Wealth Managers
Wealth Managers
Brandon Stegall, CFP®
Senior Wealth Manager
Happy Holidays!
We made it despite the media telling us “The end is imminent!” for the last twelve months; time to celebrate. It has been a year of reminders to all of us who sacrifice to save and invest that patience, grace, and sticking to a well-thought-out plan are keys to success. Thank you for being great examples of how to do things right when it comes to investing and life in general. I hope you all can look back at a good year doing some of the things you enjoy with your favorite people.
Our family is happy & healthy and for that we’re thankful. We have four boys busy focusing on their interests and only two boys left at home, so my wife Susan and I are starting to have more free time. I picked up golf again after a 23-year hiatus and have played more this year than ever. I’m still terrible at the game but love it anyway. Susan has always enjoyed taking care of our yard, doing landscaping projects, and tending to our garden. This summer, she started working for a friend’s landscaping company mowing and working on projects. She loves getting her hands dirty and staying active. We have a puppy for the first time in our adult lives who is about four months old. The boys named her Stella; she is 75% Bernese Mountain dog and 25% poodle; it’s been wonderful having her join the family. Maybe Stella will fill our need to nurture until grandbabies come along. While we did not do a lot of traveling this year, we did go on one big Covid-delayed trip to The UK and Ireland in July. The picture included is from St. Andrews in Scotland, the home of golf. It was the first time we’ve been abroad since our honeymoon in 1997 so it was long overdue.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours,
Brandon, Susan, James (22), Danny (21), Sam (17), John Paul (14)
David Nyman
Wealth Manager
It’s hard to believe 2022 is already coming to an end, and what a year it has been! I have been with the company for nearly three years and could not be happier. I have loved every moment thanks to my incredible co-workers and clients.
This year has been life-changing, in August of this year I became a father! My wife and I had our first child, Everly Day. She’s an absolute joy, we’re soaking up every second with her and watching her change every day! We’re so excited for Christmas and creating lasting traditions.
I cannot wait to see what 2023 has in store. We are so blessed and thankful for all we have been given. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Have a safe and wonderful holiday season.
-David, Morgyn, Everly, and Archie
Dwight Twillman, CFP®
Principal & Senior Wealth Manager
2022 is ending and with it, we have had to lean on our Faith a lot this year. As loved ones get sick and terminal, we have choices to make. We can run away from our Faith or run towards it. We chose to run towards it. As many of you know, my mother (Jeanelle) passed away in April after suffering a severe stroke in October 2021. In addition, we lost a cousin (Ron), aunt (Joan), and our son-in-law (Chris) lost his mother (Ellen) and his grandmother (Fran). Even with all this loss, we acknowledge they are in a better place and know they are at Peace. Life is quite a ride, and we feel very blessed for all our friends, family, and others that have shown so much support during these difficult times.
On a happier note, Tanner is a Baker University senior and still loves baseball. He plans to stay for a fifth year, get a Masters (in what, we do not know yet), and play ball another year. Leslie completed her first full year at KPMG which provides Audit, Tax, and Advisory services. Has her CPA designation and has joined others in the family as number crunchers. 😊 The grandkids, Landon (9) and Kylie (7), keep our family very busy as they play basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer. We enjoy watching them and it is so rewarding as a grandparent.
I did have a very memorable event happen this fall, I had my first Hole in One on the golf course! A blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then! Thanks for your continued confidence in all of us at TRPG. May you all have a Blessed Holiday and a Happy New Year.
– Dwight & Tina Twillman
Ethan Pace CMFC, CFP®
Senior Wealth Manager
2022 was a year of growth and adventure that will be tough to top. After commuting to and from Colorado for the last year and a half, I’m excited to now call Denver my home. Lisa and I loaded up a moving van with the essentials (smoker grill, house plants, golf clubs, & Chef and Mochi) and drove across Kansas to build a life together and expand TRPG to a new region. It took Chef a while to acclimate to the colder weather, but he loves being able to nap in front of the fireplace at night.
In the Spring, we hiked up the legendary waterfalls of Yosemite. Over the Summer, we took my parents to their first Red Rocks concert to see Chicago and the Beach Boys. In Barcelona this Fall, I tried sardines for the first time. Who knew those little fish would be so buttery & delicious? Living at elevation served as a great training ground for when we hiked the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps. The European altitude didn’t have anything on the Rockies’, though the Swiss sights and sounds were unmatched.
