Our team brings with it a rich base of practical and academic experience in finance, accounting, management, and technology, giving us a unique background upon which to build intelligent and relevant solutions to meet your financial needs in the ever more complicated world of today.
With a MBA from Boston University and over 25 years in the financial and insurance industry, Christine has successfully helped many clients to prudently accumulate wealth while in their working years, to happily live on that wealth in their retirement years, and eventually to effectively pass that wealth on to their chosen heirs without unduly enriching the government.
As a former Army paratrooper who reached the rank of Captain and served in several critical staff positions, Christine is used to helping people plan and make informed decisions. But as a mother of six and a business owner in the Mohawk Valley, Christine also knows the way that life can throw an unexpected curveball to upset the best-intended plans. For both of these reasons, Christine prides herself on helping clients to create realistic paths to achieving their financial dreams.
Even though she grew up on a beef farm in Upstate New York, Christine began her financial industry career in Boston at the Bank of New England in 1988 before relocating back to Central New York in 1994, where she worked with Fleet National Bank, the Herkimer County Trust, Savings Bank of Utica and Partners Trust in capacities ranging from operations to branch manager to investment representative. In 2007 she joined Cadaret, Grant as an independent financial advisor.
Christine is actively involved in the community: she serves in the Little Falls Rotary Club, she is the organizer of the annual Christmas in Little Falls festival, a founding member of both Main Street First and the Think Local Little Falls Committee, and the organizer of the Little Falls Community Garden. She supports her children in sports, and has coached numerous community soccer teams and softball teams. Christine also enjoys bicycling, sailing and running, and she completed her first Boilermaker 15K Road Race in 2010. View Christine's Resume.
David Van Meter, MS Acc, PhD, CFP®, EA
After growing up in Las Vegas, David served his country as an Army intelligence officer with the 101st Airborne Division, and then earned a M.S. in Accountancy from SUNY-IT and a Ph.D. in History from Boston University while choosing to settle in Little Falls, New York, to raise his six children in a friendly, small town environment.
As an author of numerous books on the history of money, with a particular focus on ancient Greek and Roman coinages, for over twenty-five years David has studied and written about the development of wealth, fiscal policies and taxation. He has researched exactly what determines value over the short and long terms, in many different types of economic conditions. Believing that history does in fact repeat itself on a regular basis, David uses his knowledge to help clients identify and find the financial stability they need, and stop yo-yoing between the latest "hot" financial products and fads.
David, who is an Enrolled Agent licensed to practice before the IRS, also heads up the income tax preparation work at Van Meter & Van Meter, LLC. As our nation's tax code grows more complex and less predictable seemingly every year, many of our clients take comfort in turning to David for professional and ethical assistance in planning and preparing their income tax returns.
David believes strongly in community development, and at one point he took several years off to serve as a VISTA Volunteer in the inner city of Utica where he helped found a hospice for terminally-ill AIDS victims. Lately his community involvement has been much less dramatic, ranging from the Little Falls Rotary Club to teaching Sunday School, and he has served on numerous civic, faith-based and municipal boards to include the Abraham House, the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, the Friends of the Herkimer Home, and the City of Little Falls Planning Board. Dave's hobbies include bicycling, sailing, weight-lifting, and classic role-playing and strategy games. View David's Resume.
Luke Van Meter, EA
A native of the Mohwak Valley, Luke grew up watching his parents help their neighbors with their financial future. Indeed, when Christine and David Van Meter opened the Little Falls office back in 2007, Luke had just started 5th grade in Mrs. Smith's class at Benton Hall Academy! Luke has always had a love of finance, and he interned at Van Meter & Van Meter during the summers while in college. With a degree in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, Luke excels at the advanced mathematics that power modern portfolio theory, and he has a compassionate heart for service, both of which make him uniquely suited to a career in financial services.
Luke believes strongly in community service, and is a member of the Mohawk Valley Rotary Club. As a volunteer assisting the City of Little Falls Planning Board, Luke played a major role in the development of a new Comprehensive Plan for the city by designing a community survey, collecting and analyzing data, and assisting to organize public meetings. He also worked as a volunteer with the City of Little Falls Tourism Committee to collect and analyze data on the effectiveness of a Market NY grant made by the State of New York.
Luke is an avid cinephile, with an especial love of quirky foreign sci-fi and horror films, and he relishes playing board games and card games with his friends and family. Luke enjoys sailing his Sunfish class sailboat on Piseco Lake, as well as bicycling and kayaking in the Adirondacks.
