Simon, everyone calls him “Buddy,” Blattner is the Chief of Finance and Strategy at Kratzer Consulting, a Phoenix-based management consulting firm that provides fractional CFO services. Over the past 43 years, Buddy has worked with Fortune 5 companies, privately-owned businesses, private equity firms, and his own enterprises. He has also served as a principal—either as an owner or manager—in over a dozen acquisitions, with enterprise values ranging from $1 million to $300 million. In 2017, Buddy sold his business, Active Screw & Fastener, based in Chicago, to a strategic buyer and now consults with Kratzer full time.

When Walter steps onto the stage, you can’t miss him. It could be because he’s 6’5 and stands out in a crowd, but it could also be because on the stage is where he feels at home. As a nationally recognized public speaker, he commands the stage. He makes the entire audience, whether it’s a small board room or a large conference venue, feel seen. People walk out of Walter’s talks changed, motivated, and inspired. His principles are simple but powerful, his delivery is smooth, and he combines humor, tough love, and experience in a way that changes people.
Walter’s third and most recently released book Swim!, has picked up speed since its debut in July, and has become a staple for business people and students across the country. His easy-to-read professional development book combines lovable characters, relatable life lessons, and hard truths that help readers understand the power of leadership, mentoring, and next-level success.
Walter travels the country speaking, coaching, teaching, and inspiring companies across a wide range of industries, from financial services to agriculture and franchising to real estate and many more in between. At any given time, you can find Walter leading a mastermind class, offering one on one professional development, hosting book talks, and coaching hungry business leaders and entrepreneurs towards success.
While many know Walter Bond as a former NBA player, more and more people know Walter as a passionate and motivated speaker, author, and business coach with one goal: to help people see their full potential. Walter graduated from the University of Minnesota and has been married to his wife and business partner Antoinette for 30 years. They have three adult children.

Diane Boyle joined the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors family in April of 1991 and serves as the association’s chief federal lobbyist. Her responsibilities include the development and implementation of legislative and regulatory strategy, and daily execution of association activities to provide advocacy services for professional insurance and financial advisors in order to support a private, competitive insurance marketplace. Prior to expansion of health services to all NAIFA members in January 2010, Boyle served as the executive vice president for the Association of Health Insurance Advisors, the former health conference of NAIFA.

Tom Cothron, LUTCF, FSCP, entered the business in 1979 and joined NAIFA in 1981. In 1986, he was appointed as an Agency Manager for Southern Farm Bureau and manages a multi-line agency in Ocala, FL. He has been named Agency Manager of the Year several times and has also been chosen to receive Florida Farm Bureau’s Team Player Award on multiple occasions.
Cothron served as a NAIFA local chapter President in Ocala, FL in 1995 and 2002, as NAIFA-Florida president in 2008-2009, and served on NAIFA’s national board of Trustees from 2011-2015. In 2007 he was asked to serve on the “NAIFA In The 21st Century” (NAIFA 21) strategic planning task force and after rotating off the national board in 2015 was asked to serve as a member of the “NAIFA 2020” strategic planning group. He was the 2011 recipient of NAIFA-Florida’s highest award as Advisor of the Year being named as the recipient of the “C.G. Snead/J.F. Bryan, III Memorial Award for Outstanding Service”. He has served as a LUTCF moderator and is a graduate of NAIFA’s Leadership In Life Institute.
Cothron serves as a NAIFA Key Contact for several state and federal lawmakers from Florida and his favorite activities include travel with his wife of 30 years, Susie, and any time spent with their 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

Kelsa Dickey is the Founder and OG Financial Coach behind Fiscal Fitness Phoenix. What began as a side hustle for her almost a decade ago has grown into a business that helps hundreds of people every year unlock their financial greatness and transform their lives. Kelsa loves to inspire people to see how they can become fiscally fit using the skills they already have. Kelsa's a wife, mom of two, roller-skating fanatic, and in 2022, she tied the Arizona state deadlift record in her class during her first powerlifting meet.

 

Kris Emick joined Cambridge in 2014 and has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. In his role, Emick leads the Succession and Acquisition Solutions department while working with leadership to develop proactive guidance and service to financial professionals looking to execute a merge, acquisition, or consolidating move. He is also involved in all aspects of merger and acquisition activity at Cambridge, including valuation, negotiating, underwriting, lending, and loan administration. Emick previously worked as a financial advisor, successfully starting the investment program for a privately held bank. Additionally, he worked in commercial and retail banking with Wells Fargo Financial and US Bank in the areas of relationship management, product development, and management. Emick earned a Bachelor of Science degree in information systems with an emphasis in accounting from Drake University. He holds the FINRA Series 6, 7, and 66 licenses.

