Executive Staff
	Tom Kestler - Chairman, C.M.O. ext. 111 Tom has been involved in the financial planning field for over 25 years. He is a graduate of Millersville State University and the College for Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado (for which he has acted as an adjunct instructor) and carries the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. He has also been awarded the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor (CMFC) designations from the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA. In 2002, he completed the Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) program. He is Chief Marketing Officer of Kestler Financial Group, Inc., a firm which specializes in the marketing of financial Agents Site and services and has over 5,000 independent representatives throughout the United States. Mr. Kestler carries Life, Health and Variable Agents Site licenses in several states and provides consulting services to insurance companies on product design and development.  He has also served as an expert witness for insurance and investment related issues. His practice primarily focuses on family, individual and small business planning. Mr. Kestler carries the following securities registrations: Series 7 - General Securities Series 63 - Blue Sky Series 24 - General Securities Principal Series 65 - Investment Advisor
	Jason Kestler - President, C.E.O. ext. 117 Jason A. Kestler, President, CEO of Kestler Financial Group, Inc. has been working in the financial services industry since 1997.   Using innovation and determination in his marketing efforts, Jason’s goal is to build the organization every day, ensuring a long and prosperous future for KFG and its representatives. Jason’s unique management style and outside the box thinking have been featured in magazines such as, Inc., Direct Marketing, Fortune Small Business, and Senior Market Sales.  More recently, one of Jason’s proudest professional moments was when Kestler Financial Group was named the 2,866th fastest growing company in the US by Inc. Magazine. Continuing with his busy lifestyle, Jason is a founding Annexus Group partner, based in Scottsdale, AZ.  In addition, he currently sits on two advisory boards, NAFA, (National Association of Fixed Annuities) and Allianz Life’s Field Advisory Board.  He is also the Chairman of IMAC. (Insurance Marketers Advisory Council) In January 2009, Jason and his brother Kevin Kestler founded a commercial brewery in northern Virginia. The breweries unique marketing tactics have created a buzz amongst the brewing industry.  Jason lives in Leesburg, Virginia with his wife Emily and daughter Grace.
	Shelley Johnson - V.P. Case Management ext. 122 Shelley began her career with Citibank, FSB in the wholesale mortgage lending industry.  She worked several positions from administrative to management working her way to an Account Executive.  During her tenure with Citibank, Shelley received numerous Customer Service Awards, Employee of the Year Awards  and top producing Account Executive.  After 10 years with the bank, a reorganization took place and Shelley elected to seek other opportunities.  She continued her Account Executive career with Chase Manhattan for several years and then New America. After 15 years in the mortgage business, Shelley decided to pursue other avenues.  Her career in the Life Insurance Department at Kestler Financial Group began in February of 2002. Shelley was born and raised in Leesburg , VA.  Shelley has a passion for the bull terrier breed and has a beautiful white “bully” named Bruno.  She enjoys reading, traveling, gardening and entertaining.
	Matt Jarvi - National Sales Director ext. 121 Matt Jarvi joined the Kestler Financial Group in 2008 where he brings a tremendous amount of experience along with a trail of successes. Matt has a long career as an independent agent where he received many awards for being a top producer and trainer. He most recently worked for a large insurance carrier as Director of Sales and Recruiting before joining Kestler. His experience both in the field and home office bring a unique perspective and understanding of the industry to Kestler Financial. Matt’s ability to help train agents and reps on products, marketing, case design, and legacy planning make him a valuable resource for Kestler’s agents and employees. His enthusiasm for this industry is only rivaled by his passion to ride his Harley, fly fish, and spend time outdoors with his family.
	Daniel B. Hall, MCP - V.P. Information Technology ext. 130 Daniel's love for software development began at Age 10 when his parents invested in a Commodore VIC-20. Hall's early adoption of Microsoft methodologies has earned him numerous awards in the nuclear, telecommunications, and aerospace industries. Among being a published author and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), His expertise encompass a broad set of application architectures and technologies which include:  C# , VB.NET, ASP.NET, ADO.NET, Visual Basic Microsoft Transaction Server, SQL Server, Oracle, HTML, Microsoft Office, SalesLogix, and Windows 32bit API Framework. After September 11th 2001, Hall volunteered to join an elite team from around the United States to help design, develop, and eventual deploy 09112001.com. In 2002 Hall won the prestigious "2002 INFOWORLD 100" award for work with Boeing to help streamline data exchanged between suppliers, OEM's, and airlines.  When asked how he would summarize his career to date, he says, "“I truly believe that if you love what you do for work then you’re having fun. To be truly happy with what you do, one must find the right job, the right people, and the right work environment. I've truly been blessed throughout my career.”
