Finding a financial professional you can trust is key to achieving a successful retirement.
Certified Financial Fiduciaries® (CFF) are sworn to uphold the highest moral, ethical and fiduciary standards of service when providing advice to potential or existing clients. By choosing to work with a Certified Financial Fiduciary® you can be confident that your best interests will always come first!
Tom (a/k/a Thomas) Batterman is in the business of representing the best financial interests of his clients in their financial planning and decision-making. In a career spanning more than three decades, he has never sold a single investment product and has always and only been committed to the fee-only, fiduciary approach to helping clients with their financial affairs. Tom is best suited to assist clients who do not have the time, interest or expertise to manage their financial affairs on their own, guiding them to the decisions they would make themselves if they had years of training and experience and the time and expertise to fully research and understand all of their options.
Tom is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the UW-Madison Law School. Prior to his employment in the financial industry in financial planning/advisory and trust positions, he practiced law in the Wausau, WI area in the fields of estate planning, tax, retirement planning, corporate organizations and real estate. This training and experience enables him to provide added value to clients with financial issues or concerns in these areas.
Hannah Buschbom CFP®, CDFA™, CFF is a Wealth Advisor at The AmeriFlex Group. She has over a decade of experience working in the financial services industry. Her specialty is working with people, especially women, during a significant life transition, such as retirement, sale of a business or real estate, change in marital status, or loss of a loved one.
She enjoys engaging clients cooperatively, to develop creative solutions to their often-complex scenarios together. This method, she says, leads to their preferred outcome– “My ultimate goal is to enable clients to be better educated, and in turn to make confident and informed decisions.”
In her search for connections to educate and serve her clients better, Hannah noticed a lack of a centralized way for women to establish and strengthen powerful relationships with other women business leaders in their communities. By Co-Founding The W Source, she helps female professionals tackle this challenge by providing a way for them to connect, engage, and grow their professional networks.
Hannah holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification – the gold standard for financial planning in the financial services industry. Also, Hannah noticed early on in her career that those grappling with the complexities of divorce settlements could benefit from the help of a specialized, trusted advisor. Wanting to fill this void, she pursued and obtained her Certified Divorce Financial Analyst Designation®. Finally, wanting to provide the highest standard of care for clients, she holds the Certified Financial Fiduciary (CFF®) designation.
As a featured speaker, Hannah frequently shares her expertise with other female professionals. She has contributed to Barron’s Magazine, Financial Advisor magazine, Investment News, Financial Planning Magazine, and Wealth Management.com.
In 2019, Hannah was named “Grassroots Champion of the Year”* by Financial Services Institute (FSI). FSI advocates for a more business-friendly regulatory environment for independent financial services firms and independent financial advisors in Washington D.C. The award is given at the discretion of FSI.
* Third-party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client’s evaluation.
Loren’s passion is helping people achieve their retirement dreams. He’s been a part of the financial industry since 1998 and has helped thousands of people retire.
Through his many years in the industry, Loren has been able to unmask a lot of what goes on behind the scenes at major corporations. He experienced companies and advisers that would overcharge and oversell investment products with no intention of seeing their clients through. Because of this, he has dedicated himself to changing the industry for the better with a team of professionals driven to put the client’s needs first.
Loren is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Certified Financial Fiduciary® and has his life, health and accident Iowa insurance licenses. He also has passed the Series 6,7,24,63 securities exams. He is the host of the Retiring Today TV show and podcast. Loren resides in Johnston, Iowa, with his daughter. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and being outdoors.
Chawn joined Merkle Retirement Planning in 2019. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services and public accounting industries. The CPA side of him enjoys the detailed and strategic nature of retirement planning, while the high-energy, outgoing side of him loves asking questions and getting to know the families we have the opportunity to work with. Chawn prides himself on building long-lasting relationships and simplifying the complexities that are part of retirement planning.
Chawn grew up on a dairy farm in eastern Iowa. He is the fourth of five boys, all with names that start with a 'C'. The early mornings and late nights of helping to run the family farm and manage their dairy cows has shaped his approach to hard work. One of their top family values was “put the time in and do the work first, and expect the reward later."
