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Our Story

Client Centered

Columbus Advisors was founded in 2012  by Frank Lavin and Paul Castagna.  Frank holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, is a Certified Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant and a Certified Financial Planner®. In addition, he is a member of Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), Top of the Table distinction. MDRT is an organization for top-performing financial professionals.


Frank and Paul grew the business together over a decade until Paul’s retirement in early 2022. Paul continues to serve as a consultant for the business and will always be a member of the Columbus Advisors family.


Frank Jr. joined the firm in 2018 and now is a partner in the firm. He holds a B.A. from Fordham University, a Master of Science in Financial Planning from Golden Gate University, and is a Certified Financial Planner®.


Lisa Lagorio, CFP®, William Spriggs, and Natalie Leininger, CFP® have been independent advisors associated with Frank since 2012. During that time, Frank has served as their securities principal overseeing and supporting their practices. In 2022, both joined the firm in an official capacity.


Our team of support share some valuable traits: honest, hardworking, knowledgeable about all aspects of client service needs, loyal and committed to our firm and their own families, and kind. We could not have more admiration for our service team of Emily Wells (2014), Rod Salvador (2018) and Guy Marston (2022).


Kathleen Pearson serves as our Director of Accounting and Human Resources.


Client Centered

Columbus Advisors takes great pride in our firm’s investment models, asset management, and retirement/estate planning services. Our long- standing client relationships and joint experience of helping hundreds of individuals successfully launch into retirement are our proudest business accomplishments. Giving clients the ability not to worry about their finances, retirement income or investment management continues to drive Frank and Paul to excel on client’s behalf. Their Fisherman’s Wharf office in the San Francisco has an administrative staff of five. In 2018 Frank’s son, young Frank, joined the firm after serving in the U.S. Navy and recently graduating from Fordham University in New York. Currently, he is in a Financial Planning Master’s program at Golden Gate University. 

As Securities Principals, Frank and Paul also oversee the activities of five other independent financial advisors, along with managing Columbus Advisors own clients’ assets. In total, we are responsible for managing or supervising approximately $250M in assets. Lastly, because of the long-standing relationships within the firm and the friendship in which the firm was built, Columbus Advisors is run with the best practices of a family business. Family values and strong relationships are the foundation of our firm.