This year I’m extra grateful for TRPG and the clients I get to serve. I learn life lessons from each and every one of you and am blessed to be part of your lives.
Wishing a happy & healthy holiday season to you and yours!
Ethan, Lisa, Chef & Mochi
Joe McCulloch, CFP®
Wealth Manager
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the McCulloch Family!
It’s amazing how quickly the year has gone by, and we’ve sure had our share of excitement. J.J.’s club soccer team took home 3 tournament championships this year along with winning their league in the spring and fall. Grayson decided to become a switch hitter for his baseball team and was crushing the ball from both sides of the plate by the time the season was over (at 6 years old!). And Sadie was finally old enough to play soccer. She was on a coed team and had no problem showing the boys who’s boss! But most importantly, they are all doing an amazing job at school and receive constant compliments from their teachers about how great of kids they are.
In our biggest news, Trisha won her election and effective January 1, 2023, will be the Division 6 Associate Circuit Judge in St. Charles County! She set this goal over 3 years ago and has been working tirelessly to achieve it. I can’t even begin to describe how proud I am of the hard work she put in to make this dream a reality. Even the kids recognize how big of an accomplishment this is and can see firsthand that anything is possible with hard work.
I can’t wait to see what 2023 holds in store personally and professionally, and I look forward to continuing to serve all of our great clients. Cheers!
– Joe, Trisha, J.J. (9), Grayson (6), Sadie (4)
John Vu CFP®, CRPC®
Senior Wealth Manager
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This year has been full of excitement for the Vu Family. First, Dawn and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. I can’t believe we have been married for 25 years already. I’m so blessed to be married to such a wonderful person.
In March of this year, I made a big career move. After 18 years with my old financial planning firm, I decided to quit and come work for The Retirement Planning Group (TRPG). I’m very glad I made the transition. TRPG is much more client focused. I get to work with amazing people and the culture is fantastic. I couldn’t be happier.
I have three wonderful kids: Isaiah, Isabell, and Sophia. Isaiah is 17 and will graduate in Spring 2023. He plays soccer and golf for his high school. Over the summer we toured several colleges, and he has decided to attend University of Missouri – Columbia. He is planning to major in business. Isabell is 16. She is on the high school track team and golf team. She started driving in June so now I have two teenage drivers. Sophia is my youngest at 13. She is in the band and taking martial arts classes.
Lastly, Diesel is our family dog. He is a Shih Tzu. We adopted him about a year ago from a family that couldn’t care for him anymore. He likes to sleep, chase squirrels, and get his belly rubbed.
I want to say thank you to all of our clients. We appreciate your trust and confidence in us.
Kevin Conard, CRPC®
CEO – Principal & Senior Wealth Manager
I’d say that 2022 was an interesting one – but then again, every year seems to be more interesting than the last! It started out with a bang! Katie and I got engaged in February, spilling into Spring Break with a trip to Vegas with the boys. And while an Elvis impersonator officiating a spontaneous no-drama wedding in a Las Vegas white chapel was tempting, we opted to stick to the plan and get married in September in KC.
We of course made the lake part of our life this summer. The boys are getting really good at wake surfing and wakeboarding! I dutifully continue as the unpaid Uber driver for the boat and Katie doubles as the videographer for their boarding tricks. Individually, the boys are doing great. Corin is officially behind the wheel. He’s in charge of filling up his car with gas. Which has also served as an education in inflation and subsequently a much needed job at Chick-Fil-A. He made the high school soccer team again and this Fall made the Junior Varsity basketball team as a sophomore. Kash (8th grade) is excelling at school and is more than ready for high school. Daily, you’ll find him working on his jump shot. Hourly, you’ll find him checking his hair in the mirror – because, you know, girls. And as for Kiptyn (6th grade), never one to blend in has adopted a man-bun. He seems to think our entire house is a training ground for dribbling a soccer ball, which it is not, as he is reminded about frequently. His hopes to play in the MLS are still alive and well!
In September, Katie and I pulled the trigger and got married. Skipping the Vegas wedding was the right call. It was a super small event with all three boys as my Best Men! I’d need a few pages to go on and on about Katie. But I can tell you that she’s gracefully and lovingly stepped into a “fraternity of four boys” and makes all of our lives so much better – especially mine! I look forward to the day you get to meet her!
Kevin, Katie, Corin (16), Kash (14), Kiptyn (11½)
Kevin Ellis
Director of Sports Management
2022 was a busy year for me both professionally and personally!