Amy Florian, CEO of Corgenius, lives out her passion by specializing in training professionals to communicate effectively with clients through all the losses and transitions of life.

She is author of over 250 articles and two award-winning books, including No Longer Awkward: Communicating with Clients through the Toughest Times of Life. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her ground-breaking work, including being named a 2021 Luminary by ThinkAdvisor, and has been quoted or featured throughout the financial trade press, including the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Forbes, and many others.

Amy holds a Master’s Degree and is a Fellow in Thanatology. She taught graduate programs for 10 years, has worked with over 2,500 grieving people, and has worked with firms, corporations, and offices on four continents.

On a personal level, Amy is one of ten children and bakes amazing homemade cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies!

Christopher L. Gandy, LACP, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Midwest Legacy Group (OneAmerica) in Lisle, IL. He has served as President of NAIFA’s Chicagoland chapter and has been a NAIFA member since 2003. He entered the insurance and financial services industry in 1999 after playing professional basketball for the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs as well as in L’Hermaine, France.
Gandy serves on NAIFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and is a member of the NAIFA 2025 Strategic Planning Committee. He is a highly sought-after speaker for industry events and has been a speaker at NAIFA’s Performance+Purpose annual conference and published in Advisors Magazine, GQ, Advisor Today, and InsuranceNewsNet among other publications.
Gandy is also an active volunteer in the community. He serves on the Board of the Chicago Concussion Coalition, which strives to make amateur sports safer for children, and on the Board of Directors of the Urban League. He is part of the United Way’s Young Community Leaders and volunteers for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization.

Michael Goldberg has helped thousands of financial advisors, brokers, and agents generate hundreds of thousands of dollars to their bottom line. His firm Knock Out Networking has been a speaking and training resource in the insurance and financial services industry for over 20 years. Clients include Morgan Stanley, Northwestern Mutual, and Western & Southern Life. Michael is also the founder of THE Networking Group, a national networking organization focused on helping a “vetted” community of business owners and sales leaders grow their business through networking and referrals. Michael is a two-time TEDx speaker, an award-winning adjunct professor at Rutgers University, and frequently volunteers as a speaker at organizations focused on career search. His book Knockout Networking for Financial Advisors published by Wiley is available NOW!

Carroll S. Golden, CLU, ChFC, FLMI, CASL, LACP, LTCP, CLTC, is a distinguished executive, author, and public speaker with extensive expertise in guiding advisors and caregivers on the pivotal role of extended care in retirement planning. As the Executive Director of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Specialty Centers, she is dedicated to supporting professionals and families in initiating essential client discussions and mitigating the financial, physical, and psychological risks associated with extended care needs. Carroll offers practical insights, strategic actionable guidance, expert knowledge, and valuable resources.
Following her professional textbook, "How Not To Tear Your Family Apart," her second publication, an Amazon #1 Best Seller storybook, "How Not To Pull Your Family Apart," empowers individuals and families to connect with the characters, break the silence, and engage in critical conversations, break the silence, and engage in critical conversations with their advisor. Her latest book, "How Not To Pull Your Life Apart Caregiving: Overcome Challenges and Obstacles to Planning Conversations," combines facts about the “Shadow Caregiving System/Economy,” real-life stories, personal journeys, and, valuable suggestions to overcome the barriers that often hinder planning conversations.

Nathan Gonzales is Editor & Publisher of Inside Elections, which provides nonpartisan analysis of campaigns for Senate, House, governor, and president. He's also co-host of the Inside Elections Podcast and an Elections Analyst for CQ Roll Call. He tackles elections in a nonpartisan, data-driven, and accessible way and offers audiences some of the most detailed electoral forecasting in the business.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Gonzales is full of enthusiasm and thought-provoking insights about politics. His recall of facts and figures is incredible, and he is natural, energetic, and engaging on stage. With a combination of reporting and data, Gonzales breaks down the key races and brings valuable context to complex elections. Drawing from personal candidate interviews and more than 20 years covering campaigns, Gonzales combines entertaining anecdotes with historical trends and current polling data to project which candidates are best-positioned to win and which party is most likely to gain control. Gonzales’ winsome approach to politics is refreshing at a time when the country is divided, and he can reliably navigate audiences with differing partisan views.

