Heartwood Team
WORK AND EDUCATION
Alex has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2016 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and business management from Bethel College. As a Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®), Alex is prepared to create and manage retirement income portfolios and create effective retirement income plans for his pre-retiree clients. He is a founding partner of Heartwood Planning Group along with Grant Goeglein, Matt Henry, Jeff Rapp, Kyle Wurtzel and Daniel Pifer.
PERSONAL
Alex is married to Kristin and they have three children. They live in Markle, IN and often spend time outdoors boating and hunting.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Grant began his career with Northwestern Mutual as a College Financial Representative in 2004 while attending the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. As a Private Wealth Advisor, Grant works with emerging affluent and high-net-worth clients to define, design and implement a financial plan, while providing well-balanced investment and risk strategies. He is a founding partner of Heartwood Planning Group along with Matt Henry, Jeff Rapp, Alex Reinhard, Kyle Wurtzel and Daniel Pifer.
Forbes has recognized Grant as a top financial security professional in Indiana for 2023.
PERSONAL
Grant and his wife Jill reside in both Clear Lake and Fort Wayne. They enjoy spending time on the lake, traveling and playing golf.
Forbes Best-in-State Top Financial Security Professionals list (July 2023), Research and ranking provided by SHOOK Research, LLC. Based upon data as of 12/31/2022. Northwestern Mutual (NM) and its advisors do not pay for placement on 3rd party rating or ranking lists. NM and its advisors do, however, pay marketing fees to these organizations to promote the rating or ranking(s). Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Jeff has been with Northwestern Mutual since 1996 and holds a degree from Illinois State University. Throughout his career he has earned several financial planning professional designations such as CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional (CFP®), the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), the Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL®), the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®), and the Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®). He is a founding partner of Heartwood Planning Group along with Grant Goeglein, Matt Henry, Alex Reinhard, Kyle Wurtzel and Daniel Pifer.
Jeff specializes in retirement income planning, comprehensive financial planning and investment management.
Forbes has recognized Jeff as a top financial security professional in Indiana for 2023.
PERSONAL
Jeff is married to Melissa and has two daughters, Hannah (Hanford) and Ruhama. Jeff is an active member of his local church. He plays guitar and tennis and enjoys fishing and hunting.
Forbes Best-in-State Top Financial Security Professionals list (July 2023), Research and ranking provided by SHOOK Research, LLC. Based upon data as of 12/31/2022. Northwestern Mutual (NM) and its advisors do not pay for placement on 3rd party rating or ranking lists. NM and its advisors do, however, pay marketing fees to these organizations to promote the rating or ranking(s). Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success.
Kyle Wurtzel ChFC®, CLU®, CFP®
Partner and Private Wealth Advisor
WORK AND EDUCATION
Kyle has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2002, after he graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Indianapolis School of Business. He is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) and a founding partner of Heartwood Planning Group along with Grant Goeglein, Matt Henry, Jeff Rapp, Alex Reinhard and Daniel Pifer.
Kyle’s areas of expertise include Wealth Management, Investment Planning, and Retirement Planning.
Forbes has recognized Kyle as a top financial security professional in Indiana for 2023.
PERSONAL
Kyle is married to Julia and has a daughter named Brooklyn. They reside in Warsaw, IN and enjoy traveling and boating. Kyle also races a top fuel dragster during the summer months.
Forbes Best-in-State Top Financial Security Professionals list (July 2023), Research and ranking provided by SHOOK Research, LLC. Based upon data as of 12/31/2022. Northwestern Mutual (NM) and its advisors do not pay for placement on 3rd party rating or ranking lists. NM and its advisors do, however, pay marketing fees to these organizations to promote the rating or ranking(s). Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success.
