STRATEGIC RETIREMENT PARTNERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Marketing Specialist
- Operations
Amy joined Strategic Retirement Partners as a Marketing Specialist in 2019, where she focuses on brand awareness, advertising, sponsorships, events, and design. Her responsibilities include brainstorming and developing ideas for creative marketing campaigns, assist in outbound marketing activities, collaborate with marketing and other professionals to coordinate brand awareness, and plan and execute initiatives to reach target audiences through appropriate channels.
Amy graduated from the Journalism School at University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied Strategic and Mass Communication and gained a certificate in digital studies.
Amy currently resides in Los Angeles, California where she just recently moved to from Wisconsin.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Manager, Client Services
Ann has over 20 years of experience working with employers sponsoring retirement plans. Ann's role is to provide support to our advisors so that they may assist employers in identifying retirement plan objectives, and help them align plan design and administration to maximize the specific goals. Ann takes a consultative approach to support our advisors in helping employers establish best practices and in acting in the best interest of the plan participants to manage fiduciary obligations.
Prior to joining Strategic Retirement Partners, she was a Lead Client Executive with Transamerica Retirement Solutions. She assisted plan sponsors in the areas of plan design, compliance, participant communication, and testing. She worked closely with plan sponsors and advisors by offering customized service to meet their retirement plan needs.
She is a registered assistant with, and holds the Series 6 (Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative) and Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) registrations with, LPL Financial.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Houston
Ann-Marie is the Managing Director leading SRP's Houston, Texas office. She is a detail-oriented consultant, a strategic thinker and a participant advocate that works with mid-market companies to help them implement retirement plan solutions that strive to give their employees the confidence to save for retirement.
Ann-Marie wakes up every morning because she wants to make an Impact and goes to bed every night knowing she might possibly Make a Difference. Impact and Making a Difference in the percentage of employees enrolled, in the amount an employee saves, in the ability for employees to reach their retirement goals.
Ann-Marie has been passionate about educating those around her since a very early age. As a semi-professional figure skater, she taught ice skating to skaters who ranged in age from young children to early adults. She really felt her best when she saw the smiles on their faces when they landed a jump or completed a spin. That taught her how to communicate and educate to all different age groups at all different levels.
The employers Ann-Marie works with know that she is passionate about her work. She delivers an honest, detailed approach to implementing Best Practices in their retirement plans. Ann-Marie works best with companies that are holistic about their benefit plans- employers who want to look beyond a traditional plan offering by considering different plan design features and plan alternatives such as Non-Qualified Plans and Defined Benefit Plans. That is what brings out her best work.
Today Ann-Marie leads our Houston team in developing fresh, new approaches to retirement plans. Ann-Marie says, "I love what I do. I may never know if I truly made an impact on an employee's retirement savings but just having the opportunity to do so is what keeps me ticking."
Bob Wagner - Chief Investment Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Investment Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Dallas
A professional in the retirement planning industry since 2003, Brad has a passion to meet the retirement service needs of business owners and non-profit organizations and to help individuals be better off in retirement. He works diligently with his clients to ensure they maintain an ongoing level of excellence in their investment selection and monitoring process, fiduciary risk management, and overall plan health. But most of all Brad prides himself on the care and attention he provides to his clients which often turns his working relationships into long term friendships.
Brad graduated from the University of Texas in Dallas with a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting. He received his MBA in Corporate Finance from the University of Dallas. He started his career in investments at Merrill Lynch where he earned several designations; the Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM , the Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P®), and a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor with National Association of Plan Advisors. Prior to his work in the financial services industry, Brad worked for Texas Instruments as a cost accountant and business planner for 9 years.
Brad is a lifelong resident of Sherman, Texas with his wife, Nicole and their three children. In the community Brad has served on the Planning and Zoning Board for the City of Sherman and the Sherman Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He is currently serving on the Greater Texoma Utility Authority Board as well as the Board of Trustees for the Sherman Independent School District.
Brandon Lawrence, Retirement Plan Advisor for our Twin Cities Practice, is an experienced retirement plan advisor in the industry since 2013. Brandon focuses on being an advocate for plan sponsors and participants during their retirement plan journey. His main focus is providing prudent advice to build strong retirement plan offerings for his clients. Brandon strives to connect with participants to provide them with sound financial planning advice for attaining their goals in the short, intermediate, and long term.
Brandon received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Minnesota. He is committed to the industry by maintaining designations of Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) from The American College and Certified Plan Fiduciary Consultant (CPFA) from the National Association of Plan Advisors.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director With
- Managing Director, Nashville
Bryan Peebles is a Managing Director with Strategic Retirement Partners in the Nashville region and an Investment Advisor Representative with Global Retirement Partners. He works with plan sponsors to design, implement, and maintain their firm's retirement plans and educates participants on how to maximize those plans to help meet their retirement goals.
A graduate of the Financial Planning program at Western Kentucky University, Bryan has earned his Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS) designation through the College for Financial Planning and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) designation via the National Association of Plan Advisors.