On Election Night 2016, Nathan was an on-air analyst for Newshour on PBS after working as an off-air consultant for ABC News on their Election Night Decision Desk for 14 years. Previously, he was an editor, analyst, and writer for The Rothenberg Political Report, and worked for CNN as a political analyst and as an associate producer for Capital Gang.

Gonzales has appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press and NBC Nightly News, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, NPR’s All Things Considered, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC, and has been quoted in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. His work has also appeared on FiveThirtyEight, NBCLatino.com, and in Campaigns & Elections magazine.

Gonzales grew up in Oregon, earned his Master of Arts from The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management (Washington, DC) and his bachelor of arts from Vanguard University (Costa Mesa, California). He first came to Washington, D.C. as an intern in the White House Press Office and lives in the city with his wife and four children.

Charles Gray was named Head of MMFA Strategy & Planning & MMLIA in August of 2023. In this role he is responsible for the operational effectiveness of the MMFA leadership team, partnering with leaders throughout the organization on significant initiatives designed to help achieve MMFA’s vision of being the undisputed leader in advisor-centric distribution. In addition, Charles continues to lead MassMutual’s wholly owned insurance agency, MML Insurance Agency, LLC (“MMLIA”). He is responsible for all aspects of MassMutual’s non-proprietary insurance and protection products available to MassMutual’s Financial Advisor network through MMLIA. Charles is also responsible for developing the strategic direction for all products and services offered through MMLIA, applicable MassMutual’s strategic Sales and Distribution projects, and alternate distribution efforts (e.g., P&C and Health Insurance).

Peter Hershon is a Senior Vice President, Account Services for Coventry. With more than 20 years of combined experience in life settlements and life insurance, Mr. Hershon heads up Coventry’s team of Regional Vice Presidents and manages Coventry’s national distribution.

Mr. Hershon is a graduate of Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. He has his Chartered Financial Consultant® and Chartered Life Underwriter® designations, Series 7, and Series 63 licenses.

Christian completed his PhD in machine learning and optimization at Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a Master of Science from ETH Zurich and has an MA in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. He was previously an AI researcher for a Fortune 50 Company.

Assad Koshul is the founder and CEO of Game Changer Mindsets which harnesses the power and appeal of sports lessons to foster positive management skills and leadership development for long-term success in business organizations, on diverse teams, and in youth communities. His culturally relevant approach and engaging learning system inspire workshop participants of varied ages and backgrounds, equipping them with essential life skills to lead with confidence and impact. Koshul values integrity, innovation, and collaboration, and he strives to connect people and encourage leaders, particularly in socioeconomically under-served populations. His personal life experiences have prepared him to care deeply about building community and acting locally while at the same time keeping a global perspective.

Koshul is a CPA and Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) with a variety of experiences in fiscal management and the integration of finance, human resources, and operations spanning fourteen industries in both developed and emerging markets. Koshul has built corporate offices in the United States and abroad. He has owned several businesses in the real estate industry as well as in the service and retail sectors including franchise operations and CRM offshore offices. Through his experiences, he has focused on operational efficiency and the success of team members.

 

An expert in the topic of millennials and Gen Z, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual & Augmented reality, digital transformation, internet marketing strategies, and cutting-edge technologies in the insurance profession,

He has an impressive record as an international public speaker with hundreds of hours on stage in more than 50 countries globally and at prominent events such as NASA Space Center, the main platform of MDRT, GAMA GLOBAL LAMP, and NAILBA annual meetings. His speaking style is characterized by his motivational and passionate approach, which captivates his audience's attention and provides an unforgettable experience.

He had received 11 global insurtech innovation awards from significant organizations such as MIT Enterprise Forum and voted among the 25 Top InsurTech CEOs of 2020 globally and many more.

Recently, Panos earned a diploma in “AI for Business” from Penn university, significantly bolstering his proficiency in weaving AI technologies into the Financial Planning and Insurance profession

With his vast knowledge, expertise, and experience, Panos is the go-to speaker when it comes to understanding the changing landscape of the insurance industry, especially for millennials and new generations. He had inspired thousands on many large global platforms with his motivational and passionate way of expression! His insights and strategies are invaluable, and he is sure to leave your audience with a renewed sense of excitement, tons of innovative and practical ideas, and motivation to embrace new opportunities in their business.

