Our Team

John (J.R.) holds a degree in Economics from Williams College and has been a financial advisor since 1989.  Research papers he has written on a broad range of financial planning topics have been published in numerous peer-reviewed academic and professional journals.  Papers he co-authored on retirement income sustainability won the 2008 and 2010 Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards and International Foundation for Retirement Education Best Paper awards, respectively. His co-authored paper, The Determinants of Nest Egg Sustainability, was a Finalist in the Journal of Financial Planning's 2016 Academic Research Competition and appeared in the May 2017 issue of that journal. 

John is recognized as a thought leader for the financial planning industry, particularly on ethical and regulatory issues facing the profession. His commentary regularly appears in the nationally syndicated news media. In 2019, he helped develop a front-page story in the Wall Street Journal that exposed how the CFP Board of Standards was promoting more than 6,000 CFPs with major regulatory disclosure events (including criminal conduct) while running a multi-million dollar advertising campaign telling consumers that its CFP members are thoroughly vetted and more trustworthy than non-CFP SEC-registered financial planners. John has twice been included on Investopedia's list of the top 100 most influential financial advisors in the U.S.

He is also a co-founder of Nest Egg Guru, a maker of affordable, client-facing software for financial advisor websites.  Nest Egg Guru's flagship app suite is designed to help engage and educate clients by stress-testing their retirement savings and spending strategies.  Nest Egg Guru has also rolled out a unique password management app and a separate secure file-sharing app that financial advisors may offer as a free service to their clients to build loyalty and strengthen relationships. Both of these apps are available for use by Financial Planning Hawaii clients as well.

Most importantly, John holds dear the loyal, lasting relationships he develops with clients.  He adamantly believes that the clients' interests must come first and is constantly seeking new ways to add value to the families he serves.

See Also - John Robinson's Curriculum Vitae

Itaat began his financial planning career at Smith Barney in the mid-1990s. From 2005-2018, he served his clients at Hawaii Wealth Management/Wells Fargo Financial Network. As a long-time friend and business colleague of J.R., Itaat shares a similar highly personalized, client-first approach that motivated him to join Financial Planning Hawaii in 2018. In his earlier life, Itaat worked in Business Development for Japfa Cofeed Indonesia, a major agribusiness company in Jakarta. He also worked for a number of years as an ex-pat with American Express Bank. Itaat holds an MA in Economics from Boston University.

Alicia has worked in the financial services industry since the 1990s and has served as a client relationship manager with John Robinson since 2003.  In addition to her extensive experience and her excellent problem solving abilities, Alicia's friendly, outgoing personality helps foster the warm, familial atmosphere that sets Financial Planning Hawaii apart.

Sue is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) with more than 20 years of financial planning experience.  Her platform experience includes American Express, TD Ameritrade, and Charles Schwab.  She also has experience with most of the popular financial and retirement planning software applications, including extensive experience with eMoney. 

Sue's official title at Financial Planning Hawaii is "Client Happiness Consultant." Her job description includes assisting clients with eMoney and Schwab, contacting clients with maturing CDs and bonds, and reaching out for general financial wellness checkups.  She works full-time remotely from her home in Pennsylvania and coordinates her schedule to accommodate FPH clients across all U.S. time zones. Meetings can be conducted via phone, Zoom, or Facetime. 

Sue joined Financial Planning Hawaii because of our adherence to a fiduciary standard and emphasis on comprehensive financial planning instead of investment product sales.  We believe clients will be impressed with her patience, friendly demeanor, and industry knowledge.