With more than 30 years of experience managing retirement assets for both individual and corporate accounts, Joseph R. Brooks, ChFC®, and his staff bring extensive knowledge of distributions, rollovers and critical tax and legal considerations to clients.
Our Team
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Joseph R. Brooks
Founder
Joseph R. Brooks, ChFC®
President & Founder
Joseph R. Brooks, ChFC®, is president of Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation, a registered investment advisor, in East Lansing, Michigan. With more than three decades in the financial services industry, Joe initially co-founded and co-owned a retirement plan administration firm (TPA). Through his firsthand experience in designing, implementing, and administering pension, profit sharing and 401(k) plans, he brings a unique perspective and insight to retirement planning for clients.
Founding Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation in 1996, Joe followed his passion for working directly with clients assisting them with clarifying and establishing plans to reach their financial goals. He strives to help guide and assist clients with financial strategies to avoid costly gaps and oversights in investments, taxes, estate planning, insurance, Social Security and IRA rollovers and distributions to ultimately maximize their retirement assets.
In addition to his personal experience, Joe maintains extensive knowledge and expertise through accreditations and training with elite financial membership groups. He has a B.A. from Michigan State University and is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®). Additionally, he is a member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, Academy of Preferred Financial Professionals, and is the former vice president of the Central Michigan Chapter of the International Association of Financial Planning. Dedicated to the ongoing training in and mastery of IRA tax laws and planning strategies, Joe is a Charter Member of Ed Slott’s Master Elite IRA Advisor Group. In addition to regular training with Ed Slott, America’s IRA Expert, Joe has been recognized for his financial expertise as a featured Guest IRA Expert in Ed Slott’s IRA Advisor newsletter which is distributed to well-known publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger Letter, Money Magazine and other national and industry trade publications. He was most recently featured in Ed Slott’s newsletter in an article entitled, “Dealing with Ineligible Roth IRA Contributions”. Joe has also been featured in: The Wall Street Journal in an article entitled “Check the IRA Math”, USA Today in an article entitled “If you inherit an IRA, make a plan before doing a thing”, and MarketWatch in an article entitled “Last-minute tax tips that will also help you save for retirement”.
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Jonathan R. Brooks
President
Jonathan R. Brooks
managing partner
Jonathan is the President and Investment Advisor Representative at Fairhaven, where he helps individuals manage their assets and work toward their financial goals.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Taylor University, along with the Health and Life Insurance and Series 65 Uniform Investment Advisor Law certifications. Jonathan is passionate about helping people gain a deeper understanding of their finances and achieve their retirement goals.
Outside of work, he loves biking on the river trail, gardening, and living in Lansing with his wife and child.
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Joshua S. Roberds
Vice President
Joshua S. Roberds
VICE PRESIDENT
Joshua has been with Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation since 2017, earning his license as an Advisor Representative in 2019 and stepping into the role of Vice President and Managing Partner at the start of 2026. His academic background in Mechanical Engineering at Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University gave him a strong analytical foundation - one he now applies to building thoughtful, detail-oriented financial strategies for his clients.
As a member of both the Academy of Preferred Financial Advisors and Ed Slott's Master Elite IRA Advisor Group, Joshua brings specialized expertise in retirement and IRA distribution planning alongside a commitment to ongoing professional development. Joshua works with individuals and families at every stage of life, helping them develop and implement financial plans designed to reach their unique goals. His approach centers on building genuine relationships and crafting strategies that reflect each client's circumstances and aspirations.
Outside the office, Joshua lives in mid-Michigan with his wife Ashleigh, where they enjoy time on their property with their horses and dogs.
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Rachel C. Anderson
Investment Advisor Representative & Chief Compliance Officer
Rachel C. Anderson
Investment Advisor Representative and Chief Compliance Officer
As Investment Advisor Representative, Rachel assists with account management, client reviews, and investment objectives. As Chief Compliance Officer, Rachel keeps Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation up to date with industry regulations. She also oversees the annual calculation, verification and confirmation of required minimum distributions (RMDs) for clients.
Rachel holds the Series 66 Uniform Combined State Law Exam. Rachel has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Michigan State University. Rachel’s joyful personality and talent are wonderful assets to our team.
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Lara S. Hernandez
Operations Manager
Lara S. Hernandez
Operations Administrator
As Operations Manager, Lara is responsible for the processing of new securities accounts, securities trades, distribution requests and other client service related transactions. She also manages the production of our quarterly performance reports.
Lara studied music education at Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University. Her bright sense of humor and wit add a great deal of spirit to the atmosphere at Fairhaven Financial Advisory Corporation.
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Helen E. Lauterbach
Office Manager & Administrative Assistant
Helen E. Lauterbach
Office Manager & Administrative Assistant
As Office Manager, Helen keeps us supplied with everything we need to keep the office running efficiently and to produce our quarterly reports and other mailings. As Administrative Assistant she answers phones, schedules appointments, assembles all of the mailings and is responsible for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of all client files. She also assists with special projects and proactively attends to the many day-to-day details that keep our office running smoothly. Helen’s kindness and willingness to serve make her an invaluable part of our team.
