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About

Kalamazoo’s oldest and largest firm of independent financial advisors.

Established in 1960, the Wiser Financial Group is one of Kalamazoo’s oldest and largest, Independent Financial Advising Firms in Southwest Michigan. We’ve spent decades honing our financial advice and building trust in the community and with the families we serve. You have financial questions and we have financial answers that are tailored to you and your lifestyle.

Meet the team

Retirement

Choosing a financial advisor isn’t a decision you should take lightly. You want to trust that your wealth and future security is in capable, caring hands. And, you deserve to know that your individual needs are fully understood and valued. We get it. That’s why we strive to match you with an advisor who has the right expertise for your situation, an advisor who feels like a loyal confidant and a close friend. Our advisors thrive on building strong relationships and taking personal care with each client. We’ll welcome you with a warm handshake and cheer you on every step of the way as you progress toward your financial goals. After all, we’re in this together.

Our professional team

Since 1960 our professionals have been helping families throughout the country develop plans to help achieve their financial goals, including retirement, wealth management, risk management, and estate planning. While you’ll work closely with one advisor, you’re able to leverage all our team’s collective knowledge and experience, a combination that we’re confident you won’t find anywhere else.

Meet the team

Ronald Wiser

Chairman Emeritus, Founder of The Wiser Financial Group, Financial Advisor, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®

1960-Present

For more than 55 years, I have been a leader in the field of retirement planning, investment guidance, and tax reduction. I founded Ronald B. Wiser & Associates in 1960 and, today, we are recognized as one of southwest Michigan's oldest and largest financial planning organizations. I work closely with my clients to develop a customized program that meets each Individual’s objectives on both a personal and professional level. I make it a priority to assist families in achieving their long-term goals and protect their future should an unexpected event occur. Outside of the office, I dedicate my time to serving on several Boards, including: Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Comm-PAC, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), and Old Harbor Inn. I am also a member of Southwest Michigan First. On a regular basis I track financial trends such as the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Investor’s Business Daily, Kiplinger Tax Service, Investment News, and Forbes.

Wiser Financial Partners

Robert Campbell

Partner, Financial Advisor, CPA, CFP®

Specialties:
• Tax Planning Strategy
• Investment and Portfolio Allocation

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Book a Meeting with Robert

Wesley Lentz

Managing Partner, Financial Advisor, CFP®, J.D.

Specialties:
• Estate Planning Strategies
• Investment and Portfolio Allocation
• Multi-Generational Wealth Transfer

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Book a Meeting with Wes

Clinton VanLinder

Partner, Financial Advisor, CPA, CFP®

Specialties:
• Investment and Portfolio Allocation
• Tax Strategies Planning
• Risk Management

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Book a Meeting with Clinton

Senior Financial Advisors

Nicholas Messer

Financial Advisor, CFP®

Specialties:
• Investment and Portfolio Allocation
• Multi-Generational Wealth Transfer
• Risk Management

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Book a Meeting with Nick

Wiser Financial Advisors

Mark Davis

Financial Advisor

Steven Gehl

Financial Advisor

Denise Garten

Financial Advisor, CWS®

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Richard Geib

Financial Advisor, CFP®

Chris Vanderwaal

Financial Advisor, AIF®

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Team

Chelsea Low

Receptionist

Karen Brown

Client Relations Specialist

Michelle Morseau-Stewart

Client Relations Specialist

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Kristi Nash

Registered Client Relations Specialist

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Deanna Watson

Client Relations Specialist

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Lori Young-Brady

Director of Operations

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Carol Hatfield

Client Relations Specialist

Kelly Burcroff

Client Relations Specialist

Liz Huff

Client Relations Specialist

Lori Richmond

Client Relations Specialist

Susan Hickman

Registered Client Relations Specialist

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Shelby Weurding

Registered Client Relations Specialist

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Amy Conklin

Client Relations Specialist

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6100 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo MI 49009

269.372.1430 | 800.292.1472

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Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Neither Kestra IS nor Kestra AS are affiliated with The Wiser Financial Group nor any other entity referenced herein. Neither Kestra IS nor its affiliates provide legal or tax advice and are not Certified Public Accounting firms. 

Investor Disclosures https://www.kestrafinancial.com/disclosures

This site is published for residents of the United States only. Registered Representatives of Kestra Investment Services, LLC and Investment Advisor Representatives of Kestra Advisory Services, LLC, may only conduct business with residents of the states and jurisdictions in which they are properly registered. Therefore, a response to a request for information may be delayed. Not all of the products and services referenced on this site are available in every state and through every representative or advisor listed. For additional information, please contact our Compliance department at 737-443-2582.

