William G. Droms, CFA

Co-Founder (Retired)

Bill was a co-founder of the firm and was a thought leader in investment analysis and management. Bill developed the Portfolio Allocation Scoring System, a risk tolerance questionnaire and asset allocation system first published in the 1984 Dow Jones-Irwin Mutual Fund Yearbook. He holds a Masters (MBA) and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder.

Prior to his retirement, in addition to the role he filled at Droms Strauss, he served as the Powers Professor of Finance in the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, where he taught finance and investments to undergraduate and MBA students. Bill has also been widely quoted on investment management topics in national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Money magazine.  For more than 25 years he was a frequent speaker on the topic of investments for numerous organizations.

Bill is a graduate of Brown University and earned his MBA and DBA degrees from George Washington University.

Bill Droms (“Droms”) is the co-founder of Droms Strauss Wealth Management. Droms is not a current owner, chairman, advisor, or an employee, is not currently affiliated with any other investment adviser or broker-dealer and does not render any investment advice on behalf of Droms Strauss Wealth Management. Droms Strauss Wealth Management does not provide any direct or indirect compensation to Droms for referrals or any testimonials about Droms Strauss Wealth Management. 

Publications:

• The Financial Analysts Journal
• Journal of Accountancy
• CPA Journal and Journal of Financial Planning

Books Authored or Edited by Bill Droms:

Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers, Fifth Edition, (with Jay Wright), (New York, NY: Basic Books, 2010).

Investment Fundamentals, (with Frederick Amling), (Forth Worth, TX: The Dryden Press, 1994).

Initiating and Managing a Global Investment Program, (editor), (Charlottesville, VA: Association for Investment Management and Research, 1991).

The Life Insurance Investment Advisor, (with Ben G. Baldwin), (Chicago, IL: Probus Publishing Company, 1988).

Asset Allocation for Individual Investors, (editor), (Homewood, IL: Dow Jones-Irwin/Institute for Chartered Financial Analysts, 1987).

The Dow Jones-Irwin Guide to Personal Financial Planning, Revised Edition, (with Frederick Amling), (Homewood, IL: Dow Jones-Irwin, 1986).

Personal Financial Management, Revised Edition (with Frederick Amling), (Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin, 1986).

The Dow Jones-Irwin Mutual Fund Yearbook, (Homewood, IL: Dow Jones-Irwin, 1984, 1985, 1986).

Anthony Z. Gennaoui, CFP^®

Managing Principal

Anthony’s journey in in the financial sector began with a decade-long tenure at Deutsche Bank and The Hartford, where he served as an ‘advisor to financial advisors’.  After joining Droms Strauss Wealth Management in 2013, he added to his financial services background with comprehensive training across various financial disciplines, including financial and estate planning, insurance, investments, taxes, employee benefits, and retirement planning.   In 2015, he earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.

In June 2016, Anthony’s commitment to Droms Strauss Wealth Management was recognized as he ascended to the role of shareholder and took his place on the firm’s management committee. His leadership extends to the Droms Strauss investment committee, helping to oversee the construction of client portfolios and the strategic selection of investments.

Anthony’s approach to client service is both personalized and goal-oriented. He meticulously crafts recommendations that align with each client’s aspirations and financial resources, helping form a path to their future objectives that is both effective and efficient.  

A proud alumnus of Miami University of Ohio with a Bachelor of Science in finance, Anthony’s zeal extends beyond the financial realm. He is a passionate supporter of St. Louis sports, an enthusiast of golf and skiing, coaches youth hockey, and cherishes the time spent with his family and friends.

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional

I am certified for financial planning services in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”). Therefore, I may refer to myself as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional or a CFP® professional, and I may use these and CFP Board’s other certification marks (the “CFP Board Certification Marks”). The CFP® certification is voluntary. No federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold the CFP® certification. You may find more information about the CFP® certification at www.CFP.net. 

CFP® professionals have met CFP Board’s high standards for education, examination, experience, and ethics. To become a CFP® professional, an individual must fulfill the following requirements:  

• • Education – Earn a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university and complete CFP Board-approved coursework at a college or university through a CFP Board Registered Program. The coursework covers the financial planning subject areas CFP Board has determined are necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, as well as a comprehensive financial plan development capstone course. A candidate may satisfy some of the coursework requirement through other qualifying credentials. CFP Board implemented the bachelor’s degree or higher requirement in 2007 and the financial planning development capstone course requirement in March 2012. Therefore, a CFP® professional who first became certified before those dates may not have earned a bachelor’s or higher degree or completed a financial planning development capstone course. 
  • Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination is designed to assess an individual’s ability to integrate and apply a broad base of financial planning knowledge in the context of real-life financial planning situations.  
  • Experience – Complete 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the personal financial planning process, or 4,000 hours of apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements.
  •  Ethics – Satisfy the Fitness Standards for Candidates for CFP® Certification and Former CFP® Professionals Seeking Reinstatement and agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (“Code and Standards”), which sets forth the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.  

Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements to remain certified and maintain the right to continue to use the CFP Board Certification Marks:

• • Ethics – Commit to complying with CFP Board’s Code and Standards. This includes a commitment to CFP Board, as part of the certification, to act as a fiduciary, and therefore, act in the best interests of the client, at all times when providing financial advice and financial planning. CFP Board may sanction a CFP® professional who does not abide by this commitment, but CFP Board does not guarantee a CFP® professional's services. A client who seeks a similar commitment should obtain a written engagement that includes a fiduciary obligation to the client.  
  • Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain competence, demonstrate specified levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and keep up with developments in financial planning. Two of the hours must address the Code and Standards.
    
    

Robert J. Hines, CFP^®

Wealth Advisor

Prior to joining the firm in 2007, Bob taught business and personal finance at the high school level and appreciates that he is still in a teaching role - by helping to educate clients in the various areas of financial planning.  In 2009, he became a designated CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP^®).  The designation comes with extensive training in financial planning, estate planning, insurance, investments, taxes, employee benefits and retirement planning.

Bob works closely with clients and his Droms Strauss colleagues through all phases of financial planning and investment management. He reviews and rebalances client portfolios to their target asset allocations and, together with other team members, Bob works to develop financial plans for Droms Strauss clients.

Bob obtained a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University and an MAT in Business Education from Lindenwood College.  A marathon runner, he enjoys hiking, camping and competitive kayaking.

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional

I am certified for financial planning services in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”). Therefore, I may refer to myself as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional or a CFP® professional, and I may use these and CFP Board’s other certification marks (the “CFP Board Certification Marks”). The CFP® certification is voluntary. No federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold the CFP® certification. You may find more information about the CFP® certification at www.CFP.net.

CFP® professionals have met CFP Board’s high standards for education, examination, experience, and ethics. To become a CFP® professional, an individual must fulfill the following requirements:

• Education – Earn a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university and complete CFP Board-approved coursework at a college or university through a CFP Board Registered Program. The coursework covers the financial planning subject areas CFP Board has determined are necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, as well as a comprehensive financial plan development capstone course. A candidate may satisfy some of the coursework requirement through other qualifying credentials. CFP Board implemented the bachelor’s degree or higher requirement in 2007 and the financial planning development capstone course requirement in March 2012. Therefore, a CFP® professional who first became certified before those dates may not have earned a bachelor’s or higher degree or completed a financial planning development capstone course.
• Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination is designed to assess an individual’s ability to integrate and apply a broad base of financial planning knowledge in the context of real-life financial planning situations.
• Experience – Complete 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the personal financial planning process, or 4,000 hours of apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements.
• Ethics – Satisfy the Fitness Standards for Candidates for CFP® Certification and Former CFP® Professionals Seeking Reinstatement and agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (“Code and Standards”), which sets forth the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.
  
  Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements to remain certified and maintain the right to continue to use the CFP Board Certification Marks:
   
• Ethics – Commit to complying with CFP Board’s Code and Standards. This includes a commitment to CFP Board, as part of the certification, to act as a fiduciary, and therefore, act in the best interests of the client, at all times when providing financial advice and financial planning. CFP Board may sanction a CFP® professional who does not abide by this commitment, but CFP Board does not guarantee a CFP® professional's services. A client who seeks a similar commitment should obtain a written engagement that includes a fiduciary obligation to the client.  
• Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain competence, demonstrate specified levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and keep up with developments in financial planning. Two of the hours must address the Code and Standards.

Michael S. Murphy

Wealth Advisor

Mike joined the firm in 2009, after 15 years of diverse experience in the financial services industry.   His extensive background in estate, financial and investment planning, combined with his own experience, adds a wealth of professional knowledge to the firm. 

He is highly effective in assisting both the current and next generations to develop long-term, family-focused, financial plans. Mike assists with running our portfolio rebalancing software and trading operations.

Mike earned a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Missouri-Rolla. Mike enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family. 

Jason S. Niemann, CFA

Principal

Jason joined Droms Strauss Wealth Management in 2019 with more than 15 years of financial markets experience. His career started with over 10 years of trading and underwriting fixed income securities at Fifth Third Bank. While at Fifth Third, Jason created a structured note platform which delivered customized strategies using notes to address client’s needs within the ever-changing landscape of the markets. He most recently worked as a portfolio manager, managing over $3 billion worth of assets for individual and institutional clients.

