MATTHEW GRACE ChFC®, CLU®, CEPA®, LACP
Financial Advisor & Director of Business Overwatch
Matt works with high and ultra high net worth business clients to bring together the right team of advisors and affiliated Subject Matter Experts to serve their advanced business planning needs.
CHRISTOPHER FODER, CExP®
Chief Sales and Development Officer
Chris Foder serves as Chief Sales and Development Officer at First Financial Group, where he leads the development and execution of sales strategies aligned with the firm’s holistic philosophy. His team supports advisors at all levels by helping them master and leverage FFG and MassMutual practice management tools, while also providing strategic marketing support to grow and optimize their practices. Additionally, Chris oversees recruiting and onboarding efforts, ensuring a seamless experience for new advisors and continued growth for the organization.
BRADLEY TROY, CFP®, CAP®, CLU®, CHFC®, AIF®, CPFA®
Retirement Plan Specialist & Wealth Management Advisor
Bradley manages a retirement plan practice for First Financial Group (FFG), a Bethesda based Mass Mutual Agency, while also maintaining / growing a wealth management business. The practice provides 3(21), 3(38) and other fiduciary / advisory services to businesses and clients of advisors at FFG.
FFG’s Fiduciary Consulting Practice
- Supports FFG’s wealth management advisors by helping them to provide retirement solutions to their clients, without having to be specialist, while participating financially and partnering to help identify opportunities for the wealth advisors.
- Delivers 3(21) and 3(38) services, advanced guidance to trustees and HR about plan design and creative options to meet their benefit and financial goals.
- Interacts with employees to support their use of the 401k plan, deliver employee financial wellness (Wellcents), education and real financial guidance that they don’t get from a 1-800 number.
BRIAN DOUGHER, CEXP®
Partner & Financial Advisor, Meridian Financial Associates
BDougher@MeridianFinancialAssociates.com
Our team works with physicians, executives, business owners and Marcellus Shale Royalty Recipients on identifying problems that are adding financial drag to their balance sheet and determining optimal financial strategies to efficiently build and protect their wealth.
We utilize an approach designed to proactively manage our clients finances to account for unforeseen life events as well as manage for cyclical and economic adjustments in the marketplace. This financial approach is designed to help protect wealth, reduce risk and increase monetary abundance.
While not at work, I enjoy spending time at home with my wife Christa and our two children, Patrick and Liam.
Business Owner Strategies
Cash Flow Strategies
Equity Protection Strategies
Buy/Sell Strategies
Business Transition/Exit Strategies
Financial Wellness for Employees
Estate Planning Strategies
BRITTON ADAMS, ChFC®, CExP
President, The Z Group
With his educational background focused on family financial management, Britton joined the financial services industry in 2004. His business is based in Gainesville, GA, though he works with professionals and business owners across the country. Britton is a frequent guest speaker at multiple dental and medical residency programs, and he understands the unique issues and financial pressures that these professionals face. He also spends several days each year traveling the country to educate himself on the most effective ways of helping those who rely on his guidance. With the time his clients have invested in their own education and careers, Britton understands the importance of making sure their ideal financial lives become a reality.
Areas of Focus
- Business Owner Strategies
- Cash Flow Strategies
- Equity Protection Strategies
- Buy/Sell Strategies
- Business Transition/Exit Strategies
- Financial Wellness for Employees
- Estate Planning Strategies
EDDIE DRESCHER, CExP
Financial Advisor, Haycox Financial
I have over 20 years of experience as a Financial Advisor, helping business owners and their families navigate their way through the unique challenges and opportunities necessary to achieve financial security. In addition to my role as a Financial Advisor, I am a member of the Crankset Group (business advisory and strategic planning) and a Certified Exit Planner (CExP™) through the Business Enterprise Institute. The BEI CExP™ designation is the standard for Exit Planning certification for business owners. My passion is getting “in the trenches” with business owners and their families, key employees, and professional advisor teams. Focus areas:
- Business Owner Exit/Transition Planning – create and implement business owner exit/transition plan road maps; provide input into all facets of the plan road map, including their design, implementation and funding.
- Non-Qualified Key Employee Benefits Planning – design, implement, and provide funding instruments for benefits plans designed for business owners and their key employees; examples include non-qualified deferred compensation, executive and stay bonus, and split dollar life insurance plans.
