Mike Prior
Mike Prior is the founder and managing partner of Priority Financial Group. In addition to over 25 years of experience in the securities industry, he brings dedicated expertise in helping financial advisors and financial institutions reach their unique goals. Prior to PFG, Mike earned a B.A. in Management and held progressive management roles for American Express TRS.
Mike is passionate about consulting and bringing the Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and broker/dealer platforms to financial institutions and financial advisors. He earned the Certified Innovation Executive (CIE) certificate from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and the CUES Strategic Innovation Institute in 2017.
He is a recognized industry expert and sought-after speaker, helping financial institutions adopt and implement a best practices approach to building successful investment services programs. Mike is a member of the NACUSO Financial Services Advisory Board and a member of the Securities America Executive Advisory Council. He enjoys spending quality time with his family, reading, following his favorite sports teams, and traveling internationally.
Mike Melby
Michael Melby is Chief Investment Officer for PFG. He attained this position upon the recent merger of his company, CUE Financial Group with PFG.
Michael was in charge of CUE Financial Group’s successful broker/dealer for over 15 years and subsequently served as Chief Investment Officer for a San Jose, California-based broker/dealer which managed approximately $5 billion in client assets. He was, and still is today, responsible for vetting and overseeing the investment policies, strategies, and services of all CUE Financial Group and PFG Financial Advisors.
Throughout his 35-year career, Michael has concentrated his effort on educating his clients on the discipline of investing and his personally coined mantra is, “Successful investing is the constant need to replace fear and greed with perspective, context, and patience.”
An accomplished speaker and educational presenter, Michael has participated in a variety of public and professional forums. He enjoys sharing his ideas and expertise and does so with zeal and a touch of humor that leaves his clients, colleagues, and audiences entertained as well as insightfully informed.
Michael is a Financial and Operations Principal, General Securities Principal, and Municipal Securities Principal and is licensed to conduct business in 46 states. He is also an IAR with the Priority Financial Group Advisors.
He is an avid reader of all things relating to current and historical markets and economics. Michael can also be found cheering on the ASU basketball team, or watching the Phoenix Suns.
Susi Bennett
Susi joined PFG as Chief Operating Officer in 2017 and leads the operations teams, which include learning and development, accounting and finance, human resources, as well as project management. Susi embraces positive transformational change throughout the organization from technology solutions to process improvement to communication strategies.
Susi has worked in the financial services industry for more than 30 years. Prior to joining PFG, she was the Chief Operating Officer for Desert Financial, a multi-faceted Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) $4.2B financial institution. Susi’s leadership experience spans the range from sales management, lending, learning, and development to estate planning, insurance, and wealth management.
Susi holds the FINRA Series 7, NASAA Series 66 licenses, as well as Life/Health Insurance and Property/Casualty Insurance licenses. She earned a BA from Grand Canyon University with an emphasis in business management. Susi and her husband of thirty years have two adult children and two grandchildren. When not working, Susi enjoys spending time with family.
Justin Jolly
Justin is the Chief Compliance Officer for Priority Financial Group. Justin is responsible for the supervision of the RIA which includes account oversight, onsite examination, policy and procedure development, and project management for new advisor tools and product offerings. Justin uses a collaborative approach with advisors and the rest of the PFG Team to foster an environment where people can be empowered to grow the business in an ethical and profitable manner.
Justin has been in the financial industry since 2006. He spent his first five years in the industry as a rep for Chase and for a local Arizona credit union. This experience as an advisor has helped him understand the challenges and pitfalls advisors face and has helped to inform his approach to supervision and compliance.
Justin holds Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 licenses, as well as Life/Health and Variable Lines Insurance license.
Justin and his wife have three young children. He graduated from Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina and is an avid Tar Heels fan. When not working, he enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and camping, and following the NBA and Premier League Soccer. Justin also enjoys playing guitar.
Michael Villanueva
Michael’s professional focus has been helping financial advisors deliver an exceptional client experience. He has always believed that “The Client’s Financial Dreams and Goals are the Priority!” Michael is passionate about putting the client’s needs first and delivering a comprehensive goals-based approach to wealth management.
