Faculty
Robert J. Powell, III
President and Founder, Unison, LLC
Powell is president and founder of Unison, LLC, a financial education, communications, and consulting firm based in Swampscott, Massachusetts. He is editor of Retirement Weekly, a MarketWatch-Dow Jones subscription publication, and writes two columns for MarketWatch.com: On Retirement and Your Portfolio. He also serves as the Examination Workbook editor for the Retirement Income Industry Association's Retirement Management Analyst℠ exam.
Since 2003, Powell has served as a content strategist for the Financial Planning Association, having played a key role in the development and launch of its Virtual Learning Center, Research Center, and its public-facing website. Powell has served as executive producer of the television series More Than Money and The Truth About Retirement, both in development from Connecticut Public Television & Radio. He was the co-author of Decoding Wall Street, an investment primer published by McGraw-Hill, and author of 20 Tips for Retirement Investors, published by MarketWatch.com.
Powell formerly served as managing director at Acadient, where he was responsible for Boston University's CFP® Board-Registered Online Program for Financial Planners, the Center for Fiduciary Studies' Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ Web-based program, and the Lightbulb Press' 401(k) Basics Program.
Powell earned a bachelor's degree from Marquette University and a master's degree in journalism from Boston University's College of Communication/School of Management. Powell attended Boston University's Financial Planning Program, a CFP® Board-registered program.
Clifford Jurdi, MS CFP®, ChFC
Jurdi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and principal of Clifford J. Jurdi, CFP®, CHFC. He is a Registered Representative, as well as an Investment Adviser Representative of Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, and a Registered Investment Adviser. Jurdi is also a presenter for The PFE Group, a leading retirement plan design, investment advisory, and financial education consulting firm.
Jurdi's specialty is comprehensive financial and retirement planning, which includes investment analysis, risk management, and estate planning. He is also an instructor in the master's in Taxation curriculum at Northeastern University, teaching retirement planning and employee benefits. He has also taught risk management and the financial planning process in Northeastern's CFP® curriculum. As an adjunct faculty member at Boston University, he teaches retirement planning and employee benefits in the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ curriculum.
Sean M. Ciemiewicz, CIMC©, AIFA©, RMA℠
Managing Partner, Retirement Benefits Group™
Ciemiewicz started his financial services career with Prudential Securities, which subsequently became Wachovia Securities. He joined The Founders Group in 2007, and is a founding partner of Retirement Benefits Group. Ciemiewicz is a Certified Investment Management Consultant (CIMC©), a designation he earned through the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA). He has earned his Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst (AIFA©) designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies. Ciemiewicz was one of the first 20 individuals in the nation to earn the Retirement Management Analyst (RMA℠) designation through the Retirement Income Industry Association (RIIA). He assisted in the development of Boston University’s Retirement Management curriculum, and is an adjunct instructor with the Retirement Management Program.
Ciemiewicz earned his Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University with an emphasis in communications. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from National University.
Paul Fichera, RMA℠, Financial Services Consultant
Fichera has extensive experience leading product development, client service, and sales operations groups in support of mutual fund, retirement, offshore, and institutional asset management businesses. He has an impressive track record in implementing significant corporate initiatives, such as adding non-proprietary funds, creating an internal trust company, enhancing 401(k) products, and developing asset allocation funds. Most recently he served as senior vice president in sales development services for John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, managing critical support functions for the 401(k) sales division and overseeing 326 employees and more than $4 billion in annual plan sales.
For ten years, Fichera was a senior vice president and director in product development and sales support at MFS Investment Management, Inc. He was responsible for product development, investment product management, marketing and communications, training and education, and RFPs for multiple business lines including 401(k), mutual funds, institutional, and offshore. He also held senior position at Putnam Investments and Bradford Trust Company.
Fichera earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Wesleyan University and his Master of Business Administration from Babson College.
