Franck Waota is an Investor and Entrepreneur with more than 12 years of experience in finance, technology, sales and marketing. Franck Waota started his professional career as a Financial Advisor for American Express Financial Advisors Inc. where he developed a good understanding of the financial markets.

In 1999, Franck Waota joined Gartner Inc. an Information Technology market research and consulting firm. As a Director of Business Development for Gartner, Franck was responsible for major healthcare and retail vertical clients on the west coast of the United States. Prior to this role, he was responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with technology vendors and financial investors in the Bay Area. In this function he worked with several leading emerging technology providers to develop sales and marketing strategies.

In 2004, Franck Waota started Waota Investments, LLC an investment firm with the purpose of investing in small to medium size companies with proven track records of profitability. In 2005, with his wife and business partner Gina, Franck started WMB a professional service firm. In November 2008, WMB Inc. merged with WEL Enterprise Inc. to become WEL Associates Inc.

As a Managing Partner of WEL, Franck is responsible for the overall management of the firm. He is responsible for Marketing, Financial Planning and Technology. Franck holds a Masters in Political Science from Arkansas State University and an MBA from Golden Gate University. He is a licensed Investment Advisor ( Series 7 and 66).

Aside from his professional life and his interest for business in general, Franck enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters Mia and Jah'Elle. Franck is a former Track and Field Olympic finalist who likes to keep in shape by playing Tennis and Basket Ball. He likes to read mainly biographies and listen to music.

Gina Waota started her career as an associate at one of the Big 4 Accounting Firm KPMG specializing in Audit and Financial Management. She went on to be project accountant for a midsize telecommunication firm preparing and reviewing large telecommunication bids for the firm. In 2003, Gina decided to make the jump to pursuit a lifelong dream of being an entrepreneur. She co-founded and led Cape Villa Assisted Living Facilities. Today as a part owner she remained a key advisor to the management team. In 2005 along with her loving and supportive husband and partner, Gina started WMB Financial solutions Inc. a professional service firm that specializes in accounting and tax services. The firm eventually acquired the Burton Olsen Company and is known as Olsen & Partners, CPA. In November 2008, WMB financial Solutions, merged with WEL Enterprise Inc. Gina is now Managing Partner for WEL and is overseeing all CPA services ( Tax, Accounting, Audit). Gina has a Bachelor of Science from Denver University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

On a personal side, Gina is a mother of two ten year old girls. She enjoys spending time with her family and volunteer at the kids' school. Her hobbies include, running, biking, yoga and reading, some of her favorite authors are Louise Hay, Sandy Bodkin, Diane Kennedy, Deepak Chopra. Gina's role model beside her beloved Mother is Oprah Winfrey which she religiously watches every week-end (thanks to TIVO!!)

Yelena joined WEL family after working in the real estate industry for three years. She shares Bill’s belief that timely and individualized customer service is a fundamental strength of any business and strives to provide such service to all our clients. In her two years with WEL, Yelena has worked on many aspects of financial services available to our clients. Her focus remains in the area of tax preparation and investments.

Yelena was born on the coast of Black Sea and loves being around water. Canoeing on the Russian River is one of her favorite summer activities. In her free time, she loves to read best selling novels (Nicholas Sparks is her guilty pleasure) as well as original Russian literature, practice her shooting skills and go to Warriors games with her boyfriend.

Yelena holds a degree from University of California, Santa Cruz in Business Management Economics/Legal Studies, CTEC license, and Series 6 and 63 licenses.

David has a history of retail management and operations as well as time spent at the IRS. Two years ago he joined WEL as a bookkeeper. After spending some time away handling finances for a start up company, he has returned to do bookkeeping, payroll, and taxes. His meticulous nature shines through as he helps even the most scattered of individuals get organized. Always up for a challenge, he gets a strange sense of satisfaction after transforming a shoe box full of receipts into a neatly organized file.

Originally from Philadelphia, David spent several years living in Texas before deciding one weekend to pack his belongings into his car and move to San Francisco. He is still adjusting to life on the West coast and misses having four distinct seasons. Though as a true Capricorn, he feels very much at home among the hills and beaches of the bay area.

When he isn’t with friends talking through a movie at home, he’s usually following them out into the concrete jungle looking for adventure. While it is likely there isn’t a part of the city he hasn’t seen yet, he still appears to be completely unaware of where he is at any given time. He claims that knowing where everything is would kill the excitement of getting lost.

Char started her career in sales with Dun & Bradstreet where she managed a $1.2 million territory. After five years, Char decided to indulge in her dream of living overseas in Japan (Nagasaki and Okinawa) where she taught English for 3 years. Char was engaged in traditional Shorin-Ryu Karate and Zen Buddhist meditation and learned Nihongo. Upon her return to the U.S., she worked with ADP as an outside sales manager. During this time, she got her real estate license with the state of California. While at ADP and working closely with WEL she convinced Bill that she would be a great fit for the team as a mortgage consultant/sales cheerleader.

Char was born and raised in Saratoga, California. In high school, she was very active in softball and soccer, and competed both nationally and internationally in jazz, tap and Hawaiian dance. Char earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Crime from Northern Arizona University (go Lumberjacks) and a Master’s in Psychology. Some of Char’s favorite hobbies are golf, karate, reading psychology, running and yoga when she is not busy socializing with friends and family.

Hamou grew up in a small city that bordered the Mediterranean Sea. One of his fondest memories is swimming in that sea every summer. He has family in Tunisia and France and he is fluent in both French and Arabic. After studying Accounting and Economics back home, he moved to San Francisco as an International student to pursue a degree at San Francisco State University. He earned his B.S in International Business and worked as an accountant for various companies around the bay area.

While in school Hamou met his future wife Tricia and recently welcomed a new addition into their household, baby Mona. Among other things fatherhood has been challenging but has been as equally rewarding for Hamou. In his spare time when he is not changing diapers or making a family budget, Hamou enjoys camping, tasting new red wines, playing water-polo and soccer. He also loves watching vintage WWII movies especially those with Henry Fonda and Steve McQueen. Coincidentally, McQueen also portrayed Papillion a book Hamou has read no less than 10 times.