Our Mission

John Bodnar, CFP^®, CIMA^®, founded the company in 1988 and serves as its President and Chief Executive Officer.  He holds an extensive background in personal financial planning and proudly specializes in working with widows and the elderly. Awarded a CFP^® designation from the Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards in 1986, Bodnar has also been a designated Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA^®) since 2003. He is a registered representative of Cambridge Investment Research and holds numerous securities registrations.

His industry memberships include service as Treasurer of the New Jersey Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (of which he was named 2001-2002 NWJAIFA Financial Advisor of the Year), Licensee of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, and Member of the Investment Management Consultants Association. 

Bodnar's animated personality frequently earns him invitations to lecture at public seminars and industry meetings.  He has presented Retirement Planning Seminars to employees of Fortune 100 companies including Verizon, Corning, Exxon and AT&T.  His work both inside and outside the office has attracted recognition in notable publications such as the 26th edition of Who's Who in Finance and Industry.  The November 2004 issue of Money Magazine printed an article featuring Bodnar's self-designed PreCana class at St. Vincent Martyr Church, which has helped over 200 newlyweds start out on the right financial track.  Due to this article, Bodnar has been quoted in several other publications regarding his work with PreCana.  They include: Registered Rep, February 15, 2006, Couples See Financial Roles Differently; MSNBC.com, October 24, 2006, Make the money talk a 'to-do,' before the 'I do's'; SouthWest Airlines Spirit, August 2005, Equal Opportunity Planners.

Additional past and present public service includes Chairman of the Morris County Unit of the American Cancer Society, President and Treasurer of the Madison Junior Lacrosse Club, Board Member of the Rahway State Prison Lifers Advisory Board (used in the made for TV movie "Scared Straight"), Treasurer of the NJ Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse, President of the Clark Kiwanis Club, Member of the Trust for Historic Preservation, Municipal Councilman of Clark, NJ, and most recently, Member of the Cabrini College Board of Trustees.

A 1981 graduate of Hobart College in upstate NY, Bodnar holds a double major in History and American Studies and a minor in Political Science.  His membership on the 1977 NCAA Division II-III National Championship Hobart lacrosse team built a strong foundation for years of involvement in local New Jersey lacrosse programs.  He founded the largest youth lacrosse festival in New Jersey known as the Platypus Invitational Lacrosse Festival, and most recently accepted the NJ Lacrosse High School Coaches Association's 2009 Man of The Year award.  Bodnar also proudly holds a midfield position on the Elder Statesmen lacrosse team with many of his former Hobart College teammates.  Together they swept the 2006 Vail (CO) Shootout SuperMasters Division, winning what is considered to be the Over-Age 40 National Championship.  Aged to perfection in 2009, the team returned to conquer the Vail (CO) Shootout GrandMasters Division, winning what is considered to be the Over-Age 50 National Championship. He currently resides in Madison, New Jersey with his beautiful wife Karen and their two children John and Jacqueline.

Jeanne Bass,  Client Services Manager, is directly responsible for all client service needs and requests. She joined the company in 1996 after a successful 28-year career in the retail automobile industry, where she mastered the art of customer service as the Office Manager of one of the largest Jaguar dealerships in the USA. She has held a membership position on the New Jersey Automotive Office Managers Association and held the title of President of Business and Professional Women, Inc.

Jeanne’s enthusiasm for working with people is evident through her numerous commitments to public service. She is the former President of the Madison Ambulance Corps Auxiliary, and currently serves as a member of the St. Thomas More Church Women’s Guild, Lector of the St. Thomas More Church, Trustee of the Carmel J. Faiello Foundation, Committee Member of the American Cancer Society Making Strides, and President of the Board of Trustees Madison Day Care Center.

Lorraine Figarelli, Business Manager, directs all of the accounts receivables and payables for the office. A member of Team Bodnar since November 2000, Lorraine is renowned for her task-oriented personality and organization. She was well-prepared to join the company after 19 years of business office experience at Lucent Technologies, and has been an asset to Bodnar Financial Advisors ever since.

Lorraine was born and raised in New Jersey, and is happy to currently reside in her home state with her husband and their daughter. Outside of the office, Lorraine can be found participating in many of her hometown’s civic functions and doing a variety of volunteer work.

Karen Bodnar, Vice President of Development, is a critical marketer of Bodnar Financial Advisor’s service to both the general public and the company’s referral network of financial service professionals. Her primary responsibilities include the design, implementation, and follow-up of all company-community public awareness programs and charitable services. Karen’s planning proficiency and her ability to design invincible contingency plans makes Team Bodnar proud to say that an unsuccessful event has yet to be hosted by the company.

A graduate of St. Francis University in Loretto, PA, Karen majored in Education with a minor in Social Work. Her prior employment consists of three years in the field of elementary education and five years as an employee of Exxon Administrative Services. In the realm of public service, she has held the Treasurer position of the Madison Downtown Development Committee, along with memberships in the Madison Farmers Market Committee and the TJ Martell Foundation for Cancer and AIDS Research.

Many aspects of Bodnar Financial Advisor’s unique relationships with each client and financial service professionals can be attributed to Karen’s approachability and overall friendly demeanor. Outside of the company, she is currently enrolled in the graduate studies program at Fairleigh Dickinson University and resides in Madison, NJ with her husband John and their two children Jacqueline and John.