Meet
Team TBG
executive committee
DAVID L. BAHNSEN
Founder, Managing Partner, & Chief Investment Officer
David oversees the management of over $4 billion in client assets.
Prior to launching The Bahnsen Group, he spent eight years as a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and six years as a Vice President at UBS. He is consistently named as one of the top financial advisors in America by Barron’s, Forbes, and the Financial Times (2016-2021).
He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox News, and Fox Business, and is a regular contributor to National Review. He hosts the popular weekly podcast, Capital Record, dedicated to a defense of free enterprise and capital markets. He is a regular lecturer for the Acton Institute and the Center for Cultural Leadership, and writes daily investment commentary at thedctoday.com and weekly macro commentary at dividendcafe.com.
David is a founding Trustee for Pacifica Christian High School of Orange County and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Review Institute in New York City.
He is the author of several best-selling books including Crisis of Responsibility: Our Cultural Addiction to Blame and How You Can Cure It (2018), and The Case for Dividend Growth: Investing in a Post-Crisis World (2019). His newest book, There’s No Free Lunch: 250 Economic Truths, was released in November 2021.
David’s true passions include anything related to USC football, the financial markets, politics, and Chinese food. His ultimate passions are his wife of 20+ years, Joleen, their children, Mitchell, Sadie, and Graham, and the life they’ve created together on both coasts.
Brian T. Szytel, CFP®, AIF®
Deputy Managing Partner
Brian manages lead relationship management, investment strategy, financial and retirement planning, and advanced estate planning strategies for our clients. Brian has a diverse professional background with over 15 years of financial advisory experience including UBS, SmithBarney and most recently at Morgan Stanley where he was promoted to First Vice President.
Brian holds the Certified Financial Planner ™, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ designations, along with the Series 7 and 66 securities and the California Life and Health Insurance License. Brian received his Bachelor’s degree in Business and Economics from The University of California at Santa Barbara. Brian lives locally with his wife Sara and daughters Sophie and Anna and adores his active lifestyle with them outside of the office.
Trevor Cummings, CFP®
PWA Group Director, Partner
Trevor focuses on providing clients customized financial plans, tailored investment solutions, and trusted financial advice. Trevor formerly served as the Director of Financial Planning at The Bahnsen Group and continues to have a passion and interest in both the craft of financial planning and the financial planning industry.
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group Trevor’s experience includes his service as a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley and Retail Banking with Wells Fargo. Trevor completed his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Biola University and received an MBA with a concentration in finance from California State University, Fullerton.
Trevor is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional. Additionally, he currently holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, and California Life and Health Insurance license.
Outside of work Trevor enjoys serving as an Elder at Heritage Christian Fellowship in San Clemente. Trevor formerly competed as a cyclist and still enjoys staying active playing basketball, mountain biking, and playing ultimate frisbee.
Trevor’s greatest joy is his family; his beautiful wife, Nicole, and their children, Shepherd, Judah, and Ruthie.
RAYNA AUSTIN
Treasurer
Rayna serves as the Treasurer for The Bahnsen Group, formerly the team’s Business Administrator, and is responsible for financial operations, Human Resources functions, and all control functions in our finance department. She is based in our Newport Beach office.
Rayna joined The Bahnsen Group in 2018 after four years with Capstone Partners and Gemini Southern, LLC where she gained experience in management consulting, corporate finance, and accounting services.
Rayna is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a minor in psychology. She also earned her Paralegal Certification from the University of California Irvine, and her Accounting and QuickBooks Certifications from the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers.
Private Wealth Advisors
Kimberlee A. Davis, J.D., CDFA®
MANAGING DIRECTOR, PARTNER
Kimberlee specializes in personal wealth advising, and financial, retirement and estate planning solutions, for high net worth individuals and multi-generational families. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Kimberlee’s proficiency also includes helping her clients transition to financial independence after life-altering events such as death or divorce.
Kimberlee has established The Fiscal Feminist, a platform from which she strongly advocates for women through her passion to empower and educate them concerning their finances. Her mission is to help all women — mothers, daughters, professional women, divorced women, widowed women, women of all ages and wealth levels –to embrace their responsibility to themselves to achieve solid financial footing in both calm and turbulent times.
With more than 25 years of finance, legal and corporate experience, her career has included being a corporate securities lawyer, investment banker, and Chief Financial Officer. Kimberlee received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service/International Finance, at Georgetown University and earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. She currently holds the Series 7 and 66 licenses and the California Life and Health Insurance License.
