James Neil Franzen

I'm Mike Dunlop, a CFP® in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I run Ignite Financial with Casey Redmond, CFP®. We're fee-only and flat-fee. You pay a set number, and that's it — no commissions, no percentage of your nest egg, nothing to sell you. I built the firm this way because I got tired of watching good people pay for advice that had a sales pitch buried in it. If your portfolio doubles, our work doesn't double, so our fee shouldn't either. Most of the people we work with are about five years out from retirement or already there. A lot of them are Iowa public employees trying to make sense of IPERS — when the Rule of 88 actually hits, which payout option to take, what the taxes do to it. We spend a lot of time on Social Security timing and Roth conversions too, because a big pre-tax account is kind of a ticking time bomb once RMDs show up. We have to pay our share, but we don't have to leave Uncle Sam a tip. I was trained as an accountant, so my numbers run conservative. Both Casey and I have the heart of a teacher — if you don't understand what we're doing, you won't trust it, and you shouldn't. Air Force veteran, four kids, an acreage in New Hartford with chickens and too many tomato plants. Ignite Financial is a state-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including institutional and individual investors. The firm employs a primarily passive, index-fund investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory, along with additional analytical methods and the capability to recommend outside managers.

Axel Hoogland is a financial advisor at Highland Wealth Management in Cedar Falls, IA, with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked as an engineer for John Deere since 2018. Highland Wealth Management offers fee-only, project-based, and hourly financial planning services, emphasizing strategic asset allocation with passively managed funds. The firm operates without discretionary trading authority or custody of client assets, focusing on written recommendations and client-controlled implementation.

Daniel Fencl is a financial advisor with Fencl Advisory Services, LLC in Cedar Falls, IA, holding a Series 63 designation and over 40 years of industry experience. He has worked with ICM Financial Services, Inc. and Dominion Investor Services, Inc. for multiple decades and currently serves as CEO of ICM Financial Services, Inc. Fencl Advisory Services is a state-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, trusts, retirement plans, corporations, and other professional clients. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning with a planning-driven, long-term buy-and-hold investment approach tailored to each client’s goals and risk tolerance.

Spencer Johnson is a financial advisor with Fencl Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 10 years of industry experience. He has worked with Fencl Advisory Services and ICM Financial Services since 2016 and was previously associated with Dominion Investor Services, Inc. Johnson is also the owner and president of ICM Financial Services, which provides administrative support and insurance services to clients. Fencl Advisory Services offers investment advisory, discretionary portfolio management, and financial planning to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and businesses. The firm emphasizes a goal-focused, planning-oriented approach with bespoke portfolio construction and ongoing client education based on long-term buy-and-hold strategies and tailored asset allocation.

Howard Dobson Jr. is a CFP® professional with 45 years of industry experience. He has been with American Financial Management, Ltd. since 1983 and previously worked at several related firms including American Financial Securities, Inc. and Investors Professional Services Inc. Outside of his advisory work, Dobson is an author and speaker, managing book sales and speaking engagements through a related entity. He is also a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, volunteering on various committees and its charitable foundation. American Financial Management, Ltd. serves individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporate entities by providing discretionary asset allocation, portfolio management, and financial planning services. The firm employs a modern-portfolio approach using multiple analysis methods and offers specialized services such as participant account management through third-party platforms and RIA-to-RIA technology consulting.

Casey Redmond is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and is currently affiliated with Ignite Financial in Cedar Falls, IA. Prior to joining Ignite Financial, Redmond spent five years at Peeling Back Layers and has been involved with Don Bosco Catholic High School for over a decade. Ignite Financial is a state-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes institutional and individual investors. The firm employs a primarily passive, index-fund investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, complemented by fundamental and technical analyses and the use of outside managers.