About Us

I started as a financial advisor in Chicago more than three decades ago. The work was straightforward in concept but difficult in execution: build genuine relationships with clients, understand what they actually needed, and deliver consistent results. That foundation served me well for years, but after a while, I realized I was more interested in helping other advisors succeed than continuing to build my own book.

That shift into field leadership occurred about 25 years ago, and it has defined my career ever since. I've held roles from Managing Director to Southern Territory Vice President, always focused on the same core objective: to elevate the people around you, and the performance follows. Some leaders manage numbers. I've always believed you develop people, and the numbers take care of themselves. That philosophy has shaped how I approach team building, advisor development, and what it means actually to support the people doing the work.

In August 2022, I took on the role of Managing Director for The Greater Florida Financial Group. This region is one of Prudential's most dynamic markets, and the growth trajectory reflects both the opportunity in Florida and the quality of advisors we're attracting. My job is to create an environment where talented professionals have the resources, support, and strategic direction they need to build something significant. I earned my CLF® and LUTCF® designations because this industry evolves constantly, and if you're leading people, you'd better stay sharp.

My wife, Mary Kay, and I live in Naples. We have three children, and when we're not traveling, you'll find us at college sporting events. We're both passionate about collegiate athletics, probably to an irrational degree, but it's one of those things that makes life more enjoyable. Whether it's a Saturday afternoon football game or a March basketball tournament, we'll be there.

I came into financial services fifteen years ago without a clear picture of where it would lead, but I knew I wanted to help people build something sustainable. I started building a practice focused on retirement strategies, and for years, that work was deeply satisfying. Sitting across from clients who were trying to figure out if they had enough, if they could retire comfortably, if their plan would actually work. Those conversations mattered. The technical side was learnable. The harder part was understanding what someone actually needed versus what they thought they needed, and then delivering a strategy they could trust.

About ten years ago, I moved into leadership. That transition wasn't about stepping away from client work because I was tired of it. It was about realizing I could have a different kind of impact. When you develop an advisor, help them build their practice the right way, you're not just affecting one family's financial future. You're affecting hundreds. That multiplier effect is what pulled me in, and it's what keeps me engaged as Associate Managing Director for The Greater Florida Financial Group.

What I've learned over thirteen years with this firm is that every advisor's path looks different. Some people need structure and a clear playbook. Others need autonomy and just want someone available when they hit a roadblock. My job is to figure out what each person actually needs and then create the conditions for them to build their ideal practice. That phrase gets thrown around a lot, but what it really means is helping someone design a business that aligns with their strengths, their goals, and the life they want outside of work. When that alignment happens, performance follows naturally.

I live in Tampa with my wife, Katie, and our two sons, Connor and Beckham. Tampa has this energy that comes from constant growth and new people moving in, which makes it a great market for what we do, but also means our weekends are usually spent at one sporting event or another. Both boys are involved in multiple sports, and I've become the kind of parent who knows the schedule better than my own calendar. When I'm not at a field or a court, I'm probably on a golf course or exploring somewhere new with Katie and the boys. Travel has become more important to us as the kids have gotten older, and finding those experiences that pull you out of routine is something we prioritize.

Finance wasn't something we talked about in my house growing up. That gap in my understanding created a curiosity to learn how money actually works, how it can be leveraged to build something meaningful across generations. That's what drew me to study business at the University of Florida. I graduated in 2015 and started with Prudential right after, learning the fundamentals of wealth management while watching advisors build practices from the ground up.

What keeps me engaged a decade later is the variety. Every day looks different because every advisor I work with faces different challenges. One conversation might be about scaling a solo practice into a team operation. The next could be helping someone navigate their first year in the business. I earned my CFP® designation in 2024 because I wanted to understand the technical side of planning at a deeper level, not just manage advisors but genuinely understand the work they do every day.

The Central Florida region has grown significantly since I started, and watching advisors hit career milestones they didn't think were possible is the part of this role that matters most. Revenue growth is the metric, but it's really about giving someone the tools and support to build something sustainable. When an advisor succeeds, their clients' lives improve. That ripple effect is why I show up.

I live in Sanford with my wife, Jennifer, and our son, Xander. Sanford has this interesting mix of deep history and young families, which makes it feel both rooted and forward-looking at the same time. I grew up in Longwood, and I'm still connected to that community. There's something about maintaining those ties that keeps you grounded. My family is my why. They're the reason I want to keep improving as a regional director, as a father, and as a husband. When I'm not working, you'll find me traveling with Jennifer and Xander, at the gym, or on a golf course. I'm admittedly addicted to golf, but there are worse problems to have.

My father-in-law introduced me to financial services. He was a successful businessman, and watching how he operated taught me more than any formal training could have. The way he thought about problems, the way he built relationships, the discipline he brought to his work. That mentorship set the foundation for everything that came after, and it's probably why I've always been drawn to leadership roles where I can do the same for others.

I've spent over 20 years building and leading teams across this industry. Managing Director at Allied Wealth Partners, Vice President at MassMutual, Managing Sales Director at MetLife, and now as a Partner here. Each role added something different to my understanding of what makes a practice successful and what advisors actually need to grow their business. The mechanics of financial services are learnable. The harder part is creating an environment where talented people can thrive, where they have the support and resources to expand their revenue and serve their clients at a high level. That's what drives me.