As an active participant in the community, Kimberlee is a member of the United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund and the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, a board member of The Valiant Women of the Mission Hospital Foundation in Mission Viejo, California which supports women’s health care and nursing education, and a board member of The Sparkle Foundation’s Sparkle BIZ platform which invests in single mothers who are business owners or entrepreneurs. Kimberlee also is the President of the British American Business Council of Orange County, an Advisory Board Member for the University of California, Irvine – The Paul Merage School of Business Center for Investment and Wealth Management, and an active member of Gen Next, an organization dedicated to learning and engaging with the challenges facing future generations.
As a Pittsburgh native, she is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Her passions include art, traveling and cooking, and reading. Kimberlee is the proud mother of Allison, Claire and Merrill, who are in her view, her greatest accomplishments!
Don B. Saulic, CFP®, CPA
Managing Director, Partner
Don is a Managing Director and Partner in the team’s Private Wealth Management practice, where he advises on comprehensive strategies to help clients achieve their long-term goals. Areas of focus include investments, estate and tax planning, financial planning, risk management, real estate, wealth transfer, life management, and charitable planning. He is author of The Financierge – a publication dedicated to thought leadership on topics within our holistic, comprehensive private wealth management services.
Don is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 securities licenses, and a California life and health insurance license.
With over four decades of C-Level corporate executive and financial advisory experience, Don previously worked at several private and Fortune 1000 global companies holding positions such as Independent Board Director, President & Chief Operations Officer, and Global Chief Information Officer. Don has an M.B.A. from DePaul University and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting with Economics minor from Illinois State University.
In the community, Don has several philanthropic endeavors focused on helping adults and children achieve both success and significance. Don is experienced in public and non-profit boards and currently serves on the Board of the YMCA of Orange County, the Forum of Christian Business Leaders, and the Grace and Hope Foundation. A Chicago native, Don is proud of his three daughters – Meeghan (Maryville St. Bernard), Hannah (Mizzou Tiger) and Sophia (Baylor Bear); his son – Camdon (CDM Sea King); and his family black lab – Bear. Don makes his home in Corona del Mar, California.
GEOFFREY GREGORY, CRPC®
SENIOR WEALTH ADVISOR, DIRECTOR, INVESTMENT BANKING
Geoff serves as a Senior Wealth Advisor and the Director of Investment Banking for The Bahnsen Group, bringing more than forty years of experience in the financial services industry. Geoff works with business owners, corporate executives, and entrepreneurs in all aspects of financial need from corporate liquidity events to private wealth management, planning, and investment services.
Geoff joined The Bahnsen Group in September of 2019. Prior to the transaction, Geoff served as the Managing Partner of the G3 Advisory Group of HighTower Advisors. Before joining HighTower, Geoff served as a First Vice President at Merrill Lynch, and spent the previous fifteen years in commercial banking, most of which was managing state-wide divisions supporting middle-market and privately-held companies. He was also the co-founder of a boutique investment bank in New York City.
Geoff brings to The Bahnsen Group vast experience and leadership in investment banking, having been instrumental in envisioning and implementing the HighTower Strategic Advisory Network, which provides clients with access to an exclusive network of sophisticated investment banking resources.
Geoff earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary, as well as a graduate degree from the University of Delaware’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking. He has completed professional education courses focused on leadership and strategic planning at both Harvard and Columbia University. He holds the Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor® (CRPC®) and Certified Financial Manager® (CFM®) designations.
Geoff enjoys kayaking, fishing, biking, what some would generously call golfing and singing in his church choir. He is active in his community, having served on the boards of Madison Cares and Mercy Center. He lives in Madison, CT with his wife, Donna, and has two adult children and best friends, Joshua and Matthew.
Phil Barnhill, CLU®
Senior Wealth Advisor
Phil serves as a Senior Wealth Advisor and is a key member of our Family Office team. Phil has provided sound, forward-thinking advice to businesses and individuals for nearly forty years. He was one of the founding partners, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of The Advocate Group from 1999-2014 and has been a lead principal at Story Capital in Minneapolis for the last several years. He served previously as the Director of Risk Management at the Bahnsen Group.
John Swanson
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, John founded Sheppard Wealth Management to work with a handful of high-net-worth families, providing comprehensive wealth management solutions. John began his investment career in 1998 at Merrill Lynch Private Client Group. He enjoys guiding clients through complex wealth management issues, as well as facilitating conversations with family members exploring their goals and dreams for a future legacy.
John earned his B.A. from Westmont College. He and his wife reside in Tumalo, Oregon, with their four children, where they enjoy their hobby farm, and all the endless outdoor activities Central Oregon has to offer.
Sean Latimer, CFP®
Partner
Sean works as a private wealth advisor focused on developing comprehensive financial solutions for clients. Sean became a partner in 2022 after joining The Bahnsen Group in 2019. Prior to that he was a Financial Planning Specialist at Morgan Stanley, where he was named to the Pacesetter Club for 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Sean completed his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at California State University, Fullerton. Sean also completed his Certificate in Financial Planning at the Graziadio Business School, Pepperdine University.
