About — BUSTER CAPITAL

Grant E. Buster, LUTCF
Founder and President Investment Advisor Representative

For over 35 years Grant has enjoyed helping others protect their assets and invest wisely. Grant was born in Dallas, Texas. Growing up in a military family, he lived in many different places including Indianapolis, Indiana. His favorite place however, was Vicenza, Italy where he lived for four years before eventually ending up in Vienna, VA.

Grant attended and graduated from Congressional High School in Falls Church VA. He then traveled to Stillwater, OK. and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. Marketing degree. Grant also had a basketball scholarship at OSU and was an assistant manager to the team while healing an ACL knee injury. Immediately following graduation, Grant joined the Financial Services industry in 1989.

Grant is an accomplished financial advisor. He is a leader in the industry and was asked to join the management team at Metropolitan Life in 1993. Grant has also been associated with Mass Mutual since 2012.

He has helped recruit, train and develop his own team of agents to service the Northern Virginia area. He is responsible for hiring over 100 agents throughout his career and earned the highest levels of recognition, qualifying for the Chairman’s Council. Grant is a firm believer in staying current on the changing landscape of the financial world. He achieves this through ongoing education and involvement in industry specific organizations.

Grant has helped over 3,500 clients with their financial planning, college funding, and estate planning decisions. His goal is simple, to help everyone become more financially secure. Most important is sharing complex strategies to help optimize retirement income by combining actuarial science and investments. Grant is also a small business owner. He owns multiple Five Guys franchises in Atlanta, GA with more to come. Being a business owner has certainly helped Grant relate to the frustrations of his clients who are also small business owners.

Grant is married to Stephanie Dewberry and together have 6 children and two grandchildren. Grant has lived in Vienna, Oakton, Fairfax, and Lansdowne, but now resides in Arlington, VA, and Naples, FL. Grant is a passionate sports fan and his favorite sport is football. Grant is a season ticket holder to the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons. In his spare time, you may find Grant attending a local Nationals, Redskins, Wizards or Capitals game. He also enjoys playing tennis and golf.

CJ Yousey
OPERATIONS MANAGER

CJ began her career working part-time at a small investment firm in Oklahoma City while attending college with the intention of pursuing a nursing degree. She immediately fell in love with the high energy atmosphere of the securities industry and instead went on to complete her degree in Finance.

CJ has worked in various capacities over the last 25 years from operations to most recently as a Corporate Development and Client Relationship Manager for an investment firm in OKC.

She is excited to take on a new role within the finance industry and work closely with Grant to assure all our client’s needs are met.

She lives in Cookson, OK with her husband, Will and two fur babies, Jake and Daisy. They have a son that lives in Denver, CO and a daughter that lives in Millbury, MA. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, running, hiking and just being outside.

zACHARY BUSTER, CFP®
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

Zach is a passionate financial advisor dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve their financial goals. Driven by a personal understanding of the transformative impact of sound financial strategies, he is committed to guiding clients toward financial security and prosperity.

Zach’s journey to financial planning began with a desire to help others. As one of the first graduates of George Mason University’s Financial Planning and Wealth Management program, he possesses a strong academic foundation. Holding the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation and adhering to a fiduciary standard, Zach prioritizes his clients’ best interests above all else.

Beyond his client-focused role, Zach actively contributes to the financial planning profession. He serves on the George Mason University Financial Planning and Wealth Management Advisory Board, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping the curriculum and preparing future financial advisors. This commitment to fostering the next generation of professionals demonstrates his dedication to the industry and its ongoing development.

When not immersed in the financial world, Zach enjoys golfing, running, and biking. He is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan and is a firm believer that “this year is our year.” When the opportunities arise Zach loves to travel and experience all the different cultures that the world has to offer. Zach’s favorite destination is Namibia, Africa because he enjoys the beauties that the country and people have to offer.

James R. Ibach, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®
Financial Planner

Jim began his financial services career in 1999, after graduating from James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia.Although a departure from the energy and environment concentration of his degree, the prospect of having a meaningful impact on people's lives through problem solving on a personal basis was alluring; being able to learn from and with his parents in a professional capacity was also a wonderful opportunity!

In addition to his Bachelor of Science in Integrated Science and Technology from JMU, Jim has earned a Certificate in Financial Planning from the Florida Institute of Technology. His professional credentials include CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional (CFP®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®). Jim is serving clients of all ages and means while helping them meet their goals and reduce their financial stress.

Outside of work, Jim enjoys coaching and playing rugby, playing and listening to music, fixing and driving old cars, and renovating his home in Broad Run, Virginia. Animals, children, and time with friends and family bring joy. Learning and doing new things while helping others brings satisfaction.