Chawn resides in Clive with his wife Ryan, daughter Morgan, son Tyler and their Cavapoo dog Rex. In the summer you can find Chawn on the baseball field, coaching his son Tyler. In the fall, he is in the gym cheering on his daughter Morgan at volleyball games. Chawn and Ryan enjoy working out, staying active, and tackling projects around their house together.
Chawn has been a CPA since 2000, has his MBA from the University of Iowa, is a Retirement Income Certified Professional®and a Certified Financial Fiduciary®. He has his life, health and accident Iowa insurance licenses and has passed the Series 7 and 66 securities exams.
Robert Cannon, AIFA® has more than three decades of experience working with affluent investors, businesses, and hedge funds across the United States. He places a key focus on creating lifetime income plans for retirement, and in doing so, Robert guides his clients through a very distinctive wealth management and investment process that is specifically designed for financially successful individuals, couples, and families.
He is viewed as a “Chief Financial Officer” to his clients, and in many ways acts as the “quarterback” by implementing an advisory team approach. This allows his clients to receive advice from specialists in different areas, including wealth building and preservation and taxes.
In addition to his vast experience, Robert has earned numerous licenses and industry professional designations, including the Series 7 (General Securities Representative), Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent), Series 66 (Uniform Combined Registered Investment Advisory), and the Series 55 (Equity Trader). He also holds an accident and health insurance license and is eligible to conduct business in over 30 states.
In addition, Robert received a Certificate in Financial Management from Cornell University. He has also earned the prestigious Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst (AIFA) designation. When not working with clients, Robert enjoys spending time with family and friends. He resides in New York.
Kevin is a former member of the U.S. Army, serving in several domestic locations including Ft. Bragg, NC and internationally in Frankfurt, Germany.
Kevin obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from California State University - San Jose, and an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy Preparatory School.
He previously worked for a Fortune 50 company (UPS) as Director of Finance & Treasury in their Worldwide Corporate Headquarters office in Atlanta, GA, as well as overseas in their Asia Pacific Headquarters office located in Singapore.
He is a former licensed Stock Broker, and Financial Planner with Baraban Securities Incorporated, Primerica Financial Services, and Symmetry Financial Group.
Kevin is currently licensed in CA, NV, AZ, WA, and OR, to advise on Retirement Planning, Wealth Building Strategies, Creating Guaranteed Lifetime Income Streams, Index Universal Life products (IULs), Premium Financing (creating a "leveraged pension plan"), and Retirement Protection Strategies.
He is a Certified Financial Fiduciary® (CFF), Accredited Wealth Management AdvisorSM , and holds the Series 65 Investment Advisor Representative license.
Kevin is President and Founder of WonStar Financial Group and serves clients in the United States Northwest Region.
CDI License #0B57014; NV DOI License #3385232; AZ / OR DOI License #2626665; WA IP License #998872 .
Don III, also known by many as “DC,” is a fee-based financial planner who specializes in tax planning. His core belief is that a solid holistic financial plan creates a strong foundation for a successful future.
Using his 10+ years of experience, his primary work involves analyzing the financial picture of each of his clients through a thorough process that considers personal objectives, future goals, and risk tolerance.
As an investment advisor representative of Prosperity Capital Advisors, DC also helps his clients by providing them with investment advice. His philosophy is focused on controlling what you can control about your investment experience (fees, taxes, diversification, etc…). He also works with his clients in a fiduciary capacity and as a result, he is required by law to act in his clients’ best interest.
DC’s background in holistic planning is what really appeals the most to many of his clientele. One of the unique aspects of his holistic planning process is that he really focuses on tax efficiency with the implementation of tax reduction and tax management strategies throughout the financial planning process.
On a more personal note, DC’s wife Reshma Chamberlin is co-founder of direct to consumer women’s travel and swimwear brand Summersalt. When they aren’t working, DC and Reshma enjoy exploring different cultures by traveling the world together.
For nearly a decade, Danielle has specialized in working alongside families who are nearingretirement or already retired.Her primary focus is on creating investment and income plans, while also incorporating social security and tax-saving strategies.As a licensed Series 65 Investment Advisor and Certified Financial Fiduciary(R), the guidance Danielle provides is held to the highest industry standard. She also carriesLife, Health, & Sickness Insurance licenses.
