Email Jed

Jed Schlanger, CRPS®, President, The Commerce Company, along with Laura Schwartz, founded The Commerce Company in 1995. A graduate of the University of Oregon, he brings over 27 years experience in the financial services industry. Mr. Schlanger currently serves on the Board of Directors for William Temple House, a local non-profit social services organization.

As a Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist designee, Registered Investment Advisor agent and Raymond James Securities Principal, Mr. Schlanger is Series 7, 8, 24, 63, 65 and insurance licensed. He is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., an independent broker dealer, member FINRA/SIPC.

Mr. Schlanger enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two children, and has a true passion for helping people achieve their retirement goals.

Email Laura

Laura Schwartz, Senior Vice-President, co-founded The Commerce Company with Jed Schlanger in 1995. With over 20 years experience in the financial services industry, her background also includes 10 years of marketing and sales for high-tech companies.

Ms. Schwartz is Series 7 and 63 licensed and is securities registered as a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

She shares her life with her husband and her Airedale, Cate, and regularly volunteers at local non-profit organizations such as Goose Hollow Family Shelter and the Oregon Food Bank. Ms. Schwartz loves experimenting in the kitchen, and also enjoys hiking and gardening in her free time.

Email Joe

Joe Curiel, President, The Curiel Group, formed the Curiel Group in 2003. A graduate of both Tacoma Community College and the University of Washington, he majored in Chemical Engineering. He worked with Procter & Gamble after graduation as a Product Development Engineer. In 1978 he joined one of the nation's top investment firms where he spent 25 years before forming The Curiel Group.

With over 32 years of investment experience, Joe is Series 7 and 63 licensed. He is securities registered as a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer. His investment management style emphasizes taking the least amount of risk to achieve reasonable returns. This approach focuses on fundamental value measurements such as yield, PE ratios, and book values to determine asset allocations.

Joe lives on Vashon Island in Washington State where he enjoys the outdoors. His hobbies include vegetable gardening, fishing, hiking, and raising goats and chickens.

Email Cole

Cole Chase, ChFC®, Vice-President, joined The Commerce Company in 2005, and has served Portland area business owners with financial planning for over 16 years. Mr. Chase enjoys meeting new people and helping them make smart decisions with their money.

A graduate of the University of Oregon, Mr. Chase is a Chartered Financial Consultant and Registered Investment Advisor agent. He is Series 6, 7, 63, 65 and insurance licensed, and is registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

He spends his leisure time with his wife and two children. Mr. Chase enjoys basketball, white water rafting, golfing, playing baseball with his son, and traveling.

Email John

Email Bob

John Nelson, CRPS®, Vice-President, joined The Commerce Company in 2003. Since 1985, he has worked in the financial services industry advising businesses and individuals. Mr. Nelson appreciates the personal nature of the financial services industry. He enjoys working one-on-one with investors towards their personal goals and educating them in the process.

As a Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist designee and Registered Investment Advisor agent, he is Series 7, 63, 65 and insurance licensed, and is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

In addition to spending quality time with his wife and two children, Mr. Nelson enjoys gardening, carpentry, and visiting the Pacific Northwest’s beautiful parks and recreation areas.

Bob Ehlen, CRPCSM, Vice President, began his career in the financial services industry in New York in 1987.  He joined The Commerce Company in 2011, where he focuses on retirement plan design and consultation for small-to-mid sized businesses, including personalized investment advice and education for plan participants.  Mr. Ehlen also provides financial planning for individual investors.

As a Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM and registered investment advisor representative, Bob is Series 7, 63, 65 and insurance licensed.  He is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

Bob is a native of Minnesota and graduated from St. John’s University with a degree in chemistry.  He spent his junior year of college studying at Jochi University in Tokyo and is proficient in Japanese. In 1996, he and his family moved to Portland where they enjoy the perfect blend of larger city life and the outdoors. Bob and his wife are very active in the youth sports scene, shuffling their two sons and daughter to football, basketball, baseball, snowboarding, and swimming practices and competitions.  They also enjoy cycling, boating and other outdoor activities.

Email Paul

J. Paul Kenote, CPA, ChFC®, Investment Advisor Representative, joined The Commerce Company in 2005. Mr. Kenote has been a practicing Certified Public Accountant for 32 years and enjoys seeing his clients move towards achieving their financial goals through the tax and financial advice that he provides.*

Mr. Kenote is a graduate of both the University of Washington and Portland State University, with a BA in Mathematics, a BBA in Accounting, an MBA in quantitative methods, and an MT in Taxation.

As a Registered Investment advisor agent and a Chartered Financial Consultant, he is Series 6, 7, 63, and 65, and insurance licensed. He is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

Mr. Kenote’s passion is playing the jazz piano and he actively leads worship at his church. Most of his free time is spent with his wife, his two grown children, and his fellow band members.

