Our Team

Michael V. Gisonda, CLU^®, ChFC^®, LUTCF^®

CEO

Michael V. Gisonda is the CEO of The Bridge Group and has been in the insurance and financial industry for over 25 years, continuing our founder Victor Miranda's legacy for many years. Michael has extensive knowledge and experience in the financial service arena which includes insurance, estate, business, investment and exit planning.

Michael has been awarded designations from The American College in studies of "Charter Life Underwriter", "Chartered Financial Consultant" and "Life Underwriting Training Council Fellowship". He is also a member agent of The Nautilus Group®, a highly selective elite group of skilled professionals, a service of New York Life Insurance Company. In addition, Michael is also one of the Founders of Master Minds, a national study group which meets multiple times per year. Michael is a member of the Boca Raton Estate Planning Council.

Michael began his career in the financial services industry in 1996. In 2000 Michael joined forces as an agent with The New York Life Insurance Company where he met and soon thereafter partnered up with Victor R. Miranda. He enjoys a deep sense of satisfaction from helping individuals, families, and businesses achieve and focus on their financial goals and needs. Personally, and professionally, Michael thrives on maintaining balance. He feels a tremendous responsibility to his clients, some of which have been clients of the firm through 2 or 3 generations.

Michael was born in New York, raised in Southern Italy, and has been residing in Florida with his lovely wife Lisa since 1999. Together they have been blessed with three wonderful children: Sophia, Olivia and Julian. As you can imagine having three young children can keep one’s time away from the office very occupied. Nonetheless, he manages to find time to pursue his passions and hobbies which include golf, guitar, reading, running marathons, and Ironman triathlons.

Robert I. Spak, CLU^®, ChFC^®, CASL^®

Financial Services Professional

With more than 40 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industry, Robert works closely with his clients in Florida and across the country, providing solutions for their asset protection, estate conservation, business continuation, financial planning and retirement planning concerns.

Robert is an Investment Adviser Representative with Eagle Strategies LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser, and can provide access to investment management programs and fee based financial planning. He has completed the extensive studies necessary to earn the Chartered Life Underwriter^® (CLU^®), Chartered Financial Consultant^® (ChFC^®), and Chartered Advisor for Senior Living® (CASL^®), designations from The American College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Robert is a life and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT^®) and in his career, has qualified for MDRT’s Court of the Table and Top of the Table. MDRT is recognized globally as the standard of excellence in life insurance sales performance. Robert is a member of the Broward County Estate Planning Council and is a member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP). Since 1980, he has been a member in good standing of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

Aside from work, Robert enjoys golf, fishing, traveling, and quality family time. Robert and Sharon have been happily married since December 1978 and have one daughter, Michelle, and one granddaughter, Lacie.

Michael A. Brooks

Financial Services Professional

Mike Brooks has had the privilege of working with The Bridge Group since 2008. He focuses his practice on retirement planning, tax diversification strategies as well as retirement income solutions. Working with clients young and old to help make sure their retirement dreams can be achieved.

He works closely with our group benefit clients on their health and ancillary benefit programs to ensure they are providing the most cost-effective solutions. He also works closely with our 401(k) and qualified plan clients to make sure their plans are accomplishing their intended goals.

Mike attended Florida Atlantic University, where he studied Political Science and Finance. As a fourth generation New York Life agent, Mike looks forward to assisting his clients and their families for many years to come.

While raised in Northern New Jersey, Mike has made South Florida his home for the last 21 years. He is married to his beautiful wife, Summer and has three children, Jacob, Benjamin and Kennedy.

C. Scott Rassler

Financial Services Professional

Scott Rassler has a passion for helping successful people do great things for themselves, their loved ones, and their favorite causes.

A graduate of Duke Law School with a Finance degree from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), Scott is a former full-time practicing attorney and a past Director and Treasurer of the International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy. He is the immediate Past President of the Weston Bar Association and a former President of the South Florida Chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals. Scott also served terms as a Director of the Broward County Estate Planning Council and the Planned Giving Council. His qualifications also include designations as a Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant from The American College in Bryn Mawr, PA. Scott is also a Life and Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table*.

With over 35 years’ experience in the financial services industry, Scott is a leader in the analysis, design & implementation of client-focused life insurance, long term care insurance, and retirement income strategies that feature tax-free living benefits & secure income streams to help clients better achieve their goals with IRAs, 401Ks, and other types of financial accounts.

Scott specializes in helping senior executives, business owners, other successful professionals, and high net worth individuals. He works closely with their attorneys, accountants, and financial services professionals; assisting them in developing multi-generational legal and tax strategies and integrating within such strategies, the financial products necessary to make them work effectively.