Administration / Communication / Documentation
	Emily Kestler  - Senior Marketing Assistant ext. 151 Emily earned a degree in Communication from McDaniel College and began her career at Computerworld managing special events and working with Fortune 500 companies and diplomats.   She joined Kestler Financial Group in 2006 as the Senior Marketing Assistant and has since obtained her Life, Health and Annuities license.  She currently manages all events, promotions and marketing programs, in addition to assisting the marketing department.  Although initially a full-time employee, she returned from maternity leave in 2008 as a part-time employee working three days a week in the office; the other two days she spends with her daughter, Grace.
	Melissa Giordano  - Agent Relations ext. 151 Melissa Giordano joined Kestler after many years of working in the Customer Service field.  She will be finishing her degree in Government at George Mason University starting in January 2010.  Since starting at Kestler, she has truly enjoyed learning some of the ins and outs of the financial business, as well as forming relationships with the Kestler Employees and their agents.  In her free time, Melissa enjoys going to New York to visit family, lounging in the Outer Banks, reading, running, relaxing with friends and most of all watching her New York Yankees.  Being a diehard fan of the Yankees, Jets and Giants since she was born, she has gotten used to being given a hard time for not rooting for the “home” teams.  “I enjoy all sports, but am a true blue fan of all things Yankees.”
	Megan Nugent  - First Impressions ext. 100 Megan Nugent earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina.  Megan worked many years as a paralegal working in Corporate, Real Estate, and Family Law practice areas.  After the birth of her son, Megan decided to make a career change, and thus joined Kestler. In her free time, Megan loves to spend time with her husband, son, and Cocker Spaniel.  Megan is a die-hard South Carolina football and Duke basketball fan, and especially loves March Madness!!!
Marketing (Annuities, Life Insurance, Long Term Care)
	David Ocasio - Marketing Partner ext. 128 Born and raised in the Washington DC Metropolitan area after high school he attended St. Johns University in Queens, NY where he studied business administration and finance. After two years he returned to Maryland and received his BA in Business Management at the University of Maryland at College Park in 1999. Shortly after graduation he moved to Miami where he began his career in the insurance industry. Highly trained in the areas of annuities, life and long term care, David succeeded in recruiting and marketing. David’s passion for the industry lies within helping agents fulfill their potential. “Great products and a sound sales strategy is the key for an agent’s success.”  David’s rapid success in the industry is attributed to his training, passion and willingness to succeed. “The financial services industries is an exciting one that I’m very happy I’m involved in”. David enjoys sports especially football which he played for over 10 years including college, he is also a history buff.
	Beth Rodriguez  - Marketing Partner ext. 112 Beth Rodriguez began her career in the insurance industry with Kestler Financial Group, Inc. in 2000. Beth possesses her Life, Health and Annuity license and has served as a Marketing Support Specialist in the Fixed Annuity Department from the onset of her career here at Kestler. “I really enjoy working with the independent agents and supporting them with their annuity business.” You might say she is the Allianz annuity dinosaur at Kestler!  A resident of Leesburg, VA for nearly seven years, Beth moved to the area with her husband and two daughters when her husband’s career in the technology industry presented an opportunity in Northern Virginia. Mrs. Rodriguez previously lived in Springfield, VA and attended high school and her first year of college at George Mason University. Beth moved to El Paso, Texas when her father retired from the Marine Corps and met her husband while attending the University of Texas. She is very happy to be living in Virginia again and pleased that she is part of the Kestler family. Welcome Home!
	Amanda L. McGannon - Marketing Partner ext. 127 Prior to joining Kestler, Amanda was a successful producer for a major carrier, winning accolades and the company's President's Trophy in her first year of selling.  Her experience in the financial industry also includes work with The Potomac Group, a Bisys subsidiary.  Before joining the financial world, Amanda was a clinic coordinator at two health centers in California. Amanda received her degree in social work from The University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio.  She lives with her husband and two sons in historic Brunswick, Maryland where she enjoys the outdoors and family adventures.
	Kristen Reed - Marketing Partner ext. 124 Kristen Reed joins Kestler Financial Group after spending the last several years as the owner of a successful pest control company in Jupiter, Florida. New to the area and new to the financial industry Kristen has quickly adapted to her new role. Kristen’s experience as a successful business owner has given her the skills and abilities needed to succeed in this business and help agents with marketing and business building tools.  Kristen spent the first year of her life in Virginia but lived all along the East Coast, living primarily in Boston, Pennsylvania and Florida. A lifelong Red Sox fan Kristen enjoys baseball, Interior Design, entertaining and all things seafood. "A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship." - John D. Rockefeller (1874-1960)
	Phil Vegella  - Marketing Partner ext. 115 Phil graduated with honors from Frostburg State University, with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.  He is currently a graduate student participating in the distance learning program, at Texas A&M, working towards his Master’s in Business Administration.  Phil is a dedicated marketer and notes that “I am in the business of building long lasting relationships, and providing a reliable service that exceeds  the demands of today’s producer.”  He brings a unique approach to working with agents. By applying academic knowledge and Kestler Financial expertise in advanced annuity marketing; he gives sound advice so agents are able to help achieve their clients goals.  In his spare time Phil volunteers at the Isaac Walton League Chapter, of Rockville Maryland.  Currently, he works with his Father, by identifying invasive species in the wild, and samples local streams to test the water quality on behalf of the Save our Streams Foundation.