Sean is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional. Additionally, he holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses along with California Life and Health Insurance license. He also serves on the Investment, Banking, and Audit Committee for the City of Laguna Niguel, California
Sean is a proud husband to his beautiful wife, Sarah, and father to his two sons, Mason and William, and his daughter Olivia.
Brendan X. Porter, CFP®
Brendan joined our Private Wealth Advisor group in the summer of 2021 after many years at Tax & Financial Group. Brendan has a substantial background in financial planning and risk management and brings significant experience and skill in high-level client relations to the team.
Brendan is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional and holds the Series 7 and Series 66 registrations. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Labor Relations and Employment Management from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Brendan is very active with Athletes in Action and has recently joined the council for Safe Families for Children. Brendan formerly played professional lacrosse for six years and now enjoys playing golf, dance parties with his daughters, watching lacrosse, and family bike rides.
Brendan’s great joy is spending time with his wife, Jenna and their four kids: Riley, Selah, Quinn and Xavier.
Drew Dill
Drew is a Private Wealth Advisor, in our Bend office, joining us after eight years as a Premier Banker at Wells Fargo, where he held a variety of senior banking roles and management roles. In addition, Drew is a Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist helping to implement and maintain retirement plans for employers and employees alike. Drew holds a CRPS license, Series 7 & 66 securities licenses, and a California Life Insurance license.
Outside of work, Drew is an avid baseball fan; Go Padres! He enjoys reading, teaching Sunday school at his church, fishing, hiking, long road trips, and smoking meats on the Pit Boss. Drew’s greatest joy is spending time with family as he is happily married to his wife Elisabeth, and the proud father of two young children, Edison and Isla.
Nathan R. Straw
Nathan is a Private Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group’s Newport Beach office, joining us after six years as a Financial Advisor and Portfolio Manager at Morgan Stanley. Nate was named to the Morgan Stanley Pacesetter’s Club from 2018-2021. He will be deeply focused in our Private Wealth Advisor Group as a lead relationship manager, financial and retirement planner, and investment allocator.
Nate completed his MBA with a concentration in Management from California Baptist University. He holds Series 7 and 66 securities licenses.
Outside of work, Nate enjoys backpacking and fishing, ushering at his church in San Clemente, and volunteering as a Young Life youth leader. A former chef, Nate continues to live out his passion for the culinary arts, cooking for friends, family and charity events. Nate truly loves volunteering at orphanages in Vietnam, Philippines, Haiti and Mexico.
Brian Miller
Brian is a Private Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group working from our Tennessee location. Prior to opening The Bahnsen Group office in Nashville, Brian worked from our Newport Beach headquarters. Brian worked for three years as an Investment Solutions Consultant at Alliance Bernstein, a $700 billion asset manager. Prior to that Brian was a Major League baseball pitcher in the Tampa Rays organization.
He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where he won a 2014 world series championship.
Brian holds the Series 7 and 63 designations, and is highly focused on financial planning and stewardship of all phases of the wealth management process for our clients.
He and his wife, Megan, and their two kids, Jane and Archie, live in Nashville. Brian is very involved in his local church and loves family movie nights, golfing, and SEC football.
Steve Tresnan, CFP®, CAIA®
Steve is a Private Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group, working from our New York City office. He was formerly a Managing Director at HighTower Advisors, and brings more than thirteen years of industry experience to our team. Steve utilizes comprehensive financial planning and nontraditional investments to help clients improve their ability to attain long-term financial goals.
Steve has focused throughout his career on alternative investments, research, analysis, trading, financial planning, client service, insurance, and customized reporting solutions for ultra-high-net-worth families and institutions. Previously, he supported HighTower’s Global Investment Solutions team by coordinating investment research, analytics, due diligence and access capabilities for the company. Prior to HighTower, Steve was a financial advisor at Ameriprise Financial in the greater Philadelphia area.
Steve is a Certified Financial Planner as well as a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst®. He is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, which helps him offer guidance to clients with fiduciary responsibilities, such as board members of trusts, foundations, and endowments. Steve earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University.
Steve serves on the board and finance committee of New Music USA – a national nonprofit devoted to the development and appreciation of new music in the U.S. – and volunteers as the Treasurer for Campus Fun & Learn, a child development center on the campus of Rockland Community College in New York. A Pittsburgh native and long-time guitarist, he enjoys playing and writing music, grilling/BBQ, exercising, sampling IPAs, watching PSU/Pittsburgh sports, golfing, and spending time with family and friends. Steve, his wife, Katie, and daughters, Ruby and Violet, live in Leonia, NJ.
