Mike serves as Senior Partner and Private Wealth Advisor with Century Oak Private Wealth, a Northwestern Mutual Private Client group in Houston, Texas.

Mike graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration while also serving in the United States Marine Corps. He began his career in the mid-nineties when the stock market was in the middle of an unprecedented bull run. Since then, he has been witness to the financially devasting effects of the early 2000s tech bubble, the financial crisis of 2008 and the longest bull run in history that was abruptly halted by the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. Through it all, his clients have enjoyed the benefits of a strategic plan enabling them to withstand economic difficulties with confidence.

Impact being an important value of the Century Oak firm, Mike currently serves as Chairman of the Cypress Christian School Board of Directors as well as serving as a board member of FORE! Houston, The Periwinkle Foundation, and the PushUp Foundation Houston. Mike is a native Houstonian who loves his city and, surprisingly, the heat and humidity. Mike and his wife Cristina are active members of Houston Northwest Church. They are also the proud parents of two daughters, Sophia and Alex and a son, Michael. Mike enjoys spending time out on the lake with his family, playing golf, Presidential history, and anything Seinfeld.

Donald, a Houston native, has been a dedicated member of our firm for over 27 years. He finds great fulfillment in helping clients achieve their goals, knowing that his work can positively impact families for generations to come. A graduate of the University of Houston-Clear Lake with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, magna cum laude, Donald is known for his ability to listen attentively and provide expert guidance.

Donald and his wife Jennifer live in Houston and are active members at Friendswood Friends Church.  They support numerous non-profits including House of Tiny Treasures.  They are also proud parents of twin daughters, Mara and Graisa. When he's not working, Donald can be found cheering on all of Houston’s sports teams and traveling. And while it might surprise some, he enjoys listening to Taylor Swift music – something he credits to his daughters.

Patrick, a Houston native, has been with our firm for nine years, passionately helping clients through financial planning. He believes financial planning is essential to both personal and professional success, and he finds fulfillment in empowering others to make the world a better place.

Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Texas A&M University. He and his wife, Giuli have been married for two years and are excited about the prospect of starting a family in the future. Outside of work, Patrick enjoys exercising and competing in triathlons. While he's serious about fitness, one surprising fact about him is that he enjoys relaxing by watching reality TV.

Taylor has been a dedicated member of our team for the past six years. Hailing from the Hill Country of Texas, he is passionate about building relationships with clients and providing them with peace of mind. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and is a licensed professional engineer, bringing expertise and accountability to every project he takes on.

Outside of work, Taylor enjoys spending his weekends barbecuing and hitting the trails on his mountain bike. He is a proud seventh-generation Texan, a detail he finds fun to share with others. Taylor is a devoted husband to his wife Tiffany and the father of three children. His guilty pleasures? Savoring Nashville hot chicken and sneaking away to enjoy a movie by himself.

Mike, a native Houstonian, has been a guiding force in the insurance and financial planning industry for 42 years. What he values most in his role as a financial advisor is the deep, meaningful connections he builds with his clients, impacting not only their financial well-being but their personal lives as well. Mike holds a degree from the University of Texas and is known for his wisdom and care as a life advisor, not just to his clients but to his colleagues and friends. 

Mike and his wife Lisa have a daughter, Christen, and a son, Richard, who is married to Genevieve. They are proud grandparents to two granddaughters, Elissa, and Mimi. In his spare time, Mike enjoys exercising, reading, and caring for his beloved cats. A little-known fact about Mike is that he still lives in the house next to the one where he grew up, driving down the same neighborhood streets he's known for 78 years.

Rachel has been a valued member of our team since 2012. Originally from San Antonio, she has called Houston home since 2009. With a passion for helping others achieve their goals and a dedication to community service, Rachel brings a warm and supportive energy to everything she does.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas State University and enjoys spending her free time reading, engaging in various crafts, and fostering cats. Her special bond with her special needs cat, Mr. Waffles, speaks to her compassionate nature. Rachel is also a devoted wife to her husband Taylor and a proud mother to her two children, Ryder and Dylan.

