Corporate Roundup: Employee Fiduciary Names President, CFP Board Taps Corporate Group Executive
Employee Fiduciary Names Dash as President
Employee Fiduciary has appointed Cindy Dash as its new president.
Employee Fiduciary touts Dash with having “an exceptional track record for driving growth and delivering value for clients.” Previously, Dash has worked with Broadridge Retirement and Workplace.
Employee Fiduciary says her leadership will be “instrumental” as it expands its services.
“Cindy’s extensive leadership experience in scaling operations and technology platforms makes her the ideal person to lead Employee Fiduciary into its next phase of growth. Her expertise aligns perfectly with our mission to provide high-quality, transparent, and low-cost 401(k) plans and our future growth plans into new markets. We’re continuously investing in improvements—like our recent website redesign—to better serve businesses and advisors. I am excited to welcome Cindy to the team and look forward to the impact she will have on our clients and company,” said Eric Droblyen, CEO of Employee Fiduciary.
“I am thrilled to join Employee Fiduciary, a company well known for its dedication to small businesses and affordable retirement planning,” said Dash. “Employee Fiduciary has positioned itself as a leader in the 401(k) space, and I look forward to driving growth and innovation with Eric and our incredible team.”
CFP Board Taps Corporate Group Executive
CFP Board today announced the appointment of Kathryn Berkenpas, CFP as its managing director of Corporate Growth.
In this role, Berkenpas will develop and lead CFP Board’s relationships with financial services firms. Berkenpas brings over two decades of experience working across business models, leading successful teams and programs, and driving change management in financial services.
As managing director, Berkenpas and her team are responsible for understanding the firms’ business objectives and challenges and for developing support using CFP Board data, programs and initiatives, including working with firms to get more of their advisors certified.
Berkenpas will collaborate with the director of Development to expand sponsorship opportunities for firms and with the managing directors of workforce and program development to build firm engagement and support for CFP Board programs.
“Kathryn’s deep experience and leadership in financial services will strengthen our ability to help firms grow the ranks of CFP® professionals and deliver ethical, competent financial planning for Americans,” said CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller, CAE.
Berkenpas joins CFP Board from Morgan Stanley, where she served as the group director for The Chesapeake Capitol Group, with $2 billion of assets under management (AUM). Before joining Morgan Stanley, she spent 16 years at MissionSquare Retirement, most recently as vice president of Client Enablement, where she led strategic initiatives to expand retirement solutions and partnerships. Berkenpas oversaw multiple teams and was the business owner of the company’s new Financial Wellness Platform.
“I am honored to join the incredible team at CFP Board,” said Berkenpas. “I look forward to building strong, lasting relationships with corporate partners to advance the financial planning profession.”
Berkenpas earned her master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University and her bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech’s CFP Board Registered Program.
Based in CFP Board’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, Berkenpas will report to CFP Board Chief Program Officer Lisa Davis. She joins the organization on April 7.
Kestra PWS, Inspired Welcome Advisor
Kestra Private Wealth Services, a registered investment adviser (RIA) subsidiary of Kestra Financial, Inc., has added Amy Dunham to its community of independent financial professionals, in partnership with Cordele, Georgia-based Inspired Wealth Planning (Inspired), which joined the Kestra PWS platform in 2023.
With $235 million in client assets under management, Dunham specializes in retirement planning, multi-generational wealth transfer, and community-based financial education. Bringing over two decades of industry experience to Inspired Wealth Planning, she will be joined by Rhonda Harwell, director of Operations, and Natalie Edwards, director of Client Relations.
Inspired’s financial professionals specialize in customized financial plans for clients that address life milestones such as multi-generational planning, liquidity events, legacy strategies, and longevity preparation. The firm currently has five offices across Georgia, with a footprint in Cordele, Griffin, LaGrange, Perry, and Waycross.
“Amy and her team were a natural fit for both Inspired Wealth Planning and Kestra Private Wealth Services,” said Rob Bartenstein, CEO of Kestra PWS. “This addition emphasizes the ongoing value proposition Kestra PWS brings to its platform of wealth management firms and financial professionals. We’re excited to continue supporting the growth of the Inspired team as they continue prioritizing elevated service for their clients.”
Dunham and her team were previously associated with Edward Jones.
Waverly Acquires NBW
Waverly Advisors, LLC has acquired NBW Capital, LLC (NBW), an investment advisory firm located in Boston, Massachusetts.
The partnership will add approximately $500 million in assets under management to the firm.