Job Titles:
- Director, Operations
- Member of the Leadership Team
- in 2018 As the Relationship Manager, Operations
Carin joined Strategic Retirement Partners in 2018 as the Relationship Manager, Operations for the Indianapolis, IN and Columbus, OH offices. She assists in facilitating our fulfillment of agreed upon services, completion of client engagement documents, and coordination of meeting material. Carin oversees office management, workflow prioritization and operational planning.
Carin also acts as the Director of Operations. She innovates and executes on the strategic initiatives of the COO and Managing Partner by leading the SRP Operations team, overseeing training and development, and leading the operational components of special projects with the COO.
Carin has over 20 years' experience in the financial service industry and holds a Business Administration Degree in Finance from Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN.
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Catarina joined Strategic Retirement Partners in 2015 and has a wide range of responsibilities from general office management to client relationship management and operational support. Her role includes daily contact with plan sponsors and participants, recordkeepers, TPAs, fund companies and other industry professionals.
Previous experience includes working as a Senior Planning Assistant for over 15 years assisting financial advisors and their clients in any way necessary. She has extensive experience in private wealth management and practice management.
In her free time, Catarina enjoys reading, music, the beach and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Client Services
- Operations
I am one of the many that started in California and made my way to Texas as soon as I could. When I was a teenager, at the start of high school, I moved from the Northern California Bay Area to the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. Growing up I played select soccer and my love for team activities grew from there. As a team, a lot can be accomplished that individuals cannot do alone.
My college years began at Texas A&M University-Commerce and I graduated from the University of North Texas (UNT) with a BBA in general business. After college I moved to Austin looking for my next steps in life. Not really knowing what I wanted to be when I grew up, I joined a local boutique 401k administration firm in Austin and never looked back. This is where I learned how rewarding it was to work with people on creating a personalized plan to make their retirement dreams achievable. I worked at several other places along the way before making my way to Strategic Retirement Partners. The one constant throughout my journey has always been my drive to help people make smart financial plans so they can accomplish their retirement goals.
Outside of the office you will find me traveling for a variety of activities, some standard options and some not so much. I thoroughly enjoy both scuba diving in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. And all year long you can find me traveling for tournaments to throw axes competitively. Yep, you read that right, I am a competitive axe thrower! I compete both locally here in Austin and throughout the US and Canada. In addition to my love of travel, I have one dog, a shar-pei/lab mix named Loki. He is a big fan of the Netflix and chill lifestyle, and he makes sure there is plenty of that going on as well.
Charles brings senior level perspective from nearly 40 years of experience in various corporate finance functions in three Fortune 1000 corporations. His 25 years of experience in the investment function includes serving as Director of Trust Investments. Most recently he fulfilled investment responsibilities as Chief Investment Officer of White Oak Advisors LLC. Currently he serves on the investment committee of several foundations and endowments in Kentucky and Ohio. He holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Troy University, an M. B. A. from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, and studied in the Executive Development programs of Indiana University. He contributes to investment research, investment policy, investments selection and monitoring, special projects, and development of presentations.
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager for Strategic Retirement Partners - Wisconsin
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Cheryl L. Castillo is a Relationship Manager for Strategic Retirement Partners-Wisconsin. She has spent the last 30 plus years in the financial services industry.
She has held varying positions, mainly within the area of the Private Client and Wealth Management sector. With the last six years, working with Financial Planners and Investment Advisors. Currently, as a Subject Matter Expert in account creation and documentation management.
In a managerial and operational capacity, Cheryl has worked closely with business owners and corporate executives, delivering the ultimate client experience with her organizational skills and attention to detail. Cheryl, her husband and step-daughter reside in Greenfield, Wisconsin.
Job Titles:
- Operations
- Systems Architect
Chris is a graduate from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Midway through his studies in 2017, he joined SRP as an intern with a focus on making enhancements to the CRM platform. During that time, he also helped develop and deployed SRP's new website and managed their Help Desk alongside a number of other projects. After receiving his degree, he joined SRP full time as their System Architect.
Apart from the computer programming languages Chris knows, he also is a native Polish speaker. He learned English early on in kindergarten and took Spanish classes throughout school for eight years. Furthermore, he has worked alongside numerous Spanish speakers which helped him solidify the language. He aspires to learn Italian, Russian, and Japanese next and wishes to learn every possible language he can.
Chris currently resides in Chicago, IL. When he is not working he enjoys weight lifting, playing soccer and video games. Anything with a competitive nature, really.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Upstate New York
Chris is a Registered Representative with LPL Financial and an Investment Advisor Representative with Global Retirement Partners. As Managing Director for Strategic Retirement Partners, Chris is responsible for growing the firm's practice in Upstate New York. Chris has a strong technical background, including regulatory insight and plan design experience.
Chris started his career in retirement consulting as a Vice President for Principal Financial Group for 11 years. In this role, he was responsible for marketing and servicing the firm's retirement plan product portfolio. For over 15 years, Chris has overseen the group benefits division, including retirement plan solutions, at Walsh Duffield Companies, which serves 700 clients throughout Western New York. Chris has implemented and serviced over 200 retirement plans in past twenty-five years.
Outside of work, Chris serves on the board of directors for Clarence Industrial Development Agency and Schofield Residence. He is also an active United Way volunteer.
