About NWMG
In a world crowded by signals, it’s important to know what should be tuned in and what can be safely ignored. Diligence requires quick and accurate interpretation of data with a thoughtful response.
Your life is busy and your situation is unique. A templated, low-effort investment solution may save time but may not bring about the desired outcome—or, could prove more costly than inaction. Quality demands informed attention
NWMG is a network of experienced boutique wealth planning offices, each with a unique planning focus, backgrounds, and service models. We do this because we understand that there is no one solution that works for everyone. We also understand that you demand and deserve excellence.
Our Team
Ben Jones, CFP®, NWMG Managing Director
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Ben Jones, a native of Cincinnati, holds a degree in business administration from Pepperdine University and embarked on his career in financial services in 2006. In 2015, he co-founded National Wealth Management Group alongside Gary Mathews and Vivienne Schleu, where he has since dedicated himself to providing strategic financial planning and investment advice.
A devoted husband and father of four children, Ben channels his passion for teaching into authoring the KaratStick newsletter, empowering readers with insights on wealth accumulation, tax strategies, and long-term financial security.
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https://x.com/TheKaratStick
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/
Vivienne Schleu, NWMG Managing Director
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As Managing Director, Vivienne works alongside her business partner Ben Jones to continually build and refine NWMG, an Investment Advisor built by advisors, for advisors. She brings ample experience to the table, having provided financial advice and tax guidance to clients throughout the U.S since 1995. Her passion for assisting others in making healthy financial decisions and plans for the future comes from her personal experience assisting her family with complex financial issues following the passing of her father in 1984.
In 2008, she joined LPL Financial and founded her firm, Alpina Financial Consultants. She continued to build a client base from her dedication to understanding clients’ specific needs and preparing investment and savings plans that were customized to address those needs. This later blossomed into National Wealth Management Group, LLC, launched by Gary Mathews, Vivienne’s husband, in 2015.
For nearly 28 years, Vivienne has helped guide countless clients with strategies to build and preserve their wealth. As a CPA, her financial planning strategy is rooted in a client specific investment philosophy combined with a tax minimization plan, and insurance-protected portfolio of assets. Her focus is helping small business owners and people from all walks of life, protect their income and plan for retirement. Vivienne’s philosophy is: “A customer is someone you sell something to. A Client is someone you protect.”
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivienneschleucpa/
https://x.com/AlpinaLPL
Matthew Heitman, CFP®, CFA, ChFC®, CRPS®, CRPC®, NWMG Advisor
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Matthew E. Heitman joined NWMG in August 2025 after serving as Director of Financial Planning at Fi3 and Senior Wealth Planner at Key Private Bank. A University of Cincinnati graduate, Matt holds an impressive array of advanced designations, reflecting his deep expertise in comprehensive financial planning, investment analysis, and fiduciary responsibility. Passionate about delivering sophisticated, client-centered solutions, he specializes in helping families and business owners navigate complex financial situations in the areas of investment, tax, and estate planning with clarity and confidence.
A vocal advocate for entrepreneurship, Matt enjoys mentoring the next generation of business owners to transform vision into action. He demonstrates what is means to live with a heart of a servant, being a steadfast husband and father of two young children. He is an avid lifelong student of finance, with a constant yearning for knowledge. This trait is also evident in his pastimes as a strategy-game enthusiast and reader.
Follow him on http://linkedin.com/in/matthew-e-heitman/
Lisa Gerardi, NWMG Financial Advisor, Gerardi Wealth Management
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Lisa Gerardi, Founder of Gerardi Wealth Management, is a seasoned financial advisor in Cincinnati, Ohio, with nearly 30 years of experience in wealth management, investment planning, and financial services. Specializing in navigating market volatility, retirement planning, and personalized investment strategies, she helps individual investors overcome financial fears through client education, objective advice, and tailored wealth solutions.
Her career started in 1990 as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, advancing to roles in administrative coaching and client services; she later joined H&R Block Financial Advisors in 2006 before establishing her independent practice in 2009 post-acquisition by Ameriprise Financial Services, emphasizing fiduciary duty, independence, and client-centric financial planning.
Originally from Delaware, she relocated to Ohio in 1991 and resides in northern Cincinnati, frequently traveling to meet clients for in-person financial consultations and portfolio reviews. As a detail-oriented problem solver passionate about exceptional customer service, Lisa builds long-term client relationships across the US, especially from Ohio to Delaware.
Beyond her professional role as an investment advisor representative, Lisa enjoys NFL football as a Bengals and Eagles fan, crafting wine from her family’s Delaware vineyard, and bonding with her Rottweiler, Dozer, an AKC-certified dog who often joins her in the office, adding a personal touch to her Cincinnati-based wealth management practice.
