2022 Award Winners

Kenny Brown serves as Chief Operating Officer with AmeriTrust Corporation, a subsidiary of Argent Financial Group, a leading, independent, wealth management firm with responsibility for more than $36 billion in client assets.

Kenny epitomizes the role of fiduciary and understands that listening before advising is the best way to understand and serve clients. He is also a highly respected professional who is personable and has a sharp analytical mind.

Kenny is a member of the Tulsa Estate Planning Forum and volunteers with The Coffee Bunker, an organization supporting veterans and servicemembers in their transition back to civilian life. He earned both his B.B.S. and his MBA in finance from Dallas Baptist University and is a Registered Investment Advisor Representative as well as a Level II Candidate in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program. 

Kenny’s wife is an OB/GYN at OSU-Physicians and they have one son.

Brooks serves as Regional Manager for Argent Trust Company’s offices in Oxford and Jackson, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee. 

Brooks expanded the Oxford office in late 2018 after working in Argent’s Nashville office for eight years. In her role as Regional Manager, she will direct, manage, and develop strategic direction to the talented and credentialed team in Oxford that share her focus on creating an exceptional experience for clients. 

Her work in her industry and community has resulted in many recognitions throughout her career. Recently, Brooks was named the Association of Trust Organizations’ 2021 Rising Star in recognition of her leadership and commitment in the industry. In 2016 Brooks received the Women of Influence Dynamic Duo Award from the Nashville Business Journal, recognized as one of Nashville’s Top 30 under 30 in 2012, and was selected to be part of the Young Leadership Council of Nashville in 2013. She was recently named to the Association of Trust Organizations’ Board of Directors. Brooks serves on the Board Guardianship & Trust Corp where she is the acting Vice- President and formerly served as Secretary. In addition to those, Brooks is a member of the Mississippi Banking Association where she teaches a Financial Planning course to the young bankers. 

Miranda Carr, CFA®, is chief investment officer at The Trust Company of Tennessee. She leads the firm’s investment committee and provides investment support for its relationship managers. 

Miranda previously served as chief operating officer of Lirio and president of its Finworx division. Before Lirio, she was managing director of public funds for Quintium Advisors LLC and portfolio manager for two of its hedge fund strategies.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in finance from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia Business School with a focus on finance and economics. She is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society.

Brent Collins is a Senior Vice President and Private Client Advisor with Bank of America Private Bank in North Carolina.  He is the lead advisor on a team serving executives, high-net-worth families, private foundations and nonprofits. He helps clients unwind the complexities and opportunities that can accompany significant wealth with a multi-disciplinary approach, collaborating with specialists in investments, trust and estate planning, credit and banking, executive services, and philanthropy. Prior to joining Bank of America, Brent held an investment leadership role with Wells Fargo Private Bank.

Brent earned his Bachelor’s Degree from North Carolina State University in Business Administration, and his MBA from Campbell University. Brent is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), holding the certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

Active in his community, Brent serves on the Executive Council for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night, and is the Vice Chair for the Foundation of Forsyth Technical Community College.

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S. 

Brad is the national director of Advanced Financial Planning for Wilmington Trust’s Emerald Family Office & Advisory team, where he develops customized wealth management and financial plans for high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners. He works closely with other professional and family advisors to analyze financial positions and develop plans to help clients achieve future personal and financial goals.

Before joining Wilmington Trust, Brad was the manager of Strategic Planning at Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore. He holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Delaware. Brad is a CFP® professional having earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. Brad serves on the Investment Committee for Outward Bound in Baltimore, and the Investment and Finance Committees for Irvine Nature Center. 

As a WSFS Wealth Investments financial advisor, Steve really takes the time to listen to what is important to you before he makes any specific financial recommendations. He makes sure that you are able to clearly see how the financial actions and decisions you make today will affect your tomorrow. Steve will work closely with you to design a financial plan that will help you achieve your financial goals both in the short term and in the long term.