Chris is a 1986 graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and a 1990 graduate of Canisius College with an MBA degree in Finance. In 2010, Chris obtained his Certified 401(k) Professional Designation from The Retirement Advisor University at UCLA. He resides with his wife Maryann and four children in Clarence, NY.
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Christina has over 22 years of financial and customer service experience. Starting her career at Fidelity Investments working in their Participant Services Group, she has since worked in various relationship management and portfolio compliance related roles at firms such as Barings LLC, Manulife Asset Management and Amundi Pioneer.
A graduate of Quinsigamond Community College and Anna Maria College, Christina holds an Associates Degree and a Bachelor's Degree both in Criminal Justice.
She is energetic, naturally inquisitive and she enjoys making genuine connections with our clients.
Christina and her husband live in Charlton, MA and enjoy the serenity of the quiet countryside. Christina loves children and she feels blessed to share her life with four beautiful nieces, a handsome nephew, and an adorable God child whom she says is, "the love of her life."
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Michigan
- Strategic Retirement Partners' Managing Director for Michigan
Strategic Retirement Partners' Managing Director for Michigan, Chuck Langeland, is a veteran of the retirement plan industry with a time-tested track record and more than twenty years of experience under his belt. Prior to joining SRP, he had the opportunity to work in all aspects of the retirement plan industry, from record keeping and third-party administration to fiduciary investment advice. Through his different roles and experiences, Chuck has developed a deep understanding of the industry and how he can best support his clients, no matter their retirement needs or goals.
Chuck takes a consultative approach to retirement planning to establish best practices and assist employers in creating an efficient and cost-effective retirement program. His focus is on providing his clients with a full suite of consulting services to help retirement plan sponsors to manage their fiduciary responsibilities. Chuck then works with each fiduciary to identify their retirement plan objectives and utilizes a careful and well-documented process to help them design a plan to maximize participant outcomes.
Chuck earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Virginia Tech and is passionate about furthering his knowledge so he can continue to provide his clients with the highest quality services. He has completed a number of courses and certifications and is a Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA), Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA).
Outside of work, Chuck loves spending time with his wife, Kim, and kids, Reese and Evan. He enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities such as boating, golfing, skiing and snowboarding, as well as cheering on the Virginia Tech football team, Go Hokies!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Manager, Client Services With SRP 's Tulsa
Clay Downey is a Manager, Client Services with SRP's Tulsa and Los Angeles offices. He supports plan sponsors & plan participants to both help their retirement needs.
Prior to joining SRP, Clay Downey worked in the Employee Benefits group at HUB International Mid-America. While there, he assisted his team in consultative brokerage services for employer sponsored health & welfare plans to create customized plans and solutions to help mid- to large- employers manage their costs and challenges of benefits.
Clay is a graduate of Oklahoma State University where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with a degree in Finance. In his free time Clay enjoys road cycling competitively, skiing, playing guitar, and spending time with his friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Plan Consultant
As a Plan Consultant for Strategic Retirement Partners, Great Lakes, Colin works closely with plan sponsors and fiduciaries and assists them with important plan provider decisions. This includes annual plan reviews, plan design analysis, investment monitoring, plan fee benchmarking, and plan provider analysis. Colin also collaborates with plan sponsors and plan providers to aim to create and conduct a customized education plan that helps employees stay on track for retirement.
Colin has a BA in Psychology from Aurora University and currently resides in Chicago, IL. When he's not working, he enjoys outdoor activities like boating, golfing, skiing, reading, and cooking.
Job Titles:
- Leadership
- Managing Director, Mid Atlantic
An industry veteran, Craig's career began with The Equitable where he completed the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designations. In 1997, Craig formed Cypress Group, LLC, to handle the unique needs of retirement plans.
Prior to joining Strategic Retirement Partners as a Managing Director of the Mid-Atlantic regional office, Craig was a Managing Director affiliated with 401(k) Advisors where he was charged with assisting plan sponsor clients to adopt ongoing fiduciary best practices, including investment due diligence, fee benchmarking and plan compliance and design.
Craig holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®), Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) certifications.
Craig was named to the 2018 Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Advisors list. The list recognizes the top financial advisors who specialize in serving defined contribution (DC) retirement plans across the US.
Craig is a graduate of William & Mary with degrees in both History and Education. He is an investment advisor representative and has passed Series 65 (Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination) exam.
He resides in Williamsburg with his wife. They have two grown children.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Client Service Associate
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Daniel graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor's degree in Economics in 2008. He then spent a decade in retail management before switching things up and joining the SRP team in July of 2019. He brings his personable skills to SRP in an effort to ensure our clients are provided with world class service.
When he has time, Daniel loves traveling the world and experiencing different foods, drinks, and cultures. He currently resides in San Carlos, California with his partner and son.
Job Titles:
- Investment Advisor
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Great Lakes
David is an Investment Advisor Representative with Global Retirement Partners. He is Managing Director, Great Lakes for Strategic Retirement Partners. David is responsible for the selection, monitoring, and ongoing due diligence of client investment menus. He is a specialist in asset allocation, diversification, and alternative investments. David collaborates with plan sponsors and participants to build a customized plan that helps provide each employee a clear path to a successful retirement.
