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Bill Partin
Founder and Chief Encouragement Officer, The Leadership Bet LLC Bill Partin is the Founder and Chief Encouragement Officer of The Leadership Bet LLC and former President and CEO of Sharonview Federal Credit Union. He has 40+ years of experience in the financial services industry and a passion for developing leaders, driving results, and creating an energizing People 1st Culture. His passion for leadership led him to found The Leadership Bet, a consultancy that helps leaders become their best so their teams can also be their very best. Bill is the author of The Leadership Bet: Great Leadership Transforms Lives. In 2019, Bill was named one of Charlotte Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs. He was also selected to The Business Journals’ 2019 Influencers in Finance national list, which spotlights 100 executives who are having an impact on business being done in communities across the nation. Bill led Sharonview Federal Credit Union to earn the distinction of being named South Carolina’s Best Credit Union by Forbes in 2018 and a Top Workplace in Charlotte in 2021 and 2022. In 2022, Sharonview was also recognized as a Top Workplace in the United States. Prior to Sharonview, the Southern California native was Senior Vice President and Chief Member Services Officer for Partners Federal Credit Union, the Walt Disney Company credit union. He also spent three years with Dean Witter and four years as President of Duerr Financial Corporation, a regional broker-dealer, and carried his FINRA registrations for 30 years. Bill earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from California State University at Long Beach and his MBA from the University of La Verne. He is a Six Sigma Green Belt and has completed the Leadership at the Peak program at the Center for Creative Leadership. He received his Certified Innovation Executive designation from CUES—via MIT and Stanford University—in 2017 and is a former board member of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation. Bill lives in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area with his wife of 40+ years. He is the proud father of two children and the grandfather of five awesome grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors – walking, running, waterskiing, and gardening. He is also working on a follow-up to his first book. |
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Peter Bielan
The Bielan Group Peter Bielan has been an active participant in the financial institution investment services industry since 1985. His roles have encompassed Advisor, Sales Manager and President of the Retail Broker/Dealer for two of the 15 largest U.S. Banks and a consultant for the past 12 years. Throughout his career, Peter has been dedicated to enhancing investment and wealth management endeavors within Banks and Credit Unions. Notable recent projects include comprehensive business performance evaluations, compensation analysis and recommendations, Third-Party Manager (TPM) selection, recruitment strategies, as well as the integration of wealth management services and the transition to an advisory model. Collaborating with a team of six partner firms, Peter ensures the delivery of a diverse range of capabilities, collectively contributing to the success of his clients. |
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Eric Armstrong
Owner, Compass Consulting Eric grew up in rural Nebraska. He spent two years at the University of Nebraska before transferring to the University of California San Diego where he graduated in 1988 with an economics major and minor in history. After college, Eric married, spent five years serving in the Marine Corps which brought five overseas deployments, one combat tour, and one divorce. After the Marine Corps, Eric worked in corporate America for a few years before starting his own consulting firm in 1997. Eric has completed hundreds of projects working with banks, credit unions, law firms, capital markets firms, and wealth management firms. In 2019, Eric consolidated his consulting practice to solely serve community banks and credit unions, supporting their efforts in offering comprehensive private wealth, securities, insurance, trust, and other wealth management and advisory services. For 25+ years, Eric has been keenly aware of knowing “where the puck is headed” and making sure his audience, clients, and associates get this information and know how to stay in front of the change events. He has presented to dozens of associations, boards, and fortune 500 companies covering many topics of interest. He combines his life experiences with his passion for the work product he supports to deliver an unconventional message in a fun, engaging way to his audience. Eric remarried in 2000. His wife Beth owns a landscape design company. They have one daughter who is in college studying animal science. |
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Patrick (Pat) Daxon, CFP®, CFA
Senior Vice President, Private Wealth, Raymond James Patrick (Pat) Daxon is a skilled financial professional with more than 30 years of financial services industry experience. He describes himself as a people-leader, strategic thinker, subject matter expert, project manager, collaborator, teacher, and mentor. Pat started his career in the financial services industry in 1991 as a Registered Representative with MetLife Insurance Company. In 1996, he joined Raymond James (RJ), where he would spend the next 27 years serving in a variety of positions and increasing his scope of responsibilities. In September of 2023 Pat assumed the responsibilities of SVP, Private Wealth Strategy. In this role he leads the firm’s strategy for the expansion and continued enhancement of resources, intellectual capital and solutions across the firm that support advisors in the HNW/UHNW client space. Pat received his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in finance from Stetson University in 1989 and his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of South Florida in 1991. He earned his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 2000 and his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter in 2002. He is a member of the CFP Board’s Business Model Council and Standards Resource Commission, the Financial Planning Association (FPA), SIFMA’s Wealth Strategies Roundtable, the CFA Institute and Tampa Bay Society of Financial Analysts. Pat resides in Tampa, FL with his wife, Kimberley, and three daughters, Claire, Grace, and Lilly. |
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Sean George
