Who we are

I’ve been in the financial planning field since 2000.  My passion and motivation come from helping clients discover and plan to address their most pressing financial, tax and estate planning issues.  I find great satisfaction collaborating with our clients to help them uncover solutions to common and unique issues.  Seeing our clients succeed through life and being a part of that is very rewarding for me.

I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, a Chartered Special Needs Consultant® a Chartered Financial Consultant® and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary®. I earned an Executive Financial Planner Advanced Certificate from San Diego State University and my bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University.

I live in Carlsbad, CA with my wife, Lily and our two children. I enjoy live music, golf, surfing and practicing yoga.

I spent four decades in various business, finance, investment and accounting senior management roles, including 15 years as a high-ranking executive with a minor league baseball club. Nothing, however, has been more professionally gratifying than working with my son Jeff since 2015.

My specialty is advising high-end professionals on how to turn their concentrated income into durable personal wealth for themselves, their families and their heirs.

I am a CPA (retired) and member of the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs. I have a master’s degree in taxation from Golden Gate University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Loyola University.

I served on the U.S. Bank Advisory Board of Directors in Sacramento and formed the non-profit River Cats Foundation, Inc. I also chaired the Finance and Scheduling Committees for the Pacific Coast League of Minor League Baseball.

My free time these days is spent with my wife Annette, on the golf course or with our grandchildren.

Chris joins Vistica Wealth Advisors with over two decades of experience in the Wealth Management field. Chris offers wealth and financial management services primarily to lawyers, executives and other professionals in the San Diego metropolitan region. Her boutique business model is as straightforward as it is exceptional:Never delegate the relationship. Chris remains personally involved in each client's challenges and goals, and emphasizes two-way, responsive dialogue. She excels at untangling complexities, simplifying solutions and minimizing costs.

Chris began her career as a tax accountant for "Big Four" firm Ernst & Young, and gained further expertise administrating investments for a multimillion dollar San Diego real estate portfolio managed by national law firm Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps. Chris was financial planner at a multi-partner advisor firm for five years prior to founding her own firm, Skoczek & Associates.  She remains a tax consultant in an accounting practice, separate from Skoczek & Associates, a position she has held since 1997.

Chris has bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration, with concentrations in accounting, financial and tax planning from San Diego State University (SDSU). She is a CPA, Personal Financial Specialist and Certified Financial Planner®, and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the California Society of CPAs, and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. She has been an instructor for SDSU's College of Extended Studies, a board member and former treasurer for Partnerships with Industry, and former board member with Armed Services YMCA San Diego.

Mario began his investment career in 1999 with Vanguard mutual funds in Valley Forge, PA, where he consulted institutions and financial advisors on investment policy, portfolio construction, and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). He also held roles as a research analyst, a municipal bond fund specialist, among others during his tenure. In 2003 he earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, and he continues to mentor aspiring Charter candidates and young investment professionals.

Mario relocated to Charleston in 2010 to serve as Chief Investment Officer for a financial planning firm before establishing East Bay, the collaborative partner firm of Vistica Wealth Advisors, in 2013. As a Partner at East Bay, Mario serves a select group of Registered Investment Advisor firms as their outsourced Chief Investment Strategist. Responsibilities of this role include continuous oversight of advisor clients’ investments, bespoke strategies for unique situations, client communications, and more.

Mario is Past President of CFA Society South Carolina and Former Chairman of the College of Charleston Finance Department Advisory Board. His approach to investments and the industry has been featured in Investment News, NAPFA Advisor Magazine, South Carolina Public Radio, and other publications and media outlets.

Mario enjoys early morning basketball games, the Charleston beaches and restaurant scene, and spending summers in coastal Maine. He is an avid world traveler and SCUBA diver, but also enjoys the simpler joys of life with his wife Piper, their daughter Pepper, son Santino, and Simba the cat. Learn more and connect with Mario on LinkedIn

Prior to joining East Bay, Alex worked for a variety of firms, both large and small. This includes 5+ years with Focus Partners Wealth (formerly Buckingham Wealth Partners) where he held both front and back-office roles such as Advisor to institutional clients and Manager within the Investment Strategy team. During his tenure there, Alex had the opportunity to cover many different types of asset classes, vehicles, and client types while focusing on manager research, due diligence, and client-education efforts. Alex also worked at Wells Fargo Advisors for 3 years, serving as a Performance Reporting Analyst.

