John L. Jenkins, AEP®, CFP®, BPC
Chairman &
Senior Financial Adviser
Gregory R. Banner, CFP®, CLU®, CRTP
Chief Executive Officer &
Senior Financial Adviser
Monica Szakos Cramer, CFP®, CEPA, BFA
President &
Senior Financial Adviser
Tim Figueroa
Investment Adviser
Patty Stewart
Investment Adviser
John L. Jenkins, AEP®, CFP®, BPC
Chairman &
Senior Financial Adviser
John Jenkins founded Asset Preservation Strategies and has dedicated his life to wealth management and financial services. Beginning his career in 1981, John has over four decades of vast experience. Curating a team of esteemed professionals with unparalleled expertise, John feels grateful to offer a comprehensive suite of services to his clientele, who value the first class care, strategy, and education for which Asset Preservation Strategies is known. Earning a service first reputation, John assists clients in being effective stewards of their wealth. Operating always with the highest level of integrity, John puts the client at the heart of every decision. He feels privileged to work with multi-generational clients, helping them create and preserve legacies. John is personally passionate about the legacy of Asset Preservation Strategies and serves as the organization’s visionary to assist the firm in consistent evolution. Through his systematic and relationship driven approach, John has been able to see clients realize their financial dreams and goals.
Living with passion and purpose, John is an avid cyclist outside the office. He regularly participates in cycling events to raise funds and awareness for organizations such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. As a two-time Lymphoma survivor, John’s warrior spirit has been an inspiration to many. He is a true servant leader and is devoted to making a difference in the lives of others.
John is a Certified Financial Planner® and has completed the Advanced Wealth Strategist Planner Program, allowing him to be endowed as a full Fellow of the Southern California Institute. Additionally, he is a Certified Agent for the California Partnership for Long Term Care and holds the Accredited Estate Planner designation. John completed five years of service on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Chapter of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the Board of the San Diego Estate Planning Council. Today, he is proudly serving as a member of the Estates and Trusts Committee for Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation.
John is the proud father of four children and a grandfather to eight granddaughters and one grandson. His close-knit family members all reside in San Diego County. In his spare time, John plays guitar and sings, on occasion professionally. He enjoys movies, cycling, and culinary pursuits. He serves as Vice President on the board of advisors at his church.
Gregory R. Banner, CFP®, CLU®, CRTP
Chief Executive Officer &
Senior Financial Adviser
Greg Banner brings over three decades of experience as a Certified Financial Planner® to Asset Preservation Strategies. He specializes in working collaboratively with high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, providing comprehensive planning services including: family office services, business growth strategies, business exit strategies, asset management, retirement planning, tax reduction strategies, insurance, estate planning strategies, and asset protection for both individuals and businesses. Greg is passionate about using his unparalleled industry knowledge, connections and resources to help individuals get more out of their lives. His dedication to serving others is rooted in the relationships he builds with clients, and his commitment to putting others first. Greg helps quarterback planning, protecting and investing efforts so that his clientele can build generational wealth with intention and thrive. This has resulted in a variety of situations where he has been called upon to act as a family CFO. He has also developed a unique niche in working with real estate developers, and with private equity and alternative investments to create varied income strategies.
Additionally, Greg shares his expertise with other industry professionals, both locally and nationally, through various speaking engagements and training opportunities with organizations such as IMN Family Office Network, Business Enterprise Institute, Exit Planning Institute, Southern California Institute, Founders Group, and Laureate Wealth Strategies.
Outside of his wealth management practice, Greg was a professional sports photographer for many years. He was an official photographer for the NFL, Getty images, and several trading card companies and magazines, with his work published in global sports magazines and advertisements. Greg is still an active professional photographer shooting nature and air to air warbird aviation to keep his life energized. He is also a committed member of his church, and believes in serving his community so he can create opportunities for others to build their wealth so they can make a difference in both the community and the world.
