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Peter J. Brent, EA, CFP®
President
Pete graduated from Boston College with a BA in economics and finance and enjoyed a successful career as a high school business education teacher. While teaching, he started a small, home-based income tax practice, which became the foundation for Brent Financial Group. From its humble roots, the business has evolved into its current format of a full-service, client-centered financial consulting and wealth management firm.
Pete's credentials include FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities registrations (held through Commonwealth Financial Network®) and life insurance licenses. He became an IRS Enrolled Agent in 1977, earned his CFP® certification in 1986, and completed graduate work in taxation at Pace University.
Pete loves living in New York's Hudson Valley with its many beautiful and historic sites to explore. He and his wife, Christina, are avid travelers, but they also enjoy relaxing at home with a good book. He has always been passionate about baseball, particularly his New York Yankees. Pete has a long history of involvement in the community. He currently serves on the board of trustees for the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, and he continues his 20+ year involvement with the Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley Chapter.
Peter Brent is proud to have been recognized as a Founder’s Club advisor for 2021—a distinction based on annual production that places him among the top 37 percent of advisors affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network.
Each year, Commonwealth, the firm we partner with to help us better serve you, recognizes Founder’s Club advisors by inviting them to an exclusive gathering of their peers, leading industry experts, and Commonwealth home office staff. Founder’s Club advisors benefit from an intensive learning and networking experience designed to help them hone their expertise, share best practices, and provide ever-higher levels of service, education, and leadership.
Laurie Brent Schiavone, CFP®
Vice President
Laurie is a 1985 graduate of Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania, where she majored in economics and minored in statistics. She joined Brent Financial Group in 1989 and has been a registered representative of Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, since 1992. Laurie is involved in all areas of the practice. Her credentials include FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities registrations (held through Commonwealth Financial Network), life insurance licenses, and the CFP® certification.
Laurie lives in Poughkeepsie, New York, with her husband, Frank. They have four sons—Maxwell, Garrett, Jacob, and Nathan. Her family has a community ministry, Jane's Grace, which started from Laurie's volunteer time with a local domestic violence shelter. Active members of their gospel church, they have made serving others a priority as a family.
Rosemarie (Ro) Cummings
Office Manager
Rosemarie joined Brent Financial Group in May 2017, bringing her extensive experience in the legal, insurance, and real estate industries. "Ro" is a retired freelance professional court reporter who covered from Southern Westchester to the Sullivan County line. She has worked as a legal assistant for a local town justice, a New York state independent insurance agent, and a real estate salesperson. She enjoyed working part-time as a Weight Watchers Leader, having received its most prestigious award for coaching the most members to their lifetime goals, and is an active member of the Wappingers Ladies Auxiliary.
Ro and her husband have seven children between them, with their youngest still living at home in Wappingers Falls. They share a passion for the Yankees, as well as buying, selling, renovating, renting, and flipping real estate—in 2020, they finished their 13th renovation project. Other activities include enjoying the beach, gardening, cooking, mastering gluten-free living, her many pets, entertaining family and friends, and being an active participant in fundraisers.
Emily Oakhill
Administrative Assistant
Emily joined Brent Financial Group in 2010 as an assistant to Pete and Laurie and helps run the financial planning side of the business with Kim. She holds a degree in history from Pace University, and her career path includes archivist, dressmaker, museum docent, and fabric conservator.
Emily lives in the town of Poughkeepsie with her husband, Harold. Weekends find the house full of four children and their families, which include four perfect grandchildren.
Emily and Harold volunteer with the American Field Service and include seven international students as part of their extended family. Emily enjoys quilting, furniture refinishing, and watching classic American musical films.
Liz Ruiz-DeFalco
Administrative Assistant
Liz has worked in the private banking division for one of the top financial organizations in New York as supervisor of operations, in its economic development loan processing unit, and later as a relationship officer for private banking clients.
Liz holds a degree in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University, a certificate in finance management from Baruch College, completed basic transformative mediation training, and assisted the Dutchess County community with mediation services as it turned “conflict into conversation.” In addition to using her bilingual skills to facilitate that process and extend services throughout the community, she also provided bilingual support to the city of Poughkeepsie’s Latino community while working as an appointed official in the Mayor’s Office, tasked with aiding in the efficient administration of ordinances, policies, and procedures, as well as, addressing constituent complaints.
Liz takes pride in actively involving herself within the community and continues to volunteer extensively in her children’s schools, her place of worship, and other non-profit and outreach organizations. In her time off, she also ventures off to local music venues, wineries, and quaint towns to explore all that the Hudson Valley has to offer.