Dan Mangus has been in the insurance industry his entire life. Since starting his first insurance agency at age 18, Dan has been passionate about educating others about their insurance choices. At the age of 21, Dan became the President of his local Association of Life Underwriters and by the age of 26 was the Area Chairman of Life Underwriter Training Council.
As an agency owner, Dan’s partnership Senior Marketing Specialists began in the late 1990’s, and in 2010 Dan had the privilege of chairing their newly formed Advisory Council and continues to sit as Chairman of the Board today. After several years of consulting work with Senior Marketing Specialists, Dan joined the brokerage team full time in 2012 as the National Sales Director, serving over 10,000 agents nationwide. Today Dan’s current position of Vice President of Sales, gives him a unique line of sight to the customer, agent, and FMO staff.
Although Dan has been sharing his insights and knowledge since the early 1980’s, more recently you can find him teaching Medicare courses at Universities and keynoting national insurance conferences and Medicare certification courses for the both the National Guardianship Association (NGA) and the American Association of Daily Money Managers (AADMM). Dan is also an Expert Contributor for the RICP designation program through the American College and is the published author of TalkingMEDICARE, a resource guide for advisors in the Medicare market.

As NAIFA’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Mayeux, CAE, oversees the headquarters and national staff and manages relationships with life, health and financial service companies, other industry organizations, legislators, and regulators. Mayeux supports NAIFA’s Board of Trustees and committees and coordinates efforts with NAIFA’s 90 state and local chapters. As CEO, he led an effort to modernize NAIFA’s operations through the development and implementation of a bold new strategic plan, NAIFA 20/20.
Prior to becoming NAIFA’s CEO, Mayeux served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Officer for North American Operations, and General Counsel for the Institute of Internal Auditors Global Headquarters in Orlando, Fla. In this role, Kevin supervised the core membership services offered to all 75,000 IIA members in North America in 158 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean islands. Kevin further served as General Counsel, guiding the IIA’s intellectual property protection, affiliation agreements and legal interests around the world. He is a Certified Association Executive and holds a Certificate in Risk Management Assurance.
Mayeux has served as an association management professional for more than 25 years, including serving as the executive director of a statewide trade association in Tallahassee and CEO of an international individual membership society in Indianapolis. He also practiced law in Central Florida. He has held leadership positions on both the state and national level within the association management community, including being named Indiana’s association executive of the year, serving as president of the Indiana Society of Association Executives, and serving on the board of directors for the Florida Society of Association Executives. Mayeux received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and took Masters in Political Science and Public Administration courses concurrent with his Juris Doctorate at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he served as Student Body President. Kevin continued to serve his alma mater as a member of its national alumni board.

Mike McGlothlin is a team leader, retirement industry activist and disciple of Indiana Hoosier basketball. His decades of experience in the insurance business, dedication to lifelong learning and self-improvement, and a stint as a student manager under renowned Coach Bob Knight have shaped him into the leader he is today.

As executive vice president of retirement at Ash Brokerage, he and his team help financial planners provide income planning solutions focused on longevity and efficiency. He also provides guidance and assistance for advisors and brokerdealers navigating marketplace and regulatory changes.

With more than 25 years of industry experience, Mike is a sought-after writer and speaker focused on helping advisors bring true value to their business

David McKnight graduated from Brigham Young University with Honors in 1997. He has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, The New York Times, Fox Business, Bloomberg Radio, MarketWatch, CBS Radio, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq.com, Reuters, Investor’s Business Daily, Kiplinger’s and numerous other national publications. David was a Focus Speaker at the worldwide annual meeting of MDRT in Toronto, Canada and is a multiple Top of the Table qualifier. His bestselling book The Power of Zero has sold over 400,000 copies and the updated and revised version was published by Penguin Random House in 2018. This book was recently made into a full-length documentary film entitled The Power of Zero: The Tax Train Is Coming. When his follow-up book Tax-Free Income for Life launched in November of 2020, it finished the week as the #3 most-sold business book in the world. He and his wife Felice have seven children.

  

Paul G. McManus helps financial advisors become bestselling authors and create authority-based marketing systems to attract their ideal clients. Over the past 9 years, Paul has played a pivotal role in assisting clients in generating over $100,000,000 in fees and commissions.

He is the best-selling author of multiple books including The Short Book Formula: A Financial Professional’s Guide To Writing A Book In Six Weeks To Attract Ideal Clients, and his upcoming book: From Author To Authority: Master LinkedIn, Gain Visibility, and Attract Premium Clients. Paul has emerged as a leading authority for financial professionals. His works, blending insights on authorship, and authority-based marketing systems, serve as a cornerstone for those aiming to attract high-value clients.

Morris Morrison is a world-class Entertainer, Futurist, and Author who became obsessed with building Stronger, Kinder, Focused human beings after being orphaned in New York City, then, being orphaned a second time as a teen — before a doctor’s words changed his life forever. 

