path – values that guide Martin’s approach to financial planning.
Martin’s expertise is recognized through his professional designations. He earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) designation in 2011 and became a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) in 2006, demonstrating his commitment to ongoing education and ethical practice in the financial services industry.
Outside of work, Martin is a devoted family man. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Jessica, and their two young children, Evelyn and George. An avid outdoorsman, Martin can often be found golfing, boating, or fishing when he’s not in the office. He’s also proud of his 115-pound Labrador-Golden Retriever mix, a career-changed guide dog who now serves as the perfect family companion.
Martin’s goal is to make a meaningful difference in his clients’ lives, helping them pursue their financial objectives through proper planning while supporting their financial decision-making process. He believes in maintaining a select group of clients to ensure each receives the highest level of personalized service.
To learn more about Martin and The Valletta Group’s approach to financial planning, connect with him on LinkedIn or schedule a consultation.
Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager with Stratos Investment Management. A senior investment executive with 27+ years of success integrating fundamental analysis, quantitative research, technical, and derivative management strategies to meet portfolio management objective, risk, and performance goals.
Prior to joining Stratos, John worked for Equity Bank Trust & Wealth Management, Federated Hermes, Inc., Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio, and the U.S. Department of Treasury – Office of Thrift Supervision. He has been in the investment industry since 1992, including 19 with Federated Hermes Inc. where he had been both a securities analyst, senior portfolio manager, and Growth & Income Group Head.
He is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics and received his MBA from The Ohio State University in 1992. John holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
John actively follows current events and has a passion for all types of history, ranging from Ancient to Modern times. John is a sports enthusiast and a gym “junkie” who loves to workout, bike, and row.
Malcom joined Stratos Investment Management in January of 2024, bringing over 30 years of industry experience. He acts as Chief Market Strategist and curates a range of market commentaries as well as facilitates in investment decision processes. Prior to joining Stratos, Malcolm led the effort to form Stewart Capital Advisors, LLC, an SEC registered investment advisory subsidiary of S&T Bank. He acted as President and Chief Investment Officer for 18 years. Malcolm began his career in 1987 on Black Monday; and he has held leadership positions with many financial services organizations including S&T Wealth Management, Marquette Trust Company, Marquette Advisory Services, and West Bank. He received a BBA in finance from Iowa State University.
He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is a member and past president of the CFA Society of Pittsburgh. Malcolm has served as adjunct faculty at the Eberly College of Business and Technology at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Malcolm often presents to client, community, and industry groups; and he has been a frequent guest on various financial and investment programs including Squawk Box, Squawk on the Street, Power Lunch, Closing Bell, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV and Bloomberg Radio. One of those appearances is quoted by Andrew Ross Sorkin in his bestselling book, Too Big to Fail.
A Portfolio Manager with Stratos Investment Management, Travis graduated from The University of Tulsa with a Bachelor’s degree in finance. He began his career as an investment analyst for a single advisor firm in Tulsa, which was later acquired by a firm that would ultimately become Capital One Investing. In this role, Travis grew from a primary focus on investment analysis to helping lead the Portfolio Management & Trading team for a network of advisors. Travis holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Kathy Louttit is the Chief Compliance Officer and Legal Counsel for the regulated entities within the Stratos family of companies. Kathy is responsible for leading the compliance programs for Stratos and providing legal advice on regulatory matters, contract negotiations and acquisitions.
Kathy began her career as an associate with K&L Gates and began to work in the financial services industry for more than 20 years in the Legal Department at KeyBank and as Corporate Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for regulated entities at CBIZ.
Kathy earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Miami University, a Masters Degree in Education from Governors State University and a law degree from The University of Toledo College of Law.
Jacob Stewart is the Director of Information Technology for Stratos Wealth Partners. His team provides full-service helpdesk support firm-wide. Along with supervising the IT department, Jacob’s responsibilities include management and support of all technology assets, developing business continuity & strategic plans, administering IT policies and procedures, and auditing information systems for compliance and security standards.
Jacob has over 15 years of experience in the technology field. Prior to joining Stratos Wealth Partners in 2009, he provided IT consulting, network administration and network security to his clients. Jacob brings valuable industry knowledge, technical capabilities and leadership skills to his current role that he has obtained throughout his earlier career where he served in roles as a network technician, systems administrator and IT consultant.
Jacob attended Youngstown State University where he studied Computer Information Systems and played collegiate football. His IT certifications include MCITP, CCSA and he is currently obtaining his ITIL v3 and MCSE certification. Jacob resides in Austintown Ohio with his wife and two children.
Kevin Elvington is the Director of Marketing for Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. He is responsible for managing the development, communication, and implementation of all marketing strategies and initiatives. Kevin focuses on building the Stratos brand and increasing brand awareness through public relations, website development and maintenance, advertising, email, social & print media campaigns, recruiting, competitive analysis and new marketing opportunities.
Kevin has more than 20 years of traditional and digital marketing experience. He has helped build brands for several Start-up companies, as well as, large corporations like Progressive Insurance.
Kevin is also very active in his church and community. He serves as a leader in his local Trail Life USA boys troop and has started and participated in many character-building programs. He resides in Garfield Heights, OH with his wife and six children.
Our Commitment to You
At our firm, we’re proud to maintain a select group of clients so we can provide each person with the attention they deserve. Our process goes beyond basic financial advice. Together we partner to build wealth for your family, make the most of your retirement savings, and create a meaningful legacy.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation and take the first step toward pursuing your financial future.
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Investment advice offered through Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. a Registered Investment Advisor DBA The Valletta Group. Investment advisory services are offered through Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd., a Registered Investment Advisor located in Beachwood, Ohio. [www.stratoswealthpartners.com].
The Valletta Group offers its financial services through Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd., (“Stratos”), a Registered Investment Advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) located in Beachwood, Ohio. The Valletta Group operates as a DBA branch of Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. More information regarding Stratos may be found at www.stratoswealthpartners.com. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Public information concerning Stratos Wealth Partners is available at https://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. A copy of the Stratos’ current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees continues to remain available upon request and/or on this web site at www.stratoswealthpartners.com.
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