Our Management Team

Peter Novak
General Agent

Pete is the General Agent of Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services Co. The agency is represented throughout New England with offices in Western, Central and Boston, Massachusetts, Stamford, New Haven and Southbury, Connecticut.

A 25-year veteran of the insurance and financial services industry, Pete served as general agent to MassMutual’s Rochester agency; co-general agent at The New England/Robinson Co. in Waterbury, Connecticut; and as an agent at the New York Life Insurance Company. Before entering the financial services world, he coached college basketball for over seven years, and worked as a social worker in his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut.

A firm dedication to community service has remained at the center of all of Pete’s professional endeavors. This dedication is evidenced in his creation of the Three Up Foundation, which provides funding to inner city businesses and causes.

Pete lives in Longmeadow, Massachusetts with his wife and three children.

Brendan Naughton
General Agent

Brendan focuses his role as GA largely on the recruitment and professional development of new and experienced associates. In addition to these duties, he is responsible for Charter Oak’s Producer Services department and agency training program.

Throughout his career, Brendan has been recognized as a leading field agent and manager. In 2007, his group led the entire company in overall production, an accomplishment for which MassMutual awarded him the prestigious spot as Sales Manager of the Year.

Brendan and his wife reside in Danbury with their two daughters.

Linda Troiano
Chief Operating Officer

In her role as Charter Oak’s COO, Linda is primarily responsible for the agency’s financial management and day-to-day operations. She also serves as a liaison between Charter Oak’s agents and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual).

Linda has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, in both a corporate and field capacity. An avid traveler, Linda enjoys exploring cultures and countries around the world. She resides in Milford, Connecticut.

Frank Stellato
Chief Financial Officer

Frank’s role as Charter Oak’s CFO focuses primarily on the agency’s financial management. Frank has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry; most of that at MassMutual’s Home Office.

Frank is an avid golfer and enjoys coaching his daughters’ soccer team. He lives in Wilbraham, MA with his wife and their daughter.

Toni Zanovich
Agency Director of Training

Toni is responsible for enhancing the selling, marketing, and business management skills of Charter Oak’s agents. She uses her background in distribution and her industry knowledge to provide comprehensive training/service to the agents she supports.

A veteran of the financial services industry for more than a decade, Toni brings a strong background in project management, customer service, products, training and compensation to her role. Prior to joining Charter Oak, she worked as a Regional Training Director for multiple MassMutual agencies in the Midwest and on the East Coast.

Toni lives in Springfield with her two sons.

Joanna Leary
Agency Director of Marketing and Communications

Joanna manages all areas relating to the agency’s communications, including its Web site, promotional materials, advertising and public relations programs and employee communications. She is responsible for building and promoting Charter Oak’s brand both internally and externally.

With a background in journalism, media relations and creative copywriting for organizations as diverse as a boutique software company and a multinational law firm, Joanna brings nearly a decade of marcomm experience to Charter Oak.

Joanna lives in West Hartford, CT with her husband and daughter.

Jason Castaldi
Sales Manager

As sales manager for Charter Oak’s Southbury-based team of agents, Jason focuses on recruiting and agent development while also managing his own practice. He entered the financial services industry in 2003 as a municipal bond broker in Northern New Jersey, joining Charter Oak in 2005.

Jason has been recognized by MassMutual as a Rising Leader, MDRT qualifier and a Fast-Pace Award recipient.

Outside of the office, Jason is an active member of Business Networking International and serves as assistant football coach for a local high school.

Jason resides in Danbury, Connecticut with his wife and their German Shepherd.

Tim Ludwig, CFBS
Sales Manager

Tim combines his role as Charter Oak’s Farmington sales manager with his own financial services practice. Tim’s management performance has earned him recognition on MassMutual’s Management Council on a regular basis.

Tim’s individual practice focuses on working with family-owned businesses on their pension plans, executive compensation strategies, succession plans and general employee benefits. As a businessKillers®* licensee, Tim regularly speaks on these issues to owners of businesses throughout the tri-state area*.

Tim lives in Cheshire, Connecticut with his wife and sons.

Brad Somma
Sales Manager

Brad joined Charter Oak after eight years with another major financial services firm. During his tenure there, Brad won numerous company and industry awards for his work as both a financial services professional and as a manager.

In addition to his experience in financial services, Brad is fluent in the sponsorship marketing, foreign currency trading and energy trading industries.

An active alumnus of Middlebury College, Brad remains involved with numerous programs, including the alumni admissions program and the class gift committee. He is a member in good standing of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).

Brad resides in Port Chester, New York with his wife and their two children.

Shawn Torres
Sales Manager

Shawn joined the financial services industry immediately after college. In the five years since, he has been recognized consistently as a MassMutual Rising Leader, and moved quickly into the role of sales manager for Charter Oak’s Holyoke office.

In his management role, Shawn focuses on the recruitment, training and professional development of successful financial service professionals.

Shawn is a registered securities representative with active membership in Business Network International and Meadows Masonic Lodge. He is also an assistant varsity coach for Springfield High School’s boy’s basketball team. Shawn lives in Springfield with his wife and their two children.

Curt Giacobbe
Sales Manager

Curt has been in the financial services industry since 1995. He got his start at another insurance and financial service company while also serving as a police officer in Westchester County, New York. During that time, he was the PBA President for lower Westchester County and a regular Leader’s Conference qualifier. After only a short time, Curt was named Agency Director.

In his role as a sales manager in Charter Oak’s Stamford office, Curt focuses on the recruitment, training and development of successful financial services professionals.

Curt resides in Long beach, Long Island, NY, and has two sons.

Allen Davis, CFP®, ChFC
Sales Manager

Allen heads Charter Oak’s Hadley unit, balancing his role as sales manager with his own financial planning practice. He entered financial services in 2003, following a long career in high tech and a prior post in experimental education programming.

As a sales manager at Charter Oak, Allen has built a diverse team of seasoned professionals and successful career changers. He focuses his financial planning practice on complex estate and multi-generational planning cases.

Allen continues to pursue his passion for music, as both an avid bass and piano player and as the founder of Mak’hela, the Jewish chorus of Western Massachusetts.

He has been married for 40 years, and has two grown sons and two grandchildren.