	Peggy Richardson  - Marketing Partner ext. 153 As a top producer from the mortgage industry, Peggy brings experience and strength to the Kestler team. She consistently set and broke national records and was honored with a place on the Presidents Council. Because of her Industry and Product knowledge whenever difficult questions would come up Peggy was always known as “The Go To Girl.” She brings her financial expertise to Kestler excited to build long standing relationships with agents nationwide. Prior to working in the mortgage industry Peggy started in Real Estate as an active agent in the Northern Virginia area.  Outside of work Peggy enjoys spending time with friends and family. Some of her hobbies include painting, cooking, reading, and outdoor activities. She also has a love for motorcycles and enjoys watching MotoGP.
	Jimmy Reed  - Marketing Partner ext. 160 Jimmy graduated from Shenandoah University in 2007 with a degree in Mass Communications and Public Relations. He began his career with Enterprise Rent A Car soon after graduating. He quickly took to marketing and obtaining outside business earning him numerous honors and awards. After two and a half years he decided to make a career change and focus on finance, which led him here to Kestler. His proven track record in marketing, sales and customer service will help him to be successful here at Kestler providing our agents with excellent service and helping them to be successful with their clients. Jimmy is originally from Frederick, Maryland and currently is a resident of Winchester, Virginia where he attended Shenandoah. While at Shenandoah he was a member of the football team and rugby club. In his free time he likes to watch sports, play video games, golf and spend time with friends, family and his puppy chocolate lab.
	Kevin Kestler - Life Specialist ext. 106 As my last name may suggest, I am Tom’s son and Jason’s brother. Although I have been around Kestler Financial for almost as long as I can remember, it wasn’t until my last year of college that I seriously considered pursuing a career here. However, the more I learned about the business and as my education progressed, I began to feel that I really had something I could offer to the organization. I also couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with both my father and brother. I am a graduate of Penn State University where I studied industrial/organizational psychology and business. I feel that this mixed background, although not the conventional route to such a career, will serve me well in my career with Kestler. Kestler Financial Group is the beginning of my financial services career. After about eight years of working for Kestler during summers, I am truly excited to be working full-time and I am looking forward to aiding in Kestler Financial’s continued growth and success. Outside of work, I enjoy watching and playing just about any sport, tinkering with cars and electronics, and I am a music and movie nut. I was recently married to my high school sweetheart Erin on January 3rd, 2009.
	Page Stephens - Marketing Partner ext. 119 Page Stephens recently graduated from Duke University, receiving her BA in Music with honors in 2009. She engulfed herself in the arts scene, minoring in Literature, studying opera, and performing in multiple dance performances in her 4 years there. Page realized she had a knack and a passion for marketing throughout her college work experience; she has marketed for multiple industries, including companies such as American Dance Festival, Grandparents.com, and Washington National Opera. Though new to the Finance industry, Page is motivated by the vigor and passion for business that her agents have for their work. She is dedicated to supporting them in the Kestler way, with expertise in the top products on the market and an honest approach to helping their clients. Outside of work, Page enjoys teaching voice lessons to beginning singers, performing, reading, cooking, and keeping up with her friends around the world.
Case Management
	Melanie Drews - Case Manager ext. 120 Melanie joins Kestler with an extensive background in customer service and account management with focuses ranging from managed healthcare to property management, and everything in between. She was born in Michigan, grew up in Frederick, MD and has spent her adult life in the Northern VA area. In her free time Melanie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, playing with her two cats, and reading.
	Nikki Toledo - Case Manager ext. 114 Nikki joins us after spending the last eight years in the wholesale mortgage lending industry. It was through her last company that she met her husband-to-be who was working on the opposite end of the country at the time. They were recently married in June 2008 at one of Northern Virginia’s fine wineries. A graduate of George Mason University with a Bachelors degree in psychology, Nikki has lived in Northern Virginia for the majority of her life, with only a few years of displacement while growing up in a military family. She currently resides in Sterling, Virginia with her husband and two rambunctious Labradors, Vader and Jaina (all of whom are big Star Wars fans). In her spare time Nikki enjoys travelling, exploring Virginia’s wine country, playing outdoors with the pups, and trying to be a better cook. Nikki is looking forward to a bright future with such an amazing team.
