Background

Ask Marlene how she got her start in financial services and she’ll tell you that her early career experience in not-for-profit pension planning whet her appetite. But after three years in that role, she left to apply all that she’d learned to work with clients at MassMutual. Five years later she was on the move again to a senior position with a local bank working in their trust and investment division—a fortuitous move that helped her build up her credentials in investment management. All this ultimately led to the decision to return to MassMutual nine years ago where she’s been ever since. Explains Marlene, “I always really enjoyed sales and working with people. Working with clients to help them achieve their financial goals is very satisfying to me, hence my move into financial services.”

Philosophy

“We sweat the small stuff, like taking care of many small details…it’s all part of the service,” explains Marlene. “We’re very thorough and if a client calls with a question or concern we’re here to help. We can even provide some useful tools to help clients with many of the day-to-day financial responsibilities of life like preparing a budget to help them better manage their money.”

Marlene takes pride in building relationships and applying her natural, God-given talents as a planner and organizer to helping clients in understanding and meeting their financial objectives. One area in which she works closely is in helping closely held business owners navigate financial issues that “take them away from running their businesses.” Patience and a deep-seated personal passion for people are key drivers for her every day.

“I’ve been told I’m a strong thinker-planner-doer,” adds Marlene. “That’s a good thing because I believe one my biggest strengths in working with clients is my ability to see the critical path and see it through to completion.” Marlene’s best clients include family businesses and professionals committed to providing first for their families. “As a working mom, I’ve always appreciated those clients where ‘family comes first’ in their lives.” Marlene serves clients throughout the Greater Rochester Area, in addition to Buffalo and the Southern Tier.

Personal and Professional Affiliations

In between trips to the gym and running an occasional 5K race for charity, Marlene has been a recent-past co-chair of Breast Cancer Coalition. Currently, she is working on a pilot program to help women of domestic violence regain their financial wellbeing. She is also a member of Financial Planning Association and Society of Financial Service Professionals. Marlene is married and lives in Webster with her husband and four children.

Marlene A. Dattilo is a registered representative of and offers securities, investment advisory and financial planning services through MML Investors Services, Inc., member SIPC, a MassMutual subsidiary. Supervisory office: 600 Clinton Square, Rochester, NY 14604 (585) 262-5600. Insurance Representative of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and other fine companies.