Before joining Strategic Retirement Partners, David spent eight years at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. While in their Retirement Services Group, David worked with top consultants to provide investment solutions aimed at diversifying risk and improving long-term outcomes for retirement plan clients. On their Institutional Client Service team, David was relationship manager for numerous corporate treasury departments and provided daily support for their balance sheet cash investments.
Prior to his time at Goldman Sachs, David taught high school math and physics and coached freshman basketball for five years. Dave earned his MBA from the University of Chicago - Booth School of Business, and Masters in Education and BS in Mathematics from the University of Notre Dame. He is an investment advisor representative.
Dave resides with his wife and three children in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Leadership
Deane has spent her professional career around the financial services industry. She has more than thirty years of extensive leadership experience within the insurance, financial services, recordkeeping, and retirement planning worlds. Before co-founding and serving as the COO of Strategic Retirement Partners, Dee held multiple leadership positions at CUNA Mutual Group and was the Executive Director of Life Associates.
At SRP, she has hired some of the most talented operational staff in the industry, applied best practices, and implemented common processes. All of this to free up the organization's advisors so they can focus on providing the best possible service to their retirement plan customers. Dee has also worked incredibly hard to ensure that SRP's culture is inclusive and innovative and allows employees to work virtually anywhere in the country for a better work-life integration. Dee is particularly skilled at the execution of corporate strategies and critical organizational priorities through the lens of leadership, culture, talent management, and technology capabilities.
Under her leadership, the company has experienced dramatic revenue growth, service, organizational, and talent efficiencies and was named one of the 2019 and 2020 Best Places to Work in Money Management by Pensions & Investments and one of the 2020 and 2021 Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors by InvestmentNews. She serves as a mentor for women and rising stars throughout the industry and on numerous industry advisory groups focused on women in business. Dee shares her experiences in building and nurturing people, processes, and technology at industry conferences and corporate events.
When she isn't working, Dee loves to spend time with her husband and three children, boating, cooking, entertaining, and cheering on her beloved Green Bay Packers.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Los Angeles
Doug and his team work with both organizations and professionals, along with their families, to help work towards their life dreams through establishing long-term, trusting relationships and delivering comprehensive financial services. He works with each client to create customized wealth management solutions and provides ongoing services through a complete range of financial resources.
Doug's team provides advisory consulting services to organizations for pursuing retirement plan success through best practices that provide plan design and administration, fiduciary responsibility, and employee retirement readiness. When working with individuals and families, his team provides clients with comprehensive advice that seeks to build, manage, preserve, and transition wealth.
Doug recognized early in his career that providing comprehensive financial advice was his true passion. He helps achieve this by understanding his or her current financial situation through investment, liability management, risk management, and legacy planning needs. By working one-on-one with his clients, Doug defines his success when his clients can achieve a dignified retirement. Doug also has developed an extensive knowledge of employer-sponsored benefit programs, such as 401(k), 403(b) plans, and 457 deferred compensation plans. He works directly with decision makers in designing, administering, and servicing their retirement plans.
Doug began his career in the financial services industry in 1994 with Empower Retirement. He later joined ABD Insurance & Financial Services, a predecessor firm of Wells Fargo Insurance Services. In 2007, he joined Wells Fargo Advisors and formed the Bermudez/Hall Retirement Group with his associate, Erin Hall. They provide high-level service to both corporations and individuals through comprehensive financial advice. Doug and Erin joined SRP in June of 2019, opening the Los Angeles area office. In 2005 and 2012, respectively, Doug earned the Certified Fund Specialist® and Certified 401(k) Professional certifications after completing approved educational programs, passing rigorous examinations, and meeting stringent experience requirements
Doug is dedicated to the ongoing development of the financial services industry-recently participating as a member of the NAPA Next Generation committee and the NAPA DC Fly-In Forum steering committee. He is also devoted to the betterment of his community with his participation in Leadership Manhattan Beach (LMB) and the Kiwanis Club of Manhattan Beach. Above all, Doug values his time with his wife, Nuria (an accountant), and his three children-Emma, Alissa, and DJ. Doug also enjoys a good round of golf with friends and is an avid cyclist.
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Eban has been with Strategic Retirement Partners since its formation in 2015. Prior joining SRP, Eban spent four years supporting the Mid Atlantic Region of 401(k) Advisors. She works closely with plan sponsors, recordkeepers, TPAs, mutual fund companies and other industry professionals in her primary role as a Client Relationship Manager. She also provides nationwide marketing support to the regional branches of SRP.
In her free time, Eban enjoys arts and crafts, gardening, fishing, travel and spending time with her husband and children.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Senior Financial Advisor
Ed is a Registered Representative with LPL Financial and an Investment Adivsor Representative with Global Retirement Partners. Ed is responsible for servicing clients as well as growing the firm's practice in the Great Lakes region. Utilizing his 25+ years of industry experience, Ed serves as a trusted advisor in assisting clients with their retirement plan design, maximizing funding capabilities, and implementing fiduciary/investment due diligence best practices within their retirement plans.
