Our Associates
Igor Zey
President and CEO
Mr. Zey is the President and CEO of Professional Financial Resources, Inc., an estate and life insurance planning firm in Los Angeles, CA. Since 1982, Mr. Zey has been working with CPA and law firms, offering comprehensive financial planning services to their clients.
Professional Financial Resources's practice consists primarily of estate and charitable planning, wealth transfer and business uses of life and disability insurance, non-qualified deferred compensation strategies, buy-sell planning, business continuation planning, and retirement planning for professionals, executives, and owners of businesses.
Mr. Zey has been a frequent speaker on the subjects of financial, charitable, and estate tax planning, ESOPs, executive compensation, disability and life insurance planning, and asset protection planning to various professional groups of attorneys, doctors, Certified Public Accountants (AICPA and California Society of CPAs), and insurance producers. Topics include actuarial arbitrage in estate and charitable planning, asset protection planning, managing client relationships and expectations, spilt dollar, life settlements and premium financing, life insurance issues, and divorce.
Mr. Zey is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles with a BA in Russian Literature and Linguistics. He is an MSFS (Master of Science in Financial Services) from the American College in Pennsylvania, CFP® (Certified Financial PlannerTM) from the College of Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado, CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter), ChFC® (Chartered Financial Consultant), CAP® (Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy), and an AEP (Accredited Estate Planner). Mr. Zey has been involved with a wide range of professional affiliations, including the National Association of Life Underwriters, West Los Angeles Life Underwriters, the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (where he served as director), Planned Giving Round Table of Southern California, Western Region Estate Planning Council, National Association of Estate Planners and Councils, and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.
He enjoys playing chess competitively, Krav Maga, and kickboxing.
Elena Castor
Elena Castor began her career in the life industry with Equitable-AXA as a sales assistant in 1989 and became a Registered Representative by 1994. In the years to follow with AXA, her interest and focus remained in sales support and case management. In 2000, Elena relocated with AXA to Charlotte, NC to work closely with a newly developed team of wholesalers & sales desk representatives to provide support in sales and underwriting for the wire house & bank channels. After serving as an internal wholesaler on the Life Desk, Elena became a supervisor over an appointed team of case managers for the AXA Wholesale Unit. This role supported a team of 15-20 wholesalers and 13 internals covering all states, overseeing case management reporting, projecting submitted to issue goals, training support, and finding solutions for all underwriting issues that arose within the wholesale unit.
In 2004, Elena returned to her home state and continued working in the industry as a New Business Manager, overseeing a case management team for a local brokerage general agency in the Los Angeles area. Elena's underwriting and brokerage experience meet the expertise that Professional Financial Resources requires in order to provide competitive pricing for our clientele. Her role currently is to oversee all underwriting needs, serving as a liaison between the client and the insurance companies.
Elena resides in Manhattan Beach, CA and enjoys spending time leading local hikes for friends and the community, as well as enjoying seasonal sports such as snowboarding, sailing and bike riding.
Erica Ginsberg
Erica Ginsberg has been working with Igor Zey since 2006. She coordinates the marketing and branding for Professional Financial Resources. This includes seminars, speaking engagements, conferences, all print and online materials. She works very closely with Elena Castor, case manager, regarding illustrations and the case design. Erica graduated from Indiana University with a BA in Telecommunications, specializing in promotions and marketing, a minor in art history and she holds her life insurance license.
Erica has been very active on the board of The Guardian's Young Women's Division. This charitable organization raises money for the Jewish Home of the Aging in the San Fernando Valley.
She enjoys yoga, Tae Bo, cooking, photography and traveling.
Please contact Erica if you would like information on our upcoming speaking engagements or would like to have Igor Zey present at your next meeting, conference or professional organization.