Lakeith D. Bradford
Partner
Bio coming soon.
Justin Cook
Partner
Justin Cook is a Partner in the Charlotte General Office where he leads a team of agents and financial services professionals that are focused on making lifelong impact for the individuals, families, and business owners that they serve.
Justin came to New York Life in December 2020 after spending 19 years in the wireless industry where he began his career as representative in a retail store and exited as the Director of Sales for NC|SC|TN|KY leading an organization of over 500 team members across 60 stores and 7 districts in those 4 states. It was over this arc that he found his passion for developing individuals and leaders, taking his greatest satisfaction in knowing how their career success translated to personal success for them and their families.
During his brief tenure as an agent and registered representative with New York Life before entering the leadership ranks, Justin earned honors as both the Rookie of the Year and TAS Agent of the Year for the Charlotte GO in 2021, achieved Executive Council status for the 2021 and 2022 council years, and earned entry into the Million Dollar Round Table, an international industry-wide organization comprised of the top 2% of insurance producers worldwide. Justin is also a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).
Justin resides in Waxhaw, NC with his wife of 21 years, Jessica and their four children, MacKenzie, Sydney, Lilly and Beckett. When they aren’t at ballgames or band concerts you can find them hiking, biking, or paddling exploring the great outdoors anywhere between the mountains of western NC and beach.
James "Mike" Lowery
Partner
Mike is a graduate of Western Carolina University and has a Master’s in Divinity from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Mike has been a very successful Senior Pastor in three different churches over the last 35 years and is a gifted speaker and presenter.
With a deep passion to serve people in the area of financial planning, Mike began his career with New York Life in December 2016. In just a little over a year, Mike attended his first Executive Council and has qualified for a second council in Orlando. He has received awards such as the 2017 New Org Agent of The Year and the 2017 Rookie of the Year Award. He was also awarded for being in the top ten producers in the entire Charlotte Region. Mike received the Centurion Award and during his first year became a qualifier and earned entry into the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table*, an internationally industry-wide organization which represents the top two percent insurance producers worldwide.
Mike attended the April 2018 Cohort for the Associates Partner Program at New York Life and was promoted to Partner in October 2018. In 2021 Mike received the Partner Of The Year Award for the Charlotte, General Office and Partner Of The Year for the State Of North Carolina. It is said that his professionalism and genuine love for his client’s and team’s well-being are the secret to success in his new career at New York Life.
Mike and his wife Tracy reside in Gastonia, NC and he works out of the Charlotte General Office. He is a diehard Clemson Tiger Fan and golf is his favorite pass time.
*The Million Dollar Round Table, the Premier Association of Financial Professionals, is recognized globally as the standard of excellence in life insurance sales performance.
John E. Natoli, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®,CMFC, CLF®
Partner
John Natoli, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CMFC, CLF began his financial services career in 1997 as an advisor before transitioning into sales management in 1999. John has qualified for numerous company and industry awards including Mass Mutual’s Manager of the year seven times and Mass Mutual’s Management Council eight times. John has received numerous GAMA awards including being the recipient of GAMA’s inaugural Brian Early Award for Frontline Leader excellence and the 2016 First in Class award for First Line leaders.
As a General Manager in the Southern California agency of MassMutual, John helped guide the agency to over 10 million of FYC in 2015 and won a Silver Bowl in 2012 and a Gold Bowl in 2013, 2014 and 2015. As a General Agent in the NJ/NYC Agency of MassMutual in 2016, John helped guide the agency to a Gold Bowl.
Recently in 2019, John oversaw the local Mutual of Omaha office here in North Carolina with offices in Raleigh and Charlotte. The agency had 65 agents and close to 7 million of Premium sales.
John is a nationally published author having been published in the magazine's Advisor Today, GAMA International Journal, and National Underwriter. John is also a well-known speaker, having spoken at LAMP three times, the Soaring Eagles Conference as well as at his local NAIFA Chapter and various MassMutual events.
John is an active member of GAMA International, previously serving on its Board of Directors. John also served on the GAMA Foundation Board of Trustees. John holds several industry designations and licenses.
John recently joined NY Life in March 2020. John and his wife Cheryl reside in Waxhaw, NC. They enjoy travelling, concerts, and visiting professional sports stadiums. John grew up in Dutchess County, NY, and holds a BS in Accounting from Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT.
Daniel Ratajczak
Associate Partner
Daniel Ratajczak is a Partner in the Charlotte General Office, where he leads a team of agents and financial services professionals that are focused on making a lifelong impact for the individuals, families, and business owners that they serve.
Daniel came to New York Life in October of 2020 after spending years in the sports media field at major sports outlets, including Major League Baseball and NHL Network.
Daniel was an agent and Registered Representative with New York Life for 2 years achieving Executive Council his first year with the President's Council the following year. He earned entry into the Million Dollar Round Table during his tenure as well, an international industry - wide organization comprised of the top 2% of insurance producers worldwide.
Daniel resides in Rock Hill, South Carolina, with his wife Karen, dog Bailey, and Cat Buddy. When they aren’t doing projects around the house, you can find them playing golf and exploring the many breweries the area has to offer.
Kelli Little, CLU®, ChFC®, CLF®
Senior Director of Development
Kelli began her career in the insurance industry as a property casualty agent in 2009 in upstate New York. In October of 2011, she joined New York Life as an agent in the Des Moines, IA General Office. During her tenure as an agent she qualified for Premier Executive Council and was the recipient of the Premier Centurion Award and Life Foundation Award, protecting over 100 lives in the community in her first twelve months. After success as a Financial Professional, she pursued a leadership opportunity as a Sales Development Manager in Milwaukee in 2013, before relocating to the Charlotte office in June of 2015. In spring of 2017, she earned the promotion to Senior Development Manager. Three years later, in 2020 she was promoted to Senior Director of Development for the Charlotte General Office.
Kelli earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from Daemen College. She has also received three designations including Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), and Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF®) from the American College in 2016-2018.
In her free time Kelli enjoys hiking, traveling and horseback riding with her husband, Jay and two daughters.
Lisa P. Rosso
Corporate Vice President
Lisa oversees the daily operations for onboarding clients and agents for the Charlotte office. She manages a staff, that helps the sales support team, understand the aspects of life insurance, new business premium and accounting, and agent contract and licensing.
In Jun 1992 Lisa started with New York Life and became the Operations Manager in the Birmingham Office in 1999. She then moved into the Corporate Vice President role in Charlotte, NC in October 2005. Lisa has a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Troy State University in Alabama.
Lisa is a Beekeeper and has her own chickens. She loves to farm and be outside. Lisa has 4 kids and is married to Gabriel.
Leah Williams CLU®, ChFC®
Development Manager
Leah began her career with New York Life as a financial services professional in 2016. She joined New York Life after relocating from Illinois and transitioning out of the health and fitness arena, where her passion for investing into the lives of others began. Her passion was only furthered as she quickly grew a practice and became a premier executive council agent, and recipient of the Life Foundation award, protecting over 100 lives in the community in her first calendar year. After receiving the “Agent of the year” award in 2018, Leah pursued the role of development manager in 2019, and continues the pursuit of training and developing the best agents in the Charlotte office.
Financial education and empowerment are of the utmost importance to Leah, and the impact this education has in the lives of those we serve. Leah is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and has received designations as a CLU® (Chartered Life Underwriter) and ChFC ® (Chartered Financial Consultant) from the American College of Financial Services.
Leah resides in Fort Mill and enjoys time spent with her family (including fur child, “Jaeger Lewis”), as well as hiking, fitness, beach trips, and fundraising support for animal rescues.