Ed also focuses on providing wealth management, investment, and insurance services to company owners/executives, individuals and high net worth families. Embracing an "Integrated Team Approach," he works closely with clients' trusted advisors, to provide highly personalized financial advice/planning, investment management, insurance, and estate planning services to his clients.
Prior to joining Strategic Retirement Partners, Ed worked over two decades in commercial/investment/private banking areas at American National Bank, Lehman Brothers, The Bensman Group, First Midwest Bank and American Chartered Bank, providing personal/business advisory services to growing middle market companies, and their senior management teams.
Ed is a graduate of Indiana University and DePaul University (MBA). He is a Certified Public Account (CPA), Certified Financial PlannerTM CFP(R) and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®). Ed holds his Series 65 (Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination) and state insurance licenses.*
Ed's community involvement includes Membership/Volunteering in Chicago organizations including PAWS, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Chicago Marathon, and Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Ed resides in the Chicago area and proud dad to his two older sons, Matt and Mike. He is an avid runner, and also enjoys travel, golf, snow skiing, coaching and a commitment to life-long learning.
Eric Obergfell, CFP®, CRPS® is responsible for client relationship management, strategic consulting, and delivery of services to our valued clients.
Eric's career in the retirement plan space began upon graduating from Purdue University with a degree in Financial Planning and Counseling. He spent the first several years of his career at a large retirement plan provide initially focused on employee education then transitioned into a relationship management role. Eric has served clients as an independent retirement plan consultant since 2016. Eric's career in the retirement plan space began upon graduating from Purdue University with a degree in Financial Planning and Counseling. He spent the first several years of his career at a large retirement plan provide initially focused on employee education then transitioned into a relationship management role. Eric has served clients as an independent retirement plan consultant since 2016.
Erin Hall - Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Los Angeles
Erin and her team work with organizations as consultants to retirement plans and with individuals and families to help pursue their financial goals and dreams. When our team works with individuals, the process starts with listening, is executed with investment planning technology and financial experience, and is flexible when "life happens." When our team consults with organizations, our mission is to drive ongoing retirement plan success by helping plan sponsors optimize plan design and administration, fiduciary responsibility, best practice thought leadership, and employee retirement readiness. Whether our team works with organizations or individuals, service is an ongoing process with long-term, trusting relationships at the core.
Erin is originally from Rochester, New York and credits her parents with instilling in her the importance of saving for the future and being of service to her community and others. A few years after attending college where she played collegiate volleyball at the Rochester Institute of Technology, she decided to move to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue her career aspirations in financial services and to also enjoy the warm weather. Erin has a natural interest in business-she earned her MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2003. She spent her early career in the corporate retirement plan industry working for industry-leading 401(k) recordkeepers. Erin began her career as a licensed registered representative while at MassMutual Financial Group in 2011. For over a decade, Erin worked with corporations to design, administer, and service their retirement plans. She later joined Wells Fargo Advisors in 2012 and formed the Bermudez/Hall Retirement Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. The Bermudez/Hall Retirement Group joined SRP in June of 2019, opening the Los Angeles Office.
Erin spends her free time with her husband, Fyfe, a comedian and stay-at-home dad; their son, Drew; and daughter, Harper, who keep them both very active. She plays softball, kickball, and volleyball, and enjoys karaoke and the occasional escape room with friends.
Erin has felt a desire to volunteer throughout her life, which started at a young age as a girl scout when she learned the importance and power of community involvement. Since 2006, Erin has volunteered as a clinician with the U.S. Youth Volleyball League (USYVL), teaching boys and girls ages 7-15 the importance of teamwork and good sportsmanship along with basic volleyball skills.
Job Titles:
- Plan Consultant
- Services Associate
Garrett joined Strategic Retirement Partners as an intern in 2020 and was officially welcomed on to the team in 2021 as a WELLth Services Associate after graduating from Western Kentucky University with a degree in Finance concentrating in Personal Financial Planning. As a WELLth Services Associate, Garrett supports the WELLth team through the financial planning process and leads efforts in eMoney financial planning software as well as through assistance with the securities trading process.
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Garrett attended WKU where he was Vice President of the Financial Planning Association student chapter and was a finalist in FPA's 2019 National Financial Planning Challenge. He is also a recipient of the 2020 TD Ameritrade RIA Scholarship Award which is dedicated to fostering the next generation of financial planners.
Garrett is a strong advocate for financial literacy and as a WELLth Services Associate, he is excited to be working alongside WELLth advisors so that clients of all different needs and circumstances can work towards achieving financial independence.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Great Lakes
I started my career in Financial Services with Lehman Brothers, training to become a stock broker in 1990. I soon realized that the boiler room nature of the job was not for me as it was broker focused and not client focused. This led me to search for a way to serve clients as opposed to selling them, leading me to Northwestern Mutual and Robert W. Baird. There I developed a client centric practice and gravitated to working with retirement plans. In 2002 I started my own practice specializing in the needs of 401(k) clients. Today, as Managing Director for the state of Wisconsin, I focus exclusively on providing Total Retirement Plan Solutions to our clients.