Michael has more than 29 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Priority Financial Group, he had a successful track record of building top-performing teams at Fortune 500 and regional firms.
Michael is a graduate of UCLA and has over 10 industry licenses and designations. He is actively involved in his local community and has participated on the board of charities and non-profit organizations.
In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. He also enjoys outdoor sports and walking “Bear” the family dog.
Sara Baker
Sara brings over 40 years of industry experience to her role as Vice President, National Director of Training and Onboarding. In this role, Sara provides personalized one-on-one training with all new and existing advisors on all technology platforms. In addition to training, she has helped many Financial Institutions with the complex process of transitioning from one broker-dealer to another. She prides herself and her team in providing the best onboarding, transition, and training experience through her hands-on approach.
Sara holds her Series 7,6,63, 65 and Life/Health registrations with Securities America. She has a vast amount of knowledge in the Banking and Investment industry. She has worked with small community banks as well as larger financial institutions such as Chase Bank and BMO Harris. Since 2006 she has been working with Priority Financial Group helping its tremendous growth over the past two decades.
When not working, Sara enjoys her family time with her husband of 38 years. Sara and Mike have been blessed with two adult sons, two grandsons and daughter-in-law. They are fortunate that their family is close by and they get to spend many free hours watching their grandsons grow up. Sara’s passion is traveling and experiencing the underwater world through Scuba Diving.
Viviana Bigolin
Viviana has over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry and holds her Series 7, 66, and California Life and Health Insurance Licenses. She brings a unique level of sales leadership experience to her role as Vice President of Relationship Management, from both Retail Banking and Wealth Management Divisions. She was responsible for managing client relationships, with a primary focus on holistic financial planning and advice. Viviana earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance after attending the University of Miami and Cal State University, San Bernardino. Due to her drive to expand her expertise and have a deeper impact on her teams’ success, she is currently working towards obtaining her Personal Financial Planning Certificate from UCLA.
Her main focus at PFG is to work closely with Credit Union Executives throughout the Pacific Northwest and California, along with her teams of highly motivated and trusted Financial Advisors and Sales Assistants, to provide quality advice to all of the members in the communities they serve.
Viviana proudly serves our country as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy Reserves based out of San Diego, CA. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family exploring all the great things San Diego has to offer, as well as giving back to military families by volunteering her time with the USO.
Doug Wilkinson
Doug has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and holds his Series 7, 66, 24 and AZ Life and Health Insurance Licenses. He brings a unique level of sales leadership to his role as Onboarding Specialist / Relationship Manager from both retail banking and wealth management divisions. He was responsible for spearheading a licensed banker development program in four states as well as supporting 10 bank district managers for sales excellence. Doug earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of Arizona. He has a successful tenure building strong relationships and helping clients and advisors achieve their financial goals.
His main focus at PFG is onboarding and training new employees as well as working closely with credit union executives across the United States. Doug works with highly motivated and trusted financial advisors and sales assistants to provide quality advice to all the members in the communities they serve.
Doug spends time with family and friends exploring all the great things Phoenix has to offer, as well as, hiking, traveling, and other hobbies.
Ramona Maior, CFP®
Ramona is deeply committed to serving others and making a positive impact on her community. Her passion for advocating financial literacy and education stems from her belief that empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions can truly transform their lives.
Ramona has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry specializing in Wealth Management and Financial Planning. Her designations of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional as well Series 7, 63, and 65, and the Arizona State Life & Health Insurance license equip her with the knowledge to support Financial Advisors and Wealth Management partners to provide quality advice to members in the communities they serve.
As an Adjunct Professor at Grand Canyon University, and Communications Leader at the Greater Phoenix Financial Planning Association, Ramona has the privilege of actively promoting financial education.
Ramona is a United States Navy Veteran, serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom where she earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
In her free time, Ramona enjoys spending time with her family and friends and hiking with her Blue Heeler.