The above links are provided for your information only. As they are provided by third parties, Kestra Investment Services, LLC does not endorse, nor accept any responsibility for the content. Kestra IS does not independently verify this information, nor do we guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

*It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Exposure to an asset class represented by an index may be available through investable instruments based on that index.  Past performance of an index is not an indication or guarantee of future results. Intent of this chart is to demonstrate equity market volatility and why it may make sense to seek professional advice when it comes to investing.

 

Robert Campbell

At The Wiser Financial Group, I serve as one of our senior financial advisors, tax planning strategists, and partners at the firm. Throughout my career at Wiser, it has been a pleasure to work with our talented team and I feel lucky for the opportunity to serve so many of our clients throughout the Southwest Michigan area. With our firm’s collaborative approach, I feel confident that we are able to serve our clients by truly knowing who our clients are, what their goals are, and keeping that in perspective when looking at the big picture of how we can help our clients reach their ultimate vision for retirement.


Since I started here, I can tell you one of the most rewarding feelings is knowing how our clients feel confident entrusting our team to help them invest in their future and work together towards personalizing their own plan for retirement. At this organization, relationships mean everything to us, and it all boils down to trust. Not just from a business standpoint, but also from a personal side. We love having the opportunity to get to truly know our clients, not simply knowing what their basic retirement goals are, or what a few of their investments look like, but by having the opportunity to hear about your kids, your grandkids, what your likes and dislikes are. These are important aspects of your life, not only to you, but to our team as well. We want to provide our clients with everything we can, as if they were our own family. I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity and the trust my clients have with our group, and we want to do our absolute best to help make those dreams for retirement a reality with all of our clients.


Outside of the office, I love spending time with my family and friends here in Kalamazoo. I am happily married to my wife, Karla, and we are lucky to have a family of three wonderful children, Lydia, Hayden and Hudson. We have lived in Kalamazoo for the majority of our lives, but our oldest, Lydia, has finally escaped Michigan and she is in her sophomore year of college out West. Most of the time you can find Karla and myself cheering on a basketball, soccer, or baseball game for either Hayden and Hudson, but we also love to spend time cheering on Michigan State Football and Basketball whenever we get the chance.

Wesley Lentz

I started my career at The Wiser Financial Group in 1998.  I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with such a dedicated team of advisors and staff whose combined goal is to serve the clients we work with.  Before joining The Wiser Financial Group, I was a practicing attorney with a focus on estate planning and general litigation matters.  As an attorney I soon discovered how important it is for an individual or a family to work with a financial advisor for their long-term security.

 

When I am not vicariously living through my clients’ retirement stories, outside of work I am blessed to be married to my wife Robin.  We have five children, and we all love to spend time together when we can.  I enjoy reading, cooking, playing tennis and golf and spending our family time in Kalamazoo and Traverse City.

Clinton VanLinder

At The Wiser Financial Group, I serve as one of our senior financial advisors and partners at the firm. I have been a part of this organization for twenty years. I cannot put into words how exceptionally grateful I am, and how rewarding it has been to help our clients throughout this area feel confident about the way we can plan for their future. One of the most fulfilling aspects of my work is to have clients leave my office feeling more secure about investing in the market, and most importantly, feeling confident about their plan for the road ahead.

Life has a weird way of having other plans for us. However, when it comes to planning for retirement, you have the ability to feel confident and in control of how you can impact the future for you and your family. Helping people realize that you do have the ability to gain control of your future, and it’s not an impossible task to plan for your future, is why I love coming to work every day. My clients know they are not only gaining an advisor, they are gaining someone who is going to look out for them like family, and a friend who will always have their back for the long-term. You deserve an advisor that is not only looking at your financial picture but can help be an advocate for how you want to live your life.

Outside of work, I spend as much time with my family as possible. I am blessed to have three amazing children, Matthew, Joshua and Natalie. I am lucky to have Joshua and Natalie still attending school locally here in Portage, while this year, my oldest, Matthew is at Michigan State University. As a former Spartan, I count down the days till football season to watch Matthew in the Michigan State Band.

Nicholas Messer

At The Wiser Financial Group, I serve as one of our Senior Financial Advisors.  I have been a part of this organization for over 10 years, joining immediately after graduating from The University of Dayton in Ohio in 2014. Initially, my roles included investment research and model portfolio construction while I learned the business of financial planning from behind the scenes. Over the years, I gained insight into the finer details of retirement, estate and tax planning. After obtaining my Certified Financial Planner designation in 2019, I took the next step in my career and transitioned to the role of a financial advisor while retaining my duties in assisting the firm in our client investment models and writing financial plans. I feel incredibly fortunate to have joined The Wiser Financial Group at such a young age and am grateful to spend my entire career working at such a reputable firm with the amazing advisors and staff that I am surrounded by.

