Our Team

John Gracyalny, CLU, ChFC founded FAA with Jon Abbett in 1997 and has been providing financial services in the community since 1990. John specializes in helping business owners, families and executives with insurance, investments and financial services. With over 20 years of experience, he has developed an expertise in working with individuals and business owners to find individualized solutions to the complex financial challenges they face. He serves as FAA's Executive Vice President and provides numerous financial seminars and services to FAA's clientele.

Prior to becoming a Financial Advisor, John graduated from St. Bonaventure University with an accounting degree and his Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designations from the American College. He then entered the financial services industry as an accountant with Ernst & Young in their Washington DC office.

John is a long time and active member in Business Network International (BNI) Rockville chapter and is an active member of his industry as a member of both Securian Financial Services Premier Resource Group (a group of select advisors under his broker dealer who advocate for all advisors) and as of 2014, he is an 12 year member of MDRT* (an industry group of top sales leaders.) He and his wife Melissa live in Potomac with their two sons Nick and Max.

He is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc., A Securities Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial Advantage Associates is independently owned and operated.

* Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) is an independent membership organization of life insurance and financial service professionals. Membership levels are based on commissions, premiums, or fees generated within a year from investment and insurance products. Members must apply annually and pay a fee. Members must be members in good standing of a Professional Association which has met the following criteria: in existence at least 2 years, have 100 or more members, must be a nonprofit organization, must have a code of ethics and an effective means of dealing with breaches of its code. Members must also adhere to the MDRT Code of Ethics. Working with this advisor is not a guarantee of future financial results. Investors should conduct their own evaluation.

Dofu 03/15 # 1150658

Jason Silverberg started his practice in 2005 with a mission to serve the ever-changing financial needs of the community. Jason's passion lies in helping individuals, families, and business owners to create new financial visions, opportunities, and futures, while overcoming obstacles that may hinder success.

By removing the fear, anxieties, and unknowns around money, time and energy can be better spent on what matters most. Jason strives to help his clients create a brighter future by helping them understand the nuances of their personal financial plan.

Jason takes a values-based approach, which allows him to connect with his clients on a deeper level than most other advisors, diving into the "why" behind the numbers. He focuses on helping clients achieve their goals by growing their wealth through intelligent investing and protecting those goals using risk management strategies and insurance solutions.

Jason graduated from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland in 2005 with a degree in Finance. He is a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner™) and has received his CLU® (Chartered Life Underwriter) and ChFC® (Chartered Financial Consultant) designations from The American College. He is a past member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)* The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®. This level of education, recognition, and credentials shows that he is committed to serving his clients with exemplary performance and high standards of professional knowledge.

In 2017, Jason released the Amazon Best-Selling book, The Financial Planning Puzzle: Fitting Your Pieces Together to Create Financial Freedom. The book serves as a framework for helping people take ownership of their financial lives and motivation to move their plan forward.

Along with the book, Jason presents a seminar series which he uses as a platform for public appearances. He has appeared on ABC's The Savvy Investor Show and is a regular financial speaker at the United States Patent & Trademark Office. Additionally, he was a financial correspondent for Take Pride Community Magazine. What this means to clients is that they are working with a professional who focuses on educating individuals, so they can make informed and confident decisions about their future.

In addition to his work, Jason spends his leisure time with his wife, Lindsay, and children, Joshua and Rebecca. He enjoys running outside and in competitive races. He completed the Frederick Marathon in 2010 and participates in the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K each year.

Jason is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc.

* Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) is an independent membership organization of life insurance and financial service professionals. Membership levels are based on commissions, premiums, or fees generated within a year from investment and insurance products. Members must apply annually and pay a fee. Members must be members in good standing of a Professional Association which has met the following criteria: in existence at least 2 years, have 100 or more members, must be a nonprofit organization, must have a code of ethics and an effective means of dealing with breaches of its code. Members must also adhere to the MDRT Code of Ethics. Working with this advisor is not a guarantee of future financial results. Investors should conduct their own evaluation.

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Securian Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial Advantage Associates is independently owned and operated.