Today global leaders from Fortune 50 companies, ranging from Supply Chain & HR to Sales & Marketing have relied on the voice of Morris Morrison as change agent to help their people overcome disruption to position themselves as better, more prepared humans that usher in the future of work. Clients have experienced Morris Morrison's message live on stage and in his latest book titled, Disrupt Yourself. Morris Morrison has been the go-to voice to bring families, teams and organizations together, with an authentic delivery style fueled by powerful messages of disruption, personal ownership & discipline.

Marques Ogden is a former NFL player who is now an inspirational keynote speaker. He's also the founder and CEO of Ogden Ventures LLC, three-time best-selling author (Sleepless Nights; The Success Cycle), business coach and consultant and the podcast host of Authenticity With Marques Ogden; although his journey didn't come easy or without unrelenting adversity.

After retiring from football, Marques pursued a career in construction and contracting. At 27, he founded a construction company with fast growth but eventually went bankrupt, losing almost two million dollars on one project in 90 days. He pulled himself together during his darkest hours and got a part-time job as a custodian.

Marques rose to the top again with hard work and determination, using his struggles as inspiration to blaze his own trail forward. Now, he shares his powerful story to help others learn how to fail forward and achieve success in their lives. Marques' story and insights as a thought leader have been featured in top publications such as USA Today, Forbes, Cheddar News and Authority Magazine. As a speaker, he's landed jobs with over 40 Fortune 500 companies and over 15 Fortune 100 companies like Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Intel, JPMorgan Chase and Home Depot. As a podcast host, he's interviewed iconic guests such as Michael Strahan, Joe Namath and Willie Parker Jr.

Marques hopes to continue reaching new levels in his professional career and positively impacting as many people's lives as possible through doing what he loves; speaking on stage and sharing his experiences and knowledge with others.

Raised in the American Southwest amidst family financial challenges, Carson channeled the entrepreneurial spirit he saw in his father into a myriad of successful ventures. From auto repair enterprises to leading national sales for top life insurance carriers, his journey through the business landscape has been expansive.

Today, Carson stands at the helm as the founder & Chief Visionary of one of the world's leading masterminds of honest, authentic, and ethical insurance agents. Beyond this, he's co-created a specialized insurance CRM, offers mentorship to a broad spectrum of professionals, and continues to manage his own firm.

Carson specializes in wealth management principles as a Cash Value Life Insurance expert and industry Influencer. His training regarding these topics is highly sought after by top Life Insurance Providers, Firms, and Organizations. In the upcoming month he is publishing two expert books "IUL The Right Way" & "The Wealth Lever" which are the most comprehensive consumer guides to effectively selecting, purchasing, and utilizing Indexed Universal Life Insurance as a wealth leveraging tool.

A riveting public speaker, panelist, and podcast guest; Carson's core mission is empowering others to become the most elite entrepreneur and agent that they can possibly be. Invite Carson for an unforgettable blend of Industry expertise, business insights, and genuine inspiration.

Andrew leads a group of highly skilled and credentialed individuals. The teams specialize in providing a single source of contact for the comprehensive education, competitive product and concept needs of today’s financial professional.  The team’s proficiency includes the full spectrum of business and executive benefits knowledge coupled with thought leading expertise in advanced estate and retirement planning. His own expertise includes wealth preservation, estate planning, business planning and executive benefits. He consults with insurance professionals and client’s tax advisors when appropriate to facilitate sales opportunities.

Andrew is a frequent speaker and has authored articles in Life Insurance Selling, Senior Market Advisor, National Underwriter, Finseca, and Journal of Financial Service Professionals. His speaking experience includes Forum 400, Clinic for Advanced Professionals, NAIA Performance and Purpose Forum, AALU National Meeting and LIMRA Advanced Sales Forum. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Financial Service Professionals.

Andrew obtained his B.S. from Midland University and received honors as an Academic and Athletic All-American. He was inducted into the NAIA Athletic Hall of Fame in May of 2007.

He obtained his Juris Doctorate (JD) from Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa where he was a member of the Dean’s List. After passing the Iowa Bar exam, Andrew served as an Assistant County Attorney and Iowa Assistant Attorney General before beginning his career in Advanced Markets. He has also served as the Chapter President of the Des Moines Society of Financial Service Professionals and on the National Board for the Society of Financial Service Professionals.

Professional Designations & Licenses: JD, CFP^®, CLU, ChFC, Series 6, 7, 26, 66 & 63.

