Merrill advisors earn prestigious Forbes honor

TROY — Two local Merrill advisors have been named to the prestigious Forbes 2021 “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” list, which selects only 250 advisors nationwide for this honor annually.

One honoree was Dana Locniskar, a Merrill Private Wealth Advisor based in Troy.

Since he joined Merrill in 1970, Dana has built an investment group with extensive experience in wealth management for high-net-worth individuals, family offices and institutions. Dana focuses on wealth management, concentrated stock strategies, philanthropic planning, trust and estate planning services. He has been recognized by Forbes in its list of "America's Top Wealth Advisors" every year from 2016-2021 and in Forbes’ "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list from 2018-2021.

Dana serves on the boards of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, City Year Detroit, Teach for America Detroit and the Futures Foundation. He is chairperson of the Beaumont Foundation Planned Giving Committee. He is Trustee Emeritus of Detroit Public Television and Beaumont Hospitals Foundation. Dana is also a member of the Robert H. Tannahill Society Estate Planning Council of the Detroit Institute of Arts and an avid volunteer for more than 25 years with Cornerstone Schools. He is a member and the founding president of The Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan and a member of the United Way of Michigan Alexis de Tocqueville Society and National Association of Charitable Gift Planners.

A second honoree was Leo Stevenson, senior resident director or wealth management for Merrill in the Wyandotte office. Leo manages $1 billion in assets and has trained more than 600 Merrill advisors nationwide on practice management.

Prior to joining Merrill more than 20 years ago, Leo was employed by a division of Molson Brewery. With an initial position held in the accounting department, he changed disciplines and ascended to the position of Director of National Account Sales and concluded his career as Vice President of International Marketing.

Leo is active in local community social activities including his role as Director of Focus Hope, The Wyandotte Downtown District Authority, finance committee member of a local parish and many philanthropic endeavors. Leo graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in finance.