As a Senior Investment Strategist at East Bay, Alex supports firm leadership as they serve a select group of financial advisory firms as their outsourced Chief Investment Strategist. Responsibilities of this role include continuous oversight of advisor clients’ investments, bespoke strategies for unique situations, client communications, and more.

Alex is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri—Columbia where he earned a Bachelor of Journalism as well as an MBA with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Missouri—St. Louis. Alex also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2023 and continues to stay involved in the local CFA society.

Alex enjoys spending free time with his wife, Abby, and two children, Russell and Eleanor, exploring the outdoors, going to sporting events, and traveling the globe. Alex’s ideal weekend day consists of an early morning workout, a round of golf, taking the family on a field trip, and sitting by the bonfire on calm summer’s evening. Learn more and connect with Alex on LinkedIn.

Prior to joining East Bay, Eric worked for a variety of firms, both large and small. This includes 7+ years with Goldman Sachs Asset Management where he held roles in areas such as performance measurement, client service, risk analysis, and portfolio construction. During his tenure there, Eric had the opportunity to cover many different types of asset classes, vehicles, and client types. Eric also worked at RSM U.S. Wealth Management for 10+ years, serving as the Chief Investment Officer while providing strategic leadership and solutions for their national investment platform.

As a Partner at East Bay, Eric serves a select group of financial advisory firms as their outsourced Chief Investment Strategist. Responsibilities of this role include continuous oversight of advisor clients’ investments, bespoke strategies for unique situations, client communications, and more.

Eric is a proud graduate of Indiana University where he earned a B.S. in Finance. Eric also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2001 and continues to stay involved in the local CFA society. Eric has been quoted several times in the Wall Street Journal and has written extensively on topics covering asset allocation, manager due diligence, financial markets, and economic events.

Eric enjoys traveling with his wife, Laura, and their two sons, Scott and Jack. In his spare time, Eric is an avid cyclist and includes finishing a Half-Ironman as one of his greatest athletic accomplishments. Learn more and connect with Eric on LinkedIn.

Larry was among the first authors to publish a book that explained the science of investing in layman’s terms, “The Only Guide to a Winning Investment Strategy You’ll Ever Need.” The second edition was published in 2005. He has since authored eight more books: “What Wall Street Doesn’t Want You to Know” (2001), “Rational Investing in Irrational Times” (2002), “The Successful Investor Today” (2003), “Wise Investing Made Simple” (2007), “Wise Investing Made Simpler” (2010), “The Quest for Alpha” (2011), “Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett” (2012) and Enrich Yourself (2024).

He has also co-authored nine books about investing: “The Only Guide to a Winning Bond Strategy You’ll Ever Need” with Joe Hempen (2006); “The Only Guide to Alternative Investments You’ll Ever Need” with Jared Kizer (2008); “The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need for the Right Financial Plan” with Kevin Grogan and Tiya Lim (2010); “Investment Mistakes Even Smart People Make with RC Balaban (2012); “Reducing the Risk of Black Swans with Kevin Grogan (2014, second edition 2018); “The Incredible Shrinking Alpha” with Andrew Berkin (2015, second edition 2020); “Your Complete Guide to Factor-Based Investing” with Andrew Berkin (2016); “Your Complete Guide to a Successful and Secure Retirement” with Kevin Grogan (2019, second edition 2021); and his latest work, “Your Essential Guide to Sustainable Investing” with Sam Adams (April 2022).

Larry regularly reviews the findings published in dozens of peer-reviewed financial journals, evaluates the outcomes and uses the result to inform the firm’s formal investment strategy recommendations. He has had his own articles published in the Journal of Accountancy, Journal of Investing, AAII Journal, Personal Financial Planning Monthly, and the Journal of Portfolio Management.

Larry’s dedication to helping others has made him a sought-after national speaker. He has made appearances on national television shows airing on NBC, CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg Personal Finance. Larry is a prolific writer, contributing regularly to multiple outlets, including Morningstar, Wealth Management, The Evidence Based Investor, Financial Advisor, Alpha Architect, and Seeking Alpha.