Richard Moss, NWMG Advisor
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Richard L. Moss joined National Wealth Management Group in 2020 with over two decades of experience as an advisor with firms such as Edward Jones and LPL Financial. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Indiana State University, an education that reinforces his innate ability at fostering deep connections with people.
His chosen vocation as personal financial advisor, inspired by his hard-working mother who passed her Series 7 exam later in life, has proven befitting. Employing a skillful approach to helping clients address complex financial decisions entangled with heavy emotional burdens requires active listening and wisdom. Richard is adept as a guide and advisor for people facing major life decisions such as retirement, divorce, or career relocation precisely because he possess both attributes.
At his core, he is a family man. With years of marriage and fatherhood under his belt, Richard lives a life that demonstrates priority and principal. He is a long-term thinker, applying his principal of realistic optimism, an integration of real-world risk assessment with a positive disposition, to nurture better outcomes. He has designed this maxim as a multi-generational heirloom which one day may inspire his daughters to step in his place and carry on the legacy of service he inherited.
Vince Valeriano, CRPS™, NWMG Wealth Advisor
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As a dedicated financial advisor at NWMG in Las Vegas, NV, Vince specializes in helping individuals, families, and business owners align their finances with their core values through fiduciary guidance, comprehensive education, and trust-based strategies. With expertise in retirement income planning, estate and legacy planning, education funding, philanthropic giving, and business retirement plans, he adopts a client-first approach to deliver transparent, personalized financial solutions.
He manages investment portfolios emphasizing growth, risk management, and tax efficiency, while designing customized life insurance strategies for families and businesses, including buy-sell agreements, key person coverage, and succession planning. He integrates annuities for secure retirement income streams and develops lending strategies to optimize debt and support long-term goals.
Collaborating closely with business owners, Vince designs and oversees retirement plans that ensure compliance, enhance employee education, and align with organizational objectives for sustained success.
At the core of his practice is a commitment to fostering trust through open communication and client empowerment, simplifying complex decisions to provide clarity, confidence, and enduring value, ultimately enabling clients to achieve peace of mind and focus on meaningful life pursuits.
Noah Henson, NWMG Financial Advisor
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Noah P. Henson, millennial and lifelong resident of Cincinnati, has earned the reputation as one of the hardest working and genuine advisors within the NWMG Advisors family. A 2017 graduate of Miami University with a BA in Finance, Noah began his career with MML Investors Services before joining NWMG in 2021, where he provides dedicated financial planning, portfolio management and investment guidance for young professionals and real estate investors. He serves as a fiduciary in these roles, partnering with the NWMG Cincinnati advice team for collaboration and support.
Outside the office, Noah is a devoted husband and father of two young children, an avid baseball fan and recreational player, and an active real estate investor. His passion is building long-term wealth both for his family and his clients through the application of consistent discipline and common-sense money practice.
Michelle Hayes, NWMG Client Relationship Manager
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Michelle Hayes, a Cincinnati native and proud mother to two daughters and a stepson, has been a trusted member of the National Wealth Management Group team since 2020. Beginning her financial services career in 2001 as an administrative assistant with Edward Jones, Michelle quickly distinguished herself as an expert in navigating complex financial forms, accounts, and processes with precision and care. Known for her empathetic listening, natural ability to connect with people, and the heart of a teacher, she excels at simplifying overwhelming paperwork and guiding clients through every step with patience and clarity.
Outside the office, Michelle is an avid gardener who finds joy in nurturing both her plants and her family, bringing the same thoughtful, growth-oriented approach to her relationships with clients that she does to her backyard oasis.
Brent Gargano, CFP®, Infinite Wealth Planning
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Brent founded Infinite Wealth Planning in 2022 to deliver superior client experiences through comprehensive guidance in investment management, tax strategies, and retirement planning with a focus on purposeful decision-making and implementation. Empowered by the latest in technology, he applies analytical skills honed early through a rigorous education and early career trek. He earned a chemistry degree from the University of Cincinnati, where he unexpectedly discovered a passion for personal finance and investing. This introduced him to his first finance career opportunity at Fidelity Investments in 2013. Here he developed talents in optimizing benefits and creating holistic plans for thousands of individuals, before transitioning to UBS in 2019 to lead relationships with high-net-worth clients. Beyond client work, he serves as an Adjunct Professor of Finance at the University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business, mentoring future advisors, and has been an active member of the Financial Planning Association of Southwestern Ohio.
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp%C2%AE-2067b573/
https://x.com/Brent_Gargano
Jordyn Brown, NWMG Office Manager
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Jordyn Brown, a graduate of Bishop Fenwick High School, began her postsecondary education at Cincinnati State in respiratory therapy before discovering her true calling in finance. Inspired by her father, a financial advisor since the 1990s, she joined NWMG Advisors in 2023 where she could learn from thought leaders in the field of financial planning. Determined to follow her father’s footsteps helping others build lasting wealth, she has graduated from the Ashworth College sales administrative program and taken on numerous mission critical responsibilities at the firm.