Greg Row - Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Michigan
Greg has worked in the financial services industry since graduating from the University of Toledo almost thirty years ago with his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. He began his career with New England Financial and also worked for Comerica Bank, Prudential, Thrivent Financial, and Ameriprise Financial before joining SRP.
Greg is incredibly passionate about helping both firms and individuals work towards meeting their goals for retirement as well as helping firms manage their fiduciary goals and has spent his career pursuing these passions. In order to consistently provide his clients with the best possible service, Greg has completed both his CPFA and AIF certifications and regularly looks for new opportunities to further his knowledge.
Throughout his career, Greg has spoken at a number of conferences on topics such as estate and retirement planning, Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation, and Social Security.
When he isn't working, Greg enjoys giving back to his community. He currently serves as the Vice President of the Oregon School Foundation as well as on the Eastern Community YMCA Board and the Northwest Ohio YMCA Programming Board. He is also a member of the Oregonian Club and coaches youth sports. Greg loves spending time with his wife, Allison, and his three kids, Sutton, Lincoln, and Aubree, skiing, playing golf, and cheering his kids on at hockey games and dance recitals.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Austin
Would you believe me if I said the only reason I'm in Austin is because of track? Well, it's true.
I grew up in small town Yakima, Washington. There isn't much to do there so I killed time by participating in as many sports I could. Don't be fooled, I participated in sports but I didn't say I was good at any of them... at that time.
The moment I was introduced to track, specifically hurdles, I was more excited to just jump over something despite the fact I had no clue what I was doing. If you had seen these flailing arms in the air and the look of terror on my face you would think I should choose a new path other than hurdles. Fast forward to 18 years of age and I'm headed to California on a full athletic scholarship. Recruited for my hurdle skills no less. Life certainly has a sense of humor. What a wild ride leaving my small town for the big city all on my own. Probably best not to get into the details of all the mistakes (or were they) I made in college, but that experienced shaped me. It was tough at times balancing school with D1 collegiate track. I competed in up to 6 different events and got to travel all over the United States. Making some amazing friendships that exist to this day. It was an NCAA meet held in Austin, Texas, that changed everything. The moment the heat hit me and the city was in my sights I knew this was home. Now, to put this into perspective I was living and going to college in San Diego, California. Austin just had something so special about it that made San Diego a stepping stone in my life. Albeit, it took me 7 years after graduating to finally make the move to Austin.
Upon graduation I applied to a boutique Broker Dealer and RIA in San Diego. That is where I really started to learn about investments and enjoyed the challenging industry. I had found something to apply my economics background to. It was a humbling experience working my way up the corporate ladder; starting in Operations and eventually landing in Client Services specializing in IRAs. I was hooked and ready to keep growing. Part of that growth meant that I was finally ready to pack up and move to Austin. I applied and was hired to be a part of what I can only refer to as the beginning of the end, retirement plans! Who knew this ever changing, demanding yet rewarding and fulfilling world would be the path I would follow. As I continue this journey, now as part of SRP, I can't imagine being a part of anything else.
It's been since 2012 that I refer to myself as Texan. It wasn't until a couple years ago I felt I earned the right to say "fixin". Why is that so much fun to say? I became a first-time homeowner in 2015 and have 3 adorable, spoiled, untrained yet amazing pups. Let me be clear, if my dog doesn't like you then neither do I. Retired now from track I spend all my free time in recreational sports such as flag football, softball, sand volleyball, running and lifting. I'm lucky to be a part of the Lady Capitals, a traveling flag football team and amazing group of women athletes here in Austin and the surrounding area.
Jack joined the SRP team at the start of 2019. His main roll at SRP is to produce reports for team members, with the due diligence needed to provide accurate and current numbers. He is also to work closely with clients to make sure our team fulfills each individual client's specific needs. Jack uses his knowledge with the reporting systems to assists the new business development team. Jack is also a sitting member of the SRP investment committee.
Before joining SRP Jack earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance at Iowa State University. During his time at Iowa State he has held part-time employment including ACE Hardware, Office Depot, Moffit's Ford Inc, and Fareway Distribution Center. From a child to young adult Jack has always found something to do with his time to be productive in anyway.
Jack enjoys being outdoors, mainly hunting and fishing. He also enjoys exploring a traveling to new places with his girlfriend, friends and family. His favorite places to visit are large landscapes like the mountains or ocean and he also enjoys visiting famous monuments. Jack Currently resides in Ames, IA.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Development
- Member of the Leadership Team
Jacqui Hendricks is the Director of Business Development at Strategic Retirement Partners. As the Director of Business Development, Jacqui promotes SRP services and offerings to our external and internal networks. Jacqui partners with SRP advisors and sales teams to implement new business development initiatives, corporate strategies, projects, and initiatives. She is a subject matter expert on SRP business products, processes, and operations and is responsible for the advisor recruiting program at SRP.
Prior to her role as the Director of Business Development, Jacqui was a Relationship Manager of Operations at SRP. While on the operations team, Jacqui developed a successful new hire training program, led and oversaw the Operations Advisory Committee, worked with the Chief Operating Officer on corporate administration and strategy execution, and maintained an unwavering dedication to SRP's plan sponsors. Jacqui brings many years of operations knowledge to SRP. She previously worked at various Fortune 500 companies where she excelled in project management, customer service, and product development.