Stoddard Barnhill, CFP®
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Stoddard was the Director of Planning and co-founder of Story Capital, LLC. Stoddard lends bold ideas and strategies to the team that benefit the firm’s entire client roster — particularly leaders of Fortune 500 and large private companies with equity compensation and complex benefit plans. Stoddard finds great fulfillment in walking alongside his clients, providing them with the tools and information they need to help make educated, meaningful decisions.
Regardless of their season of life, Stoddard’s clients can rest assured that he is fully dedicated to helping them achieve their goals both now and in the future. Stoddard holds a B.S. in Economics and Marketing from Marquette University. He holds the Series 7 and 66 licenses and is a licensed CFP® Professional. He and his wife, Mindy, reside in Corcoran Minnesota and have two children, Josiah and Zara.
Robert Graham, CFA®
Robert is a Private Wealth Advisor based in our Austin, TX office. His advisory work focuses on delivering candid capital markets insight to clients in tandem with robust, adaptable financial plans. Robert is a passionate advocate for the promise and potential of entrepreneurialism, free enterprise, and a market economy.
Robert first joined The Bahnsen Group in 2013 at Morgan Stanley after starting his career at UBS Financial Services. Robert managed TBG’s corporate retirement plan business and was a lead advisor through our transition out of Morgan Stanley. After two years away working as an outsourced Chief Investment Officer, Robert re-joined The Bahnsen Group in 2023 to lead The Bahnsen Group’s Texas expansion.
He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and he holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Indiana University. He has completed coursework at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford (Private Asset Valuation) and The Anderson School of Business, University of California Los Angeles (Behavioral Finance).
Robert is an avid runner, swimmer, and reader, but most enjoys spending quality time with his wonderful wife, Samantha, and their three children.
Blaine Carver, CFP®, CKA®
Blaine joined the Private Wealth Advisor Group out of our Newport Beach office in early 2023 after working as a financial advisor in Bellevue, WA for eight years. Blaine and his wife (Kendall) re-located to Orange County with their two daughters (Sophia, 2, and Chloe, 1). He obtained his CFP® certification in 2016 and has vast experience working with clients to craft achievable financial plans via investment, retirement, tax, insurance, and estate planning.
Blaine originally hails from Soldotna, Alaska, a town known for salmon fishing. He then attended Seattle Pacific University (SPU), where he graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration and captained the soccer team. While at SPU, Blaine met Kendall and they were married in July 2014 in Kendall’s hometown of Irvine, CA. Faith and family are central to Blaine’s life. On the weekends you’ll find him spending time with family, biking, or rooting enthusiastically for the Minnesota Vikings. He and Kendall are deeply involved at Watermark O.C. Church.
Sean Ullrich
Sean serves as a Private Wealth Advisor at the Bahnsen Group, working from our Nashville, Tennessee location. Prior to joining the Bahnsen Group, Sean worked for an advisory firm in St. Louis, Missouri guiding clients through comprehensive financial planning.
Sean played college baseball at both the University of Missouri and Louisiana Tech University.
He is active with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is very involved in his local church. Sean lives in Nashville where he met his fiancée, Rachel, and they enjoy going to see live country music and sporting events.
Operations
ALEXIS GALES
Director
Alexis joins us from the University of Southern California where she was the Director of Operations for USC Volleyball.
Prior to her working for USC, she worked in sales development for Highspot Inc., a software company providing sales enablement tools and software for improving marketing effectiveness.
Alexis graduated with a B.S. in sociology from USC where she was also a starting volleyball player earning the AVCA All-America honors in 2013. Alexis went on to play professionally including contracts in Germany, South Korea, and the Philippines and was a member of the USA Women’s National Training Team competing for Team USA at the 2014 NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier.
BETH FIDUCCIA
Associate Director
Beth joined the Operations Department of The Bahnsen Group in the spring of 2019, bringing valuable experience and skill to the team.
Beth began her career in 1991 at Shearson Lehman. Over the last 25 years she has seen time at Smith Barney and UBS in various senior administrative roles. Her experience covers both the RIA world and large firms, and she has tremendous ability to solve problems and serve clients.
Beth resides in Huntington Beach with her daughter. She enjoys riding her bike to the beach, baking with her daughter, and loves teaching Pilates.
CAMILLE MESITE
CLERK
Camille works within our Operations Department, assisting in the daily needs of our clients. After graduating from The Pennsylvania State University, she began her career in New York City and has over 30 years of experience in brokerage, mutual fund sales and asset management. She started with Dean Witter Reynolds, Oppenheimer & Co, and Fred Alger Management in New York, followed by Shearson Lehman Hutton, Palley-Needelman Asset Management and Metropolitan West Capital Management in Newport Beach.
Camille is a Board Member of the Orange County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association. Besides cheering on the Nittany Lions, she enjoys going to concerts, Anaheim Ducks hockey and using her Disneyland annual pass.
