Meet Our Team

Richard Schmidt

Founding Partner
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After attending Wake Forest University, Mr. Schmidt worked for a local bank in Smithtown, New York. He then headed up a Congressional office before establishing Richard Schmidt & Associates in 1983. Mr. Schmidt is an active board member of Catholic Health Services, a large Long Island, New York based hospital system. In addition to his professional career, Mr. Schmidt is one of the top senior amateur golfers in the New York Metro area.

See Rick’s Value Proposition

I was always interested in running my own business. When I started out 31 years ago, I had limited capital but strong business contacts and a passion for finance and financial planning. I knew that I wanted to help business owners and other professionals manage their finances and achieve their personal, professional and philanthropic goals. I am proud to say that over the past three decades, I have done just that.

My firm focuses primarily on mid-sized business owners, professionals and non for profit entities. I draw on many years of experience in providing advice on deferred compensation arrangements, executive benefit planning, charitable-giving and retirement planning to these individuals and entities. I see myself as a consultant to my clients, and team member, and want them to feel as if we are working together as a unit to identify and solve their challenges.

I love what I do and I especially enjoy seeing clients become part of the RSA Financial Group Family. In simplest terms, what is good for our clients is good for us. We try to lead by setting a healthy example in business and personal ethics, and we always put the clients' best interest first.

Drew Schmidt

Partner
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After graduating college in 2001 I had the opportunity to work for a Specialist Firm on the NYSE. Although a great opportunity to say I worked on the “Floor” I felt that I was not adding any value to others or myself. In 2003, while on a trip with my father, I asked him what he did and he said that he makes his clients feel secure about their financial future. I knew right then that not only did I have the opportunity to work with both my Father and Mother, I had the chance to add value to my future clients about wealth management.

See Drew’s Value Proposition

After practicing for over 10 years, I can honestly say my clients share the same values as myself. A successful advisor once told me that when looking at your book of business you would see clients that are very similar to you. Many of my clients are young professionals like myself that have a growing family and are concerned about budgeting money today so that they can properly protect their finances from an unexpected hardship or loss, set aside money for a “rainy day”, grow money to meet college needs, and finally, how best to accumulate and diversify their retirement portfolio. I am also very involved with small business owners, helping them manage their executive benefits, insurance offerings, and implementing and managing employer sponsored plans.

I would never narrow our practice to a specialized skill—instead we bring our clients through a process that helps them tell us their financial story. From there we use our many resources that are available to us to build a successful, thoughtful financial planning solution.

I feel lucky to say that I get to sit across the table from some of the finest people in the world, my clients, and in many ways they are my other growing family.

My values are simple to explain: will what I am proposing pass the “would I recommend this to my mother” test? This is extremely important to me. I am helping clients make financial decisions that will affect the rest of their financial lives and I want to help get this right!

It is very hard to pick one success story for my practice. I have helped clients build their college savings so that they have enough money to send their children to school without debt. I have implemented a life insurance plan and unfortunately seen that plan used. My ultimate measure of success is when leaving a client appointment I hear “thank you for helping my family!”

Virginia Schmidt

Assistant
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Virginia graduated from Trinity College in Burlington, Vermont with a degree in history and education. She spent several years teaching social studies to junior high students on Long Island. After taking time off to raise her two children she began working part time at RSA Financial and now is the office administrator. She is active in her parish, enjoys her grandchildren and family, and is always looking for the next book to read. After taking time off to raise her two children, she began working part time at RSA Financial and now is the office administrator.

Dennis Gaffney, LUTCF, CLTC

Agent
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After graduating Stonehill College in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a four year successful career as a Division II Basketball player, Mr. Gaffney spent two years as a staff accountant with Peat, Marwick, and Mitchell in Boston. He then went on to own a small manufacturing business on Long Island for 22 years. A long time High School basketball Coach and Member of the Heritage Society, Dennis has been with New York Life Insurance for 16 years providing Life Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance and retirement planning for individuals, business owners and young families alike.

Jamie Silvestri

Assistant
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In her role as Executive Administrative Associate, Jamie is responsible for managing client communications and provides administrative support including: scheduling and maintaining appointments, work flow organization, travel arrangements and meeting coordination.

Jamie is currently completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Communications. She is alumna to Theta Phi Alpha National Sorority and has been active with the organization’s philanthropic causes. These programs support families and children in impoverished areas of the United States by helping raise money to aid the sick and needy.

Drew Schmidt is an agent licensed to sell insurance through New York Life and may be licensed with various other independent unaffiliated insurance companies in the states of AZ, DE, FL, IL, MA, NJ, NY, PA, SC, VA & WV. No insurance business may be conducted outside these states referenced.

Drew Schmidt is a Registered Representative of and offers securities products & services through NYLIFE Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Licensed Insurance Agency. In this regard, this communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the states of CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, TX, VA, and WV. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific states referenced.

^Drew Schmidt is also separately registered as an investment adviser representative under Eagle Strategies LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser, offering advisory services in the states of CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, VA, and WV. As such, these services are strictly intended for individuals residing in the specific states referenced.

Richard Schmidt is an agent licensed to sell insurance through New York Life and may be licensed with various other independent unaffiliated insurance companies in the states of AZ, CT, DE, FL, IL, MA, NJ, NY, PA, SC, TX, VA & WV. No insurance business may be conducted outside these states referenced.

Richard Schmidt is a Registered Representative of and offers securities products & services through NYLIFE Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Licensed Insurance Agency. In this regard, this communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the states of CT, DE, FL, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NY, TX, VA, and WV. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific states referenced.

^Drew Schmidt is also separately registered as an investment adviser representative under Eagle Strategies LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser, offering advisory services in the states of CO, CT, DE, FL, IL, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, VA, and WV. As such, these services are strictly intended for individuals residing in the specific states referenced.

Dennis Gaffney is an agent licensed to sell insurance through New York Life and may be licensed with various other independent unaffiliated insurance companies in the states of FL, NC, NJ, NY & PA. No insurance business may be conducted outside these states referenced.

RSA Financial Group is not owned or operated by NYLIFE Securities LLC, or its affiliates.

Neither New York Life Insurance Company, nor its agents, provides tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult your own tax, legal, or accounting professional before making any decisions.