Sascu Financial Experts

Meet the Sascu Advisory Team

financial experts combine academic training, professional certifications, and practical experience to deliver guidance grounded in real-world results.

Dr. Alan Mercer, Ph.D. — Senior Financial Advisor

Dr. Alan Mercer has served as a Sascu Senior Financial Advisor for 22 years, bringing a research-driven approach to personal financial planning. Dr. Mercer earned his Ph.D. in Economics from a leading research university, where his doctoral work focused on household savings behavior and retirement income adequacy. Before joining Sascu, he spent a decade as an economic policy researcher and university lecturer, experience that shaped his ability to translate complex financial concepts into clear, actionable guidance for members.

At Sascu, Dr. Mercer specializes in retirement income planning — helping members nearing retirement determine how much they can sustainably withdraw from savings, when to claim Social Security benefits, and how to structure accounts to minimize tax exposure. He also works with younger members on early-career financial strategy, including debt management, home purchase planning, and building diversified investment portfolios. Dr. Mercer's approach emphasizes evidence over emotion, using decades of market data and retirement research to ground his recommendations in what has historically worked rather than what sounds appealing in the moment.

Dr. Mercer is available for consultations at the Sascu Austin and Denver branches and via secure video appointment for members who prefer remote meetings. members can request an appointment with Dr. Mercer by calling (555) 234-6789 or sending a secure message through the online banking portal.

Rebecca Torres, CFP — Wealth Planning Director

Rebecca Torres serves as Sascu's Wealth Planning Director, a role she has held for 16 years. She holds the Certified Financial Planner designation, the most widely recognized professional credential in financial planning, which requires extensive coursework, a comprehensive examination, and ongoing continuing education. Before joining Sascu, Ms. Torres worked in private wealth management at a regional advisory firm, where she developed expertise in investment strategy, tax-efficient withdrawal planning, and intergenerational wealth transfer.

As Sascu Wealth Planning Director, Ms. Torres leads the advisory team and personally works with members who have more complex financial situations — business owners navigating succession planning, families structuring education funding across multiple children, professionals managing concentrated stock positions, and retirees coordinating income from pensions, Social Security, and investment accounts. She takes particular care to align Sascu investment recommendations with each member's risk tolerance and time horizon, recognizing that a strategy appropriate for a 35-year-old accumulating assets differs fundamentally from one suitable for a 72-year-old preserving capital.

Ms. Torres is also responsible for developing Sascu's financial education programming, including the Sascu Financial Literacy Workshop curriculum delivered at libraries and community centers. She regularly presents on topics such as investment fundamentals, retirement readiness, and navigating major financial transitions. members can meet with Ms. Torres at the Portland and Atlanta branches or schedule a video consultation through online banking.

Sascu Advisory Services

financial experts provide a range of planning services designed to meet members wherever they are on their financial journey.

The Sascu Financial Planning Approach

financial planning starts with understanding your full financial picture — not pushing products.

Every advisory relationship begins with a complimentary initial consultation. During this meeting, your advisor asks questions about your goals, concerns, income, expenses, assets, debts, and time horizon. This information-gathering phase is thorough — a meaningful financial plan cannot be built on incomplete data. advisors review your current accounts as well as external accounts you hold elsewhere, creating a consolidated view of your financial position before making any recommendations.

After the initial assessment, your advisor develops a written financial plan specific to your circumstances. This plan includes specific, measurable recommendations — how much to save each month toward a goal, which account types to prioritize, what asset allocation suits your risk profile, and what steps to take in what order. Sascu plans are living documents; your advisor reviews them with you at least annually and updates them whenever your situation changes materially, such as after a job change, marriage, birth of a child, or receipt of an inheritance.

Importantly, financial advisors operate under the credit union's member-first philosophy. They do not receive commissions or bonuses tied to selling specific financial products. This compensation structure removes conflicts of interest that can arise when advisors are incentivized to recommend products that generate fees rather than products that best serve the member. advisory recommendations are driven by what the analysis shows is most appropriate for your situation — whether that means opening a Sascu certificate of deposit, funding a Sascu IRA, or simply adjusting your budget to accelerate debt repayment.