Matthew Louis Henry CLU®
Partner and Private Wealth Advisor
WORK AND EDUCATION
Matt has been with Northwestern Mutual for 15 years. Matt earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry from Purdue University Fort Wayne. He is a founding partner of Heartwood Planning Group along with Grant Goeglein, Jeff Rapp, Alex Reinhard, Kyle Wurtzel and Daniel Pifer. Growing up with a farm background, Matt specializes in working with farms and agriculture-related businesses.
PERSONAL
Matt is married to Tami, and they reside in Berne, IN. They have triplets, Trevor, Mati, and Maci, who are active athletes in the community.
Daniel Pifer IIRICP®, CFP®
Partner and Private Wealth Advisor
WORK AND EDUCATION
Daniel has been with Northwestern Mutual for 8 years. He earned his Christian ministry degree and minor in business administration at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, IN. Daniel tries to live by the phrase “Chase the Lion,” to chase big goals, and with God’s help, make them a reality. He is passionate about chasing big goals for his clients as well. He is a founding partner of Heartwood Planning Group along with Grant Goeglein, Matt Henry, Jeff Rapp, Kyle Wurtzel and Alex Reinhard.
Forbes has recognized Daniel as a top financial security professional in Indiana for 2023.
PERSONAL
Daniel is married to Hayley and together they have a daughter Kinley, a son Eli, and a dog, Paisley. The Pifers are active members of the Converse Church in Converse, IN. When Daniel is not with clients, he loves to archery hunt white-tailed deer and fish. Outside of hunting seasons, he enjoys reading for professional development and pleasure and spending time with family.
Forbes Best-in-State Top Financial Security Professionals list (July 2023), Research and ranking provided by SHOOK Research, LLC. Based upon data as of 12/31/2022. Northwestern Mutual (NM) and its advisors do not pay for placement on 3rd party rating or ranking lists. NM and its advisors do, however, pay marketing fees to these organizations to promote the rating or ranking(s). Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Kedric is an Associate Financial Advisor for Heartwood Planning Group and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2016. He is a graduate of Indiana University and has his MBA through Taylor University.
PERSONAL
Kedric is married to Anna, and they have 4 children, 3 girls and 1 boy. He is a Substitute Teaching Leader for Bible Study Fellowship, plays softball and golf, enjoys watching football and college basketball, and vacationing in Florida and Tennessee.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Brooke oversees Operations, Finances, & Human Resources for the team. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Purdue University Fort Wayne and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2018.
PERSONAL
Brooke is married to Evan, and they live in Roanoke, IN. They enjoy watching hockey, cooking, being outdoors, and spending time with their Goldendoodle Winston.
WORK AND EDUCATION
As Director of Planning, Josh manages the workflow and focuses on our Planning Team and Advisors, and aids the team in creating comprehensive plans to meet client goals, aspirations, and needs. Josh holds a degree from Indiana University and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2018.
PERSONAL
Josh is married to Lauren and they reside in Indianapolis, IN. Together with their dog, they enjoy spending time outdoors, on the lake, and traveling.
WORK AND EDUCATION
As the Director of Client Services, BJ leads our team towards providing our clients with a smooth and seamless onboarding and service experience. He has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2014 and has extensive experience in Investment and Insurance Services. BJ graduated from the University of Saint Francis with a BS in Business Administration.
PERSONAL
BJ is married to Meghan, and they have two sons. The family enjoys spending time outdoors and being in nature.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Amanda serves as the Director of Marketing and Client Experience for Heartwood. She actively conveys the mission of Heartwood to clients and the community, while also ensuring clients have a great experience throughout the process of entrusting Heartwood with their financial needs. Amanda completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees at Ball State University.
PERSONAL
Amanda is married to Brett and together they have two children and two miniature dachshunds. As a family they enjoy all things outdoors, staying active, and spending time with family in Indiana and Maryland.
WORK AND EDUCATION
As a Financial Planning Specialist, Rich supports our Advisors in creating comprehensive financial plans and leveraging planning tools and strategies. He has more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry and holds a degree from Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN.
