DETROIT — Two Merrill Lynch Wealth Management financial advisers were recognized on Barron’s America’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors list. Melissa Spickler, far left, and Marie Vanerian were both recognized on the Barron’s list. Earlier this year, they were both recognized on Barron’s America’s Top 1,200 Advisors: State-by-State list.
Spickler is a veteran of the financial services industry, with more than three decades as a Merrill Lynch financial adviser. She founded The Spickler Group in 1980 and has since turned it into a 10 person team serving both individual as well as institutional clients. Spickler has a bachelor’s degree in criminal law from Michigan State University. She is a managing director of wealth management, is on the executive committee of Merrill’s National Women’s Exchange, serves as president of the Detroit Area Chapter of the Women’s Exchange, and has recently served 3 years on the National Advisory Council to Management.
Vanerian is a senior vice president of the firm, who began her career at Merrill Lynch in 1977 after earning her degree in economics at Michigan State University. Throughout her career, Vanerian has been working with 401(k)/403(b) plans, public and private pension plans, foundations, endowments, religious organizations, and private family offices in providing institutional, consulting, and advisory services. Vanerian has been an active member of the Michigan Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems for more than 25 years.