I approach this work the same way I approach my own family's financial planning. When you're helping someone prepare for retirement, build financial wellness, or protect against unforeseen events, you're handling what matters most to them. That responsibility doesn't get taken lightly. I've been fortunate to receive recognition for this approach, but the real measure is whether the people on your team are succeeding.

I'm active in NAIFA-North East Florida and have served in leadership roles on both local chapters and the New Jersey state board over the years. The organization's focus on enhancing professional skills and promoting ethical conduct aligns with how I think this business should operate. You get better by staying engaged with the broader industry and learning from people who take the work seriously.

I live in Jacksonville with my family. When I'm not working, I'm usually at one of my kids' athletic events, working out, or on vacation somewhere with my wife and children. Family is the center of everything, both personally and in how I think about the work we do for clients.

I've been in financial services for twelve years, currently serving as Regional Director. What motivates me is simple: challenges and the opportunity to help people. Whether that's developing advisors who are building their practices or helping clients navigate complex financial decisions, I'm driven by solving problems that actually matter.

I'm a member of MDRT and GAMA, and I've built out comprehensive licensing, including Series 7, 6, 65, 63, 26 held with LPL Enterprise and 2-40. I also hold an MBA from the University of Phoenix. My role now is about creating an environment where advisors have the structure, support, and resources they need to succeed. I've always seen myself as a resource hub, someone people can come to when they need guidance or solutions.

Before financial services, I played professional football for several years in the NFL, the United Football League, and the Arena Football League. The Arena League is where I spent most of my career, winning a World Championship and serving as Team Captain and Union Rep. I'm still involved as a member of the AFLPU and sit on the executive board. That background taught me discipline, how to perform under pressure, and how to lead people toward a shared goal. Those lessons have shaped how I approach leadership in every area of my life.

Outside of my work here, I'm a licensed Realtor with experience as both a property manager and investor. I also serve on the executive board for The Replay Outreach and as Director and President of The Whittaker Family Foundation. The foundation work matters to me because when you've had opportunities, you're responsible for creating those same opportunities for others. That applies to the advisors I develop, the clients we serve, and the community work I'm involved in.

The Million Dollar Round Table is a global membership of independent financial professionals, and qualifiers are based on production.

My job is to put the right people in position to grow, enforce the performance standard, and keep the operation tight, aligned, and moving forward. I've been doing this for 22 years, and what keeps me in it is the moment an advisor actually locks in. The noise drops, the standard becomes clear, and they start moving with purpose. What motivates me is building a team that runs on execution, not excuses. People who respect the mission, protect the client, and don't need constant push or pull to stay aligned. The numbers don't lie. Effort shows. I can see exactly who's moving and who's just talking, and when the work is real, I get to help someone tighten their approach and watch their entire life shift because they finally started operating with intention.

I got into financial services at 27 with a second child on the way. I went to my uncle, who'd been in the business 25 years, and saw how he spent his days having real conversations, building meaningful relationships, and creating a living while making a difference. That mix of impact and independence pulled me in. I have a degree in Chemical Engineering from '96, but once I saw what this work actually was, I knew I wanted to be part of it.

I went to seven different school systems growing up because my dad was a school administrator and we moved constantly. Rural Ohio towns, Cleveland suburbs, all over. One of my favorite questions to ask people is where they're from, because I believe where we lived when we were twelve shapes how we see the world. Under stress, people revert to what they learned when young. In a business where money decisions can trigger old fears and old patterns, I always want to understand someone's default wiring so I can support them in making decisions that serve them. I live in Miami now, and what I find most interesting is the cultural diversity. You can walk into a bakery, and suddenly you're the only English speaker. For all our differences, what we have in common is that everyone's trying to build a life that makes sense and take care of their family.

My wife, Ellie, and I have been married for 30 years. She was a foreign exchange student from Poland in high school, and that's how we met in Ohio. We were married young and had kids young. Our daughter, Alexa, is 28, and our son, Jacob, is 24. I enjoy reading, watching movies, and learning anything that gives me insight into how people think. I'm an avid fan of Ohio State athletics and all forms of auto racing. I'm active at my church throughout the week, and I enjoy coming together in study groups to discuss our shared faith.

I've spent 23 years in financial services, but my path wasn't linear. I started as a licensed banker, moved into management, and eventually found my way to recruiting. Each role taught me something different about what makes people successful in this industry, and more importantly, what makes them stay. Recruiting isn't just about filling seats. It's about understanding what each candidate actually needs to thrive and then consulting with leadership to make sure we can deliver on that.

The Greater Florida Financial Group is growing fast, and my role as Business Development Manager is to bring in the right talent to sustain that growth. That requires a strong leadership team behind me, people who understand that every candidate is different and cookie-cutter approaches don't work. Some advisors need autonomy. Others need structure. The best hires happen when you take the time to figure out what someone is looking for and match that to what we can genuinely offer.

I'm a Florida native and graduated from the University of South Florida, so the Tampa Bay area has always been home. I'm married with two kids, and our weekends are a mix of travel baseball games for my son and rhythmic gymnastics competitions for my daughter. If you've never watched rhythmic gymnastics, it's equal parts athletic and artistic, and my daughter's commitment to it is impressive.

When I'm not at a field or a gym, I'm usually in a group fitness dance class. I love the energy of it, the choreography, the fact that it doesn't feel like exercise even though you're working hard. I post new routines online occasionally, mostly because it's fun to share and it keeps me accountable. Dancing has always been an outlet for me, and after two decades in this business, having an outlet matters.