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Laurus Financial Group LLC

noun  Lau·rus  \ˈlȯrəs, ˈlär-\

  1. (Latin) Source of origin
  2. Triumph, victory, success

Together, Laurus advisors draw from a collective 67 years of experience managing assets on Wall Street, for non-profits, for the ultra-affluent and more. We’re multi-generational – from Millennial to Boomer – giving us a depth and breadth of perspectives to best assist you at any stage of life. And our team approach emphasizes innovation and A-level service for every client.

Founded by R. Hays Englehart in 2002, Laurus Financial Group welcomed Craig Weinstein in 2012. In 2017, Laurus merged with ICS Wealth Management, founded by Amir Barar, in a powerful partnership that brought more resources to our clients.

All Laurus advisors are independent financial consultants with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc, a registered broker/dealer through which they provide a broad range of financial services and research-based, risk managed investment frameworks that are clear and concise.


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R. Hays Englehart, ChFC®

Managing Partner, Laurus Financial Group, LLC

For more than 33 years, Laurus founder R. Hays Englehart, ChFC, has honed his expertise in the financial services industry, specializing in non-profit pension programs and individual retirement plans.

In 2002, he founded Laurus Financial Group to provide individuals, key executives and non-profits with the most objective and personalized strategies possible to help address their individual goals and needs. His wealth of knowledge and experience touches all facets of financial planning, including retirement planning; insurance and investment analysis; estate and tax planning; individual and non-profit financial services; and non-profit employees and group benefits.

Hays helps clients work toward financial confidence and independence through establishing clear goals and financial discipline. He earned his B.S. from California State University at Sacramento and holds both the Chartered Financial Consultant and the Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF) designations. He holds the FINRA series 6, 7, 24, 63, 65 registrations, through the independent broker/dealer, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. He is licensed in many states for insurance.

He lives in Moraga, California with his wife Regina. His eldest daughter Erin is a successful art director; his son-in-law writes and directs for PIXAR Animation Studios; and his youngest daughter Ashley is a marine mammal trainer. He invests in his community as a member of the Rotary Club of Lamorinda Sunrise and serves on the boards of both the Moraga Community Foundation and the Episcopal Senior Communities Foundation.

Hays is an acknowledged "gear head" and enjoys classic cars and motorcycles. He’s an avid boater, fisherman and golfer (and regularly beats Craig on the links).

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Craig Weinstein, AIF®

Managing Partner, Laurus Financial Group, LLC

More than 16 years in the financial services industry has taken Craig Weinstein from Wall Street to the top ranks at major banks to a partnership at Laurus, a truly independent and client-first wealth management practice.

Craig specializes in investment management, overseeing trading, money management, investments, research and model development. Through fact finding and assessing the risk appetite of clients, he crafts customized portfolios. And he believes professionalism and cooperative development are the foundation of any strong financial plan.

Before joining Laurus in 2012, Craig held Vice-President Investment titles at Wells Fargo advisors, WM Financial Services and Citibank Investments. He holds multi-state insurance licenses and FINRA Series 7, 63 and 65 registrations, through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Craig studied Business and Finance at Hunter College in New York and is currently pursuing Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) accreditation.

Craig hails from New York City, but left the East Coast to be closer to family and the California sunshine. He lives in Martinez, California with his wife Jamuna, their son Asher and daughter Charlotte. Craig enjoys the outdoors and regularly goes on hikes with his family.  He is a sports enthusiast and an avid golfer as well.  His favorite pastime is letting Hays win on the golf course, as he was always taught to respect his elders. 

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Amir Barar, CRPC®, AIF®

Managing Partner, Laurus Financial Group, LLC

Amir Barar, CRPC, has worked with some of the largest brokerages in the world, founded his own independent advisory firm -- ICS Wealth Management -- and successfully merged that company with Laurus Financial group to leverage resources and bring value to his clients.

In more than 18 years in the financial services industry, he's built a reputation for knowledge, patience and follow through among a wide variety of clients.

At Franklin Templeton Investments, he serviced the broker/dealer community regarding investment strategies, portfolios and returns of domestic equity, fixed income, government and international investments. As a Morgan Stanley financial advisor, he specialized in investment strategies for high net worth clients. And he continued to grow a loyal clientele at Merrill Lynch. In 2009, Amir founded ICS Wealth Management, to provide a more customized, objective and one-on-one experience for clients.

Amir earned a B.S. from the University of California at Davis and holds a Certified Retirement Planning Counselor designation. He lives in Moraga, California with his wife Michelle and two sons, Jake and Aiden. He's a member of Spark, a non-profit seeking to change patterns of inequality that impact women throughout the world. In his free time, he enjoys road biking, golfing and cross training.

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Anna Sanchez

Account Executive, Laurus Financial Group, LLC

Anna graduated in 2017 from Arizona State University with a degree in Psychology. During her senior year she worked at a local elementary school, aiding children with emotional and psychological challenges. Working with a team of psychologists, and behavioral cognitive specialists, Anna assisted in preparing and presenting individualized education plans, while creating tailored lessons for students with emotional and cognitive disabilities.

In 2018, Anna joined Raymond James and Associates as a Traveling Transitions Consultant where she traveled 48 weeks a year throughout the United States. During this time, she oversaw onboarding individual advisors to Raymond James, as well as the acquisitions of teams and independent Registered Investment Advisors. The demanding role required not only extensive travel, but managing high pressure, fast paced environments, requiring multitasking and problem solving in short time constraints. She worked with various departments taking on administrative and operational roles. Anna has both the Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.

Originally from Lafayette CA, Anna graduated from Acalanes High School. Ready for a more permanent role, Anna made the decision to move back to the bay area and now enjoys living in Walnut Creek. Her Passions include crafting, cooking, baking and hiking with her dog. Anna happily joined Laurus Financial group dependent on a co-hire, Covelli. Covelli is a 5-year-old Pomeranian with no previous experience, operating as Head of “Barketing”. His passions include, walks, alerting his parents of delivery personnel, and chicken.

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Covelli

Director of Barketing, Laurus Financial Group, LLC

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  •   1990 N California Blvd Suite 20, Walnut Creek, California 94596
  •   925-254-0980
  •   info@lfgadvisors.org

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Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA / SIPC.

Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

Laurus Financial Group is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc

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