Outside of the office, Jordyn values time with her family and nurtures interests in music, fitness, hiking and reading.
Angela Howard, NWMG Advisor
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Stepping into the family legacy with flair, Angela became the second-generation advisor when she joined Model Wealth Group—the innovative firm her father, Marshall, founded back in 1995. Armed with over two decades of hands-on expertise and a treasure trove of inherited wisdom, she’s adept in crafting tailored asset management strategies for retirees and insightful life planning for hardworking income earners. Angela’s fire for continuous learning keeps her at the cutting edge of industry trends, transforming complex insights into practical, no-nonsense advice that truly empowers her clients. Her dedication shone through when The Institute of Business & Finance (IBF) honored her with a Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) degree, earned through a rigorous multi-year program.
Today, Angela runs her vibrant practice from the Columbus, Ohio area, where she balances professional prowess with the joys of family life.
Christie Halko, NWMG Client Service Manager
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Christie joined NWMG in 2021 after 12 years of expertise in Client Service Management at Edward Jones in Cincinnati, Ohio. For a decade and a half prior, she and her husband owned and operated their own business. This provided invaluable insights into the unique financial challenges faced by business owners.
Her extensive and varied professional background equips Christie to handle a wide range of complex tasks and responsibilities within the firm. She is committed to delivering exceptional, dedicated service to clients and colleagues alike. Getting things done is her motto.
Christie resides in Morrow, Ohio with her family. She has a 25-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, and a 21-year-old son, Tyler, both of whom are entrepreneurs. In her leisure time, Christie enjoys traveling with her family and boating, often spending time at Lake Cumberland in Kentucky with loved ones.
Dawn Spiker, NWMG Client Service Specialist
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Dawn began her career in the financial services industry serving as an administrative assistant for an independent broker/dealer practice in Cincinnati, OH. Subsequently, she passed her FINRA Series 6 exam in 2013 and expanded the scope of services she offered clients. Years of experience working with individuals, helping them plan through complex and often stressful decisions further refined her already affable personality with a seasoned empathy.
Dawn serves NWMG clients throughout the United States, primarily fulfilling mission critical responsibilities as an important member of the Alpina Financial Consultants advice team. She resides in the Greater Cincinnati area with her husband.
Jessica Niehaus, NWMG Client Service Admin
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Jessica joined NWMG in June 2025 as Office Manager and Client Services Manager, supporting Lisa Gerardi of Gerardi Wealth Management. She brings more than a decade of experience in the financial services industry, with a strong background in employee development, customer service, and team leadership.
Jessica is committed to building strong client relationships, delivering exceptional service, and ensuring clients feel valued, heard, and supported throughout their financial journey.
A native of Cincinnati, Jessica grew up on the city’s east side and currently resides in Liberty Township with her husband of 22 years and their two teenage sons. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Sciences.
Outside of work, Jessica enjoys reading and film. She values quality time with her family, meaningful conversations, and opportunities to connect with others. Her approach is guided by principles of kindness, curiosity, and the conviction that small gestures can have a significant impact.
Jim Lewis, NWMG Financial Advisor
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James K. Lewis III, or ‘Jim’ as his friends call him, came to NWMG as a seasoned independent financial advisor in 2019, drawing on over three decades in the financial services industry. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Indiana University (1986) and the Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) designation, James brings expertise in asset management and advisory services, complemented by his ongoing role as an insurance specialist since 1994.
Jim has served as a trusted advisor under several big-name brands, such as Edward Jones and J.P. Morgan Securities, before he carved out his home in the independent space. His years of experience at various firms, witnessing first hand how back offices often dismiss end-client interests, have only strengthened his is commitment to providing client-first advice. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Jim operates a successful practice as a fee-based advisor and fiduciary.
Katherine Petrelli, NWMG Financial Planner
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Hailing from Southern California, Katherine moved to South Florida in 1992 where she planted her household and raised two sons and a daughter. Being the only girl from a family of six children raised by a dedicated mother, Katherine understands the importance of sensible financial planning and her ambition mirrors this passion.
While raising her own three children, she earned a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management and launched a career in financial services in 2001. Katherine specializes in retirement and income planning, investment management and investor behavioral coaching.
She is a dedicated educator, drawing from her family’s military background to motivate clients and friends alike to maintain prudent financial discipline to achieve the desired results.
She currently resides in Palm Coast, Florida with her husband and retired Navy veteran. She is an avid advocate for women working in the financial services industry and is an active member of her local Chamber of Commerce. She enjoys regular nature walks, staying active in her community, spending time with her grandchildren, and of course, motorcycles.