Brent loves getting into the weeds of finances with his clients: He has a knack for taking the complicated and making it palatable, allowing his clients to walk out feeling much more informed than when they first walked in. Brent worked for Sanford Financial for 18 years, joining the firm in 2004 after a previous career in commercial banking. Brent tailors retirement plan benefit packages for companies of all sizes and industries. He works directly with business owners to help customize and build proper retirement plans for their organizations.

In his spare time, Brent enjoys spending time with his children, Kelsey and Luke. He is also an avid outdoorsman – spending time with his family on Gun Lake during the summer, looking for a trophy buck in the fall, and hitting the ski slopes in the winter.

Life happens in the blink of an eye and Scott’s role is to plan for the unpredictable nature of life and help clients navigate the financial complexities that arise along the way. Scott joined Mercer Advisors via the Sanford Financial acquisition in May of 2022. Prior to the acquisition, he worked with Sanford Financial for 22 years, starting as an intern and working his way to partner. As a detail-oriented person, Scott prides himself on keeping his clients’ finances properly structured, prioritized, and focused on long-term objectives. He understands the value of trusted relationships and the responsibility of advocating for clients, anticipating needs, and having difficult conversations. In his spare time, Scott enjoys spending time in Northern Michigan with his wife, Tricia, coaching his son’s sports, and boating.

Todd engages deeply with clients, befriending many of them and inspiring a level of trust that goes beyond a typical professional relationship. Prior to joining Mercer Advisors in 2022, Todd founded Sanford Financial in March of 2000. Todd is a 1983 graduate of WMU and has held the CFP® certification since 1991. He became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional to help others establish a better quality of life, and his long-standing motto is: “It is not about you in life. Serving others allows for immensely rewarding experiences and fulfillment from those efforts.” Todd loves people and gets energy from their joys, sorrows, successes, stories, and milestones in life.

In his spare time, Todd enjoys playing tennis, skiing, reading biographies, various forms of art, antique cars, and many activities involving his deep Christian faith.

Matt joined Mercer Advisors in December 2018. Matt started in the financial services industry as a college intern with FIM Group in Traverse City, Michigan in 1996. After graduating from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance, he joined FIM Group, where he held a variety of roles including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer.

In these roles, Matt was responsible for day-to-day operational issues of all FIM service groups and trading departments. As the Chief Compliance Officer, he ensured that FIM Group worked to maintain all regulatory requirements in its daily business practices.

Matt received his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Michigan State University and his M.B.A from Lawrence Technical University.

Nick has come to respect the fact that financial planning and investment management concepts can be confusing and intimidating. He has developed a passion for the consultative approach in educating others and helping break down the barriers into the pursuit of Economic Freedom™. Nick has worked for Sanford Financial for 11 years, starting his career in wealth management shortly after completing graduate school in 2011. Nick enjoys working with clients in discovering their personal passions and helping handle their financial tools to achieve their goals. He has also had the pleasure of teaching an evening class on investment principles as an adjunct professor at Kalamazoo College. Nick lives in Kalamazoo and when not working with clients, strives to lead by example as a great husband and father.

Elizabeth has been a member of the Financial Planning industry since 2012. Elizabeth obtained her bachelor’s degree from WMU. Through the Sanford Center at WMU, she has also had the opportunity to encourage financial literacy for college students and the greater Kalamazoo community. In 2020, WMU honored Liz with the 30 under 30 award—in recognition of her early accomplishments in the field. Her analytical mindset and holistic approach to developing a successful financial plan enables her to create a unique plan for every client. She works passionately to ensure her clients gain an understanding of their assets to empower them in future decisions.

At home, Liz and her husband Chad stay busy with 3 young boys: Mason, Marshall, and Maddox. Her family loves to be active and spend time by Lake Michigan.

Josh is excited to be a member of the Mercer Advisors team because it will allow him the opportunity to help others through financial planning, something he has always been passionate about. Josh joined Mercer Advisors in May of 2022 after graduating from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. As a Client Service Specialist, he handles a hybrid role of portfolio rebalancing, translating portfolio holding allocations to clients, and building client relationships. Josh is currently pursuing the CFP® certification and hopes to eventually become a Wealth Advisor. He is an extremely motivated and determined individual who wants to do right by others. Josh grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and has a strong passion for spending quality time with his family and focusing on living a healthy lifestyle.

Madeline’s background in English has instilled a meticulous attention to detail and a strong capacity to think critically, which she balances with her fresh, creative perspective on the world. She has uncovered a strong affinity for Financial Planning as it shares a similar foundation with English: Human connection. Madeline joined Mercer Advisors via the Sanford Financial acquisition in May of 2022. Prior to the acquisition, she worked with Sanford Financial for a year and a half, where she focused on her licensing and career development, and directly assisted Scott Williams with his clientele. Madeline graduated from MSU Honors College with a Bachelor of Arts. She intends on pursuing her CFP® certification and utilizing her distinctive skillset to assist clients from all walks of life.

Ben began his career working for institutional registered investment advisory firms in 2003, bringing with him a wealth of planning and investment management knowledge. Prior to joining Mercer Advisors, he worked as a senior wealth advisor at Destination Wealth Management and as a financial advisor at Summit Financial Strategies. Ben received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Economics, with a minor in Business from Ohio University. Originally from the Midwest, Ben currently lives in Upper Arlington, Ohio with his family.

Kristen enjoys interacting with people and delivering exceptional customer service, taking great reward from helping others. Prior to the Mercer Advisors acquisition, Kristen worked for Sanford Financial for 4 years where she educated and advised retirement plan participants within the Business Retirement Plans department. Having spent a majority of her career in the legal field, she is a detail-oriented, team-player who excels at multitasking.

Kristen obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University. She and her husband, Andy, have one son, Dylan. In her spare time, Kristen enjoys doting on her son and spoiled cats. A crafting enthusiast, she has a passion for sewing, scrapbooking, stamping, and beading. In the nice weather, she loves participating in cycling and being outdoors.

Tami is a highly experienced industry veteran of over 30 years, handling all aspects of client management and estate administration. Tami joined Mercer Advisors via the Sanford Financial acquisition in May of 2022. Prior to the acquisition, she worked with Sanford Financial for 21 years, where she focused on strengthening client relationships and assisting clients throughout their life journey.

Tami and her husband Glen had one daughter Nicole, who unexpectedly passed away in October of 2017 from a seizure disorder at the age of 23. Tami is passionate about life and serving in her community, and she takes care of those who are vulnerable or overlooked. Spending time with family, friends, their rescued border collie Jasmine, running, biking, dancing, and reading her bible provide Tami the greatest Joy!