Danielle works alongside Jeff Junior and the Trajan Wealth Team, operating out of the Salt Lake City-based office. Trajan Wealth is a SmartVestor Pro and is proud to be vetted by Dave Ramsey. Danielle values open, prompt communication and relationship building with her clients; and she provides honest guidance and education, whileempowering her clients to achieve financial peace of mind. Having worked for both Independent Firms and in the Broker Dealer space with UBS Wealth Management, she has gained great insight into the finance industry. Danielle says she prefers working independently, with a firm like Trajan, because she can offer unbiased advice and financial products that are truly in the best interest of the client.Danielle has a published advisor training series, “Back to Basics” and has been featured on national television on CNBC, ABC, FOX, and PBS.
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Danielle’s blue-collar roots taught her the value of a dollar at a young age and motivated her to work her way through high-school and college at the University of Arizona, Eller College of Business, graduating cum laude. She attributes who she is today to her upbringing;integrity, honesty and family comprise the foundation upon which she has built her life and career.
In her free time, Danielle enjoys adventuring around Park Citywith her young daughters, Claire and Everly. Her husband, Will, is anAir Force Blackhawkhelicopter and airplane pilot. As a family, they ski, bike, travel and root for their NFL teams, the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos.
Vickie entered the Financial Services space in 1993 where she immediately found her passion for helping clients, specifically in determining the paths they need to take on their own unique financial journey. Vickie believes in open, honest communication with her clients to build lasting, lifelong relationships. “Helping my clients make difficult decisions that ultimately shape their future is a privilege, and a responsibility I take great pride in.”
Vickie holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certification – the gold standard for financial planning in the financial services industry. Wanting to provide the highest standard of care for clients, she also holds the Certified Financial Fiduciary® designation. Vickie holds FINRA Securities Registrations Series 7, 6 and 66.
Vickie currently leads the Scottsdale/Arcadia chapter of The W Source™, a female-centric networking group providing women a place to collaborate and help one another grow professionally by providing quality resources for clients and connections to local businesses and professionals. Vickie was also published in the 2018 and 2019 KNOW Phoenix, 100 plus women you want to know and do business with*.
*Third-party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are, they representative of any one client’s evaluation.
*Securities offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc. (SPF), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through The AmeriFlex® Group, an Independent Registered Investment Advisor. SPF is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of SPF. Insurance is offered independent of SPF.
Proudly serving individuals, families and business owners as an Independent Financial Advisor, since 1999.
Mr. Desberg began his career as an Investment Advisor Representative in Scottsdale helping his clients prepare and plan for their future. The same year, he founded the independent financial services firm, Desberg Financial, and expanded his practice throughout Arizona.
Prior to calling Arizona home in 1996, Todd attended school near Cleveland in the small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
Todd eventually enrolled in graduate school at the University of Arizona from 1997-1998 to study Public Health, Law, and Business Administration and he received his Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University. He graduated Cum Laude, with honors in 1995, majoring in Health Services Administration and Business Administration. Todd was also recognized as an outstanding student-athlete and was awarded an athletic scholarship for competing on the University’s NCAA Division I wrestling team from 1990-1994.
Today, Todd is committed to maintaining the highest standards, integrity and professionalism in the work he does for every single family. His strong desire for helping people enables him to fully understand each client's unique situation, so he can deliver quality products along with the personalized service that people deserve.
Professional Career
Mr. Desberg holds a Life and Health Insurance license and maintains the following Securities licenses: Series 6, 7, 63, and 65.
Family life
Married to Melissa in 2005 and happily raising their son and daughter in Scottsdale. They are a family of mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Volunteer Service
Todd passionately supports the following 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations:
Head Coach - Desert Mountain High School and Mountainside Middle School Mountain Bike Team in Scottsdale. Affiliated with the North Valley Riders Mountain Bike team through the Arizona Interscholastic Cycling League (AICL) and the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).
Past President, Endowment Chairman and Executive Board member for Tucson - Dollars for Scholars, a Scholarship America organization. Proudly dedicated to supporting local high school graduates attending the University of Arizona by awarding over one million dollars in renewable scholarships to highly qualified young men and women.
Financial Literacy Educator - Junior Achievement of Arizona.
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