Tammie Etchells
Tammie joined The Bahnsen Group in December 2021 as a member of the Operations team.
After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in Communications, Tammie started her career at Dean Witter/Morgan Stanley in Los Angeles. She developed operations, marketing, and advisor communications experience in her seven years there. Subsequently, she spent the last fifteen years in a couple of different high-level Account Executive and Senior Operations roles. She has experience in relationship management, client service, and high-level administration.
Tammie enjoys spending time with her family and dogs and in her free time enjoys going to USC football games.
Darren M. Lightfoot, AAMS®
Darren joins the Operations Department of The Bahnsen Group after spending 6 years at Charles Schwab, where he began his career in finance in 2016.
During his last 3 years in the Schwab Newport Beach office, Darren was a direct partner to 2 senior financial advisors, specializing in serving UHNW clients.
He graduated from The Master’s University in 2015, where he earned athletic (soccer), academic, and music scholarships. He was a 2-time Academic All-American, and was given the Champion of Character award by the university’s athletic department.
Darren lives in San Clemente with his wife and 2 daughters, and enjoys leading the worship band at their local church.
Megan Geary
Megan is a member of our Operations Department working from our Minnetonka, MN location. Prior to joining TBG, Megan worked in various financial services roles in South Dakota and Minnesota, building experience in financial planning and trust services.
Megan is a graduate of Augustana University and has resided in the Midwest her entire life. She enjoys playing competitive ultimate frisbee, serving in her local church, and hunting and fishing with her family. She currently lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Caleb.
Carly Whelan
Carly joins us after graduating from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa with a B.A. Humanities degree, majoring in Psychology. After living and studying abroad for the past five years, she has moved back to Southern California and now serves as a member of our Operations Department in our Newport Beach headquarters.
In her free time, Carly enjoys being outdoors, going for a run, spending the afternoon at the beach, going to church, grabbing coffee, and simply being with her family and friends.
Abigail S. Murphy
Office Manager - New York
Abigail serves as the New York Office Manager and an Operations Associate for The Bahnsen Group. Before joining the team, Abigail worked in various financial services, investor relations, and non-profit administrative positions in New York City.
Abigail is a graduate of The King’s College in Lower Manhattan and has lived in Brooklyn, NY most of her life. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, writing, and running in New York City parks.
Laura Sauer
Office Manager - Tennessee
Laura joined the Operations Department of The Bahnsen Group in March of 2022 where she also serves as the Office Manager of our brand new Nashville office. Prior to joining TBG she spent three years as a private client associate at Janney Montgomery Scott. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, where she majored in Kinesiology and minored in business administration.
In her free time Laura loves exploring new Nashville restaurants, hanging out with her niece and nephews, and cheering on the Tennessee Vols.
ERICCA MURILLO
OFFICE MANAGER - California
Ericca brings stellar experience in client service and office management to The Bahnsen Group. Prior to joining us, she managed the office of an international manufacturing company in Orange County, covering more than fifty employees. She possesses great skill in business administration and has a real passion for supporting the client experience and advisors at The Bahnsen Group.
A devoted mother, Ericca enjoys outdoor activities, year-round youth sports, and days at the beach.
Michele Barnhill
Office Manager - Minnesota
Michele serves as Office Manager in our Minneapolis office. Incredibly focused and a shining example of principled leadership, Michele has spent thirty years in the financial, insurance, and estate planning industries.
After a brief stint in the world of public accounting, Michele established a private estate-planning law practice, which she ran out of her home for fifteen years while raising three children. Michele then became a founding partner at The Advocate Group, a large regional Registered Investment Advisory firm, where she was lead director of the operations department.
Michele has vast experience in complex insurance underwriting which she will bring to the risk management functions of The Bahnsen Group. She is a true seasoned professional in various intergenerational family planning issues. Clients directly benefit from Michele’s artful mediation skills in addition to the broad array of abilities that make her an essential member of the team.
She holds a Juris Doctorate from the William Mitchell College of Law and a B.S. degree from Syracuse University.
Jill Abell
Office Manager - Pacific Northwest
Jill brings considerable experience as an Operations, Financial and Human Resources professional to the Bend office, having worked as Director of Operations and Human Resources for a variety of Central Oregon companies. She is dedicated to creating and nurturing client relationships to ensure that they have the best possible experience. In addition, Jill prides herself on making sure the office runs smoothly and efficiently.
Jill graduated with honors from San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She has lived in Bend since 2004, where she spends time with her husband and son mountain biking, skiing, paddle boarding, and cooking. When she’s not working or playing, she’s volunteering for the Bethlehem Inn homeless shelter and the Bend Food Project.