I started with TRPG in February and hit the ground running with the launch of TRPG Sports to help athletes balance their life and finances. I have really enjoyed getting to know all of my new colleagues. I have felt so welcomed here.
On a personal front, my wife Abby and I are celebrating 8 years of marriage this month and in November we welcomed our 4th child! It’s been a great year, and I really look forward to the future!
Kristy Ashworth
Wealth Manager
Happy Holidays TRPG Family! 2022 was a year of “firsts” for the Ashworths.
We took our first family trip to Disney World. We surprised Kennedy at 5 am one Saturday morning and I don’t think her excitement let her touch the ground for 7 days. Despite the 45F degree weather and rain, we hit every park, rode every ride, and spent every dollar we had. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. We’re certain Kennedy is already planning our return trip.
While at Disney, we ate at an Irish restaurant (Raglan Road) complete with live music and dancers. Little did we know that this night out would spur a new passion for Kennedy. The week we returned, she asked if she could take Irish dance lessons. After doing some research on this completely foreign activity, she began lessons at The Clark Academy of Irish Dance, and we haven’t looked back. Kennedy has found something that lights her up and fills her with confidence and we could not have anticipated her level of dedication to this sport. She began dancing competitively in July (traveling around the Midwest) and was invited to compete in the middle America championships in Indianapolis on Thanksgiving weekend. This usually takes a dancer several years, not months. She placed 23rd! Caleb and I could NOT be prouder of our little girl.
As if 2022 could handle any more change and excitement, we’re proud to share that our family will be growing early next spring. After years of trying, we’re expecting a baby GIRL in April 2023. While Caleb and I are anxiously awaiting her arrival, Kennedy is busy designing the nursery, picking out names, and greedily seizing every opportunity to share her news with everyone she meets. While some questions she has have left us red-faced and stalling for an answer, experiencing this with Kennedy has brought us closer and been a real blessing.
We’re wrapping up the year with a much-anticipated trip to Asheville, NC the last week of December. Caleb has found some hiking trails and restaurants to check out, but Kennedy and I are most interested in our stay on the Biltmore estate. She keeps confidently telling people we’re going to “Baltimore” for Christmas, and we just laugh.
We’ve been fortunate to have made so many memories and find new activities to enjoy together this year. 2023 promises to be another year of “firsts” and we cannot wait.
From the Ashworth family to your family, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Kristy, Caleb, and Kennedy (8)
Paul Dreher, CRPC®
Senior Wealth Manager
2022 brought a few milestones for us; we decided to continue our game of house roulette and move again, Megan finished her MBA (Rock Chalk!) and started a new job, and we are expecting our first child in January! It’s been a journey for us to feel like we are where we’re supposed to be and starting our family, and despite all the nerves we are extremely excited to become parents. I’ll look forward to all the sage parenting advice my clients will have for me in 2023!
Megan’s summer was focused on transitioning to a new job continuing to do financial revenue analysis, but now for a steel manufacturing company. It’s been a welcome adjustment for her to have greater flexibility and a reduction of stress. My summer was unusually filled with occupational therapy instead of golf after having tricep surgery, but I’m far enough into the recovery process to be ready for car seats and strollers. The orthopedic injury and additional grey hairs (perhaps from the markets this year) correlated with my 40th birthday and a nice backyard party with friends.
We were able to celebrate my Mom with another year of being a top pancreatic cancer fundraising team for KC Purple Stride. A huge thank you to all my clients that donated to Lydia’s Crew. We also managed to squeeze in trips to upstate New York, NW Arkansas, and visiting Megan’s family in Russell, KS. This holiday season will certainly have a special significance for us, as we are thankful for another year with our families and prepare for our new addition. I want to extend my gratitude to my TRPG co-workers for fostering such a fun work environment and most importantly to my clients for their continued trust. The markets provided plenty of volatility this year, but I am so fortunate to have stable, meaningful relationships with so many quality people. I want to wish everyone a happy and loving holiday season!
Rob R. O’Blennis, JD, CRPC®
Principal & Senior Wealth Manager
Xavier (8) started third grade this fall and is loving it. He’s working on his math. Gustav (6) started first grade. He’s working on his reading and loves sounding out new words. He’s getting the hang of it. They both come home from school worn out and dirty so we figure they are having a good time at recess.
