Meet Our Team

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Seasoned, Sound Guidance

For more than 35 years, our team has delivered customized solutions to address our clients’ unique needs. We are fiduciary asset managers who treat your money with the same care we give to our own money. We are committed to serving in your best interest because we want to see you achieve financial success.

Our Team

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Michael J. Gulish, CFP®

Founder & Financial Consultant

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Daniel J. Cain, CFP®

Financial Consultant

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Michael E. Messina, CFP®

Financial Consultant

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Stephen Gulish, CFP®, CPWA®

Financial Consultant

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Catherine Gulish

Client Service Associate

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Alicia Sisbarro

Client Service Associate

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Betty Bowerman

Client Service Associate

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Kelly Klass

Client Service Associate

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Judy Gulish

Accountant

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Michael J. Gulish, CFP®

Founder & Financial Consultant

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Mike received his bachelor’s degree in accountancy with honors from Bentley College. Not long after, he and his wife, Judy, began to dabble in investing in the stock market. It didn’t take long before they realized it was not as easy as it seemed. Together, they decided that Mike would work, short term, for an investment company so he could learn the ins and outs of financial planning and investing. What started as a personal quest for financial knowledge has turned into a career and a business with a focus on helping people achieve financial independence.

One of Mike’s greatest joys is watching clients reach their goals such as retiring or sending their children or grandchildren to college. Hearing from clients the impact that Gulish & Associates has had, not only on their finances but on their lives and those of their family, makes the long hours and hard work very gratifying.

Mike has been active in the community for many years. In addition to coaching youth basketball, he has volunteered in many capacities with local non-profits. Mike sits on the board of Communicare Inc. and he is currently the chairman of the BHcare Board of Directors.

Mike and Judy enjoy spending time with their son, Stephen, and his wife, Kristen, their daughter, Catherine, but most especially their grandson. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and traveling with Judy.

Mike is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. He is an Investment Adviser Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network® and holds his FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth and insurance licenses in multiple states. These financial certifications have allowed him to provide financial advice to individuals, families, and business owners to build personalized plans to pursue their unique financial goals. He specializes in retirement planning, including the accumulation of wealth and the tax- efficient distribution of income.

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Daniel J. Cain, CFP®

Financial Consultant

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Danny grew up in Massachusetts and developed a passion for sports at an early age, playing hockey, lacrosse, and golf. He learned a lot about leadership, adversity, success, failure, and being part of a team. All of these characteristics and skills have been instrumental in starting and building his career.

Helping people was instilled in Danny growing up and it’s a big motivator for him today. He is a financial consultant and shareholder at Gulish & Associates, making him a fourth-generation business owner in his family. Helping clients to understand and achieve their goals is very rewarding for Danny. He has been in the financial services industry for more than 15 years and has experience with other independent financial advisors.

Outside of the office, Danny enjoys spending time with his wife, Becca, and their sons, Jackson, Jacob, and Jameson. Coaching sports is one of the most fulfilling things he does. His boys are now the ones playing sports, although Danny enjoys an occasional golf game.

Danny graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance from Endicott College. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds his FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations with Commonwealth Financial Network®, as well as life, accident, and health insurance licenses.

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Michael E. Messina, CFP®

Financial Consultant

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Every child has aspirations of what they want to do when they grow up. Mike was no different. He wanted to be a pitcher for his favorite team, the New York Yankees. He would practice with his twin brother every day after school and on the weekends. On and off the field, Mike had a love for numbers. He enjoyed math, particularly statistics and probability, because it was like solving a puzzle and there was always a correct answer. Mike realized that there was a less than 1% chance of making the major leagues, so he pursued a math degree at Quinnipiac University. Soon after, he joined Gulish & Associates.

More than a decade after joining the firm, Mike uses his knowledge and analytical skills daily to construct portfolios and manage risk. It’s like solving a puzzle! Mike enjoys acquiring new skills and knowledge so he can adapt to the ever-changing financial climate. He also enjoys getting to know each client’s unique situation and using his problem-solving skills to find a solution for their financial concerns. Consistent with the Gulish & Associates philosophy, Mike educates his clients each step of the way.

When he’s not at work, Mike enjoys playing golf, being at the beach, and watching the Yankees. He also enjoys spending time with family and friends. A highlight of every year is his trip to Saratoga, New York for the Travers Stakes.

Mike is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds his FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations with Commonwealth Financial Network®, as well as life, accident, and health insurance licenses.

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Stephen Gulish, CFP®, CPWA®

Financial Consultant

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Stephen remembers spending many weekends as a child in the office watching movies and eating bagels while his dad was working. In high school and his early college years, he spent time working at a golf course where he would regularly run into clients that worked with his dad. They often had positive things to say about his dad, Mike, specifically how he always made decisions in their best interest and had helped them feel comfortable about retiring. Those conversations were the first times Stephen thought that being an advisor and helping people with their financial decisions could be very rewarding.

After graduating from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in finance, he joined Gulish & Associates as a registered assistant, supporting the advisors and providing client service. After getting his licenses, Stephen joined the Retirement Plan Services team at John Hancock as an internal sales consultant and spent three years supporting financial advisors and helping small business owners implement 401(k) plans. While there, the company had a big push towards financial wellness and education. That push really emphasized the lack of financial education as people progress through high school and college.

