Mission Wealth is delighted to announce that seven Client Advisors have been named Partners of the firm. Bryant Merryman, Jorie Pitt, Julianna Rote, Kristen Taylor, Rory Macdonald, Skyler Kraemer, and Wes Patton have each made monumental impacts on client retention, new service offerings, and overall firm growth. This is the largest Partner class cohort in firm history and the Partnership now consists of 28 professionals.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming these talented individuals to our partner group. Each demonstrates our firm’s core values – not only in the way they interact with clients but also in the way they treat fellow team members,” said Dannell Stuart. “They are caring, committed, adaptable, and growth minded. Their futures are bright, and we are incredibly fortunate to count them as trusted colleagues and partners.”
Dannell Stuart was appointed President of Mission Wealth in November and has been with the firm since 2010. Her leadership responsibilities include the execution of firm strategy, support of personnel, and, ultimately, an exceptional client experience.
“We are delighted to announce Dannell’s promotion to President of Mission Wealth. Over the past dozen years, Dannell has excelled within our advisory team, has consistently attracted new clients to the firm, and has demonstrated the highest level of professionalism. The role of President now expands Dannell‘s leadership influence across the entire firm and we know her ongoing guidance will have a tremendous impact on our clients, our departmental teams, and the overall direction of the firm. It’s my honor to work alongside Dannell, and I could not be more optimistic about the future of our firm." Matthew Adams, CEO and Managing Partner of Mission Wealth.
Mission Wealth is 100% employee-owned and the recent promotions represent our commitment to developing future financial leaders. The 2023 appointments demonstrate our confidence in our firm career pathways as we move to strengthen Mission Wealth's position in key growth markets. These professionals were pivotal in the previous years’ shared success and encompass Mission Wealth’s core values that make them uniquely positioned to help clients thrive, through any economic environment.
Meet The New President
Dannell Stuart CFP® is the President and a Partner at Mission Wealth. She previously served in the role of Chief Client Officer, where she lead the Advisory Group.
Dannell has over 25 years of experience in wealth management. She has held roles in advice, business development, and management. She has been a nationally featured panelist in both live and online wealth management forums, has contributed personal finance articles to various publications, and has taught courses and workshops on investments and planning.
Dannell has been recognized more than once by Pacific Coast Business Times as one of the “Top 50 Women in Business”, and was also the Editor’s Pick for Business and Finance in 2015. Additionally, the PCBT chose her as a “Top 40 under 40” business leader in 2008, and she was in the “Who’s Who in Banking and Finance” edition in 2011 and 2012, respectfully. A proud resident of Santa Barbara, Dannell enjoys spending her time with her husband, Craig, and their two children.
Dannell is on the Endowment Committee for the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, as well as a Leadership Team Member at Ocean Hills Church. She is also an integral member of the Mission Wealth Women on a Mission group, which is comprised of female team members and offers advice on a variety of topics.
Meet The New Partners
Bryant Merryman CFP®, AWMA® is a Client Advisor at Mission Wealth on the Chicago regional team. As a Client Advisor, Bryant delivers customized investment management, financial planning, risk management, and tax strategy solutions to business owners, professionals, and retirees. Bryant is also a member of the Mission Wealth Investment Committee.
Bryant joined Mission Wealth in 2019 because of the company’s commitment to providing clients with financial planning and investment advice while maintaining a high ethical standard. Prior to joining Mission Wealth, he worked for premier investment firms around Chicagoland.
Specializing in planning for business owners, retirees, and wealth protection, Bryant loves to dive into the details so he can give the best suggestions possible for his clients.
Bryant lives in Glenview, IL with his wife, Kristina, their son, Theo, and their German Pinscher, Meli. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, traveling, and is a loyal Chicago sports fan.
Jorie Pitt 
Jorie enjoys listening and engaging in discussions with her clients about their life, their goals, and their dreams. Her favorite part of the job is receiving a phone call letting her know that a client has achieved an important goal.
As a Certified Financial Transitionist, Jorie is particularly skilled at working with clients who are going through a significant financial transition. One of her specialties is working with clients who have received an inheritance and need assistance creating a plan to handle their new wealth. Jorie is also skilled at working with individuals who have recently lost a spouse or life partner. She guides them through the difficult and often lengthy process of re-imagining their day-to-day life and their financial goals.
Jorie is married to her husband Stephen and they currently reside in Darien, IL along with their Pitbull named Bosco. They rescued Bosco in 2015 and have both since become involved in the animal rescue mission. During their free time, they volunteer at the West Suburban Humane Society. Jorie loves to travel but still has a lot of the world left to see! She also enjoys reading, musical theater, country music, and White Sox baseball. She also leads the organization of the Mission Wealth Women on a Mission group, which is comprised of female team members and offers advice on a variety of topics.
Julianna Rote 
Joining Mission Wealth in 2014, Julianna helps support her clients through various stages of their lives. As their needs evolve, she implements financial planning recommendations, providing clients with outstanding service quality. At the end of the day, Julianna acts as a resource to educate and empower her clients within all areas of personal finance and investing.
Julianna grew up in Thousand Oaks, CA, and currently lives in San Diego. She loves fashion and traveling but her true passions are animals and food. She is always finding ways to support animal rights and promote adoption.