2157768 DOFU 7/2018

Perry Lazerus has been helping individuals achieve their financial goals through comprehensive, fee-based financial planning since joining Financial Advantage Associates (FAA) in June of 2011.  While he has clients across all stages of life, he specializes in helping:

Medical Professionals plan for, and overcome, the financial challenges unique to their profession, and

Pre-Retirees plan for a successful retirement by maximizing social security, generating income streams from savings, and protecting their assets through insurance and legacy planning.

His team is made up of his business partner, Allison McCarty, and junior advisors, Thomas (TJ) White, and Grant LaGasse.  Perry is passionate about helping his clients establish a secure financial future by addressing both insurance protection planning and wealth management strategies.  His strengths lie in his ability to spur clients to action, his responsiveness to client emails and phone calls, and his ability to explain complex financial concepts and products in a way his clients understand and appreciate.

Perry has earned his FINRA Series 7 and 66 registrations, as well as his Life & Health Insurance license.  He graduated from University of Maryland, College Park with a B.S. in Elementary Education, originally planning to become a math teacher!  While it was somewhat unexpected that he would become a financial advisor, Perry has found his background in education translates well to educating his clients about their financial situation and helping them understand their options.  Perry leads the medical division at FAA, and is regularly invited to present to medical students, residents, and fellows at numerous teaching hospitals across MD, DC and VA.  Furthermore, in 2016 Perry became an instructor for the Lifelong Learning Institute at Montgomery College, where he teaches a course for those approaching retirement called “Retirement Planning Today”. 

Born and raised in Montgomery County, Maryland, Perry currently lives with his wife, Allyson, in North Potomac. He is a huge baseball fan and often catches a lot of slack around the office (and from clients) for cheering on his favorite team, the New York Yankees.  Outside of work Perry enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing softball, attending Washington Capitals games, and of course, watching the Yankees.

Perry is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative with Securian Financial Services, Inc., Securities Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Securian Financial Services, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. 2384097 DOFU 01-2019

Steve Abbett was born and raised in the Greater Washington area. Being the son of our firm's President, Jon Abbett, Steve has witnessed firsthand the positive impact a financial advisor can have on a business and hence an individual's life. Steve officially joined the FAA team in 2014.

Steve hopes to work alongside business owners, families, and executives in order to help them grow their wealth while achieving their personal financial goals. Through the skills gained through a lifetime spent living with a seasoned financial advisor and business owner, Steve seeks to become a trusted financial resource. He strategically surrounds himself with FAA's specialists such that his clients benefit from their years of education and expertise. Steve has a passion for analyzing investments and takes an active role in FAA's Investment Center, contributing to the already sophisticated expertise that the FAA team currently thrives on.

Over the next few years he hopes to aggressively network himself in the Washington D.C. area and is always looking to meet new people.

Steve is very active in his personal life, playing softball and golf, as well as giving back to his own community. Saint Jude Research Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, the Maryland Food Bank and Children's Miracle Network have been the benefactor of Steve's volunteering efforts and coordination.

Steve is a Registered representative and Investment Advisor Representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc., a Securities Dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Financial Advantage Associates is independently owned and operated.

#1148849 dofu 03/15

Jessica Hill joined the Financial Advantage team in August 2012, upon graduating from the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. As a former captain on the Track & Field team at UMD, Jessie contributes a spirited leadership style and a passion for working with others.  

Jessie especially loves working with professional athletes, attorneys, and young families. By taking a holistic financial planning approach, Jessie creates strategies to help clients achieve their Big Picture goals. She currently holds her Series 7, Series 66, and her Life & Health & Annuities Licenses.

To stay connected with her alma mater, Jessie serves as the Vice President on the Board of Directors for the M Club; the University’s letter winner organization.  When not working with clients, Jessie enjoys practicing yoga, volunteering at UMD, and spending time with family, friends, and her dogs.

Jessie is s a registered representative and investment advisor representative of Securian Financial Services.

1440607 DOFU 4/26/2016

After enjoying a 10-year career with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Grant LaGasse was recruited to join FAA to work alongside fellow advisors, Allison McCarty, Perry Lazerus, and Thomas White.  As a former federal employee, Grant is uniquely positioned to assist in advising the team’s Federal clients.  While he enjoys working with clients across all stages of life, he particularly loves helping:

Federal Employees understand and capitalize on their benefits (good and bad) from a financial planning perspective;

Young Families establish a strong financial foundation by helping them develop a strategy to reduce debt, build short-term savings, secure basic insurance coverage, and initiate a savings and investment plan; and

Pre-Retirees prepare for a successful retirement by maximizing social security, generating income streams from savings, and protecting their assets through insurance and legacy solutions.

