Michael Cleary has been Owner of Vantage Financial Group since June 2016, is not listed as a control person, but directly owns between 5% and 10% of the firm. Michael Cleary holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Dayton School of Law. Michael Cleary studied at John Carroll University.
Vantage Financial Group, Inc. is a Cleveland, OH firm with $867M under management, 2,521 clients and 22 advisers across 7 offices, as of its March 2026 filing.
Michael F. Cleary is a Principal of Vantage Financial Group, with over 20 years of experience in investment and asset management with a focus on personal financial planning. Before joining Vantage, he was general counsel at Edward J. Keating Management, where he provided legal and investment advisory services on behalf of the agency and its clients.
- – present · 27 yearsCleveland, OH · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 105950
Professional designations
Listed by Vantage Financial Group
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
Investment adviser representative registrations
Michael Cleary is registered as an investment adviser representative in 2 states. The first approvals date from August 1999; the most recent is Texas, in February 2015.
- OhioSince 13 August 1999
- TexasSince 13 February 2015
Examinations
| Exam | Name | Passed |
|---|---|---|
| SIE | Securities Industry Essentials Examination | Credited |
| Series 24 | General Securities Principal Examination | 6 May 1993 |
| Series 63 | Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination | 5 May 1992 |
| Series 7 | General Securities Representative Examination | 16 April 1988 |
- Name
- Securities Industry Essentials Examination
- Name
- General Securities Principal Examination
- Name
- Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination
- Name
- General Securities Representative Examination
- Full name
- Michael Francis Cleary
- CRD
- 1816212
- Firm
- Vantage Financial Group · CRD 105950
- Role
- Owner
- Office
- 6200 ROCKSIDE ROAD, SUITE 100, Cleveland, OH 44131
- Registration
- Investment adviser and broker registrations
- In the industry since
- May 1988
- Disciplinary history
- Not yet shown here · SEC record · BrokerCheck
- Firm bio
- vanfin.com
Where does Michael Cleary work?
Michael Cleary has been Owner of Vantage Financial Group, Inc. since June 2016.
Is Michael Cleary a financial advisor?
Yes. Michael Cleary has a current investment-adviser registration in Ohio and Texas, through Vantage Financial Group since August 1999.
How many years of experience does Michael Cleary have?
Michael Cleary has 38 years in the financial industry, since May 1988, across 1 adviser firm.
What exams has Michael Cleary passed?
Michael Cleary has passed 3 licensing exams: the Series 7, Series 63 and Series 24. The earliest, the Series 7, was passed in April 1988. FINRA credited Michael Cleary with the SIE, which began in October 2018.
Where is Michael Cleary based?
Michael Cleary’s registered office is in Cleveland, OH.
Is Michael Cleary registered with FINRA?
Yes. Michael Cleary has a current broker registration, under CRD 1816212.
Source: FINRA BrokerCheck
Is Michael Cleary a CFP?
Vantage Financial Group lists Michael Cleary with the CFP credential (“CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)”) on its website. CFP Board confirms certification status.
Source: Michael F. Cleary, J.D., CFP®, AIF® biography, vanfin.com
How can I verify Michael Cleary’s record?
Search CRD 1816212 on the SEC’s adviser search (adviserinfo.sec.gov) and FINRA’s broker search (brokercheck.finra.org), which publish Michael Cleary’s full registration record.