Julianna is a member of the Junior League of San Diego, which is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through effective action. She brings this experience to the Women on a Mission group, where she is part of an array of female team members that offer the advice and guidance women need in this new age. The goal is to support a future full of strong, independent women, based on education, positivity, and empowerment.
Kristen is also one of the firm experts in sustainable investing and in this interview from July 2020, she shares her perspective on how to invest with a sustainable mindset. She is also an active member of the Financial Women of San Francisco, providing support by raising money for the next generation of women in finance. She brings this experience to the Women on a Mission group, where she is part of an array of female team members that offer the advice and guidance women need in this new age. The goal is to support a future full of strong, independent women, based on education, positivity, and empowerment.
Kristen, along with her husband Brian, daughter Madison and two orange tabbies Chego and Gingy live in the San Francisco Bay Area. They love to be outdoors so when they are not working you will find Kristen teaching Madison how to tend to the garden, while Brian is building another project. As big culinary enthusiasts, they also love to cook and introduce new foods to their daughter.
Rory Macdonald MA, CFP®, APMA®, AWMA® is a Client Advisor at Mission Wealth and has clients all over Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Arizona. Rory believes the most important aspect of being a wealth management advisor is being in tune with the unique financial situation and long-term goals of each individual client. Only when the driving forces behind a client’s actions are fully understood is it possible to act in their best interest throughout every aspect of their wealth management plan.
Rory was born in Sydney, Australia, before relocating to Orange County, where he spent the majority of his childhood. Rory currently lives in Marina del Rey in the Los Angeles area. He was an ocean lifeguard for several years and continues to enjoy spending time at the beach and maintaining an active lifestyle.
He personally enjoys working with clients who previously did not play a large role in managing their own finances. Rory finds these relationships most rewarding – over time their confidence and financial acumen continue to grow. After a year or two, it’s often a completely different relationship from how things began.
Skyler Kraemer MS, CFP® is a Client Advisor at Mission Wealth in the Northeast region. Skyler started in the financial industry in 2010. He began working in the RIA space with a boutique financial and estate planning firm in Santa Barbara. He then spent 6 years at a large national firm in San Francisco and New York City. He joined Mission Wealth in 2019 and believes the best feeling in the world is helping a client realize their dreams, goals, and aspirations.
Skyler is an avid reader and tries to read at least one book per week. He loves spending time with his family and is a proud dog dad. He enjoys golf, basketball, camping, and hiking.
Skyler is always looking for opportunities to have a positive impact on his community. He is most passionate about animal rights, protecting the environment, and providing financial planning education to young adults and low-income families. He would one day like to become an adjunct professor and teach college-level financial planning courses.
Wes Patton MS, MBA, CFP® is a Client Advisor at Mission Wealth on the Mountain West team. Prior to joining Mission Wealth in 2019, Wes worked as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones and FMB Wealth Management. He performed comprehensive financial planning and investment analysis, as well as providing back-end research and support. He currently enjoys delivering customized financial solutions and wealth analyses that go above and beyond his clients' expectations.
As someone who is genuinely curious about people and their experiences, Wes believes that learning about what makes someone different, their aspirations, and their values are just as important as knowing their financial details. One area that he is passionate about is ESG or Environmental, Social, and Governance investing. Many investors place a priority on investing in firms that place a premium on environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and ethical corporate governance. Wes says he gets a lot of satisfaction out of constructing an investment plan that not only allows a client to reach their financial goals but that is also aligned with their personal values.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Wes was really active with his local Boy Scout troop. He developed a love of nature and the outdoors. Some of his highlights are sailing around Florida, scuba diving in Catalina, backpacking in New Mexico, and getting to mentor younger members. Going on these outings and exploring nature showed Wes the beauty that the world has to offer, and the responsibility that we have to protect it.
Wes really enjoys seeing and performing live music and spends a good deal of time outside of work with the worship band at his church. He plays a number of instruments including guitar, bass, mandolin, and saxophone, but focuses mainly on bass and guitar. Growing up, he spent a lot of time writing songs and performing with local bands and even had the opportunity to perform at a number of festivals around the country.
Additional Promotions
Along with the President and 2023 Partnership Promotions, Mission Wealth is proud to promote 18 other professionals in the organization.
Jessica Neves - Director of Human Resources
Nicole Madosik - Director of Integrations
Helena Gould - Sr. Marketing Manager
Chrissy Roberts - Sr. Marketing Impact Specialist
Crystal Collins - Marketing Content Manager
Emil Nazaretyan - Portfolio Manager
Walter Rizo - Sr. Investment Associate
Cole Clifford - Investment Associate
Michael Widling - Investment Associate
Erika Pintard - CRM Administrator
Shinaola Atoro - Sr. Client Advisor Associate
Julian Driver - Sr. Client Advisor Associate
Martina Mendoza - Sr. Client Advisor Associate
Keaton Krutenat - Sr. Client Advisor Associate
Lisa Murphy - Client Advisor
Geoff Gaggs - Sr. Client Advisor
Steve Caltagirone - Managing Director
Jeff Avila - Managing Director
About Mission Wealth
Mission Wealth is a national Registered Investment Advisor, proudly serving over 2,350 families, managing over $5.0 billion in assets, and is 100% employee-owned. For more information, visit www.missionwealth.com or call (805) 882-2360.
Mission Wealth is a Registered Investment Adviser. This document is solely for informational purposes, no investments are recommended. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Mission Wealth and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Mission Wealth unless a client service agreement is in place.
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