PERSONAL
Rich is married to Amy, and they have 3 daughters (Adalyn, Cora, and Lilia) as well as a Cavapoo named Gus. They enjoy trips discovering coffee shops and spending time in nature, especially with sand between their toes.
WORK AND EDUCATION
As a Financial Planning Specialist, Allison supports our Advisors in creating comprehensive financial plans and leveraging planning tools and strategies. She has been with Northwestern Mutual for 5 years and holds a BA in political sciences with a focus on economics from Taylor University.
PERSONAL
Allison is married to Seth, and together they have two children and reside in Marion, IN. In her free time, she enjoys trying new foods and hearing people’s stories.
WORK AND EDUCATION
As a Financial Planning Associate for Heartwood, Rita collaborates with our Advisors to build comprehensive financial plans that guide our clients and their families on a path towards financial security. Rita is a graduate of Purdue Fort Wayne with a degree in Economics and minors in Bank Management and Finance Economics.
PERSONAL
Rita enjoys volunteering at the Humane Fort Wayne clinic, spending time at Lake James, and traveling overseas.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Meghan serves as the Financial Planning Assistant for the Heartwood team. She helps provide a smooth workflow within our Planning Department and aids our Advisors in meeting preparation. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a dual licensure for Chemistry and Mild Intervention. Meghan has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2019.
PERSONAL
Meghan is married to BJ, and they have two sons, Evander and Everett, who keep the family active. Her hobbies include sewing, baking, and spending time outside with her family.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Anna serves as an Administrative Assistant on our team. She helps support our client appreciation efforts, marketing, and general office needs of the team. Anna attended Ball State University.
PERSONAL
Anna and her husband, Chris have four daughters; Kristin, Kelly, Katie and Jessica, a grandson, Aiden, and one very spoiled St. Bernard, Teddy! Her hobbies include photography, quilting and traveling.
WORK AND EDUCATION
As Director of Insurance, Taylor ensures the insurance application, client onboarding, and ongoing service processes run smoothly for our clients. She holds a degree in Organizational Leadership from Purdue University Fort Wayne and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2019.
PERSONAL
Taylor is married to Jacob. They enjoy traveling, spending time with friends and family, and cozying up at home with their goldendoodle, Bennie.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Dawn serves as the Insurance Coordinator for Heartwood. She helps streamline and standardize information collection and the insurance application process to ensure it is as smooth as possible for clients. Dawn graduated from Ball State University with a degree in K-12 Music Education and joined Northwestern Mutual in 2022.
PERSONAL
Dawn has two dogs who enjoy keeping her company while fishing and kayaking. She also spends a lot of her free time crafting.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Ashley is the Director of New Business and Communications for Heartwood. She has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2013 after graduating from Indiana University.
PERSONAL
Ashley and her husband Kyle run a dairy farm in Hudson, Indiana, along with their four kids, Konner, Kyra, Karter and Kooper. She sits on the board for the American Dairy Association of Indiana, is involved with Dairy Farmers of America's Young Cooperative group and is a member of Indiana Farm Bureau. She enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, and hosting family and friends.
WORK AND EDUCATION
Teri serves as Director of Investments and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 1998. Teri ensures investment transactions and service requests are completed in a timely and accurate manner, and she has extensive experience in Investment Services.
PERSONAL
Teri is married to Adam, and they have 4 children, who keep them active via soccer and music.
WORK AND EDUCATION
As our Operations and Investment Support Manager, Andrea helps clients accomplish their financial goals by taking care of their investment applications and transactions. Andrea has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2013 and has extensive experience in financial services. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics.
PERSONAL
Andrea and her husband Dave live in Fort Wayne and have two grown children, Lauren and Kevin. In her free time, she enjoys serving as Co-President of the Fort Wayne branch of AAUW, a women’s equity advocacy group, and being involved in music at her church. Andrea also loves travel, aqua fitness classes, reading and spending time with family and friends.