Mark S. DiNuzzo

Mark S. DiNuzzo is the Executive Vice President, Principal, and Risk Management Team Leader of DiNuzzo Private Wealth, Inc./DiNuzzo Wealth Management which has operated as an SEC Registered Investment Advisor since 1989 and currently manages $780 million in assets under management as of December 31, 2019.   Mark joined the firm in 1997 to lead the expansion of the firms:  Client Services Department, Risk Management/Insurance Planning and Financial Planning Department.  Mark was a key component in DiNuzzo Private Wealth, Inc./DiNuzzo Wealth Management being awarded the “#1 Best Places to Work” in Western Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh in 2008, 2013 and 2016 by the Pittsburgh Business Times.  Additionally, Mark has been awarded the prestigious multi-year designation as a FIVE STAR Wealth Manager. The award is given to wealth managers in Pittsburgh and across the U.S. who satisfy key client criteria and score the highest in overall client satisfaction.

Mark S. DiNuzzo has earned the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional CFP® designation granted by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. since 2004.  The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification.  It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients.  In addition to completing the demanding requirements to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Mark also has an MBA (Masters in Business Administration). 

In 2013, Mark was awarded the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies™, the standards-setting body for fi360.  The AIF® designation certifies that the recipient has specialized knowledge of fiduciary standards of care and their application to the investment management process.  The AIF® designation includes an agreement to abide by the AIF Code of Ethics.  In order to maintain the AIF® designation, the individual must annually renew their affirmation of the AIF Code of Ethics and complete continuing education credits.

In 2013, Mark was nominated and approved as a member of the Board of Directors for the Beaver County Cancer & Heart Association Board.  Mark is also a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA); the Estate Planning Council of Pittsburgh (EPC); and on November 1, 2014 Mark achieved his Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation through The American College of Financial Services.                

Mark attended and played football at California University of Pennsylvania “Cal U” under Head Coach Hal Hunter.  He later achieved his BS in Business Administration from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA.  His graduate studies culminated in an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) from the Graduate School of Business at Robert Morris University.

A lifelong resident of Western Pennsylvania, Mark devotes his free time to his church where he serves as a Eucharistic Minister.  Mark also has taught CCD Classes throughout every Saturday of the school year for over 20 years.  He has also served the community as a youth baseball and basketball coach.  Mark has three sons and daughter-in-law, Matt, Tony (Eleanor), and Chris and resides in Brighton Township, PA with his wife, Jackie.

The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by Five Star Professional or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. For more information on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, go to fivestarprofessional.com. 1,886 Pittsburgh-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 224 (8% of candidates) were named 2020 Five Star Wealth Managers.  2019: 1,667 considered, 251 winners; 2018: 1,653 considered, 227 winners; 2017: 1,133 considered, 277 winners; 2016: 1,064 considered, 423 winners; 2015: 1,494 considered, 442 winners; 2014: 1,721 considered, 458 winners; 2013: 1,777 considered, 545 winners; 2012: 1,863 considered, 493 winners.