Divisional VP Recruiting, Ameriprise Financial Marquette University, Bachelor of Arts - Law Studies Marquette University, MBA - Finance Sean has been in the financial services industry for 28 years. Prior to joining Ameriprise, he was a Divisional Vice President at Prudential Financial, leading third party distribution. Sean joined Ameriprise as the National Director of Insurance Advisor Recruiting in 2015. In 2019 he took his current role of Divisional Vice President, leading Experienced Advisor Recruiting for the firm in the Midwest and Western portions of the country for AAG, AIA, and AFIG distribution channels. Prior to his career in Financial Services, Sean served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, successfully completing tours in Asia, Africa, and the Persian Gulf. Sean resides in Los Angeles, CA. and enjoys fitness, outdoor activities, diving, and traveling. |
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Karen Benedict
Senior Vice President, Northwest Financial Advisors Karen Benedict is a proven leader in the wealth management industry with more than 30 years of experience in financial services overall. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President for Northwest Financial Advisors (NWFA), a registered investment advisor, and Northwest Financial Group (NWFG), a referring broker-dealer. Karen also serves as the Financial Operations Principal (FinOP) for NWFG. Before entering the wealth management business, Karen was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of NW Capital Management, the parent company of NWFA and NWFG. She also spent five years serving as the Controller and Chief Financial Officer for two separate mortgage companies. She started her career with Community Bank of Northern Virginia (CBNV) where she worked for over 12 years. As Controller of CBNV, she was responsible for all accounting and finance aspects of the institution and its large mortgage division. As the hybrid firm’s SVP and Program Manager, Karen’s many responsibilities include leading business development/growth, recruitment, staff development and training, marketing and strategic direction. She ensures that her team of advisors is structured to meet the needs of a diverse range of clients and strives to meet the unique needs of individual advisors while maintaining guidelines and standards for excellence. She also diligently seeks out the most contemporary tools and resources available to help advisors and client service staff effectively support clients in pursuing their financial goals and dreams. The industry has recognized Karen's management and leadership talent. Bank Investment Consultant (BIC), an organization that provided analysis, insights and data for financial institution wealth managers (now Financial Planning), selected Karen as a Top 25 Program Manager in 2017 and 2018 and a Top 30 Program Manager in 2019 and 2020.1 In addition, Kehrer Bielan, an award-winning business providing wealth management industry research and insights, has recognized Karen on its annual Top Directors Award lists, ranking her the No. 1 director of mid-size bank and credit union financial advice firms in 2021 and 2022.2 Karen holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Strayer College. She also holds Financial Institution Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Series 73, 243, 284, 534 and 665 securities licenses. Her education combined with decades of experience makes Karen a tremendous asset to the firm and its ability to remain a trusted provider of wealth management services for years to come. 1 BIC 2017-20 criteria include the number of advisors managed, assets under management (AUM), team growth production percentage and production per advisor. 2 Based on a transparent, data-driven evaluation process using 13 criteria and a weighted average score. Mid-size financial institution firms are defined as those employing 7 to 24 financial advisors. 3 Held with LPL and NWFG. 4 Held with NWFG. 5 Held with LPL, NWFG and NWFA. NW Capital Management and Northwest Financial Group are separate entities from LPL Financial. |
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Nick Hamilton
National Manager, Financial Consultant, Alliant Retirement & Investment Services Nick Hamilton, as National Manager of Alliant Retirement and Investment Services (ARIS), oversees a team of 12 Financial Consultants and 4 support staff. ARIS operates in all fifty states with physical presence in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Denver. Nick joined Alliant in 2011 as a financial consultant and transitioned into the role of producing manager in 2016. Since 2016, ARIS has experienced revenue growth of over 107%, and AUM growth of over 223%. Alliant Credit Union is a fully digital credit union, closing the last of their branch network in 2018. Nick played an instrumental role in the redesign of wealth management delivery in a post-branch environment. Today ARIS brings in the majority of prospects through a series of educational webinars designed to introduce Alliant’s membership to ARIS’ wealth management services, and supports the credit union’s commitment to bridging the digital divide by bringing financial advice to locations underserved by traditional bank branches. Prior to joining Alliant in 2011, Nick started his career with US Bancorp Investments in 2001, working in various roles for US Bancorp including two years as a compliance specialist overseeing the state of Wisconsin. A native of Wisconsin, Nick enjoys spending time with his wife, Heidi, and their son, Patrick. Nick and his family love to travel to new and exciting destinations, whenever possible. Their son Patrick is an avid train enthusiast and Nick and Heidi have found themselves planning travel adventures around his passion. |
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Jeff Ferraris
Program Manager, UFCU Investment Services Jeff currently leads and manages wealth, retirement, brokerage and insurance professionals to improve the financial success of our clients and members at UFCU Investment Services through CUSO Financial L.P. (CFS) He collaborates and partners with credit union leadership and employees to integrate investment services solutions to meet/exceed the expectations of our UFCU clients/members. Jeff has been in the financial services industry for over 35 years working in retail services, commercial banking and wealth management/investment services. He is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Science degree in Resource & Development; MBA from the University of Phoenix, Banking Certificate program at the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. Jeff is currently registered with the following securities licenses – series 7, series 66, series 24 and group one insurance license from Texas Department of Insurance. His accomplishments while at UFCU Investment Services through CFS include the following:
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Sharon F. Imbriale
Director of Insurance & Wealth Management, Municipal Credit Union Founder, SFI Consulting Sharon Imbriale is the Director of Insurance and Wealth Management at Municipal Credit Union, the oldest credit union in NYC, known for its commitment to serving everyday heroes and local communities. Sharon assumed this role in August 2023, where she oversees a comprehensive range of insurance products and leads the launch of the credit union’s new wealth management program, Municipal Wealth Builders.