Jacqui currently resides in San Diego, California. In her free time, Jacqui enjoys traveling, golfing, hiking, and cooking. Jacqui is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana with a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Economics.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director & Director, Retirement Plans
Job Titles:
- Leadership
- Managing Director, Northeast
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Great Lakes
Jim has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation demonstrating his attainment of the highest level of experience, expertise and commitment to the retirement plan business and investment fiduciary responsibility standards. In addition, Jim has obtained the Certified Behavioral Financial Analyst (CBFA) designation. This certification reflects his focus upon drivers that impact and effect long-term retirement plan outcomes for participants. He is also an Investment Advisor Representative with Global Retirement Partners.
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Janine joined SRP in 2019. She works closely with plan sponsors, recordkeepers, TPAs, mutual fund companies and other industry professionals in her primary role as a Relationship Manager, Operations. Janine assists the team and our clients by delivering excellent service and clear communications, with an eye for detail, to ensure client expectations are always exceeded. Janine's primary role is to assist in servicing all current and prospective clients of the Retirement Plan Division. Her duties include preparation of quarterly client reviews, resolution of administrative issues for plan sponsors and participants and maintenance of our client database.
She has worked in the financial services area her entire career holding positions at firms such as Aim Investments (INVESCO), American Funds and NEXT Financial Group, Inc.
Janine attended Houston Community College and The University of New Orleans. She is Series 6 and 63 licensed. She lives in Houston with her son, Joseph and enjoys volunteering in the community's youth recreation programs.
Job Titles:
- Operations
- Relationship Manager, Twin Cities
Jean joined SRP in 2018. She works closely with plan sponsors, recordkeepers, TPAs, mutual fund companies and other industry professionals in her primary role as a Relationship Manager, Operations. Jean assists the team and our clients by delivering excellent service and clear communications, with an eye for detail, to ensure client expectations are always exceeded.
Jean brings more than 25 years of valuable experience in office administration, including financial services experience since 2003.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Nashville
Jeanne is CFP® and a CPFA with Strategic Retirement Partners. Over the past decade she has built a successful practice serving as an investment advisor representative and financial consultant for families and businesses.
Jeanne's goal is to simplify advice in an over-complicated, jargon-filled industry. As an Ambassador to the CFP® Board, she has served as a resource for numerous national publications including Forbes Magazine, Time Magazine, USA Today, CNBC News, and US News. She has been interviewed on NPR's "Here and Now", "Women Rocking Wall Street", "Doughroller", and New York-based WebTV, AssetTV. She is a regular contributor of content to 401(k) Specialist Magazine and HR Professional's Magazine.
Jeanne is recognized by industry leaders and colleagues for the original content published on social media. Topics range from personal finance tips to employer-sponsored plans and practice management advice for finance professionals. Using the hashtags #401klady and #cfppro, you can find her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and her YouTube page "Financial Jeanne". Her utilization of social media promotes education for clients and helps attract and retain prospects.
Jeanne's accessible way of providing virtual advice and engagement is creating a more collaborative platform for financial professionals to support each other and their clients in the digital age.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Leadership
Jeff is a Registered Representative with LPL Financial and an Investment Advisor Representative with Global Retirement Partners. As a well-known thought-leader and consultant in the retirement plan industry, Jeff Cullen specializes in helping corporations and non-profits design, implement and monitor successful retirement plans.
Over the past 16 years, Jeff has built a national practice by helping organizations align HR strategy & total rewards with participant goals through innovative plan design and fiduciary best practices. As a member of the national SRP Investment Committee, he is a specialist in investment due diligence processes and innovative QDIA strategies. Beginning with his very first client, designing customized employee education services that seek to improve participant outcomes has been a hallmark offering. His prior experience in HR outsourcing afforded him the opportunity to assist with designing plan administrator-centric services that strive to improve operational efficiencies, vendor management, compliance, and communication efforts for clients.
Jeff is passionate about the continued advancement of the retirement savings industry and ensuring a better future for American workers. To this end, he is actively engaged as an advisory board member to several service providers within the industry and speaks regularly at plan sponsor and industry conferences. He was invited to Capitol Hill to listen and advise top Congressional leaders about the future of the retirement savings industry and how proposed laws and regulations could affect American workers' retirement security.
Jeff received his MBA from DePaul University, graduating with distinction. He has passed Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Exam. He is an investment advisor representative and has passed the Series 7 (General Securities Representative), Series 66 (Uniform Combined State Law Examination) and Series 65 (Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination) exams.*
Outside of the office, Jeff can be found cheering on his kids on from a sideline, rocking out on his guitar, or spending time with family and friends. Jeff resides in Shorewood, Illinois, with his wife and three children.
Job Titles:
- Marketing Assistant
- Marketing Assistant, Greensboro
As Marketing Assistant, Jenna assists Managing Directors with projects to enhance client education material and maximize company profits. Her past years working with Plan Sponsors and Participants have given her valuable insight to develop marketing strategies designed with the goal to increase participation, deferral rates and overall plan success.