PAUL SWIFT, CEPA
Financial Advisor, Loom Capital
Why do most Americans struggle in climbing up AND down the financial mountain, when we live in the most free and prosperous country in the world?
This is a question that I have often contemplated over the past 20 years, during a very diverse career in the financial services industry. While I can't give you the exact answer, perhaps I can share my beliefs and some insights of what I've learned...
I believe the deck is stacked against the typical American, as it relates to their own financial pursuits. Actually, when you think about it, that’s true in most areas of our lives. I believe it takes a different and uncommon approach to overcome the heavy obstacles and strong headwinds that exist today. We must challenge our own belief systems – especially as it relates to the status quo of traditional wealth accumulation and distribution strategies. To get ahead, it is OUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY to educate and expose ourselves to the complex rules, risks, secrets and hidden traps governing the financial and economic world that we now live in. This cannot be done alone and we must find others that we can absolutely TRUST to walk along with us on our journey.
The good news is it's not as complicated as it appears!
Ricardo Garcia
Senior Vice President
ricardo.garcia@ffgadvisors.com
I offer a range of financial strategies to help you set financial goals or achieve financial goals you may already have. I work with small businesses, people of all ages, situations, lifestyle, and income brackets. My philosophy is to protect everything you earn, implement a plan that works in any situation, and make sure you always have uninterrupted cash flow.
I worked for thirteen years for nonprofit and government agencies in public health, senior health, food access, food retail business consulting, and nutrition education in low-income communities. In 2018, I was a guest speaker at the National Association of Convenience Stores where I discussed healthy food marketing. In 2019, I was a panelist at the U.S. Capitol Food Tank Summit to talk about food as medicine, food insecurity, and social disparities.
My passion has always been helping people improve their health and living circumstances. Having worked with low income populations my whole life, I’ve seen the struggles that people go through and a lack of financial guidance was a major factor. I made the decision to switch from helping people change health behaviors to changing financial behaviors and teaching financial fluency.
RICK SCRUGGS, JR. CLU®, ChFC,®C(K)P®
CEO and Financial Advisor, Financial Designs
Rick Scruggs has worked with business owners and personal clients in Central Virginia and the Southeast since 1977. Rick is the principal of Financial Designs and the creator of the Vision Advocate Experience.
Rick is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and is designated a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) by the American College. His training and professional education have focused on, but not limited to:
• Business Continuity and Success Planning
• Qualified Retirement Plans
• Financial Planning
• Employee Stock Ownership Plans
RYAN RIGGS, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CExP
Financial Advisor, Freedom Point
Ryan specializes in working with families and business owners by implementing strategies to improve their financial situation. He focuses on mitigating the financial consequences of the threats clients face through protection, advanced estate and tax planning strategies, and specialized wealth management.
Ryan helps business owners with planning for the eventual exit from their business, as well as succession planning, buy/sell planning, and strategies to help recruit, retain, and reward employees through executive and key-person planning. He works closely with other professionals to include estate and business attorneys, tax professionals, and other insurance professionals, to ensure clients are provided with a full spectrum of financial resources.
VINCENT D'ADDONA*, MSFS, CLU®, ChFC®, CExP, RICP®, CEPA®, AEP®
Financial Services Professional
Mr. Vincent M. D’Addona MSFS, CLU®, ChFC®, CExP®, RICP®, CEPA®, AEP® (Distinguished) is a founding
member of Valent Wealth, LLC, an independent full-service wealth management and financial planning firm.
Valent Wealth seeks ways to blend education, powerful communication, and wisdom to guide clients to
eliminate threats, fulfill obligations, and capitalize on opportunities in their lives.
Vince has 44 years of experience providing services in four core areas: Estate Planning, Exit Planning for the
owners of closely held businesses, Distribution Planning for those at or near retirement, and Investment
Coaching. He was inducted into the NAEPC Estate Planning Hall of Fame® in 2017.
As one of the financial security profession’s most highly regarded speaker/trainer/development coaches, Vince
is often known as the experts’ expert. He has helped hundreds of clients move closer to their full financial
potential and has helped do the same for countless other financial professionals.
Jonathan Anders
CEO, Benecurv
With over 30+ years of experience in the insurance & employee benefits arena, Jonathan and Benecurv delivers risk management acuity through a proven process.