Derek Ralston

Derek Ralston began his career at Aon Risk Services, Inc. in New York, where he worked with prestigious private equity clients such as Apollo, Bain Capital, and Clayton Dublier & Rice. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in establishing unsecured bond underwriting programs for highly leveraged companies with minimal operating history.

In 2000, Derek joined Trade Manage, LLC, a regional financial brokerage firm in northern New Jersey. Specializing in order execution, he served on the trading desk, managing customer orders, analyzing stock movements for optimal price execution, and providing clients with valuable market insights. His dedication and expertise led to his appointment as Vice President of Business Development, where he worked closely with the CEO and high-net-worth clients.

In 2002, Derek co-founded Celadon Financial Group, a boutique firm in Chatham, NJ. At Celadon, he focused on advising and trading for high-net-worth and institutional clients in equities, options, and select fixed-income products. In 2009, he co-founded an investment fund, collaborating with the principal on its inception and portfolio management.

In the summer of 2011, Derek was introduced to Income & Asset Advisory, Inc. After meeting with the then President James P. McCauley Jr., he joined the firm in September 2011.

Derek joined Income & Asset Advisory in September of 2011 with a focus on developing client portfolios built around income generation and growth through capital appreciation. As a fee-only financial advisor, he takes a collaborative approach in working with clients to create their investment plan, attempting to educate and provide explanations in a common-sense, easily understood manner.  As a fiduciary, Derek is completely unbaised in his investment choices, selecting only those that are in the client’s best interest. In choosing a financial professional, clients deserve a transparent and open relationship without any conflicts of interest. Derek’s compensation is based on the assets that he manages; he does not receive any fees or other compensation from any investment product he recommends.

In 2025, Derek became a principal of the firm.

Derek holds a B.A. in Economics with a minor in English from Binghamton University, NY. He resides in northern Bergen County, NJ.