Anthony VALERIO Owner

Four Winds Chimney

Originally from Auburn, NY Rick found his way to Rochester to attend St. John Fisher University and graduated in 2007 with a BS in Corporate Finance. While attending Fisher, he was a member of the golf team and had the opportunity to caddie at Oak Hill Country Club. Through various networking opportunities as a caddie, Rick secured an entry level position with Westminster Financial shortly after graduating.

Early in his professional career he obtained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designations while also becoming a minority owner in the firm in 2012. Over the next four years Rick gradually became 100% owner and rebranded the firm to Echelon Wealth Advisors.

The firm experienced considerable growth under Rick’s leadership, and in 2018 his wife, Alecia Fisher Dougherty, also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ joined the firm as a partner.

Over the past five years the firm has experienced considerable revenue growth, made additional strategic hires and purchased their own office building. In April, 2023 Echelon merged into Naviter Wealth, where Rick and Alecia serve as Managing Directors.

Today, they are proud members of Oak Hill Country Club and reside in Pittsford with their two Newfoundland’s, Oliver and Sadie.

Anthony was born into a family of masons. Working alongside his uncle who is also a mason, from a very young age, he got to a point in life where he knew he wanted more. He wanted to create something of his own & provide not only for his family but for future employees. In 2018 he took a leap & started his own business. Four Winds Chimney started with 1 employee & now has 28 in 5 short years. He has not only grown a successful business but is recognized as a leader & mentor in his field nationally.

Anthony’s philosophy has been consistent & he contributes his success to that. People over profit. Treat your employees well & in return they provide high quality work & customer service. He started with nothing & built a very successful business in this community. He also gives back to the community that has contributed to his growth by donating to charities & supporting local needs of the community.

His success is driven by hard work & the support of his family. His wife Laura, children Evie & Michael are his motivation & support. He believes in family first for himself & his staff. His philosophy, genuineness, & hands on approach, are what make him great business owner.

Phil Yawman is the President and Board Chairman of the Cooley Group, a nationally recognized branding services provider specializing in print and promotional products. During his tenure, the company has earned numerous awards, including the “Best Companies to Work For” designation from the New York State Society for Human Resource Management. 2022 was a record year, achieving the highest revenue and net income in the employeeowned company’s 78-year history.

Yawman’s expertise lies in strategic planning and positioning; executive leadership coaching and mentoring; start-up, expansion, and growth management; marketing, sales and business development. He previously held executive positions at Annese and Associates and co-founded Choice One Communications, a telecom start-up which grew rapidly under his leadership.

Yawman serves as the Vice Chair of the St. John Fisher University Board of Trustees and sits on the boards of Monroe Community College Foundation and Constellation Brands Performing Arts Center (CMAC). He was also on the Executive Committee of the 2023 PGA Championship, which put Rochester in the national spotlight and brought hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy.

Yawman holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an MBA from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. Yawman is a former 40 under 40 recipient and inductee of Fairport High School’s Alumni Wall of Fame. He is married with two daughters and enjoys golf, music, and coaching basketball.