Faith-driven planning. Honest counsel. Real relationships.

I grew up on a small family farm in rural Northwest Ohio. That upbringing shaped my views on hard work and faithful stewardship. By God’s grace, I was raised in a Christian home right next door to my faithful grandparents, and I don’t ever remember a time without faith in Christ.

After trying my hand at professional music and exploring various careers and college courses, I married my wife in 2009. Real responsibilities brought new challenges, and the Lord used a season of financial difficulty to teach us some hard-earned lessons in contentment. We discovered that wise money management is a way to steward God’s resources faithfully and that generosity is a big key to true financial freedom and joy.

That experience ignited a passion for personal finance and helping others navigate similar struggles. I began working at a regional bank, later gained experience with a small independent broker-dealer affiliated firm, and realized my calling wasn’t in selling products but in retirement planning, tax strategies, and charitable giving. Time and again, I saw how deeply our views of God intertwine with our views of money.

I completed my degree at Bowling Green State University with a concentration in financial planning, earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation, and launched Demland Wealth as an independent RIA. I then became a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA®) and an Enrolled Agent (EA) with the IRS to deepen my tax expertise.

Today, I serve as an elder in a historic Protestant denomination congregation and serve on the board of the CPC Women’s Health Resource in Northwest Ohio. These roles continually remind me why intentional planning matters.

I remain committed to educating families, integrating historic Christian faith with sound advice, and pointing clients toward our only true source of comfort in life and death: Jesus Christ.

My interest in the markets began in early high school when our entire class competed in a quarter-long stock market simulation. I finished the project with the highest account balance in the class, though, I’ll be the first to admit, I had not a clue what I was doing! Still, that experience sparked a genuine curiosity that continued brewing.

I followed in family footsteps and headed to the University of Cincinnati to study Finance. During my first year, I fell in love with the introductory Economics courses, and by my third year I was studying international finance and economics abroad in Cork, Ireland for four months. I graduated with a double major in Finance and Economics, along with several finance and tax-related internships.

Upon graduation, I accepted a full-time position at Fidelity Investments’ regional headquarters in Covington, Kentucky. There I earned my Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), Series 7, and Series 63 licenses while executing trades across stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and more. It was during that time I realized my true calling wasn’t just processing trades and transactions, it was building lifelong relationships as an advisor.

I transitioned into a dedicated financial planning role, passed the Series 66, and began studying for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation in the evenings. While I was living in Kentucky, my now-wife, Olivia, was working back home in Defiance, Ohio. I felt a clear, God-given calling to marry and return to our hometown.

In November 2024, I reached out to Jason and shared my story. I was drawn to his mission as a boutique, Biblically-grounded advisory firm. He took a chance on me, and everything clicked. I joined the team, completed my CFP® certification, and now have the privilege of serving Christian households who share the same values we do, helping them pursue financial peace, generosity, and a confident retirement.

What are you most likely doing on a Saturday night?

My wife and I are either hosting a game night at our place or are on the hunt for local live music with a group of friends. If the weather is nice, you’ll likely find us taking a stroll on our country roads, grilling out, and ending the night by the fire next to the pond.

What are your hobbies?

My most consistent hobbies have revolved around Bible studying, computers, traveling, geography, and cooking. I have been hosting an online Men’s group since August 2024, from a room whose walls are covered in maps and have many globes for decoration (similar to my office). I’ve built multiple computers, been to over 15 countries, and mill my own flour. Hopefully that paints a picture!

What’s your most useful skill outside of financial planning?

Anything eye-hand coordination related. Anything with catching and throwing, cornhole, ping-pong, pickleball, fast-paced video games, etc. Even if it’s something I’ve never done or played, there’s a decent chance I can pick it up and compete!

What’s an interesting fun fact about yourself?

I can speak ‘some’ Japanese. In college, our curriculum forced either 6 credit hours of culture-related or language-related coursework. My roommate at the time convinced me to take the 6 credit-hour (2 classes in 1) Japanese language course. It ended up being the hardest course I took in college. From there, I’ve casually kept up with it and even used a tutor.