Portfolio Advisors, Inc., a financial advisory firm based in Fresno, is marking its 35th anniversary this September. The company was established by certified financial planner Gary Leffler and has maintained its presence in the Central Valley since its founding.
The firm provides services such as financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, charitable giving, and risk management. Gary Leffler’s son, Mike Leffler, joined the business in the mid-1990s and assumed ownership after his father’s retirement in the early 2000s.
Currently, Tina Mistry serves as president, CEO, and senior financial advisor at Portfolio Advisors. She joined the firm in 2006 and became a managing partner with Ken Hatfield in 2014. Hatfield retired in 2020 and Mike Leffler followed suit in 2021. Mistry became the sole owner of Portfolio Advisors in September 2021.
Mistry emphasized that the firm remains local and independent. “When you walk into Portfolio Advisors — it’s seven folks here who are valley natives,” Mistry said “It’s very much a boutique type of planning firm. The founder wanted the ability to work with people long term throughout their entire life time and build relationships.”
She noted that many clients have been with Portfolio Advisors since its inception, including some third or fourth generation members of families originally served by Gary Leffler.
A significant portion of their clientele includes individuals nearing retirement as well as teachers, administrators, federal and public sector employees, healthcare workers, business owners, and executives.
Discussing business owners specifically, Mistry said they are focused on running their operations efficiently but may lack time to manage personal finances. “We want to shoulder a lot of the personal financial aspects,” she said. “Are they taking advantage of the right tax strategies, do they have an estate plan lined up to take care of themselves and their family. A lot of business owners just don’t have the time to manage their own financial affairs so we want to have them delegate that to us.”
Mistry added that business owners seek advisors who can help save money on taxes and provide benefit plans for employees.
Addressing current economic conditions such as political division and market pressures across the United States—including rising costs—Mistry advised clients to focus on controllable factors like spending and saving habits.
She commented on recent legislative changes: “While President Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ passed into law in July does have some disadvantages regarding taxes,” she said there are also provisions effective next year intended to benefit taxpayers.
Mistry encourages clients to prepare for market volatility due to tariffs or policy changes by maintaining emergency savings accounts.
She also pointed out challenges people face when choosing qualified financial advisors but stated that education remains a priority for Portfolio Advisors: helping inform individuals about what qualities to seek when selecting professional advice.
