Biography

Advocacy

Founder and executive of BaySave Foundation, a privately-funded advocacy and research project in Newport NJ.

Work History

2006 Founder of Wealth Management that provided content to multi-media publishers for continuing professional education programs.

1995-2008 Founder and former principal of MedSave.com.

1987-2010 Founder and principal of Freedom Benefits Insurance Exchange.

1986-1987 Account Executive with Drexel Burnham Lambert in Jenkintown, PA, focusing on pension plan sales to self-employed individuals and small business owners.

1985-1986 Pension Accountant with Pension Plan Services Inc. in Philadelphia, PA , preparing financial statements for IRS Form 5500 filings.

Education

Masters in Taxation (MT) from Villanova Law School, 1995 with a focus of study in compensation planning.

Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Temple University, 1985 with a focus of study on finance and accounting particularly related to portfolio management.

Bachelor of Science Degree from Delaware Valley College, 1982. Served as resident dormitory adviser, editor of the student newspaper and an Academic All-American.

Methacton High School, Fairview Village, PA 1978. National Honor Society.

Licenses & Registrations

Registered Investment Adviser with the Securities Exchange Commission in 1983-1997, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1985-1998, and the State of New Jersey 2002-2007.

Licensed life, accident & health insurance agent in all states and the District of Columbia.

National Association of Securities Dealers licensing certification for series 3, 6, 7, 15, 22, 26, 63, 65, encompassing licensing for securities, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, commodities and foreign currency options.

Accredited QuickBooks ProAdvisor 2006.

Completed IRS administered course on individual income tax preparation 1995.

Management

Recruited and trained more than 25 independent agents as producers for Fortis Financial Group 1993-1995 building agency premium volume approaching $1 million in 1995.

Operated an independent financial planning office with a staff of 2-4 from 1987 through 2001 focusing on employee benefits for building contractors.

Teaching

Instructor for "Current Events in Employee Benefits" a professional continuing education course offered through a non-profit affiliate organization. The course was approved for CE credits in Pennsylvania for accountants, attorneys and financial planners, 1997-2000.

Former adjunct faculty at Delaware Valley College teaching financial planning and professional continuing education programs.

Host of public radio show featuring call-in questions on various financial planning topics; host or guest on various Internet Web-casts including a featured interview by "Financial Planning Online” in 2000.

Publications

"Health Savings Accounts: How to Implement and Administer an HSA in Your Organization", National Seminars Group/ Padgett-Thompson, 2006.

"Employer's Guide to Health Reimbursement Arrangements", 2004, 2005,2006, self-published

"Small Business Owners Guide to Employee Benefit Plans" 1986, self-published

Writer and Publisher of "Novak's Money Minute" (2006), "OnlineAdviser Topics" (2003-2006), and "State Street Journal" (1987-1996).   These Web publications and e-mail subscriptions are read by financial professionals and consumers with an interest in financial planning topics.

A contributor to dozens of business and tax-related publications including NY Enterprise Report, Insight into 90's Living, Life Insurance Magazine, Financial Planning Magazine, Opticourier, Life Association News and others.

Internet-based Activity

Founder of MedSave.com, a commercial website that was one of the nation's first online enrollment service for individual medical insurance and employee benefits.

Now writes content and administers Web sites and blogs through the OnlineAdviser network. Paid writing consists primarily of endorsements of commercial or products and promotion of non-profit community services.

Discussion host for AdvisorMax.com, an industry-leading service for professional financial advisers.

Volunteer adviser for OnlineAdviser and Allexperts.com providing advice in tax and benefits law issues to the public, 1998-2004.

Volunteer discussion moderator at "Financial Planning Interactive" since 1997, the nation's largest online resource for financial planners at www.financial-planning.com published by Securities Data Publishing Inc., NY, a division of Thompson Publishing.

Family

Married with two children and four step-children ranging in age from 12 to 21.

Personal Activities &  Interests

Member of Toastmasters International speaking on issues that affect employees of small businesses including consumer driven health plans and portability of employee benefits.

Former Board Member of the Somers Point Jazz Society. Formerly active volunteer in the production of local music festivals and founding co-chairman of "Brown Bag It with the Arts" for the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce. Formerly a "Producer" level sponsor for WXPN.

Former Discussion group leader for a community-based divorce support group. Trained by the United Association of Associated Hebrew Congregations as a discussion facilitator for religious discussions interfaith couples.

Past President of the Bucks/Mont Chapter of the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI), with over 125 local business members promoting good business practices in the home construction industry and national board member of the association representing over 4000 members throughout the nation.

Former member of the Rotary Club of Ardmore, served as Youth Program Liaison for community programs and child mentoring projects. Former member of the Greater Philadelphia Better Business Bureau and the National Federation for Independent Business. Former group discussion leader of an interfaith couples education programs in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

Head coach of the Main Line Wrestling Club that provides group programs for all ages and private instruction to advanced level wrestlers. Former coach of Warrington A.A.U. Wrestling Club and Upper Merion Wrestling Club offering instructional programs for students aged 6 to open division. Former assistant coach at Delaware Valley College, Central Bucks High School, Archbishop Wood High School and Friends Central High School. After finishing college as an Academic All-American, he developed an aggressive instructional approach that was successfully adapted by a number of area wrestling teams. He coached more than 12 NCAA Division 3 national champions and many other local and state champions. The final coaching year's average duel meet score was 53-3 and resulted in a #1 national ranking for Division 3 wrestling teams in API sportswriters' poll. Taught wrestling in many instructional wrestling schools and summer camps in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and New York as was promoted as "one of the best takedown instructors in the sport" by one Pennsylvania sports camp. Retired from competition in 2002 as Master’s Division AAU Grand National Champion in the freestyle division. Former national titleholder in the Greco Roman and Sombo division in 2000 and 2001. Competed in over 110 Olympic and master’s division wrestling events nationwide from 1999-2002 after a 7-year rehabilitation from spinal surgery in 1992.

Active with the Money Island Improvement Association committed to the  transformation of this small New Jersey recreational community on the Delaware Bay from its past history based in a shell fishing economy to the future as an ecotourism-based community.

Member of the New Jersey Brain Injury Association.

Hobbies include kayaking, gardening, bicycling, painting and cooking.

Summary

Tony Novak, age 50, splits his time between Philadelphia and the southwest New Jersey shore; married with two teenage children and four step-children; trained in compensation planning; now works on healthcare consumer and environmental advocacy projects and is an active supporter of local music & youth sports programs.