Steve is in his 14th year in the financial services industry and his 12th year with WSFS Wealth Investments. He graduated from West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in business management and then went on to graduate school at Wilmington University, where he earned his MBA (concentration: Finance). He holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations.

Steve, his wife, and daughter are residents of Millsboro, Delaware.

Jala Eaton Esq. is licensed to practice law in California and her law firm, The Law Office of J. Eaton, specializes in Estate Planning. Fueled by her passion to aid in closing the racial wealth gap, Jala earned her Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor designation and founded On My Own Financial.  A business created to educate and empower women to build their wealth and protect their assets through estate planning and financial literacy. Jala speaks to people of all ages about the importance of understanding money, investing, and estate planning. She is a published author, university instructor, and prior to founding her businesses, her experience included working as a Wealth Management Trust Officer at a Fortune 500 company. 

Anna Hovekamp is Assistant Vice President & Trust Officer at Central Bank & Trust Co. in Lexington, KY. She joined the Trust Department in 2007 and takes pride in offering personalized service to her clients in all stages of building, maintaining and transitioning wealth. She has a degree in Finance from the University of Louisville and holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor and Certified IRA Services Professional designations from the American Bankers Association. Anna is an honor graduate of Cannon Financial Institute and completed ABA’s Advanced Trust School in 2021.  Anna serves on the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass and is a member of the Bluegrass Estate Planning Council. She resides in Lexington with her husband and two children.

Courtney Kelch serves as a Senior Trust Officer with Bank of America in Houston. Courtney partners with Merrill financial advisors and Private Wealth Advisors to manage client trust relationships serving high-net-worth individuals, families, and foundations. 

Courtney works with wealth management advisors and clients on a variety of trusts including charitable remainder and lead trusts, generation-skipping trusts, private foundations, life insurance trusts, and individual retirement accounts. Courtney works closely with a Wealth Strategist to provide comprehensive trust and estate planning services to align with client’s personal and family goals. 

Before joining Bank of America, Courtney was a Fiduciary Risk Manager at BBVA Compass.

Courtney holds a BS in Kinesiology from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Courtney also holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation which is sponsored by the ABA Institute of Certified Bankers.

As a financial advisor at Alerus, Bret Kinzler helps clients identify their specific financial needs and provides comprehensive advice and diversified services to help them achieve their financial wellness goals. He is a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Life Underwriter and specializes in providing wealth management guidance to assist clients in making the best use of their finances and enjoy their retirements.

Bret holds a bachelor’s degrees in finance and business administration from North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, and frequently contributes his professional expertise to charitable organizations in the community. He is treasurer for the Kiwanis Club of Fargo’s scholarship foundation and a member of the Essentia Health Foundation giving committee. He is also an emerging leader member of the United Way of Cass-Clay and a member of the Red River Valley Estate Planning Council.

He and his wife live in West Fargo, North Dakota.

Karl G. Lutterloh is Vice President & Trust Officer for Security Federal Bank. In this role, he acts as a fiduciary advisor and wealth manager for high net worth families, individuals, private foundations, and corporations.  Karl also oversees Trust and Fiduciary business development for the Bank’s headquarters in Aiken, South Carolina.   As a member of the South Carolina Bar and Elder Law Committee, he has presented several continuing legal education courses focusing on fiduciary trust management.  Prior to joining Security Federal Bank, Karl worked as a tax and estate planning attorney in Columbia, South Carolina. 

Mr. Lutterloh graduated magna cum laude from Appalachian State University and cum laude from University of South Carolina School of Law. While at University of South Carolina, he served as a research editor for the American Bar Association’s Real Property Trust & Estate Law Journal. He went on to earn an LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida.

Marissa Machida is a Vice-President and Relationship Manager in Bank of Hawaii’s Private Wealth Group where she provides customized investments, trust, estate and financial planning services. 