Born in Canada, Jenna now lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and two children. Three out of four seasons of the year, they can be found wakeboarding or surfing on Falls Lake.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Board Member With Rainbows for All Children
- Director, IT
Jennifer has over 20 years of experience working with employers sponsoring both qualified and non-qualified retirement plans. Jennifer's experience in the industry positions her to assist employers in identifying their unique retirement plan objectives, and aligning plan design and administration to maximize the specific goals. She is passionate about preparing participants for retirement through on-going education and plan design solutions with measurable results.
Jennifer takes a consultative approach with her clients to establish best practices, conducting thorough committee meetings, and assisting employers in acting in the best interest of the plan participants to manage fiduciary obligations.
Prior to joining our team Jennifer worked with several vendors in the retirement industry as a Senior Relationship Manager along with leading a team of Retirement Consultants. She is also a registered assistant and has passed the FINRA Series 6 (Investment Company Products/Variable Contracts Limited Representative) and Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination) licenses.*
Jennifer is a board member with Rainbows for All Children, an organization dedicated to providing support for youth as they navigate grief and heal from loss or trauma. Jennifer along with her husband and son reside in Chicago, Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Client Services for the Great Lakes Practice
- Manager, Client Services
Jill Penman, Manager of Client Services for the Great Lakes Practice of Strategic Retirement Partners (SRP), has over 30 years of experience in the retirement plan industry. Jill is responsible for client relationship management, strategic consulting support and delivery of services to our valued clients.
Before joining Strategic Retirement Partners, Jill was employed by White Oak Advisors, LLC, Principal Financial Group, Fifth Third Trust Company, Coopers & Lybrand, and Ball Corporation; always working with Retirement Plans.
Her experience includes working with clients in all aspects of their defined contribution, defined benefit, ESOP and non-qualified plans. Providing support to assist clients in identifying their retirement plan objectives and goals and making sure their documents reflect their intentions is key to her responsibilities.
She is consultative in approach and eager to be a resource for her clients. Honesty, accuracy and passion in helping clients are her objectives.
Jill received a bachelor's degree in Financial Planning from Purdue University in Lafayette, IN and currently holds the FINRA Series 7, 66 and 63 licenses.*
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Plan Consultant
Jim has extensive experience in delivering process-driven solutions to help protect employers from corporate and personal financial liability, while striving to provide plan participants a path to a successful retirement. He is excited to be opening up Strategic Retirement Partner's office in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
For over 30 years, Jim has worked with retirement plan sponsors and plan participants with a dedication to provide fiduciary oversight and sound investment guidance to position participants for long-term retirement success. Jim finds his greatest joy in developing and maintaining relationships with his clients. Whether a plan sponsor or participant, his goal is to communicate in a way that makes people comfortable and understand the answer to their questions. The approach is simple - listen and learn about a client, place their needs first and work to exceed their expectations. These principles have allowed him to build a strong industry following and a reputation for being a client advocate.
Jim began his career on the recordkeeper side of the business where he worked with plan sponsors and advisors. This gives him unique insight with regard to managing transitions and issues on behalf of clients. A decade ago, he moved to the advisor side as a retirement consultant serving the needs of institutional and personal clients.
When Jim is not helping clients prepare for retirement, he enjoys spending time with his family and tailgating at University of Michigan football games (Go Blue!). Jim has a business administration degree from Aquinas College and has earned his AIF (Accredited Investment Fiduciary) designation. He is happily married to Kristy and has two daughters, Audrey and Rachel.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Managing Director, Twin Cities
Joe Brummel, Managing Director, leads our Twin Cities team. Joe is a passionate advocate for helping plan sponsors build successful retirement plans and preparing participants for retirement.
A professional in the retirement plan industry since 1996, Joe brings both expertise and passion to his role as Managing Director at Strategic Retirement Partners. He has been an active advocate in voluntarily helping advisors and plan sponsors by sharing his expertise as a Founding Lecturer of The Retirement Advisor University™, a collaboration with UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education, and serving as Adjunct Lecturer for The Plan Sponsor University™ in Minnesota.
Joe's knowledge and communication skills have made him a sought-after speaker and writer for CEO, CPA and Human Resources Groups, as well as major media organizations such as Twin Cities Business and the Pioneer Press. He was named to 401kWire's "Top 300 Most Influential Defined Contribution Advisors in America" in 2010 and 2011, the Financial Times "401 Top Retirement Plan Advisors" in 2016 and 2017, and one of three individual national finalists for PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year in 2018.
An economics graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, MN, Joe furthered his education since then by earning the Accredited Investment Fiduciary, AIF®, and Certified 401(k) Professional, C(k)P®, industry certifications. Joe and his wife live in Prior Lake, MN, with their two children, where they enjoy sports, outdoor activities and family gatherings.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Manager, Client Services
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Wealth Management Advisor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Wealth Advisor
Job Titles:
- Manager, Business Development
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Analyst
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Relationship Manager, Operations
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Plan Consultant
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Director, Marketing
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Director, Participant Education
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Plan Strategist
Job Titles:
- Regional Director, Sales & Marketing