Tax

Elana Gillespie

Tax Coordinator

Happy Holidays from my family to yours! I spent many of my weekends this year cheering on my 10-year-old daughter, Sadie’s, volleyball team. At her age, we celebrate serves that make it over the net and any returns, but luckily, Team Thunder ended the season with several hard-earned wins. Between volleyball, piano, and voice lessons, Sadie keeps me on my toes. We were able to sneak away twice this year to visit family in Clearwater, Florida, and made some great memories at the beach with grandparents and a few cousins. We also had several staycation weekends with visits to the Liberty Memorial World War I museum, KC Zoo & Aquarium, exploring at the Lake of the Ozarks, catching a winning KC Royals game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and spending many hours hiking, kayaking, and horseback riding around the Kansas City area. We are already looking forward to planning more beach vacations, fun, and adventures in 2026!

I am so grateful for my TRPG family – Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and New Year filled with laughter and love.

Best Regards, Elana & Sadie

Elysha Comer, CPA

Senior Tax Advisor

Happy Holidays from The Comers!

We are so thankful to be happy and healthy this year – extra thankful that we get to venture out farther and show our children more of the world and what it has to offer. We bought a camper in the fall, and we have all really enjoyed unplugging and exploring new places. We wish you all a healthy and safe holiday season and remind you to slow down and enjoy the little things.

Elysha

Gabriel Crowther, CPA

Tax Advisor

With another year quickly coming to a close, I find myself pausing to reflect on the many moments, memories, and connections that have shaped the past twelve months.

Each year seems to bring its own surprises, challenges, and joys, and this one was no different. I was fortunate enough to cross a few more cities off my travel list, adding new experiences and stories to my journey. One of the more unforgettable adventures came when I found myself stranded in Boston just before one of the worst snowstorms in recent memory. While the situation was far from ideal, the long drive home turned into an unexpected adventure filled with laughter, reflection, and memories that I’ll carry with me for years to come. Beyond travel, I deepened my passion for food and cooking by experimenting with new recipes, exploring different cuisines, and savoring dishes that expanded my culinary horizons. A highlight was attending the L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade event with family, where I not only enjoyed incredible food but also captured a fun moment with the UCLA Bruin mascot. As I look ahead to the coming year, I feel excited and hopeful—ready to plan more trips, discover new experiences, and continue sharing life’s adventures with those closest to me.

I hope this holiday season brings you comfort, joy, and moments you’ll cherish.

Gabriel

Jordan Cravens

Tax Advisor

This year has been a lot of things, and calling it wild would be an understatement!

Our family moved across the country, we have been blessed to grow exponentially as a company, and I have been able to meet so many new faces – clients and advisors alike. With all the change that can happen in this lifetime, I like to take the holidays to reflect and give space to all that has happened, in all the ways it may come. It can be so easy to get swept up in the chaos of life and forget to cherish the time that you have to enjoy where you are. So, whether it comes as sitting by the fireplace and reading a good book, listening to your favorite Christmas tune, or running that marathon that you have been training for (which you would never see me do in the cold, haha), I challenge you to take the time to do something that brings you pure joy. I hope we all can take the time to get some rest and enjoy the little things in life.

Merry Christmas, and may your holidays be as magical as the memories that you make along the way.

The Cravens Family

Luke Crowther, CPA

Director of Tax

As the year winds down, we’ve been reflecting on some of the highlights that made 2025 memorable for our family.

In January, Mandi and I kicked off the year with a quick Napa getaway—great wine, beautiful views, and a chance to slow down. Later in the summer, we took a family trip to Ireland, which was full of green hills, cozy pubs, and unforgettable moments together. Back at home, Mercedes started high school and Charli is now in 7th grade—the lone Crowther holding down the middle school. Both girls have really leaned into their love of theater and music this year, and it’s been fun watching them grow into their passions. One unexpected twist: they’ve both become huge Formula 1 fans, which means we now have a new family tradition—watching races together and debating team strategies like pros. Wishing you a joyful season filled with connection, rest, and whatever makes you feel most at home.

Here’s to a fresh start and more shared moments in the new year.

Luke Davison, CPA

Tax Advisor

Merry Christmas, TRPG Family!

2025 was a year full of change in my life – moving from Arizona late 2024, starting a new job at TRPG in July of this year, on top of lots of weddings and family time back home! I have enjoyed everything about servicing the clients here at TRPG and growing personally as well as professionally.

Here’s to an even better 2026!

Pictured (from left to right) this summer in Minoqcua, WI
My Brother, Nic | Me (Luke) | My Mom, Laurie | My Sister-in-law, Taylor | My Brother, Tim | My Sister, Anna | My Dog, Bauer | My Dad, Marc | My Brother-in-Law, Bryan | My Sister, Elle

Peter Pellumbi

Tax Coordinator

2025 was a truly blessed year for my family and me.

It marked my first year with The Retirement Planning Group and my very first tax season. While the workload certainly kept me on my toes, it was an incredibly successful season filled with valuable lessons and growth. I’m also excited about the continued growth of our firm and grateful to be part of a team that is making a real difference for the clients we serve.

This year also brought wonderful personal milestones. My sister and her husband welcomed their first child, my parents’ first grandchild, who has completely captured our hearts and become the star of our family. And in September, my other sister and her husband celebrated their wedding, bringing our whole family together for a memorable weekend of joy, fun, and gratitude.

As we move into the holiday season, I’m grateful for the change, growth, and blessings that 2025 has brought. Wishing you and your loved ones a warm, joyful, and peaceful holiday season, and a happy and healthy New Year. 

Best Wishes,
Peter Pellumbi

Sara Mathes, CPA

Senior Tax Advisor

Happy Holidays from the Mathes family!

We had a wonderful 2025 but can’t believe the year is almost over. Our oldest, Ali, is in her final year of college at Truman State University studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Tyler is in his last year of Middle School and enjoys playing games with his friends and being involved in Ping Pong Club. The highlight of our year was our vacation to Hawaii over the summer! It was amazing to visit the places that we spent time at 20 years ago when we had the opportunity to live there for a short time. We are grateful for all of the blessings we have and are looking forward to a great 2026.

We wish you a wonderful holiday season and happy new year!

Sara, Tim, Ali & Tyler

Shannon Phan, CPA

Tax Advisor

Happy Holidays!

My name is Shannon, and I just joined TRPG as a tax advisor in October of 2025. Although new to TRPG, I have worked in public tax accounting for almost 6 years. Some more background about me: I graduated from the University of Houston, and I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I recently started learning golf, and I love to cook (food, not books, haha). Back in October, I flew to Kansas City, met the team, and spent about two weeks getting to know the city. The wealth and tax team was so welcoming, friendly, and easy to talk to. I had some time to explore the city, and I truly enjoyed the Nelson-Atkins Museum. I also had burnt ends for the first time! Kansas City barbecue was delicious, but I will forever be a Texas brisket girl at heart. I also really enjoyed the cold weather (I know, not very Texas of me, haha).

Anyways, cheers to the holidays, and cheers to many more years to come at TRPG! Wishing everyone health, wealth, and happiness in 2026!

Warmest Wishes,
Shannon Phan