In 2022, Sharon founded SFI Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping financial programs optimize their processes and drive growth. Enhancing their operational efficiencies. Sharon's extensive career in the Financial Services Industry began over 35 years ago at Dreyfus Mutual Fund Corporation. There, she developed a strong foundation in finance and customer service. Her roles included managing pivotal projects such as the transfer agent transition conversion from Bank of New York to American Express/TSSG. She pioneered innovative compliance procedures and tools, including a compliance-integrated sales literature order screen that aligned recommendations with clients’ objectives and risk profiles. An innovative solution for its time. Seeing the potential in direct sales, Sharon joined a pilot team to sell Dreyfus products directly to the public. Her role quickly evolved to sales manager then regional director, where she and her teams, excelled as a top performers. Her success in these roles were rooted in her strong service orientation, which she credits for her achievements in sales, management, and relationship building. After leaving Dreyfus to raise her family, Sharon worked part-time at boutique firms focusing on compliance. She then applied her business acumen to establish and manage several successful family ventures, finding the experience both demanding and fulfilling. In 2010, Sharon joined Bethpage Federal Credit Union to assist with the conversion of their investment program’s broker-dealer from Uvest to Invest Financial. By 2013, she was managing the operations, where she improved processes, introduced new technologies, and developed effective marketing strategies. As Senior Program Manager starting in 2016, Sharon guided her team through regulatory challenges and significantly enhanced the program’s performance by implementing process changes. In 2018, after LPL’s acquisition of Invest Financial, Sharon successfully managed yet another program conversion. As the Director of Investments for Bethpage Federal Credit Union, her leadership led the team to increased record breaking production, better resources, processes and technology adaptation. Sharon’s career is characterized by her deep passion for finance, integrity, and mastery of relationship management, establishing her as a prominent leader in the financial services industry. |
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Aaron Persons
VP, Wealth Management, A+ Wealth Management Aaron Persons is a seasoned financial executive with over 30 years of industry experience, currently serving as the Vice President of Wealth Management at A+ Federal Credit Union in Austin, Texas. Throughout his career, Aaron has held various roles including independent advisor, bank advisor, credit union retail operations executive, and wealth management executive, providing him a unique and comprehensive perspective on building successful and highly integrated wealth programs within financial institutions. His extensive experience has earned him recognition from Bank Investment Consultant magazine as a Top Program Manager. Beyond his professional achievements, Aaron is passionate about giving back to the community having served as big brother with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and currently as a volunteer board member at Candlelight Ranch. With a proven track record of success and a commitment to excellence, Aaron continues to drive innovation and growth in the wealth management sector. 
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Tim Kehrer
Kehrer Group Tim Kehrer oversees Kehrer Group’s survey research activities, including the Annual Benchmarking Survey and Influencers Poll. He has also been a driver of the firm’s consumer research using the MacroMonitor database. He is author of the Annual Industry Checkup, and co-author of multiple studies demonstrating the value of investment services to banks and credit unions, and studies of how to optimize advisor territory and book size. His studies of the role of client engagement in financial planning, the shifting environment for digital advice, and the interplay between profit margins and advisor coverage have contributed to the development of best practice management. Drawing on the firm’s annual benchmarking surveys, Tim provides dashboards that enable firms to compare their performance with their peers as part of his growth consulting practice. Tim joined Kehrer Group after a successful career in political management that included stints on three winning campaigns for the U.S. Senate. He worked for the independent expenditure arm of a national party committee where he studied public opinion surveys and focus group research from across the country as part of the production and deployment of television and radio advertisements. In addition to his time on the campaign trail, he served as a senior advisor in the U.S. Senate and worked for the Senate Committee on Finance. He holds a BA in government from Georgetown University. |