Our Team

David L. Blain

David L. Blain, CFA received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from  West Point in 1989. He was a Distinguished Honor Graduate and member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Mr. Blain is currently President and Chief Investment Officer at D. L. Blain & Co., LLC, an independent Registered Investment Advisor.

Prior to his career in finance, Mr. Blain served for ten years in US Army Airborne, Ranger and Special Operations units. He is a decorated war veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for his actions in the Gulf War of 1990-1991.
Mr. Blain has been awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation – the mark of distinction for investment professionals worldwide – and holds the Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) professional certification. He is a member of the CFA Institute, the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Blain serves on the West Point Advisory Council and the Finance Committee of the West Point Association of Graduates. He is on the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh and Carolina East Health Systems in New Bern, and serves as Chair of the 2012 New Bern Heart Ball. He also coaches youth teams for the New Bern Area Soccer Association and the New Bern Sunday School Baseball League.

Previously, he was the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Southeastern North Carolina. He is also past President of the Board of Trustees for the Cumberland Interfaith Hospitality Network and Fundraising Chairman for the West Point Class of 1989. Mr. Blain is a recognized speaker on investment, financial planning, and tax issues, and has also written for and been quoted in numerous trade journals as well as Money Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and many local publications.

Mr. Blain was raised in Burke, Virginia and currently resides in Trent Woods, North Carolina with his wife, Caroline, formerly of Atlanta, Georgia, and their five children, Paul, Olivia, James, Patrick and Kathleen.

John Gjertsen

John Gjertsen, CFA, CFP®, EA, is a wealth planner with D. L. Blain & Co.  A native of North Carolina, John was formerly a financial adviser at Steadfast Financial Services in Orlando, Florida. Prior to that, he spent 11 years as a software developer.

He holds dual degrees in Computational and Applied Mathematics and Managerial Studies from Rice University in Houston, Texas.

John lives in Trent Woods with his wife, Abby, and son, Valor.

Thomas B. Adams

Thomas B. Adams, CPA/PFS, is a wealth planner with D. L. Blain & Co. Tom began his financial planning career in 2004 at Mentor Capital Management, Elmhurst, Illinois. In 2010, he started his own firm, Adams Financial Planning, LLC, in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Prior to Mentor Capital Management, Tom spent 21 years in accounting and financial analysis with several leading companies including Aon Corporation, Automated Data Processing (ADP), Georgia-Pacific and Ernst & Young.

Tom graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Alabama in 1983. He received his CPA license and Professional Financial Specialist (PFS) designation from the American Institute of CPAs in 1986 and 2010 respectively.

Tom is currently working toward his Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation from the College for Financial Planning.

Mary Ellen Crisp

Mary Ellen Crisp, RP, is responsible for all aspects of office operations, client services and administrative support. She joined D. L. Blain & Co. in 2006 after three years with LoanCare Servicing Center, Inc. in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where she was Executive Assistant to the President. Prior to her tenure at LoanCare, Mary Ellen spent 11 years with E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in Wilmington, Delaware, providing professional support to several top executives in the Chemicals and Pigments Department.

She has been awarded the Registered Paraplanner Designation by the College for Financial Planning. In 2006, she successfully completed the H&R Block Income Tax Course. Mary Ellen holds an Associate Degree in Executive Secretarial Technology from Delaware Technical and Community College and attended the University of Delaware.

Mary Ellen lives in New Bern with her husband, Terry. She is the mother of four children, Bradley, Marc, Aimee and Erin.

Jeb Collier

Jeb Collier oversees the marketing and public relations function at D. L. Blain & Co. He joined the company in October 2007 from Altrius Capital Management where he was Chief Innovation Officer. Mr. Collier brings over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.

After moving to New Bern in 2003, he held the position of Financial Specialist at Wachovia Bank. Prior to joining Wachovia, Mr. Collier spent nine years at the American Bankers Association in Washington, DC, and five years with MasterCard International in New York.

Jeb sits on the Board of Directors of the Craven Arts Council & Gallery, and is a member of the Executive Planning Committee for the 2012 New Bern Heart Ball.

Mr. Collier holds a BA in Economics from George Washington University in Washington, DC. He lives in New Bern with his wife, Roberta.