MEET OUR TEAM

The principals leading the team are Michael Stuart, JD, CPA and John Blattner, PhD. With over seventy years of combined experience, they have helped many families create and preserve their legacies. Their knowledge of law, accounting, meditation and family systems helps establish greater harmony and enhanced communication among the enterprises, families and advisors alike.

The collaborative partners of the Alliance represent diverse professionals of various backgrounds who complement our team approach to solidify the mission, vision, values and goals of the clients we serve.

MICHAEL G. STUART, JD, CPA

Michael StuartMichael is a widely recognized attorney and CPA — founder of a law firm, the Stuart Legacy Alliance, and co-founder of the Family Legacy Alliance, a consulting firm. These enterprises both focus on creating and maintaining family legacies. Among clients and advisors, he has earned the reputation as a responsible, reliable, and thoughtful counselor and consultant to service-based businesses and family enterprises since 1981. His practice has enjoyed significant growth by maintaining the philosophy of educating clients about their options on an ongoing basis and building strong, lifelong relationships. He helps clients maintain legacies that last for generations through his innovative approach to creating and capturing these treasures, called Your Ultimate LegacySM.

A long time meditator, Michael trained to become a Mindfulness Coach to help people learn the benefits of mindfulness and meditation.  In the Mindful MeditationsTM series, he shares his over 35 years as a practicing meditator and training as coach to assist others on how to improve their lives and enhance their effectiveness with family, employees and professionals alike.

Michael speaks on estate and legacy planning issues to various public groups: The Family Firm Institute, the Financial Planning Association, the Purposeful Planning Institute, the Illinois Wealth Counsel Symposium and has appeared on Channel 23’s Accountability financial forum. He has written and published articles on corporate, individual, and estate tax planning. In addition, through the Mindful MeditationsTM Program along with partner, John Blattner, he has one-on-one sessions, group training and corporate and family retreats to assist family harmony and promote family legacy.  He also counsels service-based businesses and family enterprises to help them grow, maintain and transition their businesses.

As a holistic estate planner, Michael works in concert with his clients’ financial advisors, CPAs, insurance advisors, and a variety of other financial and legal professionals to ensure that all plans developed truly have the clients’ goals and objectives in mind.

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL

JOHN BLATTNER, PHD

John Blattner

John Blattner, Ph.D., is President and CEO at PAS International, Inc. He specializes in leadership development, executive coaching, organizational culture assessment, executive assessment, staff development and scenario and strategic planning for national and international organizations.

For the past 40 years, John has assisted individuals and organizations to manage change and develop their individual and organizational strengths. He works with CEOs, Superintendents, Presidents and Senior Executives to help them develop as leaders. He has helped hundreds of individuals across functional areas including Finance, Sales & Marketing, Operations, and HR. John’s areas of coaching specialty include: communication skills, delegation, conflict resolution, effective supervision, stress management, dealing with problem employees, and goal setting. In working with leaders, John has incorporated mindfulness and yoga. His yoga practice has assisted leaders in managing their levels of stress and dealing with conflict and crisis situations. His mindfulness practice has allowed leaders to learn how to slow down and improve their decision making.

John is a frequent speaker, author, and television commentator. He is a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D. from the Fielding Graduate University. He is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance. He has served in numerous leadership roles for the Illinois Psychological Association, including President, as well as the Executive Board for The Society of Consulting Psychology (Division 13) of the American Psychological Association.

CONNECT WITH JOHN