When she’s not busy with work or family, you might catch her indulging in her guilty pleasure—singing loudly in her car, completely unbothered by onlookers.

Karla, originally from Rapid City, South Dakota, has been an integral part of our firm for 12 years. As the insurance coordinator, she takes pride in her work and values the meticulous planning done for clients. Beyond her professional role, Karla leads the firm's volunteer initiatives, including the annual charity golf tournament, a project she’s especially passionate about.

Karla has one adult son, Hayden, and is known for her professionalism, timely responses, and commitment to building trusted relationships with clients. In her free time, she enjoys playing golf, dancing, and cooking to music in her kitchen, and relaxing to piano tunes. One quirky fact about Karla is her unexpected fear of leaves, twigs, and bugs falling in front of her while she’s running!

Yasmeen, originally from Pakistan, has been a valued member of our firm for 21 years. She takes pride in making a meaningful impact on clients' lives, helping them in ways that make things just a little easier. Yasmeen holds a Master's in Psychology from a university in Pakistan and believes that her superpower lies in her patience, empathy, and dedication to every client interaction.

Yasmeen is married to Zaf, and they have two sons, Emad and Farhad, along with a granddaughter named Noor. In her free time, she loves singing at home and is known for her passion for cleaning, proudly calling herself a clean freak. Her guilty pleasure? Watching old Meryl Streep movies.

Matt, originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, joined the Century Oak team in 2024 and has been in the investment industry for two years. Passionate about helping clients achieve peace of mind regarding their financial future, Matt currently assists with investment accounts and insurance policies while aiming to expand his expertise into financial planning.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Matt is married to Lauren, and they are proud parents to their newborn son, Brady. Outside of work, Matt enjoys playing golf, basketball, and watching football on the weekends. Though he might be a bit embarrassed to admit it, he's an avid fantasy football enthusiast.

Alice, originally from Akron, Ohio, has been with our firm for three years and is passionate about helping clients reach their goals. She enjoys being a part of the Century Oak private wealth team, which she describes as the best place she's ever worked.

A graduate of Chatham University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Arts, Alice is part of the insurance team, focusing on onboarding and servicing risk products. Outside of work, she loves being an aunt to her niece and nephew, and a dog mom to her terrier mix, Zombie. In her spare time, Alice enjoys baking, with apple crisp as her go-to recipe. She's also a big fan of Marvel movies, especially *Guardians of the Galaxy* and *X-Men*.

Pat, a Houston native, has been a key member of our firm for 14 years. In her role as a client service manager, she is dedicated to supporting the financial advisors by assisting with onboarding new investment accounts, processing trades, and ensuring smooth service for clients' investments. What Pat loves most about her work is helping families secure their financial future, including the futures of their children and grandchildren.

Pat attended the University of St. Thomas and is a proud mother of three adult sons and one daughter. She and her husband, Javier, have been married for 39 years, having met as high school sweethearts. A breast cancer survivor, Pat is also deeply involved in community volunteer work. Outside of work, her greatest joy comes from spending time with her family.

How I Can Help You:

• Though not client facing, I focus on streamlining the daily processes of the firm
• I also serve as a strategic consultant for new firm initiatives

What Makes Me Knowledgeable:

I have been associated with Northwestern Mutual as part of Michael Slabic’s team since 1996, and my current focus is on serving Century Oak Private Wealth as a process expert and strategic consultant. I am a 1996 graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. My research on “The Role of Advanced Technology in Facilitating Transit Use for Tourists” was published in the Compendium of Graduate Student Papers on Advanced Surface Transportation Systems in August 1997.

Getting to Know Me:

Away from the office, I devote free time to volunteering at our church as well as to working as a time management and productivity consultant. I enjoy reading and travel, and, more recently, am discovering the joy of cooking.