Marissa is licensed to practice law in the states of California and Hawaii and practiced in the areas of trust and estate litigation, estate planning, conservatorship and civil litigation.  Marissa also served as a law clerk in Probate Court and also as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney prosecuting criminal cases.   Born and raised in Hawaii, Marissa is a graduate of Punahou School, Loyola Marymount University and California Western School of Law. 

Marissa’s community affiliations include her current position as President of NAPABA-Hawaii and serving on the boards of Read to Me International and Hawaii State Bar Foundation. 

Erin is an experienced trust and estate planning professional responsible for advising fiduciary clients on creative trust and estate planning techniques, asset protection and generational wealth succession planning. Erin currently serves as Vice President, Senior Trust Officer for Chilton Trust Company, N.A. and leads the Chilton Trust Company of Delaware office.

Erin was awarded the Certified Trust & Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA™) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers and the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) designation from the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils. She is a Member of the American Bankers Association, the Estate Planning Council of Delaware, Inc and the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils.

Erin is a current Board Director for the Estate Planning Council of Delaware and serves as a Mentor for the University of Delaware, Lerner College of Business & Economics, Trust Management Minor Program.

Erik W. O’Neal, CIMA® is a Wealth Advisor at West Capital Management. Erik works directly with individuals, families, and institutions to help them meet their financial goals through customized portfolio management and by solving complex planning issues. Prior to joining West Capital Management in 2013, Erik had eight years of experience in Wealth Management, holding leadership roles at two large financial companies as well as forming a private financial services consultancy firm, whose clients included both Fortune 500 financial institutions and independent wealth management companies. Erik is a graduate of West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. He has also completed study at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) and is a member of the Investments & Wealth Institute. 

Carl Petterson, J.D., CFP® is Associate General Counsel and Trust Officer for Sawmill Trust Company, a multi-family office and trust company in South Dakota. Carl helps clients find solutions to the issues they face by translating complexity into concepts that are understandable and actionable. He takes a commonsense approach, combining a clear communication style with his knowledge of business law and technology. In addition to working directly with clients on their tax, legal, and wealth management matters, Carl oversees Sawmill’s regulatory compliance and information systems. He is a member of the firm’s Trust and Investment Committee and Discretionary Distribution Committee. Carl clerked for the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals, the Minnesota Tax Court, and the Barron County Circuit Court prior to joining Sawmill. In his free time, Carl enjoys taking advantage of all the outdoor activities his state has to offer with his wife and three children. 

Sahar Pouyanrad is an Executive Director and Regional Team Leader for the fiduciary team at the J.P. Morgan Private Bank. In this capacity, Sahar is responsible for team management, business development, and oversight and administration of fiduciary accounts across the West Region.

Sahar was born in Iran but had to flee her country in 2001. She immigrated to the United States with her family. Her journey at her new home began with learning to speak English and being the first in her family to attend college. Twenty years later, Sahar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, an Executive MBA, and a number of distinguished designations, with over 15 years of experience in the financial industry. She also proudly serves on the Board of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils, and gives back to her community by serving on various non-profit boards and committees including ONEgeneration and JVS SoCal.

Katie Provence is a Trust Officer with Columbia Trust Company in Salem, Oregon where she has worked from the ground up; starting as a Trust Assistant in 2017. Driven by her passion to help people, she takes pride in helping clients grow, preserve and transfer their wealth. As a Trust Officer her goal is to address financial and estate planning concerns with simple and knowledgeable guidance.

Katie received her BA in Psychology from Oregon State University, is a graduate of Cannon Trust School and holds the designation of Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA). She is a participant in both the Willamette Valley Estate Planning Council and Eugene Estate Planning Council and an active member of the Eugene Young Professionals. Outside of the office, Katie enjoys exploring the beauty of the Pacific NW with her husband, Josh, their daughter, and German Shepherd.