Grant enjoys helping families manage their resources to achieve their financial goals.  He believes a financial strategy should continually evolve along with his client’s personal and professional life.  Both his ability to connect with clients personally, as well as his commitment to provide exceptional service, are appreciated by his clients.  He believes understanding the “why” behind his clients’ goals and concerns enables him to provide honest advice that is tailored to each client’s individual circumstances. 

A graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, he has earned his Series 7 and 66 registrations, as well as his Life and Health Insurance license since joining the team at Financial Advantage Associates (FAA) in May of 2018.  Grant LaGasse is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative with Securian Financial Services, Inc., Securities Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Grant was born and raised in Montgomery County, Maryland and currently lives in Derwood with his wife, Ashley, daughter, Caroline, and their dog, Billy.  Grant is a strong supporter of the Tree House CAC of Montgomery County, which is dedicated to promoting healing for child victims of physical and/or sexual abuse and neglect, as well as the Alzheimer's Association.  Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing golf, and woodworking.

TN: 2384103   DOFU: 2/2019

Ben Rudy was born and raised in Northern Baltimore County, Maryland. Being the son of a small business owner, Ben experienced the entrepreneurial spirit from a very early age. He often was exposed to the family business and shadowed his father to see how he would interact with his clients and run his company. Going into college, Ben knew that he wanted to be an entrepreneur himself.

While attending the University of Maryland, Ben found a passion for finance and for helping others. During his time at UMD, he often volunteered at the American Red Cross and with other student organizations across campus to serve and give back to the community. These passions led him down the path to becoming a financial advisor at Financial Advantage, where he could assist others in achieving financial freedom.

Ben hopes to work alongside individuals, families, and small business owners to expand their wealth and achieve their financial goals. Through his personal knowledge and by surrounding himself with other scholars and professionals at FAA, he hopes to bring clarity to the most complex financial situations and help create a plan to lead others to success. Since graduating, Ben has earned his Series 7 and Series 66 FINRA securities registrations, as well as his Life and Health Insurance licenses.

In his free time, Ben can be found with his friends, working out, playing tennis, or enjoying a good book. He now lives in Rockville, Maryland, where he is embedding himself in the community. He also is always looking to talk about his favorite football team, the Baltimore Ravens.

Ben is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc., a Securities Dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Financial Advantage Associates is independently owned and operated. 1615426 DOFU 10/2016

Lindsay joined the Financial Advantage team as the in-house Tax Consultant in December 2014, after a successful four years in Public Accounting. Her experience in public accounting was focused in the area of taxation and serving clients in the areas of partnerships, limited liability companies, S corporations, trusts and individual taxation.

In addition to her role at Financial Advantage, Lindsay is the Tax Director at FAA Tax, LLC a firm that offers quality income tax preparation to the community. Lindsay is known for being personable and dependable in representing, advising, informing and assisting clients with tax-related matters.

Lindsay joined the Financial Advantage Team as a result of her interest in working with individuals and families on their retirement, trust and estate planning goals. She received her Bachelors in Business Administration with a degree in Accounting from Florida Atlantic University - Go Owls!

Lindsay lives with her husband Nick and their adorable dog Moose in North Bethesda, Maryland. In her spare time she enjoys horseback riding, traveling, any activity outdoors and following her favorite local sports teams.

DOFU 03/07/15 #1136978

Lindsay is not a Registered Representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc. Registered Representatives of Securian Financial Services do not provide specific tax advice or services. Tax Services are provided by FAA Tax, LLC. Securian Financial Services is not affiliated with FAA Tax, LLC or Financial Advantage Associates.

Kathy graduated from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business with a BS degree prior to launching her career. As a result of her years working behind the scenes in a thriving and expanding family business, she has been an invaluable resource to FAA and the advisors. She oversees the operations of the firm, managing everything from billing and technology to labor relations. Kathy is a Montgomery County native, and when not found within the halls of FAA, she can usually be found with her horse, Dory, as she trains for competitive dressage events. In her limited free time, Kathy also enjoys distance training and running as well as summer evening baseball games with her family.