Transitioning to Apella

Our Topsfield, MA office is spearheaded by James Barker. Since 1986, Jim has dedicated himself to one overriding goal: serving the needs of individuals and organizations who have accumulated wealth and are seeking assistance to focus these assets to become even more financially successful and meet their specific objectives. Jim earned the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations from the American College and a Retirement Plans Certification from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IABEPC) and the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds Associate Degrees from the University of Maine in Resource Business Management and Agriculture Technology. Jim expanded his background at Bentley College in Economics and Finance. He is a member of the Investment Management Consultants Association.

Doug received the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/Finance from the University of Idaho and a Certification in Financial Planning from Boston University. Prior to joining Apella Wealth, Mr. Huddleston held high-level management positions with global leaders in the technology industry.

Mary Ellen has worked in financial services for over 25 years. Prior to joining Apella, she was a Vice President in the Wealth Manager Services division at State Street Corporation, working with institutional money managers. While she gained valuable experience working for a large company, she found that she prefers the small firm atmosphere and the individual relationships she can build with her clients.

Mary Ellen focuses her work on helping other women – listening to their life stories, customizing financial plans, and building portfolios that help them reach their financial goals. Women’s financial circumstances can be impacted by many factors. They may outlive their spouse. They may have lower lifetime income due to spending time out of the workforce caring for children or aging family members. They may be impacted by divorce. Without proper planning, any of these life events can have a significant impact on savings and retirement lifestyle.

Over the course of her career, she has been incredibly fortunate to meet countless women who are making a difference every day in their personal and professional lives. Knowing she can make a difference for women by helping them plan for all of life’s stages and stay on track to meet their financial goals is what inspires her to do what she does.                                                

Mary Ellen holds both a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Bentley University. Outside the office, she enjoys cheering on her sons’ sports teams, reading, and being active in the community, including serving on the board of the school PTO.

Do you want to feel confident about your financial choices? Mary Ellen can help you set financial goals and make a plan to meet them.

Janet holds Associate Degrees in Law Enforcement and Human Services from the University of Maine, and previously held several positions in human service work.

Janet is an avid gardener who volunteers her time in her community helping to get feral cats spayed and neutered.