Celina Torres
Office Manager - Texas
Celina serves as the Operations Associate for The Bahnsen Group’s Austin, TX office. She has 13 years of experience in administrative work with a background in both the public and private sector, having previously working for APD Internal Affairs as well as Marsh McLennan. In 2021 she graduated with a Degree in Business Administration from the University of New Mexico.
Celina has strong traditional values, believes in hard work, and always strives to have a positive attitude. She enjoys supporting clients and advisors, and is passionate about financial literacy.
Family and faith are Celina’s foundation and she loves to be active in her community. Celina enjoys movies, traveling, creating new life experiences, and spending vacations in Puerto Vallarta.
Solutions
Joseph Klein, CEP®, CFP®
DIRECTOR
Joseph serves as the Director of the Solutions department of The Bahnsen Group. He brings incredible skill in problem-solving to the organization, and has great passion for the tangible value that quality financial planning brings. His role at The Bahnsen Group is particularly focused on estate and tax planning, and he is a key member of our Family Office team. Joe is both a Certified Estate Planner™ and Certified Financial Planner™ professional (Boston University).
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, he served on the corporate Investment Solutions team at Hightower, where he co-managed over $350 million in asset allocation models as a Senior Investment Analyst. He brings a multi-faceted skillset from past career experiences, including consulting companies and municipalities in restructuring, and managing high yield lending as a Credit Analyst at Barclays Bank.
Joseph completed his Bachelor’s degree from New York University’s Stern School of Business, and holds the FINRA Series 7 & 63 licenses.
Outside of work, Joseph enjoys playing softball, improving his golf game, and cycling. In the summer, Joseph mentors college students through the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Career program. He and his wife, Amanda, are new to Orange County after spending the last 10 years in New York City.
KENNY MOLINA, CAIA®
DIRECTOR, Investment Process
Kenny serves as the Director of the Investment Process Department, focused on equity and bond trading, portfolio analytics, and alternatives manager research and diligence. Kenny also oversees The Bahnsen Group’s in-house hedge fund solution ‘Alternative Income Solutions’ an alternatives strategy that was structured, launched, and continues to be managed internally.
Before joining The Bahnsen Group, Kenny was a wealth management analyst with Valensi Rose, PLC, a law practice situated in Century City. He assisted in improving and standardizing financial schedules and provided departmental analytics.
Kenny completed his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, currently holds the Series 65 license, is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst, and is a LII CFA candidate.
Manuel A. Ramirez
Investment Process
Manuel provides direct support to the Investment Process Department, focusing on internal performance reporting and substantial research of investment products and ideas. Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Manuel worked closely with high net worth individuals in the acquisition of commercial real estate properties.
His work included the development of budgetary reports and extensive analytics around projects and proposed investment. He is a diligent analyst with a high regard for details and nuances that impact investment opportunity and results. Manuel completed his degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is currently pursuing the Series 65 FINRA license
Gale Millington
Investment Process
Gale works in our New York office as a dedicated Alternative Investments resource in the Investment Process Department. She is responsible for operational administration, data processing, and tax reporting across our entire Alternative Investment business. She is instrumental in making the workflow of this vital business line more efficient.
In her prior role, she worked as a Senior Operations Associate for the Commercial Bank Unicredit SPA, overseeing the daily monitoring of payment transfers locally and internationally.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Brooklyn College and an Associate’s Degree in Marketing and Sales from NY City Tech College.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading and traveling.
Eddie Molina
Investment Process
Eddie joins The Bahnsen Group in October 2022 as the newest member of our Investment Process Department, where he will tackle a heavy load in Portfolio Analytics and soon be trained in trading operations, as well. Before joining The Bahnsen Group, Eddie initially worked as an Operations Representative at Merrill Lynch in Newport Beach. He audited large money movement transfers and was responsible for red flags in the processing of incoming deposits and stock certificates. He became a wealth management associate for two financial advisors and handled all administrative needs for client investment and banking accounts.
Eddie holds Series 7 and 66 licenses. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, and enjoys all things soccer.
Sarah Leitzke, CFP®
Director of Risk Management
Sarah serves as the Director of our Risk Department working from our Minnesota location. Sarah has a true passion for helping people feel both knowledgeable and at ease with their financial decisions. She is driven to find solutions to complex problems. Sarah obtained her CFP® certification in November 2020.
Before diving into the financial industry in mid-2017, Sarah was in church leadership for 6 years and received Bachelor of Arts degrees from both the University of Minnesota and North Central University in Political Science & Communication Studies and Music, respectively.
Reid Gustafson
Risk Management
Reid works in the Risk Management Department of The Bahnsen Group’s Minnesota location. Reid is focused on building relationships and collaborating to uncover the best ideas for an informed outcome. In a complex industry with many moving parts, his ability to take on new challenges and provide support to the whole team is invaluable.
Reid spent twenty-five years running and developing a family business and brings ample skills in management and problem-solving to The Bahnsen Group. He loves the challenge of learning new systems and making sure great ideas are well executed.
Reid holds a B.S. degree in Interior Design (Commercial Focus) from the University of Minnesota.
Matthew gregory
Planning
Matthew is an Associate in our Planning Department, working out of the New York office. He serves as the overseer of our client web portal and plays a vital role in the preparation and delivery of our financial planning services. Matthew holds the Series 65 FINRA license.
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Matthew graduated from New York University with a B.F.A. in Drama. He is also a singer/songwriter and composed the music and lyrics for two off-Broadway premiere musicals. Since music activates both sides of the brain, Matthew brings a balance of analytical and creative thinking to all he undertakes.
Jeremy Polon
Planning
Jeremy is an Associate in our Planning Department, located in our Newport Beach office. Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Jeremy worked as a paraplanner at Lucia Capital Group, a wealth management firm in San Diego, CA managing $450 million. He graduated from California State University-San Marcos with a finance degree, and holds Series 7, Series 66, and California Life and Health Insurance Licenses.
Outside of work, Jeremy enjoys reading and maintaining an active lifestyle, which consists of surfing, playing tennis, and playing in a softball league. He is a member of West Hills Champions, a local little league facility where he serves as a mentor to children with special needs and disabilities. His greatest joy is spending time with family
Mathew Kraines
Planning
Mathew works in the Planning Department of The Bahnsen Group’s office in Minnesota. His work is focused in all aspects of the financial planning process. Matthew support advisors and the financial planning function with a wide array of services.
Mathew received his Business/Finance degree from the University of South Dakota. Mathew’s interest for Wealth Management grew out of an internship he held in college with RBC Wealth Management working on a portfolio strategies team. Upon graduation he worked within Global Custody Operations for US Bank.
Outside of work Mathew enjoys spending time with family and has a passion for being outdoors. Born and raised in Minnesota, he embraces the Minnesota lifestyle and particularly loves fishing, golfing, and camping.
Nick Dally
Planning
Nick’s primary focus is on planning and client analysis. He moved to Bend in 2019 after serving six years in the United States Navy. In the Navy, he was focused on intelligence collection and analysis while stationed in Colorado and Hawaii. Immediately after he arrived in Bend, Nick attended Oregon State University and earned his degree in Business Administration. Nick gained experience in both project management and corporate finance roles prior to beginning his career in wealth management.
When he is not at work, Nick spends time with his fiancé and friends snowboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, and surfing. He is passionate about veteran outreach and enjoys participating in Honor Flight trips, as well as different veteran-focused surfing organizations.
Mark Puryear, CFP®
Planning
Mark is an Associate in our Planning Department based out of our Nashville, TN office. Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Mark worked as a Wealth Planning Associate at Janney Montgomery Scott. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and adds significant resources to our planning solutions.
Mark was born and raised in Franklin, Tennessee. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a major in Finance and a minor in Accounting. Mark currently holds his Series 7 and Series 66 licenses, along with a Certificate in Financial Planning from Belmont University.
When not at work, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, golfing, and cheering on the Vols.
LIPING "LEO" OUYANG, CFA®
Research
Liping supports the Investment Committee through idea generation, fundamental research, portfolio monitoring, and the value-added delivery of research and analytical work.
Liping’s career in financial services began in Austin, Texas, working at Century Management and LRT Capital. At both firms his focus was on fundamental research, looking for “moats”, growth plans, and margins of safety. He will bring a cash flow analysis skill to The Bahnsen Group to supplement a qualitative and quantitative research focus that is integral to our dividend growth philosophy.
Liping earned a B.S. in Materials from East China University of Science and Technology and an M.S. in Economics from Texas A&M University. He earned his Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation in 2021.
Theodore McEntee
Research
Theodore McEntee (Teddy) joins TBG as the newest analyst in our Research Department. A recent graduate of the University of Tennessee, Teddy will work in our Nashville office in portfolio analytics, special research projects, and alternative investment due diligence. He was a scholarship tennis player at the University of Tennessee. He previously worked as an associate at Gulfstream Capital, and brings a wide array of talent in analysis and research to the firm.
He holds a Series 65 license from FINRA and completed the Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst program with the Corporate Finance Institute last year.
Menka Singh, M.B.T., CPA
Tax Services
Menka joins The Bahnsen Group as a Senior Tax Consultant, working directly with our Private Wealth Advisor Group, our clients, and where needed, outside tax advisors, in all tax-related endeavors.
She is a Certified Public Accountant and works from our Newport Beach location, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the accounting and tax preparation industry. She provides guidance on new tax rules, planning for liquidity events, year-round tax planning, and tax return preparation.
