Meet the team
Mark Wyand, CFA
Mark grew up in Rochester, NY and studied Finance at Villanova University outside of Philadelphia, PA. After graduating with a B.S. in Finance in 2007 he spent four years in New York working for Goldman Sachs.
With a desire to be closer to family, Mark moved back to Rochester in late 2011 to work with his father as an advisor with Council Rock Wealth Advisory Group, an Ameriprise Financial franchise. He focused on servicing clients as well as building the team’s discretionary portfolio platform. In 2015 he earned his CFA designation, and in the fall of 2016 he launched Layline Advisors.
Mark lives in the city of Rochester with his wife and daughter. In his free time, Mark enjoys spending time with friends and family, gardening, going to concerts, and finding new places to explore.
Charlie Ruff, CFA
A native of Rochester, New York, Charlie attended Hamilton College, where he studied Economics. He then moved abroad, earning a Master’s degree at Bayes Business School in London.
A CFA charterholder, Charlie began his career as an equity analyst for Federated Investors before transitioning into client communication and wealth advisory roles driven by a desire to work more closely with clients in a hands-on capacity. He is focused on building long-term relationships and providing thoughtful, personalized advice aligned with each client’s goals.
Charlie lives in Brighton with his wife and two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys running, hiking, and spending time in the Finger Lakes.
Matt Lechner, CFP®
Matt was born and raised in Rochester, NY. In 2017, he graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a B.A. in Economics. He joined Layline Advisors after several years at a large national financial firm, bringing his passion for financial planning and investment management with him.
Working in the broker-dealer world, Matt witnessed how company incentives and commission targets can influence the advice that financial advisors provide to their clients. He quickly became a proponent of aligning client incentives with those of the advisor, leading him to pursue independent, unbiased financial planning and in July 2023, he obtained his CFP® certification.
When not working, Matt is most likely enjoying time spent with family or exploring the outdoors with his wife, Erika, and adventurous corgis, Edwin and Genny.
Eric Grills
Eric was born and raised in Rochester, NY. He graduated from SUNY Oswego in 2017 with a B.S. in Finance. After starting his career in Financial Services, Eric pursued opportunities as an entrepreneur - operating multiple businesses across various industries. His experience in financial services and business operations, along with his curiosity and desire to serve others, made Layline a natural fit.
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Courtney, daughter, Riley, and dog, Maple. He’s also a Buffalo Bills season ticket holder and enjoys live music.
