Name: Mary Mullin
Firm: Merrill Wealth Management
Location: Boston, MA
Team Custodied Assets: $1.6 billion
Background: Mary Mullin grew up in Long Island and moved to Boston after graduating from the State University of New York Albany. In 1981, while working a waitressing job at night, she got her first at Merrill Lynch, working in the back operations center in, before quickly moving to the sales side. After training to become a financial advisor , she teamed up with her mentor, working together for years until he retired. In 1998, she finally built her own team, which today includes her son and seven others. Many of Mullin’s clients are multigenerational families and she also works with a number of widows.
Competitive Edge: Mullin says service is what sets her team apart. “It’s not just about managing wealth—it’s about anticipating our clients’ needs, from sending out tax documents ahead of time to setting up college students with their first credit card.” Her team embraces a “high-tech, high-touch” approach to working with clients, ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces relationships. “Technology allows clients to self-serve for routine matters, which means the conversations we’re having with them are much more meaningful,” says Mullin. “Education is a big tenet of our practice, whether it’s one-on-one meetings, family discussions, or firm-wide events that we bring clients to.”
Investment Strategy: Mullin and her team are big believers in asset allocation and diversification, customizing client portfolios based on cash flow needs, goals and time horizons. “A strong investment is about protecting against downside risk,” she says. “We make sure clients have enough cash flow to weather market downturns without panic.” On the equities side, that means a mix of active and passive strategies, with the core being a large cap, tax-managed account. “Investment success isn’t just about how much you make—it’s about how much you keep after taxes,” says Mullin. “One of the best protections against inflation is equities—companies that are growing or are paying dividends.” Her clients also have a mix of alternatives in their portfolios: “We’ve embraced alternatives because the investment landscape has changed… Private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure funds now offer more accessible and evergreen opportunities for diversification.”
Best Advice: “Market uncertainty makes people nervous, and we acknowledge that,” says Mullin. “But we always bring the conversation back to the long-term plan, reminding clients to follow the trend line, not the headlines.”
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