Greg is an Investment Advisor Representative with Axxcess Wealth Management, LLC and is licensed as an insurance broker. He holds a California Registered Tax Preparer (CRTP) license and is authorized to provide tax advice and recommend tax planning strategies. Additionally, Greg is Real Estate licensed, which adds an integral layer to his real estate expertise.
Monica Szakos Cramer, CFP®, CEPA, BFA
President &
Senior Financial Adviser
As President and Senior Financial Adviser at Asset Preservation Strategies, Inc., Monica’s philosophy centers around the belief that wealth development encompasses more than financial means. She believes in empowering her devoted clientele through education, so they are equipped to make strategic and intentional wealth management choices that build a meaningful financial foundation.
Serving as trusted counsel to her clients, Monica’s relationship driven approach allows for honest, supportive, and constructive conversation. This partnership approach has allowed her to effectively guide her clients along their paths to financial freedom. Monica’s greatest goal is to serve her clientele with excellence so that together, real, tangible impact can be created in her clientele’s lives. Throughout market ebbs and flows, Monica is able to draw upon her advanced training and experience in order to remove emotions and make way for effective decision making. With an innate ability to address complex situations while breaking them down into digestible components for her clients, Monica is dedicated to keeping her clients’ goals at the heart of every decision.
A proud second-generation Hungarian, Monica has a profound respect for her heritage. She travels to Europe when she can. In her spare time, she enjoys working on home renovation projects with her family and spoiling her French bulldog, Birdie. Monica also invests time into discovering homesteading best practices and homeopathic remedies for optimal health, healing and self-sufficient living. Passionate about supporting the community and animal rights causes, Monica is an advocate and avid supporter of organizations, such as the Helen Woodward Animal Center and FACE Foundation. Additionally, she is dedicated to serving on the Estate & Trust Planning Council for Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Monica is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Behavioral Financial Advisor and Certified Financial Fiduciary. Additionally, she has completed the Advanced Wealth Strategist Planner Program and is endowed as a full Fellow of the Southern California Institute. Monica joined the Asset Preservation Strategies, Inc., team in 2011. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of San Diego with a Real Estate emphasis and a minor in Accountancy. In her current role with Asset Preservation Strategies, Inc., Monica is responsible for the investment research and analysis for the firm’s customized portfolios. She also manages team development and oversees compliance and daily operations while cultivating new clientele.
Tim Figueroa
Investment Adviser
Tim Figueroa joined Asset Preservation Strategies as an Investment Adviser. He was born and raised in beautiful Santa Barbara, California and is a Fifth generation Santa Barbarian. Tim attended Bishop Garcia Diego High School, and went on to graduate Cum Laude and earn a B.S.B.A. Degree in Finance from Suffolk University in downtown Boston. While attending college full-time, Tim obtained his Real Estate license and worked in the Real Estate industry as well as several finance internships over the summers. Prior to joining Asset Preservation Strategies, Tim was an adviser with Axxcess Wealth Management. He also spent time as an Investment Associate analyzing clients’ overall portfolios at a boutique private wealth management firm serving Ultra High Net Worth families, with a primary focus on Alternative Investments. Tim thoroughly enjoys volunteer work, participates in the local Food Bank drives and is vice president of the Sunset Rotary Club of Carpinteria. Tim’s hobbies include reading and investing, enjoying the occasional round of golf, and hiking in the beautiful outdoors of Santa Barbara.
Patty Stewart
Investment Adviser
Patty Stewart is the newest addition to our Asset Preservation Strategies team. She is an Investment Adviser for our firm with over 15 years of experience working in several large U.S. Financial institutions. Over the years, she has had the opportunity to perform alongside a variety of financial professionals, which allowed her to gain expertise into the world of investing and financial planning.
Patty is a proud San Diego native with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University. Her care and devotion to people while helping them navigate through ever-changing and challenging environments, is what sets her apart.
In her free time, Patty relishes quality time with her close-knit family. She has two dogs, Sid and Oliver and enjoys volunteering with local humane organizations. Patty takes pleasure being out in nature, especially around our many beautiful waterfronts.