Philip J. Mason, CFBS, MBA

Our Team

Philip J. Mason, CFBS, MBA

Co-Founder | Partner

Phil Mason is a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) by trade with 30 years of experience  advising business owners and their families. He is a Certified Family Business Specialist  (CFBS) and helps business owners prepare for one of the biggest financial events of  their life – exiting the business. He provides multi-generational financial planning and  investment advisory services across two and three generations spanning multiple  branches of family trees. His professional mission and passion are helping business  owners protect their family, business, and ownership interests through integrated  planning that is designed to reduce complexity, minimize risk, build wealth, and  improve tax efficiency*. He employs a unique blend of education and experience in  small, medium, and large companies and advises on low, medium, and high levels of  financial complexity. Levels of financial complexity vary based on the intersection of  life stage, business stage, and ownership stage of their life. He educates clients  through effective communication techniques which enable them to make good  financial decisions, enhance their wealth through tax mitigation and cash flow  planning strategies, take care of their heirs, protect their assets from being unjustly  taken, and magnify their charitable impact.  

In his fiduciary Investment Advisor Representative role, Phil helps owners of medium sized companies coordinate and integrate their personal, business, and estate  planning which spans the family, business, and ownership domains of their financial  life. The coordination and integration of planning across these three domains is a  differentiator for Lumen Wealth Advisors. This specialized and holistic approach helps  address the complex and interrelated nature of business owners’ concerns and needs.  The ongoing fee-based financial planning process involves a ‘deep dive’ discovery to  assess the client’s present position. A comprehensive plan is developed,  implemented, and maintained based on independent observations and  recommendations**. Investment advisory and wealth management services are also  provided based on the unique client needs, objectives, risk tolerance, and time  horizon through an extensive platform of traditional and alternative investment  alternatives.  

Phil began his 30-year career in the AT&T CFO organization. After five years, he left to  become Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of 2nd generation family owned Allied Steel in Newark, NJ. When the business owner hit the lottery and didn’t  want to grow the company any longer, he joined 2nd & 3rd generation family-owned  Martec International in South Plainfield, NJ, as Chief Financial Officer. He was  promoted to Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer after twelve months  and provided financial and operational leadership while the company expanded  product distribution throughout North, Central, and South America. Since leaving  AT&T in 1994, he has vested 30 years advising multi-generational family business  owners in strategy, execution, and succession. In 2012, he took the next step in his  career to personal CFO to successful business owners and their families. In 2024, he  Co-Founded Lumen Wealth Advisors to merge his boutique multi-generational  advisory and management consulting practices with TransitioNext Advisors to serve  the comprehensive nature of business owner needs. 

BA cum laude International Business & Economics, State University of New York, College  at Brockport  

MBA International Business Management, Fairleigh Dickinson University  Graduate Certificate in Personal Financial Planning, Moravian College  Graduate Certificate in Business Succession Planning, The American College  

Certified Family Business Specialist (CFBS)  

*Our firm does not provide tax advice or services. Consult your tax advisor regarding  your specific situation.  

**Financial Plan recommendations can be implemented with the advisor of your  choosing. Implementation of specific products or services may result in commissions or  fees outside of the financial planning fee.  

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