Founded in 1991, NBW has served high-net-worth clients in Boston for over 30 years.
The entire NBW team joins Waverly, with the exception of Ben Niedermeyer who is retiring after nearly 50 years in the investment management industry in conjunction with the transaction.
“We are thrilled to partner with Waverly and benefit from additional services and investment options,” said Chris Blakely, who leads the firm, will serve as partner, regional director of Boston, and portfolio manager at Waverly. “These resources, along with Waverly’s extensive expertise and established infrastructure, will enhance our clients’ experience.”
“Waverly’s M&A initiative has always focused on building a cohesive, integrated firm that delivers a world-class, service-oriented client experience,” said Justin Russell, President and CEO of Waverly. “By partnering with NBW, Waverly is able to strengthen its existing equity strategy and offer clients a more sophisticated investment portfolio approach.”
The acquisition of NBW marks Waverly’s 24th transaction since accepting an equity investment in December 2021 from Wealth Partners Capital Group (WPCG) and HGGC’s Aspire Holdings platform. The transaction closed on March 28, 2025.
Rick Adler of Red Arrow Capital was NBW’s advisor on the transaction. Financial and legal terms of the deal will not be disclosed.
Ameritas Adds Risk and Compliance SVP
Craig Schommer has become the new senior vice president, risk and compliance, at Ameritas, effective March 30, 2025.
“The experience and leadership Craig brings to his new role will undoubtedly strengthen Ameritas,” said Sue Wilkinson, president at Ameritas. “His approach to risk management will help ensure we are prepared for future challenges and set us up for long-term success and stability.”
Schommer joined Ameritas in 2017 as a second vice president, product management, before becoming the vice president of life product development in 2019. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Schommer earned the professional designation of Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in 2010 and has worked in the insurance industry for over 15 years. Schommer is a member of the Society of Actuaries and American Academy of Actuaries. He is also a member and past president of the Nebraska Actuaries Club.
Advisors Join Savvy
Savvy Advisors Inc., a federally registered investment advisor (RIA) affiliated with Savvy Wealth, Inc. has added five financial advisors and expanded its team to more than 50 financial planners and wealth managers across the country.
Advisors who join Savvy gain access to Savvy Wealth’s proprietary, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered technology designed to increase advisor efficiency and output, while enabling a modern client experience.
Savvy recently surpassed over $1.5 billion in assets under management (AUM) and continues to attract advisors serving high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth clients.
The advisors include:
- Jack Fitzpatrick (Scottsdale, Arizona): A 23-year veteran of Morgan Stanley’s foreign exchange and commodities trading team, Fitzpatrick transitioned careers to become an investment advisor in 2020. Focusing on serving business owners and executives, he specializes in financial planning strategies and tax reduction solutions for business exits.
- Tyson Lokke, CFP (Reno, Nevada): Lokke joins Savvy after departing Farther earlier this year. Throughout his 12 years in the profession, he has also served as an advisor at United Capital and Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management. In his practice, Lokke specializes in serving business owners and PGA professionals, with a focus on converting complex financial data into clear, interactive visual experiences.
- Aaron Peloquin, CPA, CFP (Plymouth, Minnesota): A consultant turned financial advisor, Peloquin uses his unique experience in risk management to serve his client base of retirees, small business owners, and HNW individuals, helping them implement tax planning strategies to navigate the complexities of heirs inheriting assets.
- Jared Tanimoto, CFP (Irvine, California): A founding member of the Investopedia Advisor Council and a former InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 Honoree, Tanimoto has established a strong reputation in the financial advice industry. In his practice, Sedai Wealth Partners, LLC, Tanimoto specializes in equity compensation strategies for tech employees, tax planning for small business owners and cryptocurrency integration in portfolios.
- Dustin Thomas, CPA, CFP (Indianapolis, Indiana): Thomas joins Savvy after spending over six years at Valeo Financial Advisors, where he established a practice serving HNW individuals. With over 24 years of experience in the financial services industry, Thomas leverages his tax planning experience to better inform clients’ financial plans.
“As more advisors join Savvy, it further demonstrates that our belief in tech-forward, digital-first human financial advice is the way of the future,” said David Weiner, chief growth officer at Savvy Wealth. “We’re honored that Jack, Tyson, Aaron, Jared and Dustin chose Savvy as their next home. As we continue to build and scale the Savvy Wealth platform, it’s important that our advisors shape the direction of our offering to ensure we are continuing to meet the changing needs of the investors of today and tomorrow.”
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