Melissa began her career in financial services in 1997 with several respected National financial planning firms. In 2006, she founded InvestHER Fiduciary Solutions, LLC, a State Registered Investment Advisory firm. Melissa has worked extensively with families, small-business owners, and city/county government etities with specialized services in developing bulletproof retirement income plans, and business cost-containment strategies. As an experienced financial planner, Melissa uses a methodical approach to help her clients build,  protect, spend, and distribute assets to expand their lives and allow them to live more abuntantly.

Melissa eraned a BBA from Georgia State University and holds multiple licenses and security registrations in multiple states. She is a Certified Financial Fiduciary(R) , Certified Fund Specialist(R), FINRA Arbitrator, and a Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women in Business Scholar. Melissa is also pursuing her Certified Financial Planner(R) designation through the Terry College of Business. [Expected late 2023]

An avid workout enthusiast, golfer, sports fan, and dog mom is also an active member in several professional and civic organizations including the Association of Afican American Financial Advisors, Girls inc. of Greater Atlanta,  the Women's Entrepreneurial Opportunity Project, United Way VIP Alumni Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Steve helps people clearly identify and achieve what matters most to them using a proprietary process he’s developed and refined to put all the pieces of the financial puzzle together.  This process, the PILLARS FORMula, is driven by personalized financial planning and includes investment management, retirement planning, risk management, tax planning, estate planning, debt and cash flow, philanthropy, and value-added services.  The process is designed to ensure his clients never outgrow the process, but grow into it, as their lives unfold, and needs evolve.

Steve is a graduate of Auburn University and has lived in Alpharetta with his family for 35 years.  Steve is a member of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, BNI, the Senior Resource Alliance of North Atlanta, and the Alpharetta Business Association where he is currently serving on the Board of Directors.

Mark is a managing partner of Elevated Financial Management & President of Mark Stimpson and Associates Inc. of Federal Way, WA. For nearly 40 years Mark’s mission has been to bring Clarity, Confidence, & Independence to the retirement planning process. Mark also hosts both a weekly radio & television show in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area.

Since 1979 Mark has specialized in Tax & Income planning along with reducing  market risk, minimizing tax liabilities and protecting assets from the ravaging effects of unexpected long term care expenses.

Mark is a Certified Financial Fiduciary & holds a Series 65 Securities License as an Investment Advisor Representative. Mark is a nationally certified Social Security Advisor (NSSA) that teaches both Social Security & Income Planning at 3 local community colleges. Mark is also a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA). Mark teaches financial education through human resource departments & the Heartland Institute of Financial Education.

Mark is father to 3 wonderful children & 2 grandsons. Mark loves to cook, ski, play golf & really enjoys spending quality time with friends but especially with his beautiful wife of 43 years.

The Picture You’re Painting: It’s about what YOU want

Seek first to understand, then to be understood is a great quote from author Stephen Covey. However, many in the financial world have it backwards. Too often advisors seek first to be understood (sell their product). This “sale” becomes the focus and the goal. As a result, they often fail to take the time to understand who you are, your retirement goals, dreams and concerns about current or future economic conditions. As a result, then may not allow you the time to “Paint Your Picture”. Some seem to forget that retirement is one of the biggest transitional times in your life and therefore the development of a solid plan should not be rushed into. It should take time to develop over several meetings.

Bryan Rich has been serving clients for over 30 years. He strives to teach a balanced approach to retirement while highlighting both the positives and negatives of options available. He began his financial services career in North Carolina in 1992 upon graduating with honors with a Business Finance degree from Liberty University. After working for over a decade for a national financial planning company he decided to pursue his own career. As part of that decision, in 2005, he assisted experienced insurance and investment professionals from the Roanoke, VA and established Secure Financial Group, Inc. Later opening a office in Cary, NC. Since its founding Mr. Rich became the face of Secure Financial after speaking to thousands of “50 and Uppers” throughout Virginia & North Carolina in presentations and educational workshops. Now, as President of SFG since 2008, he has continued to develop strategic relationships with attorneys, CPA’s and other experienced professionals in order to provide a holistic approach to financial and estate planning. These NETWORK Partners share in SFG’s desire to fully inform and educate each and every prospective client.

Bryan is proudly an independent advisor when it comes to meeting the insurance and lifetime income needs of his clients. In 2007 Bryan passed his Series 65 Exam and is currently an Investment Advisor Representative for Brookstone Capital Management www.brookstonecm.com. When dealing with the risk portion of your portfolio, along with BCM Bryan provides fiduciary advice. This helps promote a balanced approach to retirement…it is not one-size fits all. Risk based options provide more upside potential, while protected options offer peace of mind. Your best interest is always the primary objective…matching your goals with the math.

PEOPLE FIRST, MONEY SECOND is not just a motto; it is the way SFG chooses to do business by taking the time to get to know you and the “Picture You’re Painting” for this stage of life before we ever start talking about the “products”. The “products” are important, but they are simply the tools. How do we know what tools to use until we know what you want to build?

Let’s dream a little first. Then, once your goals for retirement are understood we help you implement the ABC PLANNING PROCESS. This process is designed for the Conservative & Moderate Investor who doesn’t want to simply leave retirement to “I HOPE IT WORKS” -- or “IT SHOULD WORK” – well, as long as the stock market does what I want it to do. Risk investments certainly have their place and are a major part of the ABC PLANNING PROCESS. But, first we must ensure our Liquidity and Income needs, then chase risk for greater return potential. So, the key question is not, “What kind of returns might I get?” Nor is the question, “Can I afford to retire now?” No, the key question should be: “Am I in a position to retire and most importantly…STAY RETIRED?” All with a level of risk that if the market has a major decline you can step back and say, “I’m still okay”.

Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management, LLC (BCM), a registered investment advisor. BCM and Secure Financial Group are independent of each other. Insurance products and services are not offered through BCM but are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents.

Ed de la Rosa of Solid Ground Financial founded his practice with a unique approach. He sets out to help families find money they are losing unknowingly and unnecessarily. Then, Ed uses the found dollars to help solidify their financial future, preferably without impacting their current lifestyle. Ed wants to help regardless of whether you are in your working years, accumulating for retirement, or already in your distribution years. Ed recognizes that opportunities to minimize both market risk and tax risk can be lost and could jeopardize your retirement without a retirement plan. By providing financial education, he can help those preparing for that next step to acquire the tools they need for a more secure path forward.  

Ed recognizes that people have worked hard for their money and that there is more to be gained by preventing the losses than choosing the winners. As a Certified Financial Fiduciary, he has embraced a higher standard in always serving his clients’ best interests.

Ed and his wife are avid hikers and take several trips per year to ‘conquer’ Mt. Rainier.

Jeremy Sparks is a Certified Financial Fiduciary® and a proud partner of JD Mellberg Financial, the nation’s leading retirement income planning firm. He continues to be named by multiple organizations as one of the top Safe Money and Income Experts in the Nation.

Since 2017, Jeremy has protected MILLIONS of dollars in client retirement savings. He has a passion for life and protecting the hard-earned money that people have acquired over the years. Jeremy specializes in removing his clients’ money from market volatility and has helped countless individuals avoid the significant retirement losses that many experience year after year due to market uncertainty. Due to his success, Jeremy’s expertise and knowledge are heavily sought after.

Jeremy is licensed in multiple states and works with a wide variety of clients located all across the country. Jeremy takes a customized approach with each and every client he works with to build a retirement plan that consists of SAFETY, SECURITY, and GUARANTEED LIFETIME INCOME. He lives happily in Austin, Texas with his girlfriend Melissa and their 6 year old French Bulldog Chaparro.

Jeremy loves knowing that none of his clients have ever lost a dime or missed a lifetime income payment due to market risk, helping to reduce some of the most common fears of today’s retirees.

Being raised by a single parent with two children, I learned the value of a dollar and the importance of making wise decisions with finite resources early in life. Growing up I had numerous part-time jobs and learned how to budget my money for the things I wanted in life. When it became time to choose a career I was introduced to the world of finance and the opportunities it provided. I have spent years learning about money and how it works. In turn, the wealth-building ideas and strategies I teach my clients are the same principles I practice in my own life. They work; I started from scratch financially and have been able to build a successful financial life for my family through patience, discipline, smart common sense investing and financial management. 

Eric is a published author, has been on television multiple times, and is a 26 year veteran in the financial industry. 

Matt started his career over a decade ago while serving as a Military Police Officer in the Army and graduating from Iowa State University. Upon starting his career, he focused on Medicare and retirement age clients and knew right away that this was for him as he had a natural connection working with individuals and families in the retirement age group. After a couple of years, he knew that while helping seniors with Medicare and Long-Term Care strategies was very fulfilling and beneficial to seniors… there was so much more he could do to help them have the retirement they had worked so hard for and deserved!

So, for the last 10 years Matt has been helping thousands of clients build and protect wealth with zero principal risk and achieve their financial and retirement goals utilizing cutting edge insurance concepts. Using these strategies, Matt has been able to help his clients eliminate all the guesswork.

Matt is a National Social Security Advisor Certificate holder, NSSA® and has his life, health and accident insurance licenses.  He is also the host of Safe Money Radio on WHO radio.  Outside of work, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, his wife and their 4 children, which usually consists of kids’ games and activities. He also enjoys working out, bicycling, and being outdoors. He and his wife Megan also enjoy going out to dinner, golfing, meeting up with friends and vacationing.

Derrick is a native of Kansas City, KS, where most of his family still resides. He attended Highland Community College on a football scholarship before receiving another scholarship to attend Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

During his college years, Derrick played Defensive End and Outside Linebacker. He has also served as a team captain on multiple football teams in the past and was a member of the Players Association in college. After returning to Kansas City, he became a member of the advisory board for Black Excellence of Kansas City, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting, developing, and retaining talent in the city. He was also part of a select group called the Loop of KC, which aimed to connect unique minds that are professionally driven and build genuine friendships to positively impact Kansas City. Derrick's passion for helping people has led him to Greater St. Louis, where he hopes to make a significant impact on the community's lives.

Derrick's finance and sports backgrounds provide him with a unique perspective and skill set in the financial industry. He stated, "I genuinely believe that my purpose is to assist others in understanding how to utilize their money to empower their goals." In his spare time, he enjoys reading, sports, and spending time with his family, especially his daughter, Londyn.

Helping people is an integral part of who God created me to be. Whether it's through volunteering with various organizations or working with retirees and pre-retirees. I find great joy in supporting and guiding individuals through processes and learning about their life stories. As a Certified Financial Fiduciary, I am committed to going above and beyond what is in the best interest of each and every one of our clients. I take a holistic approach to financial education and planning, meaning our team and I want to look at every aspect of a person's financial situation and makeup.

We specialize in working with older, Conservative-minded Investors who wish to enjoy their retirement without the stress and worries of market volatility. My holistic approach aims to truly understand each client's financial knowlede, risk tolerance, and retirement goals and dreams, in order to safeguard their retirement income and lifestyle. Our team aims to exceed our client's expectations and always put their best interests first, with full transparency. We want to understand your passions, your concerns, and your dreams... for your future, this is what drives us.