Over the summer we did our annual trip to Tablerock Lake with Rob’s family. Xavier learned to water ski this year. He had four older cousins, two uncles, and his dad hooting and hollering for him. We made quite a ruckus. Over Thanksgiving, we visited Colorado Springs to see Lori’s dad, her brother, and his family. We stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge and had a terrific time. While there we also visited Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole, conveniently located just outside of Colorado Springs.
Gustav played T-ball with his kindergarten class in the spring. He has an eye for hitting. Gusty was practicing hitting with dad and grandpa in our backyard and knocked a birdhouse out of a tree. Xavier joined the neighborhood swim team over the summer and loved it. He practically turned into a fish. Both boys played soccer in the fall. A lot of soccer. Both play for our parish’s CYC team. Xavier also joined a club team. Early in the season, Xavier decided he wanted to play goalkeeper on both teams and did a tremendous job.
2022 was good to the O’Blennis family. We hope it was for your family too. This year reminded us to be grateful for the blessings in our lives and the time we have to appreciate them. Thank you for the trust and faith you place in us. We wish you a Merry Christmas. See you in 2023.
Ryan Costello, CFP®
President – Principal & Senior Wealth Manager
I will start this the same way I have started all the others (keeping up with tradition). I can’t believe 2022 is coming to an end. It’s gone by way too fast. Time flies when you are having fun. It has been a busy year in the Costello household filled with lots of adventures and good memories.
In addition to several trips to the lake over the summer, we spent spring break on Anna Maria Island in Florida, and it didn’t disappoint. We went down with another family and spent a week hitting the beach, eating great food, and exploring the island on a golf cart. It was such a fun week, and we were already plotting a plan to go back.
Lucy (14) is in 8th grade this year and will be going to high school next year (how is that possible?). She loves playing the trombone and joined the school’s jazz band this year. She is also very active in theatre. For the second year in a row, she is doing the school musical and is active with a local theater company. Rose (11) is in 5th grade and is doing a bit of everything. From soccer to theatre and basketball to playing the trumpet. She is still the sweetest and when she is not involved in an activity you can find her snuggling our doggies, Harry & George. Leo (9) is in 3rd grade and is our biggest sports fan. He is playing soccer in the spring and fall as well as basketball and baseball. I get to help coach his soccer and basketball teams, which is an absolute thrill for me. This all keeps us on the move constantly, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
My family and I would like to wish all our clients nothing but the best this holiday season. You all make all this possible. I am so thrilled to be a part of The Retirement Planning Group. It is truly an amazing organization filled with the best people. Happy Holidays
Taylor Swartzendruber
Wealth Manager
What a year it has been! It is hard to believe over a year has passed since I joined TRPG. You know what they say, “time flies when you are having fun,” and I sure do have fun here.
Roman started a new job fulfilling his passion of working with members of our special needs community as the Special Populations and Special Olympics Coordinator for the Blue Valley District. He recently began his second season as the varsity assistant for Blue Valley Southwest High School Boys’ Basketball as well. Last season, they had a very successful run competing at the 5A State Basketball playoffs in March. We are already gearing up for another exciting season with the players’ frequent requests for homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Our Nova girl has not missed a daily walk since the last Christmas card despite the many times I wished to sleep in and avoid the negative, or triple digit, temperatures. Nevertheless, she is happy, healthy, and the best pup we could ever ask for.
In July, I was surprised with a marriage proposal from Roman, and without hesitation, I said, “it’s about time!” Just kidding, I said, “yes!” Nova is very excited for her humans to get hitched next year! 2022 was truly a year to remember. We are so blessed and thankful to be a part of the TRPG family with you.
Merry Christmas, and happy holidays!
Roman, Taylor, and Nova
Troy Hedman, CMFC®, CRPC®
Principal & Senior Wealth Manager
2022 was full of ups and downs for the Hedman family, but the highlight was getting to welcome granddaughter number four, as our daughter Samantha welcomed Sophia Isabelle on March 14th in Buena Vista, CO. Sophia made Mila (4) a big sister for the first time, and she’s been handling her duties quite well! Our other two granddaughters, Riley (5) and Reese (2), reside in St. Louis with our son and daughter-in-law, Parker and Michelle. Our remaining three sons reside in Colorado…two in Gunnison and one in Denver…as each of them finishes up their college years. Although Jamie and I don’t get to see them as much as we’d like, we’re excited to be able to celebrate the Holidays with them and wrap up 2022 together in Kansas City.
We hope and pray that all our TRPG Family and Clients get to celebrate with loved ones this season! May 2023 be a happy and healthy new year for all!