Principals

Patrick W. Suffern, CPA, CLU®, AEP®, CPFA™ is a Principal and Shareholder of Becker Suffern McLanahan. Patrick practiced in the Tax Department of KPMG Peat Marwick in New Orleans where his primary responsibilities included Employee Benefits Consulting, Estates, Trusts, and Personal Financial Planning. Patrick has participated as a board member of the Catholic Community Foundation and St. Mary’s Dominican High School. He is a frequent speaker in financial, retirement, and estate planning. Patrick is also a member of the New Orleans Estate Planning Council having served as its president in 2021. Patrick is a member of AICPA and Louisiana Society of CPA’s. He received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Louisiana State University in 1981 and continues his involvement at LSU serving on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the E.J. Ourso College of Business.

With over 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, Patrick has extensive background in private wealth management and the retirement plan space. He provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management services to individuals, families, businesses, and employers. His mission is for all clients to experience financial security and a greater sense of confidence in achieving their personal financial goals or those of their organization.

Brian P. Becker, CLU®, AIF®, CPFA™ is a Principal and Shareholder of Becker Suffern McLanahan. Brian is a qualifying and life member of the Million Dollar Round Table (Top of the Table) and Northshore Estate Planning Council. Brian also served as a board member for The American College Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services. From 1991 through 1996, he was an Assistant Vice President in the Commercial Lending Group at First National Bank of Commerce. Brian received his MBA from the University of New Orleans in 1991 and his Bachelor of Science in Economics/Finance from Southern Methodist University in 1989.

Brian currently specializes in retirement plans and retirement plan consulting. With over 26 years of experience, he assists plan sponsors in improving and maintaining successful retirement plans that seek to drive positive outcomes and produce retirement readiness for participants. He is dedicated to helping plan sponsors develop and maintain sound fiduciary practices and provides comprehensive advice regarding plan design, investments, education, and plan administration.

Timothy McLanahan, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®, CPFA™ is a Principal and Shareholder of Becker Suffern McLanahan. Tim has studied extensively in the general field of Estate Planning obtaining his Chartered Life Underwriter degree and Chartered Financial Consultant degree. Additionally, he has been designated as an Accredited Estate Planner. Tim is a firm believer in donating his time and talent towards civic endeavors and has done so for several organizations and schools during his career. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Crime Commission. Tim is a graduate of Tulane University receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Management. 

Tim believes in a holistic approach to serving his client’s financial needs including design and implementation of a retirement plan, IRA, taxable investments and insurance in the right combination for the clients that he serves. With over 30 years in the Financial Services Industry, Tim knows that every client is unique and therefore there is no “one size fits all” solution to solving financial puzzles.