Blase J. Sparma

Managing Director/Investments; Branch Manager

[email protected]

9412185690

Blase has more than 20 years of financial industry experience and joined Stifel in 2020, having previously worked at Merrill Lynch for nearly 20 years in San Francisco, California, and Venice, Florida.  Today, Blase focuses on developing growth and risk mitigation strategies for individuals, hard-working families, and businesses.  He and his wife reside in Sarasota with their three children.

Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, Blase attended The Ohio State University, where he competed in baseball at the Division I level for the Buckeyes.  He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 Major League draft.

M. Stephen Long, Jr.

CIMA, CFP, CPWA,

CIMA, CFP, CPWA, CRPC

Managing Director/Investments

[email protected]

9412185689

Stephen brings more than 15 years of financial industry experience and a multi-generational component to the team.  After working at Merrill Lynch since 2004, he moved to Stifel in 2020.  Stephen was raised in Venice and now resides with his family in Sarasota.  He earned a B.S. from Florida State University.

Stephen obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ designation from the College for Financial Planning.  He currently serves as a board member of the Sarasota Police Foundation.

Brad Rippelmeyer

Senior Vice President/Investments

[email protected]

9412185691

Raised in the Midwest, Brad attended Kansas State University on a baseball scholarship.  In 1991, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves and spent six years in the organization.  After competing in the minor leagues, Brad coached for three years with the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

Since launching his career with Smith Barney (a unit of Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.) in 2000 and subsequently joining Stifel in 2020, Brad has worked closely with professional athletes and created strong relationships with affiliates of the MLB association.  Brad joined the Long, Sparma, & Long team in 2011 (now Harborside Wealth Advisory Group), providing the resources to deliver a more dynamic service model to this segment of the team’s client base.

Hampton Ballard

Vice President/Investments

[email protected]

9417248233

Hampton has more than five years of financial industry experience and joined the team in early 2015 at Merrill Lynch, before transferring with them to Stifel in 2020.  He is responsible for continually refining the team’s approach to deliver highly personalized communication, services, and strategies to clients.

Originally from Virginia, Hampton earned a B.B.A. in Marketing from Radford University.  Upon graduating, he spent five years competing as a professional golfer touring across America.  This experience has helped him appreciate the pressure facing professional athletes and the value of disciplined guidance.

Michael S. Long, Sr.

CIMA, CPWA

CIMA, CPWA

Senior Portfolio Analyst

9412185687

Michael joined Stifel in 2020, bringing more than 40 years of financial industry experience.  Prior to joining Stifel he worked at Merrill Lynch.  He holds the Series 7 securities license as well as Certified Investment Management Analyst^® and Certified Private Wealth Advisor^® designations.

Lin Lusk

Administrative Assistant to the Branch Manager

9412185693

Lin has worked with the team for more than 30 years. She is often the first point of contact for clients who have come to trust that she will handle their daily needs with personal care and the first-class service the team strives to deliver. Lin and her husband live in North Port.

Vonda Nicol

Senior Registered Client Service Associate

9412185695

Vonda has worked in the financial services industry for 25 years.  She is dedicated to client service and focuses primarily on serving the specialized account-related needs of Major and Minor League baseball players.  Vonda and her husband reside in Venice with their son.

Kristen S. Hurley

Senior Registered Client Service Associate

9417248231

Kristen began her financial services career in 2002 and joined the Long, Sparma, Long & Rippelmeyer team (now known as the Harborside Wealth Advisory Group) in 2014 after three years with Merrill Lynch in Wayzata, Minnesota.  Transferring with the team to Stifel in 2020, she focuses her attention on operational and administrative services and is committed to delivering a highly personalized client experience.  She and her husband live in Parrish.

Jackie Farrell-Grafton

Administrative Assistant to the Branch Manager

9412185696

Jackie is the newest member of the team as a legacy administrator from North Carolina.  With nearly 20 years of financial services experience, she is outstanding in aiding the team with time management and capacity constraints.  Jackie and her husband reside in Venice.