Jay Kim, J.D., CPA
Tax Services
Jay Kim joins The Bahnsen Group as a Senior Tax Consultant, a role he held for years at Deloitte after he started in the tax advisory world at KPMG. He has lots of experience working with a range of individuals and businesses in complex tax planning. After becoming a tax lawyer, Jay worked in tax controversy cases representing clients in all sorts of tax and legal compliance matters.
Jay is a graduate of Ohio State University where he graduated magna cum laude as an Accounting and Finance major. He obtained his Masters Degree in Taxation from DePaul University in Chicago, and then did his law degree at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Outside of work, Jay enjoys traveling with his family and spending time with his three kids and two dogs.
Content
brian tong
DIRECTOR, Digital Communications
Brian guides our digital communications and is responsible for the curation and cultivation of the collective thoughts and wisdom of The Bahnsen Group.
He supports the creation and distribution of the many forms of communication created by the thought leaders of the company and connects to the public through a host of digital methods and channels, providing preferred points of contact to an interested public.
Utilizing his years of experience in marketing and branding, he crafts new ways to reach the current and future clients of the group so that the investment philosophies and principles that drive The Bahnsen Group can serve them in their financial lives.
Brian received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine.
GLEN HALL
Director, Digital Solutions
Glen provides analysis and guidance regarding the client experiences we create and deliver on our various digital platforms. Glen manages our digital solutions with a deep digital and creative marketing experience he gained over the last twenty years as a Partner of the Brainyard advertising agency where he produced over 100 websites. Glen has both front and backend coding skills bringing The Bahnsen Group senior level deployment of digital initiatives.
Glen provides deep analysis through the use of enterprise level tools to help create a functional yet simple online experience.
His early professional experience was spent in financial accounting and the design of control and reporting systems for a variety of financial institutions, the Resolution Trust Corporation, and a host of digital startups.
Glen received his Bachelor’s in Economics and Master’s in Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine.
Joleen Bahnsen
DIRECTOR, Experience
Joleen drives the vision for our client experience, with a desire to escalate that experience at The Bahnsen Group, and to build a consistent and professional brand profile in the marketplace. She manages all client and community events as well as brand fidelity and design of all things TBG.
Joleen has served at several national ad agencies, working on such prominent accounts as Hilton Worldwide, UPS, and Del Webb.
Joleen holds a Bachelor of Communication from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and has been a part of The Bahnsen Group since its founding. She has been married to our Managing Partner since 2001 and is the mother to their three wild and wonderful kids Mitchell, Sadie and Graham.
MINA WIDMER
Director, Design
Mina leads design efforts with a background in branding, promotion, packaging design, front-end web development, and collateral design. As a strategic designer, Mina specializes in creating powerful and memorable designs. Through the power of typography, color, and visual communication, she aims to convey a consistent brand message by creating unforgettable visual experiences.
Prior to beginning her formal education in design, Mina worked on the trading floor at Morgan Stanley in New York City assisting the foreign currency and US interest rate strategy teams. After receiving her Masters Degree in Design, Mina has served as a senior level designer at several New York City agencies, working on such prominent accounts as Mondelez, Pepperidge Farm, Colgate, Nestle, Baby Einstein and more.
Mina holds 2 Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in German and one in Political Science, from the University of Georgia as well as a Masters of Arts in Visual Communication, Packaging Design from Pratt Institute in New York.
Mina spends her free time playing pool, attending design/typography events, finding ways to practice her German, and relaxing with her 2 tiny chihuahuas.
Lukas Klause
Lukas is the newest member of the company’s Content Department, collaborating with our communications and design teams to drive optimal content strategy and execution.
Lukas supports the department with digital & video production, social media strategy, and broad departmental support to manage the continued growth of The Bahnsen Group and the content the firm uses to serve its clients.
Prior to joining The Bahnsen Group, Lukas was the Marketing Director at a Southern California Apartment Brokerage where he directed the marketing and content development of over $200,000,000 worth of apartment transactions. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration (Marketing) from Biola University.
Lukas grew up in Laguna Niguel but now resides in Fullerton with his wife, Audra. In his free time he loves spending time with his wife, family, and friends, playing roller hockey, taking trips to Disneyland, collecting vinyl & cassettes, going to church, and trying different foods here in Southern California.
Sierra Anderson
Sierra works in our Content Department assisting with special projects, events, and office needs. She has been “on location” to drive the opening of every one of our offices around the country. She facilitates much of our event coordination and works primarily in the Newport Beach office location. She has worked with our Operations Department in facilitating tax documents as well and switched to the Content Department in 2021.
Originally from Ohio, Sierra moved to California to enjoy life near the beach. In her free time, she enjoys playing beach volleyball, reading, and finding new restaurants to experience. She is also quickly becoming a Microsoft Excel ninja!
