Paul C. Becht is an Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Innovative Retirement Associates. He has over 20 years in the financial industry and is known for his ability to help find the right retirement planning strategy for his clients. Paul enjoys striving to maximize retirement income while minimizing risk. He prides himself on being very honest with his advice and makes certain to educate clients so they understand important details before making a decision.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, Paul held senior positions for Prudential Life Insurance Company of America, Prudential Securities, Wachovia Securities and Wells Fargo Advisors. He earned the Five Star Wealth Manager in 2013, 2014, 2019, and 2020 as recognized in Milwaukee Magazine. Paul earned a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation in 2006.

Paul and his wife, Lianne have three grown children. They enjoy attending church, theater performances, and traveling, especially to visit family and friends in Vegas. They have participated in bowling and corn hole leagues. While they may not be professionals in either sport, they really like making light of their talent and building lasting memories with friends. They also enjoy the outdoors and look forward to pontoon rides, fishing, walks in the desert and taking in the beautiful scenery wherever they venture.

The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their client’s assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to fivestarprofessional.com.

1,092 Milwaukee area wealth managers were considered for the award; 172 (16 percent of candidates) were named 2020 Five Star Wealth Managers. 2019: 1,061 considered, 224 winners; 2018: 1,461 considered, 220 winners; 2017: 1,148 considered, 237 winners.; 2016: 923 considered, 370 winners; 2015: 1,329 considered, 430 winners; 2014: 1,744 considered, 397 winners; 2013: 2,672 considered, 524 winners; 2012: 1,291 considered, 303 winners.

CA Insurance License Number: OD74024. Resident State WI.

Lianne Becht has been a valuable “behind the scenes” resource to Innovative Retirement Associates. Lianne was instrumental in selecting, moving and organizing the West Bend office. She became an official member of our team in the fall of 2019. Lianne continues to be an important member in the growth and continued success of Innovative Retirement Associates.

Lianne was a computer programmer in her prior professional career. She chose to focus on family when her position was moved outside the state. Lianne continues to provide care and assistance to many family, friends, and neighbors as well as volunteering at her local church and American Legion Post 384.

Paul has always depended on Lianne to maintain the family schedule and manage the homestead while he was in the office or meeting with clients. Lianne is happy to work alongside Paul in the office just as they have throughout their lives together.

Rino Mancini is an Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Innovative Retirement Associates. He enjoys supporting clients with pre-retiree, retiree and wealth income planning. Rino makes certain every client understands and is involved in our retirement and estate planning strategies. He believes it is important to have a detailed approach to minimize overall risk in all retirement and legacy planning.   

Rino has been with Wells Fargo Advisors for more than 20 years and received the honor of Premier Advisor for six years running. The Premier Advisor distinction is held by a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network as measured by three or more of the following: length of service with the firm, completion of educational components, business production and professionalism.

Rino holds a B.A. in Finance from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and a Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) designation from American College.  

Outside of his professional career, Rino, his wife and their twins are the ultimate Chicago sports fans and avid soccer enthusiasts. He enjoys a nice round of golf, travelling and visiting his Italian family whenever he has time. 

CA Insurance License Number: 2042645. Resident State IL.

Gene Becker is an Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Innovative Retirement Associates. Gene entered the financial services industry over 35 years ago. He has been involved in virtually all phases of the business, from operational, customer support, training and management. He has seen the evolution of the IRA and 401K pension plans.

Gene specializes in strategic retirement planning. His ability to listen carefully to his client’s needs helps him develop a customized plan. This plan becomes a roadmap which can be used to evaluate progress over time. It allows for changes when necessary, but does involve scheduled reviews and updates with the client.

He is a history buff in his spare time and also loves healthy political dialogue. He reads various periodicals and closely monitors any potential changes affecting retirement and Medicare.

Prior to Wells Fargo Advisors, Gene worked for Prudential Securities and a boutique investment firm in downtown Chicago.

Jessica Basta is a Senior Client Associate at Innovative Retirement Associates. Prior to Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, she was a Manager with an emphasis on customer service at a major retail firm. She has a keen eye for detail and will be involved in all aspects of the client operational experience. Her prior work history has helped prepare her for her role at Innovative Retirement Associates. Management has received numerous compliments from clients in regard to her knowledge, expertise and pleasant demeanor.

In her free time Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband Greg and daughter Callie. She leads an active lifestyle and visits her local health club when she can.

Steve Romagna, CFP®, is the Executive Vice President of Romagna Wealth Management Group of Innovative Retirement Associates. As a financial advisor for over 25 years, he enjoys serving each of his clients’ unique needs and helping them succeed financially. Steve’s passion is employing a process that allows his clients clearly to articulate their goals and implement a customized plan to pursue them. He takes pride in helping clients plan their retirement and being a resource for all their retirement questions, concerns or uncertainties.

After graduating from UW-Madison in 1996, Steve started his career with Prudential Securities. After several years of learning the ins and outs of financial advising, he wanted to provide even more for his clients and their interests, so he launched Romagna Wealth Management Group in 2014.

In 2012, Steve earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation, which is awarded only to those who complete a rigorous course of study and abide by a strict code of ethics to maintain their technical competency. He was also named Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor for 2020 and 2021*.

Outside of the office, Steve is very passionate about his family. He can usually be found coaching or volunteering for one of his four children’s schools, hockey rink, baseball diamond or football field. The Romagna family also regularly travels to Cocoa Beach, Florida, to visit family.

Steve’s hard work and discipline also transfer over to his life outside of work. Knowing how important it is to maintain a healthy work/life balance, Steve and his wife, Jennifer, bike and run the hills near their Richfield home. Steve particularly enjoys working out in the morning before heading to work or training for his next triathlon (having completed his first in 2013). He also enjoys playing basketball, woodworking or making an authentic southern BBQ to share with friends and family.

A life-long resident of the Milwaukee area, Steve believes it is essential to give back to the local community. He has volunteered for the Education Foundation of Wauwatosa and the Brookfield Jaycees.

*The Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors ranking algorithm is based on industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. Investment performance is not a criterion.

Cathleen Ristau brings over 20 years of outstanding client service to Romagna Wealth Management Group. She is a hard-working individual who truly enjoys speaking with clients and getting to know them personally. Cathleen prides herself on delivering the best service for her clients and always leaves a smile on their faces.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cathleen started her career in retail management. She trained people in providing the best customer service possible. She was able to carry these skills over to Prudential Securities in 1997 as a Branch Administrator. Being a client associate for over a decade now, Cathleen knows everything from HR duties, compliance, operations and more!

Outside of the office, Cathleen is a social butterfly. She enjoys everything water and sunshine, such as taking a jet ski or pontoon ride with her family. She also loves to vacation with her husband at their condo in Indian Shores, Florida, or invite friends and family to their seasonal cottage on a lake nearby their home.

In the cold, Wisconsin winters, Cathleen enjoys completing projects around the house, such as refinishing tables and cabinets or doing small home remodeling projects.

A fun fact about Cathleen is that she loves to listen to senior citizens’ stories and memories! Their experiences and adventures are always fascinating to hear.