Originally from North Dakota, ShaLane Reeves-Torkelson moved to Boston for law school, from which she graduated in 2013. After passing the bar that same year, she worked as an attorney until beginning with Bank of America in May of 2015 in its consumer banking department. In January of 2019, she switched to working for the Private Bank section of the company. Thanks to her commitment to clients and her work ethic, ShaLane has received the Private Bank’s Client Service award two years in a row.

In addition to being a Massachusetts-licensed attorney, ShaLane received her MBA with a finance concentration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and obtained her Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor designation in August of 2021.

In her spare time, ShaLane enjoys traveling with her fiancé Dushyanth and planning their wedding set for fall 2022. 

Christie Rousso is a licensed attorney in Washington State and a Senior Trust Officer working out of the Bank of America, Seattle Regional Trust Center. Christie has been working for Bank of America in the Trust services group for eight years. Her colleagues recognize her for her creative problem-solving ability and effective communication style. Christie has devoted time towards training new and existing associates across our line of business as well as dedicated time to mentoring. She enjoys spending time with her family and camping any chance they get in the pacific northwest. 

Adam Rutledge is a shareholder and Director of Rice, Heard & Bigelow, a privately-owned firm of professional trustees serving individuals, families, and charities since 1782.  Adam holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Boston.  He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Wake Forest University, earned a master’s degree summa cum laude at Yale University under Professor Harold Bloom, and completed a doctorate in English Literature at Brandeis University.  Adam has been involved in ESG investing and is Chair of the Socially Responsible Investing Committee for the Trustees of Donations, which manages assets for churches and organizations associated with the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.  He is President of the Board of the Sears Charitable Trust, and he serves on the boards of several arts and letters organizations in the greater Boston area.

Julian serves a broad range of creative clients including artists, entertainers, and digital influencers, providing comprehensive financial planning and wealth management. Julian’s clients include multi-platinum selling musicians and producers, award winning actors, directors and choreographers as well as trailblazers in the NFT and crypto landscape. 

He has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Barron's, and US News & World Report. Additionally, Julian has been named a ‘Top-100 Financial Advisor’ by Investopedia and was a contributing writer for New York Foundation for the Arts book, ‘The Profitable Artist’.

Julian is a dedicated member of Janie’s Fund, a philanthropic initiative created by Steven Tyler to bring hope and healing to girls who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect, as well as We Are All Music Foundation (WAAM) which provides support to nonprofit organizations that use the power of music to improve lives and benefit society.

Cody Snyder serves as Vice President, Senior Trust Counsel for Christiana Trust Company of Delaware, a subsidiary of WSFS Financial Corporation. Prior to joining Christiana Trust, Cody served as Senior Trust Counsel for an independent Delaware trust company and as Vice President, Trust Officer for a national private bank. Cody received his J.D. from the Temple University Beasley School of Law and his undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University. Cody is an active member of the Delaware and Pennsylvania legal communities.

Danielle Spence McConnell, Wealth Advisor at Wealth Strategies Partners, provides comprehensive, tailored wealth management solutions to high-net-worth clients and business owners. She has nearly two decades of industry experience, including commercial banking and lending expertise. She holds Series 7 and 66 licenses and the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designation.

She was recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as a Power Leader in Finance. She serves on multiple nonprofit boards and committees, including Women in Numbers and Family Affair Ministries

Danielle is an advocate for voter education, financial literacy, and women’s rights. She is a graduate of Young Leaders Council and a member of Collective615. Danielle earned her bachelor’s degree in management at Morehead State University and her Master of Business Administration at Xavier University. She was recently one of 25 accomplished alumni selected by Morehead State to mentor current outstanding students.

Alison Stine is the Founder of Stine Wealth Management. She began her investment career in 2013 as her passion lies in helping others. Alison was promoted to Vice President in 2018 after earning her General Securities Principal license. She earned her Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) designation in 2019, as her practice has a focus on planning for the distribution of assets in retirement. She went independent and founded Stine Wealth Management in 2020. Civic duty is important to Alison, she serves within many local organizations. 