Through the Family Wealth Counseling process, Scott and his trusted advisor colleagues help clients to explore the social, spiritual, and emotional aspects of their wealth so they can discover what matters most to them and then take charge in creating amazing opportunities for the people and causes they love.

Scott is also active in many community organizations. He is a graduate of Leadership Broward Class VIII & serves on the Executive Committee of the Ambassadors Board of Nova Southeastern University. Scott is a past Director and Legacy Council member of Junior Achievement. He is also a director of the Lovewell Institute for the Creative Arts and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Paul L. Rodensky Foundation for the Arts. He is a principal of The Creative Learning Institute, a developer of specialized educational initiatives to enhance social and emotional learning, build self-efficacy, and improve teaching and learning outcomes.

Scott’s hobbies include travel, scenic photography, landscape design and maintenance, playing golf, watching musical theatre, and collecting sports memorabilia. Scott and his wife Karen live in Weston, FL, and they have two daughters, Brielle, and Shelbie.

^*The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), The Premier Association of Financial Professionals, is recognized globally as the standard of excellence for life insurance sales performance in the insurance and financial services industry.

Linda Heun, CLU^®, FLMI, ACS

Director of Operations, Advanced Planning Specialist

Linda M. Heun, CLU^®, FLMI, ACS is a valued employee and has been with The Bridge Group for over 35 years. She is knowledgeable in all our areas of expertise. Linda’s current position of Chief Operating Officer for the firm has her focusing on assisting the agents with their advanced planning concepts, overall business operations and supporting the rest of the Team in their area of practice. She has made it her career to provide the highest caliber of support she can for our financial professionals while also helping to manage day to day operations of the Bridge Group.

Linda is a native Floridian growing up in the South Florida area. She enjoys yoga, reading, music and traveling with her husband Dale.

Lorraine Arabia

Licensed Service Assistant

Lorraine was born and raised on Long Island, N.Y and has resided in South Florida for the past 25 years. She began her career in the insurance industry in 1996. As a licensed service assistant, her background is in underwriting and new business administration. Lorraine joined The Bridge Group in 2011 as a New Business/Underwriting Coordinator, and her role has expanded since then to include receptionist duties, including answering the phones and greeting clients as they come in for meetings. Her primary focus is to facilitate the underwriting process between the client, underwriter(s) and carrier and her goal is to provide outstanding service to meet clients’ insurance needs in a cordial and professional manner.

David Antico

New Business Manager

David Antico, has been working in the insurance industry with New York Life as a New Business Processor for the past 6 years. David was hired by the Bridge Group in 2021. As a valued employee, David's primary focus is to assist our new clients as they get oriented and to provide excellent customer service.

David was born and raised in Waltham, MA and just recently moved to Boca Raton, FL. When he is not spending time with family, David lives an active lifestyle, playing pickleball and basketball and going to the beach in his free time.

Ehab Abdalla, CFP^®

Associate Financial Advisor

Ehab Abdalla,  has over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry. Since joining the Bridge Group in 2017, Ehab has been a valued staff member who has helped manage the firms Financial Planning & Investment unit in developing detailed and customized financial plans and investment strategies for the firm’s affluent clients.

His focus is to analyze a client’s entire financial situation, including estate, retirement, insurance and investments, in order to develop a holistic financial plan and implement an investment strategy  to effectively meet clients goals and objectives.

As a graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Providence RI, Ehab earned a Master’s degree in Business. He is a Certified Financial Planning professional with a FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, and 65.

Ehab resides in Boca Raton, Florida where he enjoys active lifestyle, going to the beach and playing soccer.

Jules Epstein, CLU^®, ChFC^®

Financial Services Professional

Jules began his career in the financial services industry in 1954. He shortly thereafter was awarded the designation from The American College of “Chartered Life Underwriter”. He completed his “Chartered Financial Consultant” and “Master of Science in Financial Services, MSFS” in 1982 and 1984 respectively. He was a special instructor at Hofstra University in Estate and Pension Planning for attorneys, CPAs and Financial Professionals for 5 years.

Jules is a Financial Adviser with Eagle Strategies LLC and as such he can provide financial planning and investment advisory services – ranging from separately managed portfolios to wrap accounts.

Jules is a member of the American College, and Life Member of the Million Dollar Round Table^*. He has made it his passion to help people develop and implement plans to meet their financial goals. With all of his experience he understands the financial challenges of individuals, businesses and changing times.

In his personal time, Jules enjoys playing golf, cooking and exercise.