*Tax & accounting services are independent of RJFS.

Email Ty

Ty A. Garo, Financial Advisor, graduated from Southern Oregon University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics & Finance. In 2010 he joined The Commerce Company as a registered investment advisor representative.

With 5 years of experience in the financial services industry, he is Series 66, 7, and insurance licensed, and is registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.
Mr. Garo was appointed as a Board Member under the Mayor of Beaverton to serve on the Visioning Advisory Committee for the city, starting in January, 2011.

His main interest is aviation. Already certified to fly ultralights, he is currently logging flight hours for his private pilot's license. He also enjoys traveling with his wife Heather, visiting Seattle to watch the Seahawks, snowboarding, water sports, and golf.

Email Chaney

Chaney Darlington, Financial Advisor, graduated from the University of Washington in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. In 2003, he joined The Curiel Group as co-manager of the Tacoma office.

Mr. Darlington is Series 7 and 66 licensed and is securities registered as a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

He loves spending time with his family, and coaches T-ball and soccer for his kids’ teams. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, boating, playing the bass, and contributing his time and talents with the local non-profit community orchestra.

Email Tony

Tony Raugust, Financial Advisor, joined the The Curiel Group in 2003 at its inception. A graduate of the University of Washington, he has over 19 years experience in the financial services industry.

Mr. Raugust is Series 7, 63, and 65 licensed. He is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Raugust resides on Washington’s beautiful Vashon Island. His hobbies include cooking, gardening, and tending to the goats and chickens on his farm. He studies viticulture recreationally and enjoys tending to his vineyard.

Email Erin

Erin Wilbur, CRPS®, Retirement Plan Relationship Manager, Registered Associate, joined The Commerce Company in 2007 as our Participant Services Coordinator, and now oversees our entire Retirement Plan department. She is a graduate of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration.

A Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist designee, Ms. Wilbur is Series 7 and 66 licenses and is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

Erin is known for her ability to make people smile.  She enjoys new and interesting restaurants, live music, sunshine, and the incredible hiking that Oregon has to offer. 

Email Dana

Dana Methvin, Compliance and Marketing Manager, Registered Principal, joined The Commerce Company in 2007.  She is responsible for ensuring compliance with state, federal, and firm regulations, as well as overseeing the company’s marketing department.  As office manager, her duties also include quality control, HR, and project management.

Dana is Series 7, 9, 10 and 66 licensed and is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

Fluent in Spanish, she spent five of her teen years in Baja California, Mexico, with her family.  Dana enjoys sailing, surfing, experimenting in the kitchen, playing piano and guitar, and weekend getaways with friends and family. 

Email Amanda

Email Nathan

Amanda Gleason, CRPS®, Retirement Plan Representative, Registered Associate, joined The Commerce Company in August of 2008 as a registered administrative assistant. She quickly learned the policies and procedures of our retirement division and now provides assistance to our 401(k) participants. Prior to joining The Commerce Company, she worked as an investment consultant in San Francisco. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she earned her Bachelor’s from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.

A Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist designee, Mrs. Gleason is Series 7 and 66 licensed and is registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

Amanda enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her dog, Delta. Most evenings you’ll find her training in Aikido, but other hobbies include Scrabble, Eurogames, hiking, gardening, and knitting.

Nathan Borchardt, Registered Associate, Client Service Representative, joined The Commerce Company in 2010.  He recently moved back to Oregon after spending several years in New York as a Client Service Associate with a top Wall Street firm.  His role at The Commerce Company is to oversee and ensure accurate and timely service for our Raymond James clients and financial advisors. 

With 6 years of experience in the financial services industry, Mr. Borchardt is Series 7 and 66 licensed and is securities registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, an independent broker dealer.

Nathan enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the Pacific Northwest, and can often be spotted with a coffee in hand.  As a hobby, he enjoys building and fixing computers for friends and family. He has lived in the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest, and the East Coast, but considers himself an Oregonian at heart.

Email Chris

Chris Hubbard, Information Technology, has over 11 years experience as an IT consultant. His computer experience started while working for Wells Fargo Bank as an Operations Analyst and Project Lead. In June of 2005, Mr. Hubbard became a freelance developer. At The Commerce Company, he serves as database developer and IT consultant, and keeps all computer systems running smoothly.

In his free time Mr. Hubbard finds ways to enjoy the outdoors and loves spending time with his 3 children. He has a real interest in computer systems which makes him truly appreciate and take pride in his work.

View Cate's Blog

Cate is the newest addition to The Commerce Company. She was born on January 1st, 2011 and joined our team at the age of 12 weeks as our Cuteness Control Administrator.

Cate loves meeting new people. She also enjoys digging, chewing, running, playing, and attempting to eat rocks.