Securities
	Hilary Tarkington Stowers - Registered Principal ext. 125 Hilary began her career in financial services at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey - an institutional brokerage and investment banking firm in Arlington, VA. Hilary worked in the Sales Department on the trading floor - buying and selling stocks & bonds for both institutional and retail clientele. In addition, Mrs. Stowers participated in a countless number of IPOs, dealing with companies, research analysts, and clientele to ensure successful offerings for all parties involved. Hilary went on to serve as the Associate Communications Manger for LPL Financial Services. As a member of the Marketing Department, Hilary assisted reps who chose the path of independence on a daily basis. Hilary’s focus at KFG includes compliance, recruiting, branch development and marketing. A resident of Leesburg, Hilary enjoys vacationing at her family’s summer cottage in Michigan and loves to cook. In addition to possessing a series 24, Mrs. Stowers also holds both the series 7 and 63 securities licenses. Series 7 - General Securities Series 63 - Blue Sky Series 24 - General Securities Principal
	Larry Stich, MBA - Registered Principal ext. 139 Larry Stich entered the industry in the Spring of 2003 due to a life altering event which forced him to change his course of employment. Larry started in LTCi for which he has a personal passion, moved to annuity case management, and is now a member of the Securities Department.   Larry’s focus at KFG includes Suitability review and process of Securities Business.  “Knowledge is key in this industry especially as regulation proliferates; however, I have learned (the hard way) that relationships are equally essential.” On a personal note: “Outside of business, my life’s priorities are my faith, my family, flying and it’s a toss up between sailing and playing my saxophone.” “Si Deus pro nobis quis contra nos.” “Sic transit gloria mundi.” “Semper Fidelas”               BA History, MBA,             Life & Health License Series 7 - General Securities Series 24 - General Securities Principal Series 66 - Uniform Combined State Law Exam
	Phil Pinkey - Registered Representative ext. 135 Phil Pinkey got his start in the securities business with Genworth Financial, where his focus was on variable annuities. Because these products tend to be suitable for retirees, Phil dealt with seniors frequently and learned which approaches work best when advising this segment of the population. Eventually he transitioned into the role of Financial Advisor with a major wire house, where he was able to access a wide array of investments for clients of his own. Years of prospecting and managing assets for clients, taught Phil the true value of a trusted advisor. He is dedicated to helping registered representatives grow their practices and garner success.   In addition to being a graduate of The College of William and Mary, Phil holds his Series 6, 7, 66 and Life & Health Licenses. He is also an avid spectator of a variety of sports. Series 6 - Investment Co./Variable Series 7 - General Securities Series 66 - Uniformed Combined State Law Exam
Licensing/Contracting
	James McCadney - Licensing and Contracting ext. 116 James McCadney joined Kestler Financial Group, Inc. in May of 2001.  James began his career in finance and insurance, performing worker's compensation and general liability insurance audits for Coordinated Underwriters Inc. Accounting and math were the required skills to succeed as an auditor. The hidden component to his success as an auditor was understanding that a defined relationship exists between the client/carrier/agent, and that being able work within that relationship is essential. James' six years of insurance experience laid a solid foundation for his transition to head up the Licensing and Contracting Department at Kestler Financial Group, Inc.  His attention to detail and efficiency has enabled the department to significantly expand the number of contracted agents.  However, it has been his attention to agent and insurance company-focused service that has paid the greatest dividend. James is constantly working on improving ways to bridge our agents' needs and wants with our insurance carriers' capabilities.  James is a new resident of Frederick , MD.   He enjoys a number of outdoor activities and vacationing on the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean . Mr. McCadney also serves his community working with the local board of elections and as a polling place volunteer.
Legal
	Warren W. Grossman, ESQ. - Kestler Financial Group Legal Counsel ext. 118 A member of Kestler Financial since 1999, Grossman concentrates in tax, insurance and asset protection planning, planning for the transfer of family assets, elder law planning, and other related areas of expertise for the creation and preservation of wealth. Warren 's legal career spans over 20 years beginning as partner at Garson & Grossman where his primary focus was in real estate and corporate law. Working in his own practice, and as both member and partner in several prestigious firms throughout his career, Grossman's extensive legal experience is key to assisting Kestler agents meet the complex legal issues of financial planning for their clients. Warren also serves as the Manager of Grossman & Associates, providing guidance and legal advice to individuals and business entities in the Northern Virginia community.  His practice focuses on drafting appropriate legal documents including trusts, wills, buy/sell agreements, employment agreements, powers of attorney, and medical directives. Warren attended Washington College of Law at American University in  Washington , D.C. and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the  University of Miami . Grossman is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Florida . A father of three, Warren enjoys spending time with his family and cooking.