AT CSI GROUP, THE GRECO BROTHERS ARE CONTINUING THEIR FATHER’S 50-YEAR LEGACY, PROVIDING FINANCIAL ADVICE AND GUIDANCE FOR FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN STATE

BY JENNIFER KELLY • PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO.

When Peter Greco launched the Greco Brokerage Corp. in 1973, the mission of his budding Brooklyn-based firm was to provide tax and financial services to friends, family members, and neighbors. “He was an immigrant who came to this country from Italy when he was only 16,” noted Peter’s son, Robert Greco. “He was instrumental in assisting other local immigrants with any financial-related assistance they needed. He filled out forms, wrote letters, and eventually began doing tax returns. He wanted to be a trusted source for people who were moving into the neighborhood and provide the type of help he wished he had when he immigrated to New York.”

The concept developed rapidly as news of Greco’s valuable advice traveled via word-of-mouth. He soon expanded to Bensonhurst, then Staten Island. In 1990, Peter and his wife, Sandra, planted roots in New Jersey.

“No matter how big the business got, they always maintained the ‘mom-and-pop’ approach to financial planning,” Robert Greco continued. “They always treated each client as if he or she were their only client, offering the best level of customer service.

And that’s the same model of business that my brother and I continue to offer today.”

Today, CSI Group (the rebranding reflects the firm’s steadfast commitment to “confidence, service, and integrity”) is one of the largest and most respected financial organizations in the Northeast, with nearly two dozen locations throughout New York and New Jersey. The team, composed of CPAs, IRS Enrolled Agents, Certified Estate Planners, and Certified Financial Planners, is led by brothers Robert and James Greco, who are committed to carrying on their father’s legacy.

“Even though we now provide a different range of services, we want our clients to call us for whatever they need,” Robert Greco noted. “We grew up in this business and watched our father support his neighbors. That’s exactly what CSI Group continues to do today.”

Focused on the needs, concerns, hopes, and dreams of their clients, the family-run business provides a full suite of services, including Investment Advisory Services, Tax Preparation, and Estate Planning to middle-class individuals and families in a one-stop shop forum.

“We’ve modernized the technology, moved our corporate headquarters to a state-of-the-art facility, and grew from around 20 employees to 60,” Robert Greco added. “But we’re still moving in the same direction. We’re now in the process of scaling up even further, building an executive team and eventually taking the concept nationwide. We’d love to place a CSI Group office on every Main Street in America.”

But amid massive growth, the company’s focus remains grounded. “We offer an all-encompassing advisory approach for the average American family,” Robert Greco said. “Our clients have regular jobs and 401(k)s. They’re people who retire at 65 with a decent sum of money and want guidance on how to manage it.”

At the first appointment, CSI Group offers clients a complete 360-degree check-up free of charge and identifies financial goals based on the individual’s needs.

“The average middleclass citizen doesn’t read financial newsletters,” Robert Greco explained. “They need answers to regular kitchen-table types of questions, such as, ‘How do I get help paying for college?