Jason heads up the Droms Strauss investment committee and is responsible for portfolio construction and fixed income and equity research.  He works closely with other members of the investment committee assisting in the firm’s investment management process. In 2022, Jason's commitment to the firm was recognized as he became a shareholder of Droms Strauss Wealth Management. In working with clients, Jason adds another dimension to the development of client portfolios drawing upon his experience over the past 20 years.

Jason graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of St. Louis. Born and raised in St. Louis, he lives in Kirkwood with his wife and 2 daughters.

No federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners or investment adviser representatives to receive a CFA® certification.

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter is a globally respected, graduate-level investment credential established in 1962 and awarded by CFA Institute — the largest global association of investment professionals.

There are currently more than 138,000 CFA charterholders working in 134 countries. To earn the CFA charter, candidates must: 1) pass three sequential, six-hour examinations; 2) have at least four years of qualified professional investment experience; 3) join CFA Institute as members; and 4) commit to abide by, and annually reaffirm, their adherence to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.

High Ethical Standards

The CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, enforced through an active professional conduct program, require CFA charterholders to:

• Place their clients’ interests ahead of their own

• Maintain independence and objectivity

• Act with integrity

• Maintain and improve their professional competence

• Disclose conflicts of interest and legal matters

Global Recognition

Passing the three CFA exams is a difficult feat that requires extensive study (successful candidates report spending an average of 300 hours of study per level). Earning the CFA charter demonstrates mastery of many of the advanced skills needed for investment analysis and decision making in today’s quickly evolving global financial industry. As a result, employers and clients are increasingly seeking CFA charterholders—often making the charter a prerequisite for employment.

Additionally, regulatory bodies in over 30 countries and territories recognize the CFA charter as a proxy for meeting certain licensing requirements, and more than 125 colleges and universities around the world have incorporated a majority of the CFA Program curriculum into their own finance courses.

Comprehensive and Current Knowledge

The CFA Program curriculum provides a comprehensive framework of knowledge for investment decision making and is firmly grounded in the knowledge and skills used every day in the investment profession. The three levels of the CFA Program test a proficiency with a wide range of fundamental and advanced investment topics, including ethical and professional standards, fixed-income and equity analysis, alternative and derivative investments, economics, financial reporting standards, portfolio management, and wealth planning.

The CFA Program curriculum is updated every year by experts from around the world to ensure that candidates learn the most relevant and practical new tools, ideas, and investment and wealth management skills to reflect the dynamic and complex nature of the profession.

To learn more about the CFA charter, visit www.cfainstitute.org

Rachel S. Rosen

Principal

Rachel joined Droms Strauss in 2008 after beginning her career with Wachovia Bank in New York.  As a client management associate, she provided private banking and wealth management services for high net worth investors.  Rachel became a shareholder in January 2018 and serves on the firm management committee.

Rachel holds a BA in Economics from Denison University.  She enjoys serving on the membership committee at the Saint Louis Club and previously served on the junior board of a St. Louis-based charity, Gateway to Hope.   She also volunteers her time serving on the Alumni Advisory Committee of the Pi Beta Phi sorority on the campus of Washington University.  Rachel is married and has a toddler son who keeps her busy when she is not at the office.

Steven N. Strauss, CPA/PFS

Co-Founder & Managing Principal

Together with Bill Droms, Steve co-founded the firm in 1995.  Steve began his career as a CPA and brings over 35 years of experience as a CPA to the Droms Strauss Wealth Management team.  Steve is especially proud of the fact that Droms Strauss, which began as a means to provide planning and investment management for a small group of friends and accounting firm clients, has, through referrals from Droms Strauss clients, grown to be an organization serving clients across the United States, the Middle East and Asia. He believes that Droms Strauss has grown, not due to a focus on the growth of the business, but instead, because the firm has always focused on providing the highest level of service and advice to our clients. 

For nearly two decades, Steve was an active member and innovator in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Personal Financial Planning Division.  In 1993, Steve co-developed a personal financial planning software, PFP Partner which for many years was widely used by CPAs in providing personal financial planning services.  Steve is a member and previously served as president of the All Star Financial Group, LLC, a national association of CPAs specializing in financial, tax and investment planning and management for high and ultra-high net worth individuals.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Missouri in Columbia and a Master of Science in taxation from DePaul University.  Steve has served on the Board of an Early Childhood Education organization and as Board President of his Temple.

Publications:

• Journal of Financial Planning
• The CPA Journal, The Planner
• Saint Louis Business Journal
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.