Stine Wealth Management has a focus on putting clients first. Alison enjoys building long-term relationships with her clients, and loves to see their plan unfold and adjust along the way. Alison has much experience in retirement planning, risk management, tax-efficient strategies, and helping clients through the phases of wealth: accumulation, distribution, and wealth transfer. Alison prides herself on educating her clients and communicating regularly.

Trajan Sung is a Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor at The Private Bank at Union Bank. He works with a specialized team of wealth management professionals to deliver comprehensive and customized solutions for clients of The Private Bank.  Trajan has over ten years of experience in wealth planning, investment management, risk management, and business succession planning.  Prior to his current role, Trajan served as a Relationship Manager for HSBC’s high net worth group in Southern California. He holds a B.S. in Business Finance and a minor in Economics from the California State University, Los Angeles. Trajan has been a Certified Financial Planner™ since 2015 and is currently pursuing the Chartered Market Technician (CMT®) designation. Additionally, he holds Series 6, 7, 63 and 65 securities licenses as well as a California Life Insurance license. Trajan is also an active member of the Financial Planning Association of Orange County.

Mikkela is a seasoned Wealth Management professional with a demonstrated history of working with High-Net-Worth individuals, families, and their businesses. Currently, Mikkela is the President, Director and Co-founder of Peninsula Bay Trust Company, Inc., a state-chartered financial institution that offers corporate trustee and fiduciary services to the people of California. Her favorite part of this role is creating operational efficiencies that allow her and her team to better serve clients in need. Mikkela’s achievements, in this regard, have included designing and building an industry-shifting infrastructure and serving as the Subject Matter Expert in the development of a new trust accounting software, securing a proprietary option for the company.

Mikkela received her JD, with a Certificate in Tax Law, from the University of San Francisco School of Law, her BA in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and holds the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designation from the American Bankers Association.

Eli Taylor is a Vice President, Relationship Manager with KeyBank’s wealth management division. He is responsible for delivering integrated wealth strategies and forward-thinking, objective advice to Key Bank’s high net worth clients. Eli has served in various lines of business with KeyBank since 2012 ranging from the Retail Branch Network, Corporate Bank, and his current role in the Private Bank.

Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Eli now resides in Tacoma, Washington with his wife and two daughters.

Eli earned his undergraduate degree from Tiffin University, majoring in business administration and obtained his MBA from Louisiana State University, Shreveport. He is a South Sound Magazine 2018 40 under 40 recipient. Eli currently serves on the boards of United Way of Pierce County, The Pierce County Library Foundation, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, and in 2018, Governor Jay Inslee, appointed Eli to the Clover Park Technical College Board of Trustees on a 5yr term.

Brenton Teeling has served as Vice President of Client Services and Administration at Legacy Private Trust Company in Neenah, WI, since 2016. Brenton oversees the Legacy client experience and is a member of Legacy’s management committee. Brenton is active in day-to-day operations and in the firm’s strategic planning. In addition, he utilizes his expertise and legal background to assist clients with their planning strategies and goals. 

Prior to joining Legacy, Brenton was a private practice attorney focusing on civil litigation. He earned his B.A. from Loras College (Dubuque, IA) and his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law. He also holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation. In the community, Brenton serves on the United Way Fox Cities Board of Directors and chairs its Emerging Leaders group. He also volunteers for various other organizations’ committees. Brenton lives in Neenah with his wife and their two children.

Brice Welch is a Vice President Wealth Advisor for Bremer Bank. In his role he provides disciplined, high-quality investment management, wealth planning and trust administration customized for your unique goals. By building long-term client relationships based on prudence, responsibility and trust he helps individuals, families, foundations, and other organizations establish and meet their financial goals. Brice has an Investments and Finance Degree from the University of North Dakota and is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA). He volunteers with Delta Upsilon Fraternity, United Way, as well as the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce. Brice is married to Katrina and enjoys traveling, golfing, and watching hockey and football.