When I am not connecting with clients and learning about their life and financial goals, I spend time outside of the office with my beautiful fiance’ Nichole and our dogs, Nova and Kaiser at our home in Hamilton. I enjoy traveling, hiking, golfing and attending football games at The University of Michigan every fall. Go Blue!

Denise Garten

I enjoy being in the financial industry and helping my clients meet their individualized financial goals. Over the years I have worked for Morgan Stanley, Prudential Securities and Lincoln Financial in the San Diego area. After 18 years I moved back to Kalamazoo and continued my financial career with The Wiser Financial Group.  

 

My life outside the office is spent with my son, Justin, and running the nonprofit I founded, Southwest Michigan Amputee Resource Group.  In my spare time I enjoy being outside, traveling, tending to my garden and kayaking.

Chris VanderWaal, AIF®

I began my journey as a financial advisor over 26 years ago.  I have had the privilege of working with and learning from some of the best advisors in the industry.  I have learned through the years that clients not only want a competent advisor, but one who truly cares about them and their personal situation.  I try to go above and beyond to bring my clients a sense of peace in the confusing and sometimes anxiety filled world of finances.   

I strive to work together with my clients to create a “roadmap” for their financial future and then walk with them through the many changes that life brings.  Being with an independent firm like The Wiser Financial Group allows me to maintain a “client first” approach that I so strongly embrace. 

My focus areas continue to be on helping clients transition to a successful retirement through financial planning and wealth management along with Medicare and Social Security planning. 

Additionally, I focus on working with corporate retirement plans in our area.  I enjoy helping business owners create or improve their company retirement plan to better serve their employees.  It has been very rewarding for me to help educate employees to take simple steps to improve their finances and reduce anxiety over money.  

Outside of the office my greatest joy is spending time with my family.  I have been happily married for 28 years to my wife, Macie.  We have two beautiful adult daughters, Elise and Aleia.  We have been very active in our church through the years. We enjoy outdoor sports and spend much of our time hiking, mountain biking and boating here in our beautiful state.  Over the past several years we have been exploring national parks across the country.  

Michelle Morseau-Stewart

After working in various other industries, I started my tenure with The Wiser Financial Group in 2000. Having the opportunity to work with our incredible team and the clients throughout the community has been a rewarding experience for me and I’m proud of the impact our business makes in helping clients achieve their financial goals.

When I’m away from the office I enjoy spending time with my son, his wife, and my Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier “grandpup” Chandler, as well as my two sisters and their families.



Kristi Nash

I began my career in the financial services industry with First of America Securities in 1995. In 2001, I had a wonderful opportunity to join the Wiser Financial Group. I have established a strong legacy of providing a quality level of customer service. I handle all aspects of client management and really enjoy the relationships that I have built with our clients over the years. 

At home, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two wonderful children. I enjoy traveling all over Michigan to watch my son play soccer and I enjoy listening to my daughter perform in her school band. I have always loved animals and have an adopted dog named Taz who I rescued 15 years ago. 

Deanna Watson

I joined The Wiser Financial team in July of 2017. Prior to becoming part of the Wiser Team, I held various office positions as well as business ownership. Being part of the Wiser Team, working with clients and interacting with our team members has been a very enjoyable experience. We truly are a team!

I enjoy being outdoors, sewing and spending time with my family. I also enjoy caring for my rescued dogs and cat. I experience so much joy working with these innocent creatures; teaching them, helping them overcome issues from their not so happy former lives, and watching them mainstream into our comfortable, safe, loving home.

Lori Young-Brady

Prior to joining our office, I was Vice President of Trading at Frist of America Brokerage Services. As Director of Operations for our firm I develop operational procedures and policies prioritizing the customer service needs and goals of our clients. I attended Western Michigan University, majoring in finance. I have been in Kalamazoo since attending WMU and meeting my great husband, Jim. My son lives downtown Chicago next to Millenium Park. Enjoy visiting Chicago and planning travel adventures with family and friends. 

Sue Hickman

I started my career in financial services with First of America Securities in 1993 and became a member of the team at The Wiser Financial Group in 2002.  I enjoy working with our clients and serving them when needed.  I have lived in the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area since 1966.  I have two adult children who live in the area as well, which allows me to be close to my family.  I can’t imagine not having a dog and adopting it from shelters.  Shelter dogs may have some quirks but they fit right in!

Shelby Weurding

I started my career in finance in 2013 and transitioned to The Wiser Financial Group in 2023. While I love all the details of financial planning, I enjoy connecting and building relationships with clients most. In my spare time, I spend time with my two children, Declan and Boone. We enjoy our little hobby farm, hiking, hunting, fishing, and anything outdoors.