Meet our leadership team
With decades of combined experience, these leaders bring deep expertise, innovative thinking, and a focus on doing what’s right for clients in every decision they make.
David Karr
Chairman
David Karr is Chairman of Equitable Advisors, a premier wealth management business backed by the strength and scale of a leading financial institution. He leads the firm’s overall strategy and long‑term direction. In addition, Karr oversees sales, marketing, and technology, with a focus on supporting advisors as they build practices grounded in planning expertise and personalized client guidance. Karr previously served as Managing Director and Co‑President of Karr Barth Associates, Inc.
James (Jim) Mellin
President, Advice and Wealth Management
Jim Mellin serves as President of Advice and Wealth Management and has more than 36 years of experience in financial services. His work focuses on empowering advisors to combine insight and empathy as they help clients meet their financial goals. Mellin leads recruiting, leadership development, and training initiatives aimed at enhancing advisor productivity and driving an outstanding client-centered experience.
Frank Massa
President Broker-Dealer
Frank Massa is President of Equitable Advisors Broker‑Dealer and Network Services, a role he has held since 2012. He oversees sales, communications, product management, and operations, with responsibility for the platforms and services that support advisors and their clients.
MaryJean (MJ) Bonadonna
Chief Risk Officer
MaryJean (MJ) Bonadonna is Chief Risk Officer for Equitable Advisors, overseeing supervision, compliance, and enterprise risk management. Her responsibilities include advising on mergers and acquisitions and supporting new initiatives from a regulatory and legal perspective. Bonadonna works closely with advisors and leadership teams to help ideas move forward while meeting regulatory requirements. She joined Equitable in 1997 and has held various compliance roles throughout her career.
Sean George
Head of Business Development
Sean George leads the Business Development team, focusing on driving growth through recruiting experienced advisors, acquisitions and partnerships. With 30 years of experience in various financial roles, George has a strong track record of helping advisors grow their practices through differentiated leadership support. A former officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, George brings a leadership approach rooted in teamwork and service.
William Tsai
Head of Business Strategy
William Tsai leads Business Strategy for Equitable Advisors. He is responsible for defining the firm’s market position and advancing cross‑functional initiatives across field operations, compensation, licensing, pricing, and analytics that support the firm’s differentiated strengths: wealth‑planner talent, integrated broker‑dealer and retirement platform, as well as holistic life planning capability. Before joining Equitable Advisors in 2023, Tsai worked as a management consultant at Oliver Wyman, specializing in financial services.
Anthony Montufar
Head of Digital and Client Experience
Anthony Montufar is Head of Digital and Client Experience, where he leads the firm’s digital strategy and execution to advance the firm’s longstanding strength in planning and relationship‑led culture. He focuses on enhancing advisor and client interactions through practical, easy‑to‑use technology that supports Equitable Advisors’ client‑centric approach. Montufar brings prior senior leadership experience from major Wall Street firms.
Christina Butler
Head of Remote Advice
Christina Butler is Head of Remote Advice, leading a national organization focused on advisor productivity, client relationships, and revenue growth through a scalable service model. She has nearly 30 years of experience in financial services and has held leadership roles across broker‑dealer operations, strategic initiatives, human resources, and wealth management. Butler joined Equitable in 2000.
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FAQs
Our senior leadership team includes industry experts with decades of experience in financial planning and client service.
Beyond a wealth of knowledge, market expertise and a client-first approach, many have years of experience as a financial advisor before moving into leadership positions.
Our leaders dedicate hours of their time to local community outreach and encourage our advisors to do the same, to make a lasting impact on the neighborhoods we serve.
Their personalized guidance helps our advisors craft financial strategies that are solid and adaptable to life’s changes.
Equitable Advisors’ leadership team communicates regularly and clearly about business updates, key changes, and long‑term priorities. Through firm‑wide communications and leadership forums, they share timely context and direction to help advisors stay informed and aligned.
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GE-8788075.4 (04/2026) (Exp. 01/2030)
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
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IMPORTANT: This informational and educational website does not offer or constitute investment advice or the direct or indirect recommendation of any particular investment, financial product, or the appropriateness of any particular option, product, or service. Your unique needs, goals, and circumstances require the individualized attention of your own financial professional. “Advisor” is used as a general term throughout this website to describe insurance/annuity and investment sales and advisory professionals who may hold varied licensing as insurance agents, registered representatives of broker-dealers, and investment advisory representatives (IAR) of registered investment advisers, respectively. “Advisor” does not exclusively refer to investment advisor representatives or financial advisory/planning services. Duly-registered and duly-licensed representatives offer securities through Equitable Advisors, LLC (NY, NY (212) 314-4600), member FINRA, SIPC (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN), offer investment advisory products and services through Equitable Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and offer annuity and insurance products through Equitable Network, LLC (Equitable Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC; Equitable Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC; Equitable Network of Puerto Rico, Inc.). Representatives may transact business, which includes offering products and services and/or responding to inquiries, only in state(s) in which they are properly registered and/or licensed. Equitable Advisors, LLC its affiliates and associates do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals may transact business, which includes offering products and services and/or responding to inquiries, only in state(s) in which they are properly registered and/or licensed. For more information about Equitable Advisors, LLC you may visit equitableadvisors.com/crs to review the firm's Relationship Summary for Retail Investors and General Conflicts of Interest Disclosure. Equitable Advisors, LLC (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN) is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V.