Partner Profile


C. Woodson Winfree
C. Woodson "Woody" Winfree moved to the Columbus area in 1980 from New York City when American Electric Power (AEP) moved its corporate headquarters to Columbus.

Woody graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business in 1979 from West Virginia University where he majored in accounting. Woody entered the accounting field when he was hired as an accountant for AEP. He worked in AEP's tax departments in Canton, Ohio, New York City, and Columbus.

Woody has continued his educational pursuits and has completed numerous advanced tax courses from the Master in Tax program offered by Cincinnati University, MBA courses from Dayton University, as well as the continued education classes required for his CPA, insurance, and securities status.

Woody's professional affiliations include member in Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accounts, Million Dollar Round Table, and National Association of Insurance Advisors.

Woody is the owner of Winfree Insurance & Financial Services, serving Pickerington and surrounding communities as a licensed insurance agent and a registered representative* since 1997. He is a qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table since 2002 and a member of NAIFA.

Woody has also been very active in the Pickerington community. He has served as President and Treasurer of the area Chamber of Commerce. Other community involvement has included serving as Treasurer numerous times for the Pickerington Local School District funding campaigns. He played an active role as Treasurer and Head of the Grounds Committee for the local annual Violet Festival held in Pickerington each July for the festival's first 10 years of existence. Woody is a member of his Church Administrative & Finance committee and the Christian School Board. He has participated in both domestic and foreign ministry outreach programs in Haiti and Honduras.

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Ronald E. Ruff
Ronald E. Ruff was born and raised in Lancaster, OH, graduating from Fairfield Union High School. He attended Ohio University part time, and in 1986, graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, while working full time in the accounting department at American Electric Power. Ron worked at AEP for seventeen years, fourteen of which were in the Corporate Tax Department handling federal, state and local taxes. He received his Certified Public Accountant certificate in 1991.

Ron had operated a part-time, home-based tax preparation business since 1983. In 1995, he formed a partnership with C. Woodson Winfree and in 1996, opened the Lancaster office of Winfree, Ruff and Associates, Ltd. The Lancaster office has experienced rapid growth in accounting and financial planning.

Within the Lancaster office, Ron began a financial planning business in 1997, where he is a Registered Investment Advisor and is licensed in several states for insurance and securities, holding Series 6 and Series 7 licenses.*

Ron has also continued his education pursuits by completing numerous advanced tax courses, as well as continuing education classes required for his CPA, insurance, investment and securities licenses.

Ron's professional affiliations include membership in Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, National Society of Tax Professionals, Million Dollar Round Table, and Professional Insurance Agents.

Ron has served as treasurer for various state and local political affiliations and is also very involved in his local community as a member of the following organizations:

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*Securities Offered Through ValMark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC
Investment Advisory Services Offered Through ValMark Advisers, Inc. a SEC Registered Investment Advisor 130 Springside Drive, Suite 300 Akron, OH 44333-2431 1-800-765-5201
Winfree Insurance & Financial Services is a separate entity from ValMark Securities, Inc. and ValMark Advisors, Inc.

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