Stephen decided he wanted to be in a role where he could educate people to manage their finances, so getting back into financial advising was the natural fit. In 2019, he rejoined the team at Gulish & Associates and now spends his time working individually with clients to build financial plans that will guide them towards their individual goals. He also helps manage the retirement plan side of the business. He especially enjoys doing analysis on 401(k) and 403(b) plans and educating employees and employers about the benefits of participating in a retirement plan.

Away from the office, Stephen now spends his time chasing his toddler aged son around. While not doing that, he chases his two-year-old lab mix around. He also enjoys being outdoors and traveling with his wife, Kristen. Stephen is an avid sports fan, especially baseball and basketball. He is a huge Red Sox fan and spent three years in college working with the UConn women’s basketball team, including during their championship seasons of 2013 and 2014.

Stephen is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and CPWA® professional, holds his FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations with Commonwealth Financial Network®, as well as his life insurance license.

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Catherine Gulish

Client Service Associate

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You might say that Catherine has been a part of Gulish & Associates her entire life. Growing up, she had many opportunities to be in the office and help with general office work like filing and shredding. More importantly, she got to see the impact her dad and his team’s work had on people’s financial success and hear how thankful clients were for the help they had received.

After receiving her marketing degree from Stonehill College, Catherine lived in Massachusetts for several years working at a major office supply distributor in their marketing department. She eventually moved back to Connecticut and joined the family business where she has used her marketing skills to help develop the Gulish & Associates website and implement many other marketing strategies. Catherine is also assisting with customer service and is working to become an advisor so she can continue to help clients reach their financial goals.

Catherine enjoys meeting and getting to know new people. Traveling and spending time with family and friends are her favorite things to do when she is not working. One of Catherine’s highlights so far is the semester of college she studied abroad in Italy.

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Alicia Sisbarro

Client Service Associate

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Alicia came to Gulish & Associates after working in the marketing department of an advertising agency where she used her marketing degree from Springfield College. As the industry changed, she began to look for new opportunities to pursue. Her search led her to Gulish & Associates. Her outgoing personality and attention to detail are assets in her client service role. She is a friendly face to greet you when you arrive at the office and a pleasant voice on the phone to direct your call to the correct person, if she can’t help you herself. Alicia enjoys getting to know our clients personally, which allows us to better meet their needs.

Outside of the office, Alicia enjoys time with her three children and volunteering at their schools. She also enjoys exercising and traveling.

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Betty Bowerman

Client Service Associate

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Betty grew up in a large family of seven. Her parents encouraged her to be independent and work hard. At 18, she was working full time in the Purchasing Department at a hospital. While planning a wedding for one of her children, Betty was working in a customer service position at a manufacturing company, and the thought struck her that retirement was only about 15 years away. She and her husband went to a Commonwealth Financial planner and she ended up leaving with valuable information and a new job. She ended up working for that advisor as a Client Relations Manager for the next 8 years, before joining Gulish and Associates.

Betty has always enjoyed meeting and helping people. Customer service is something she takes seriously. Here at Gulish & Associates, she values the communication opportunities she has with our clients because she is able to get to know them personally and address their specific needs and questions. She wants people to feel the same financial security as she felt the day she walked into that advisor’s office.

When she’s not working, Betty enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, gardening and cooking. She is involved with her church and hosts a weekly Bible study. She plays pickleball and has begun to play in tournaments and teach the game to new players.

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Kelly Klass

Client Service Associate

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Kelly grew up in Philadelphia in a family of seven. She left the city and went to college in picturesque Briarcliff Manor, New York. She graduated with a degree in French and a minor in secondary education. After teaching middle school in Philadelphia for two years, Kelly realized that she loved to teach but not necessarily in a classroom setting. After marrying and moving to Connecticut, she took a job in the budget and MIS department at Norelco. Once she and her husband began their family, she became a full-time stay at home mom. When she went back to work, flexibility was key because her family had grown and the balancing act was tough.

Kelly worked for a tax accountant for 13 years doing customer service and data entry, as well as general office work. Those skills transferred nicely when she joined Gulish & Associates. She enjoys the variety of tasks given to her each day and assisting clients in any way she can.

Now her children are grown and she and her husband are looking forward to retirement in the not-too-distant future. Working at Gulish & Associates for the last several years has helped her see the necessary steps to take for retirement planning and wealth management.

When not in the office, Kelly enjoys spending time with her husband, Karl and their children, Branden, Morgan and Justin. She enjoys scrapbooking, playing pickleball, and watching football—especially the Philadelphia Eagles. She is also involved with her church and leads a weekly Bible study.

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Judy Gulish

Accountant

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After completing a degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting, Judy began her career on the audit staff of KPMG, earning her CPA certificate while she was there. Judy transitioned to private industry, accepting a job at Loctite Corporation, a multinational corporation. She worked in their corporate headquarters for five years as a senior financial analyst responsible for internal and external financial reporting. She later transferred to Loctite’s tax department.

As her husband, Mike, grew his business, the need for an internal accountant became apparent and Judy’s skill set fit the bill. She was happy to support Mike in his mission of building a business to help clients reach financial security by joining Gulish & Associates as the company’s accountant.

Judy is an active member, and past president, of the Derby Shelton Rotary Club. She values the volunteer opportunities and community involvement her membership there affords her. She also enjoys playing with her grandson, reading, and traveling.

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