Frank Surette, ChFC®

financial planner

He graduated from Syracuse University in 1977 after a three-year stint in the US Navy. He received his MBA in Finance from Babson College in Wellesley, Mass in 1979. He joined John Hancock Financial Services in Falls Church, Virginia in 1982 where he won numerous awards before leaving for Mass Mutual Capital District in 2001. He was a founding member of the Harlow Group in Reston, Virginia, and remained a partner from 1989 through 2012. He moved his practice to the Mass Mutual location in Tysons in 2013 and joined Buster Capital in 2019.

He was active in the Northern Virginia Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, serving on the Board for nine years before his election as President in 1992-93. He subsequently served as Chairman of his local association’s annual charity golf event for twelve years. Frank is a disabled Navy veteran and a Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans. He and his wife Cindy, an attorney, live in McLean, Virginia. They have two adult daughters, Sharon and Andrea. Frank has a passion for golf and Cape Cod, which he indulges every summer during an extended vacation. He is a third-generation owner of the Cape cottage built by his grandfather in 1935. He is also a huge New England Patriots fan. He purchased his first season ticket in 1967.

CHARLES H. WILSON
CFF, LUTCF, MBA

We are pleased to have Mr. Wilson join Buster Capital after a 22 year career in the brokerage world. His focus is financial coaching and consulting as opposed to selling. Prior to bringing his talents to the financial services industry, Charles had a distinguished career as an officer in the U.S Air Force. Charles has experience as a chief finance officer, personnel manager, training manager, vice chairman of Cameron Station Credit Union and entrepreneur. His professional achievements since 1990, Charles has been listed in Who’s Who in the Financial Services Industry.

Charles’s commitment and service to his community is also commendable. He is a proud resident of Alexandria, Virginia for over 20 years and advocated on behalf of the city’s children, teachers, and parents as chairman of the Washington Area Board of Education and as an elected school board member.

Charles earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, and an MBA from Webster University. He is also a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Mark Salesses
financial services professional

After spending decades in the convention and trade show industry planning events across North America, Mark joined Buster Capital.

This career realignment is the natural next step driven by Mark’s innate desire to “help, teach and coach.” Mark’s values have propelled him in his professional career and are the guiding principles in his personal life. Mark understands the importance of insurance as part of a strong financial plan. He has been personally touched by “lack of insurance” experiences in his own family, and his goal is to help prepare you for the unexpected.

Mark’s mother passed away (unexpectedly) when he was 11-years old. It wasn’t until later in life he understood the intimate details and hardship this placed on his father. Suddenly left with four children 12 to 5 years old, while holding a job that required him to travel weekly, with no life insurance in force on his wife; Mark’s father had to make a number of very difficult decisions.

Later in life, Mark’s mother-in-law was left with limited resources in her late 50s when her husband suddenly passed away, again with no life insurance in force. These experiences laid the groundwork for Mark’s passion of “planning for the unexpected” and reinforced a deep belief in the importance of owning insurance as one part of an overall financial strategy.

Grant Buster has been Mark’s “trusted advisor” for over 30 years. Grant and Mark’s philosophy of helping people plan for the future align strongly, which led to Mark joining the firm.

Always someone who thrives on assisting others, Mark trained as a teacher and coach, graduating with a Bachelor of science degree from Springfield College in MassMutual’s headquarters city of Springfield Massassachusettes.

Mark and his wife Laurie, have 3 grown children. They enjoy traveling, reading, bingeing on Netflix, spending time with every dog they come across, cooking, and are 1st rate “foodies.”

Patrick W. McEnerney
Small Business Specialist

Patrick began his insurance career with MassMutual/ Capitol Financial Partners in 1983 working with small-to-medium sized business owners designing solutions to insurance needs at the personal and corporate level. He was instrumental in establishing an in-house benefit consulting company, Advanced Benefit Strategies Inc. (ABSI), in 1993. The purpose of ABSI was to support the group insurance needs for the clients of Capitol Financial Partners and Buster Capital. Patrick has designed and implemented corporate benefit plans for over 400 corporations in the Washington Metropolitan area. He and the ABSI benefits team manage over 70 million dollars of premium annually.

Patrick has been on the board of directors of the Greater Washington Area Health Underwriters Association and has been active in several local charities over the years. He is a member of the National Health Underwriters Leading Producers Round Table and the Blue Cross Blue Shield broker counsel. Patrick is a native Washingtonian and graduated Gonzaga College High School in 1979. He attended The University of The South graduating with a BA degree in 1983. He and his wife Tammy have four children and live in Montgomery County, Maryland.