    

Daniel has spent 26 years in a successful financial services career working in both the private and public sectors. He is a published personal finance author with substantial experience in advanced market sales, business insurance, public speaking, financial planning, leadership, and operations.
Daniel began his career in 1998 as an annuity wholesaler with Jackson National Life Distributors. He resided in Los Angeles and covered a territory from San Francisco down the coast to Santa Barbara. Upon leaving California, he moved to Kansas City where he became New York Life’s west central zone director. He was responsible for annuity and mutual fund sales, leading 31 general offices across 15 midwestern states.
Beginning in 2011, Daniel was appointed by the governor of Kansas and confirmed by the Kansas Senate to serve a term as the state’s Securities Commissioner. The securities commissioner is the state’s chief financial regulator and is responsible for enforcing the Uniform Securities Act. Daniel oversaw the outlay for a multi-million-dollar agency budget and its nearly 40 employees. Subsequently, Daniel founded Premium Insights, LLC, focused on guiding SEC Registered Investment Advisors by drawing up efficient options to increase their distribution platforms. Daniel also co-authored a 2017 personal finance book.
As an accomplished public speaker, he has presented over 1,200 seminars throughout the past 26 years. His audiences include the Financial Planners Association, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), Kansas Farm Bureau, the Kansas Bankers Association, the Kansas Livestock Association, the National Association of Realtors, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Kansas State University’s College of Financial Planning, Allstate, State Farm, numerous law schools, as well as local Rotary clubs and Chambers of Commerce throughout the U.S. Daniel is a 2012 graduate of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Kansas Program.
Currently, Daniel sits on the Board of Directors for the Greater Wichita Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is a puppeteer for kids ages 2 – 6 at his church, and is an avid snow skier.

Brock Jolly is a Financial Advisor with Veritas Financial, LLC, and the founder of The College Funding Coach®. He started his career in 2000 on a mission to help as many families as possible with their financial success. Inopportunely, his career launch coincided with the dot-com bubble burst. Rest assured, it was not entirely his fault. Over the years, Brock’s practice has evolved, but he always remembers those lessons he learned early on in his career.
In 2002, Brock created The College Funding Coach®, which teaches parents strategies for saving and paying for college without jeopardizing their own retirement savings through a unique workshop entitled, “Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College.” What started as a small adult education class in the Washington, D.C. suburbs has spread to a national platform that teaches several hundred workshops each year to audiences of up to a few thousand parents, all of whom are desperate for this critically important and valuable information.
In 2014, Brock partnered with Gerald Radican to form Veritas Financial. “We merged two very different practices to help a broader set of clients with a deeper set of solutions,” Brock explains. He excitedly adds, “Veritas Financial allows us to build something that is much bigger than the sum of our practices and allows our clients to truly benefit from the synergies of partnership.”
A sought-after financial advisor and student of the industry, Brock has deep knowledge and resources in all aspects of financial planning. He graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2000. Brock is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), and holds many other industry designations, including Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Certified Family Business Specialist (CFBS®) and Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®).
Brock has been featured in numerous media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, PBS, Fox News, The Motley Fool, Federal News Radio’s “Blueprint for Wealth,” and Real Estate Radio Washington, where Brock provides the “Word on Wealth.” He has been quoted in industry publications such as Investment News, The National Underwriter, Insurance Newsnet, Think Advisor and Life Insurance Selling.

 

David Wood, a pioneer in the financial services industry, established Gateway Financial Partners in 1994, which he continues to steer as the Chief Visionary Officer. Wood’s experience spans across several decades, marking him as a leader, an accomplished entrepreneur, and an influential figure in the financial landscape. He possesses an innate ability to identify growth opportunities and is committed to delivering innovative strategies that elevate the success of independent practices.
David is passionate about community engagement; he is renowned for his dedication to supporting not only local initiatives but nationwide initiatives. David is a signee of The Fearless Pledge, serves on the board of Females & Finance, is a frequent national speaker and has presented at many industry conferences, including the Investment News RIA Summit, The TPN Conference, and Nitrogen’s Riskalyze Fearless Investing Summit. David is frequently quoted in WealthManagement.com, Investment News, and Yahoo Finance.
David’s zest and curiosity extend beyond the financial world. Wood is an ‘idea man’, passionate about providing his advisors with the support they need to help grow their independent practices and is full of fresh perspectives, undoubtedly shaping his extraordinary career trajectory. Today, Gateway proudly supports 170 advisors in 26 states, and remains a beacon for innovation and integrity in the financial services industry.