Deborah A. Riley, MSA, CPA
Originally from Long Island, New York, Debbie moved to Canajoharie with her husband and three sons in 2000. She graduated with high honors from Sienna College with a M.S. in Accountancy in 2012 and earned her CPA license in January of 2014.
Debbie began her accounting career at an Albany area CPA firm, and then had the opportunity to acquire the practice of a local CPA when he retired. Debbie set up her CPA office in Canajoharie, and she has enjoyed five years of watching this practice grow. Debbie has built trusted working relationships with local businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organizations. She provides a variety of quality services, including tax preparation, compilation of financial statements, and transition to QuickBooks computerized bookkeeping services.
As an adjunct professor of accounting at Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Debbie gained the experience necessary to share her love of teaching with her neighbors. Clients have told Debbie that her personal touch is a rarity in today's cyber age. They genuinely appreciate the time and interest she invests in helping them see the "big picture" as they consider the tax consequences and other considerations before making major decisions.
Brandon Loren, EA
An Enrolled Agent (EA) licensed by the Treasury Department to practice before the IRS, Brandon brings over ten years of experience in tax preparation and accounting to Team Van Meter.
Raised in the Mohawk Valley, Brandon graduated from Poland High School, and also earned the rank of Eagle Scout with a service project of creating a searchable map and database of the historic Poland Cemetery. Brandon earned his associate degree from HCCC, and his bachelor of science in accounting from SUNY-IT.
Outside of work, Brandon is an EMT and serves in the Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Brandon also serves as a Notary Public.
Zachary Bowerman
Born and raised in Canajoharie, Zach joined Team Van Meter with extensive accounting experience at a major regional wholesaler, and now works with us in portfolio management and tax preparation.
After graduating from SUNY-Cobleskill with a BA in Business Administration, Zach earned his master's degree in accounting program at SUNY-Poly.
In his spare time Zach enjoys outdoor activities such as waterskiing and especially GOLF. In fact, Zach has worked as an assistant pro at the Canajoharie Country Club, and in outside services at Leatherstocking where he met a number of well-known baseball legends.
Daniel Van Meter, EA
After growing up in Little Falls and graduating from Notre Dame High School where he was active in the NJROTC program, Dan earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from Siena College.
Dan has a particular interest in tax accounting, and he is an Enrolled Agent (EA) licensed by the Treasury Department to practice before the IRS.
When not working or studying for his master's degree, Dan enjoys outdoor sports such as sailing his sunfish-class sail boat, hiking and biking in the Adirondacks, and kayaking. He is an avid artist as well, with a passion for writing fiction, painting and drawing, and theater.
Craig Bedard
Hailing originally from Attleboro, Massachusetts, Craig joined the Army after high school and went the distance, retiring as a Staff Sergeant after a 21-year career.
Most of Craig’s Army time was spent in the Infantry with the 101st Airborne Division, and he completed eleven combat tours. Since retiring, family brought Craig and his wife to the Mohawk Valley, and they now live in Canajoharie.
Craig is an avid outdoorsman, and he has 5 children and 9 grandchildren.
Amanda Guilfoyle
An alumna of Owen D. Young in Van Hornesville, Amanda graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a degree in Business and from Kaplan University with a degree in Healthcare Administration.
Amanda brings deep experience in entrepreneurship to the team as the owner and operator of her own service business.
When not working, Amanda and her family enjoy school sports, hiking and camping in the Adirondacks, and traveling to different beach locations throughout America.
Danielle Johnson
A native of the Mohawk Valley, Danielle was born and raised in Ilion, where she still lives with her husband and three children. Danielle graduated from Ilion High School, and attended Elim Bible Institute in Lima, New York.
Over the course of her career, Danielle has developed a rich background in medical accounting and automated accounting systems.
An avid traveler, Danielle enjoys visiting the beaches in the South, to include Myrtle Beach and Wrightville Beach. She also spends time hiking in the Adirondacks, walking, baking, shopping, and supporting her children’s sports.
Tracy Bedard
After growing up in Richfield Springs and then moving to Fort Plain as a teenager, Tracy now lives in Canajoharie, where she enjoys spending time with her five children and nine grandchildren.
Tracy brings a wealth of experience in customer service, and you may find her easy smile and positive outlook on life to be ... catching. In a great way of course!
Outside of work, Tracy enjoys reading paranormal romance novels. She also has a passion for woodworking, and for outdoor activities to include hunting and fishing.
Please do not hesitate to call us, email us, or drop us a letter! We look forward to hearing from you: