Money Matters - A Financial Services Expo for REALTORS^®

• Wednesday, October 2^nd, 2024 @ GKAR
• 9:00 am - 10:30 am (this is an expo-style drop-in event; join us anytime between 9:00 and 10:30 am)
• Registration is available in the GKAR Member Login, via Member Central.
• Light breakfast will be served.

As real estate professionals, understanding the financial landscape is crucial to building a successful and sustainable career. "Money Matters" is a must-attend expo designed specifically for REALTORS® who are eager to enhance their financial acumen and secure their financial future. Learn strategies tailored to the unique financial needs of self-employed individuals, with a focus on wealth building, business planning, retirement solutions, and more.

Attendees will also be entered to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Thomas Anderton

Thomas Anderton is a Managing Director at 626 Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, 626 Financial Chief Compliance Officer, and he holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. Leveraging his education, experience, and community, he has developed many innovative and personalized approaches to advising affluent families on their complex financial situations.

Thomas joined his cousin Brant at 626 Financial in February 2018. Before joining 626, Tom was an Executive Director at Oppenheimer and Co., Inc., where he started his career in 2006. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. While working full time, he graduated with an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. Tom holds a Series 65 Investment Advisor Representative license, as well as life and health insurance licenses.

Tom, his wife Rachel, and two young daughters live in Texas Corners, close to the 626 Financial offices.

Kelly Duggan, AICI CIC, RDH

Kelly Duggan, president and founder of KELLY DUGGAN Image Consulting, LLC, has been helping executives and their organizations make their best impression since 1999. Kelly is a certified image manager, coach, speaker and consultant. Twenty-five years of experience as a healthcare professional nurtured her desire to care for people and make a difference in their lives. This same passion emerges when she works with individuals and groups in image development. KDI Consulting is an award-winning member of the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), the largest professional association of personal and corporate image consultants worldwide. Kelly was the 2009–2011 president of the AICI Chicago Midwest chapter. In addition to being a sought-after professional coach, speaker and consultant, Kelly is a trained stylist with J. Hilburn Menswear. She has served with a philanthropic community of image professionals (Image Impact International) and worked in several capacities on the AICI Chicago Midwest chapter board of directors. 

Adam Jackson, CIC

Adam is the Owner and Vice-President of Ron Jackson Insurance. Adam holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialty in Sport Marketing from Davenport University, 2008 National Alliance Certified Insurance Counselor, 2015. Growing up I spent plenty of time at the office visiting my dad, Mark, and my grandfather, Ron. In high school I would mow the lawn in Kalamazoo, move file boxes from the main floor to the basement storage. In college, I would take photos of houses to complete the underwriting file. After graduating from Davenport I took a job with Huntington Bank as a Personal Banker where I worked for a couple years. An opportunity presented itself to move back to Kalamazoo and come to work for the family business, and I took it. In 2011, I started as a personal and commercial lines producer. In 2016, I became the Sales Manager, managing a team of 4. January 2022, I purchased Mark’s shares and are now business partners with Jennifer Jackson (aunt). What do you like about Ron Jackson Agency? The people. I think we have the best team around. Everyone takes pride in the work we are doing for our customers, insurance companies we represent, and our local communities. Ron set the direction and tone, Mark and Jennifer took it to the next level with staff training and appearance of the agency. Now that we’ve transitioned again, I’m looking forward to watching our team continue to grow and make an even bigger impact in our communities. What do you like about being an insurance agent? Every day is different. It’s fun to learn about the way different businesses operate and what they need to protect what they’ve worked so hard to build. Then putting together an insurance plan to meet their needs. Tell us about your family, home-life, what you like to do with your free time. Lots of family time with our kids (5 of them!). Plenty of time spent at soccer fields, softball/baseball fields, basketball courts, etc. Like to spend time outside during the warm months at our pool or out on a lake. I also try and spend other free time playing golf, when not working or with the family. 

Aric Kasel, J.D.

Attorney Aric D. Kasel, J.D. is an Associate with Willis Law practicing in corporate law, real estate law, and litigation. Aric graduated top 5% of his class, magna cum laude with a J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. While at Cooley Law School, he competed in the 1L mock trial inter-school competition and won first place; he served as academic chair of the West Michigan Student Bar Association, mentor for incoming students, and research assistant. Aric received Cooley’s award for earning the highest grade in Torts 1, Ethics, Secured Transactions, Business Planning, Family Law, Negotiations, and Michigan Bar Exam Skills. Upon graduation, Aric was recognized with the WMU Cooley Law School Leadership Achievement Award. Prior to becoming an attorney, Aric spent several years as a paralegal working in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he also earned his B.S. in Criminal Justice with a Spanish minor, graduating from UW-Milwaukee. 

Sheila D. Lipsey

Sheila D. Lipsey is a native to Kalamazoo. She values what Kalamazoo has to offer to anyone who is willing to call it home. She has seen first-hand how much the city has changed. In her role as a human resource professional, she has the opportunity to recruit individuals to Kalamazoo and be an advocate for what the city has to offer. To her colleagues and friends, she is known as a presence coach. As a certified coach, her training reinforced what she knows and how she has lived her life. Be present today. Live the life you want to live, not the life others want for you. She enjoys the opportunity to coach individuals to take a leap of faith and believe the universe is waiting for them to embrace their authentic selves. Experience the genius of living instead of existing. As part of her coaching practice, she uses the Energy Leadership Index™ (ELI) to coach others on recognizing the energy they are experiencing and how it influences them and others around them. In her spare time, she enjoys running, fishing, golfing, playing games with family and friends, and laughing out loud. 

Chelsea Meyer

Chelsea Meyer is a Senior Manager in the Kalamazoo Yeo & Yeo office. She is a member of the firm’s Client Accounting Software Team, the Nonprofit Services Group, and the Trust & Estate Services Group. Chelsea joined Yeo & Yeo in 2013, and she specializes in tax planning and preparation for individuals, businesses, trusts and estates; business advisory services; financial statement compilations and reviews; managerial accounting solutions with an emphasis on QuickBooks. 

Matthew Rzepka, CPA, CFP®

Matt is the owner and founder of Valley Oak, a professional services firm based in southwest Michigan. The firm is comprised of three primary businesses: CPA Services, Financial Services, and Financial Wealth Strategies. Matt is a proud member of, and Executive Coach for Circle of Wealth®. The Valley Oak business model brings the discussion of tax implications to the forefront of all financial decisions, which is where they belong. Valley Oak services clients all across the United States, currently serving clients in upwards of 30 different states. Teamwork and tax planning in down-to-earth and understandable formats are some of the keys to success at Valley Oak. Rzepka attended Saginaw Valley State University where he played division II college football and received a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He is originally from Houghton Lake, Michigan, but now resides in Kalamazoo, Michigan with his wife Amber and their two children, Elizabeth and Paul. 

Steve Shannon

Steve is the owner of the Steve Shannon Insurance Group located in Paw Paw. His agency opened its doors in February 2021. A graduate of Paw Paw High School and Grand Valley State University, Steve lives in Paw Paw with his wife Morgan, daughter Norah, and black lab Beau. Outside the office, Steve loves camping, playing with his daughter, following his favorite sports teams, and playing soccer. He values the relationships he’s built and enjoys being a business owner is his hometown.

Desi Taylor

Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Desi is the founder of multiple businesses, including Kalamazoo Start-Up Center and Cluventure Travel. In 2019, she graduated Cum Laude from Western Michigan University in Social Psychology, Spanish, and Entrepreneurship. Desi has participated in many small business accelerator programs, including WMU’s Starting Gate and WMU / Michigan Tech’s Integrated Customer Discovery Program. She was awarded 1st place in WMU’s 2018 Bronco Pitch Competition, 2nd place in PitchZoo’s 2018 Pitch Competition, and was the 2018 recipient of WMU’s Wendell Christoff Award for Entrepreneurship. Her businesses have been featured in National Geographic Traveler, The Travel Channel, Frommer’s Travel Guide, various WMU magazines, and even a textbook about logical creative thinking in commerce – all before the age of 30. For the last 8 years, she has trained extensively in the areas of bookkeeping, business finance, and small business structure and compliance. 

2024 Business Partner Sponsors

Professional Development Series Programs are offered exclusively to GKAR Members as a complimentary Member benefit, and are planned and executed by your GKAR Professional Development Committee.