Facebook Linkedin

Our Strategic Alliance

Good Financial Group is a Member Firm of the Valmark Financial Group, a select group of independent wealth and insurance advisory firms. Valmark provides concierge level support to each Member Firm.

As a Valmark Member Firm, we are able to leverage the knowledge and experience of these professionals to help us deliver innovative thinking and recommendations when helping our clients strategically plan for their futures.

As a collective group, Valmark Member Firms have over $46 billion of life insurance in force and an estimated $5 billion of assets under management, with an additional $25 billion of assets under management controlled through independent Investment Advisors associated with Valmark. Good Financial Group has access to many of the nation’s top financial service providers, products and services, enabling us to advocate on behalf of our clients while maintaining independence.

Valmark Securities, Inc., our broker dealer, is a member of FINRA and the SIPC, and is licensed in all 50 states for securities and insurance.  It has 115 independently-owned Member Firms throughout the United States.  Valmark Advisers, Inc., our Registered Investment Advisory firm, is registered with the SEC.

Valmark’s staff are career professionals involved in investment analysis, portfolio management, life insurance and other protection products, medical underwriting, product due diligence and regulatory compliance.

AN UNDERWRITING ADVOCACY TEAM with a former insurance company Underwriting Vice President, a Medical Director who is a licensed physician, and a senior staff of case management, business processing and policy service specialists.

PLANNING SPECIALISTS AND ADVANCED CASE ADVISORS, including attorneys, accountants, MBAs, Chartered Financial Analysts, Certified Financial Planners, Chartered Life Underwriters, and Chartered Financial Consultants. Many are FINRA Registered Principals who provide independent assessment and analysis of recommended products and services.

STATE-OF-THE-ART INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION that is fully integrated with many of our profession’s top providers as well as world-class custodians such as Schwab Institutional, and Pershing.

Executive Leadership

Larry Rybka

JD, CFP®
Chairman and CEO

View Bio

Caleb J Callahan

CFP®
President and Chief Operating Officer

View Bio

Investment Management and Advisory

Michael McClary

MBA
Chief Investment Officer

View Bio

Tyler Denholm

CFA®
Vice President, Investment Management & Research

View Bio

Insurance Underwriting

Michael Noss

FALU®
Director, Underwriting

View Bio

Mindy Shaffer

New Business Specialist

View Bio

Eric Johnson

Vice President, Underwriting

View Bio

Insurance Services and Design

Chris Bottaro

MBA
Senior Vice President, Insurance Services

View Bio

Phil Jackson

MBA, CLU®, CFP®
Director, Insurance Planning

View Bio

Michael Michlitsch

MBA, CRPC®
VP, In Force Insurance Solutions

View Bio

Financial Planning

Zach Hurst

CFP®
Director, Financial Planning

View Bio

FinTech

Jessica Rorar

CFP®
Director, Financial Technology and Investments

View Bio

Communications/Social Media

Jamie Summerville

MBA
Vice President of Communications

View Bio

Compliance

Doug Wilburn

Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel

View Bio

Contact Us Today

Securities offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Valmark Advisers, Inc., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor, 130 Springside Drive, Akron, OH 44333-2431 * 800-765-5201. Good Financial Group, LLC is a separate entity from Valmark Securities, Inc. and Valmark Advisers, Inc.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

© 2023 Good Financial Group, LLC. All rights reserved

Crafted and Cared for by Rybka Design

Larry J. Rybka

JD, CFP®

Chairman and CEO

Larry J. Rybka is the Chairman and CEO for our partner, Valmark Financial Group. Mr. Rybka’s 30+ year tenure at Valmark has been marked by working with independent Investment Advisors to create innovative solutions to better serve clients. He proactively anticipates difficult regulatory challenges which impact how those services are delivered. His thoughts on industry change have resulted in him being invited to address every major industry meeting from main platform, including Forum 400, MDRT, Top of the Table, and AALU. His industry advocacy is also evidenced by testimony before legislative bodies and lobbying on behalf of advisors with FINRA, SEC, and several state Insurance Commissioners. Mr. Rybka is also a noted speaker and author with published articles in numerous industry journals. Two of his articles were recognized with industry awards, including The Journal of the American Society of CLU & ChFC® Author Award and the CFP® Board Article Award. He earned a BSBA in Finance from The University of Akron, where he was a University Scholar, and his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University. Along with Series 6, 24, 63 and 65 registrations, Mr. Rybka is a Registered Principal with FINRA, a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU) and a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional.

Caleb J. Callahan

CFP®

President and Chief Operating Officer

Caleb J. Callahan is the President and Chief Operating Officer for our partner, Valmark Financial Group. He is responsible for the overall business operations of the company including sales, marketing, operations and business development of the firm’s broad offering of insurance and investment products and services. Mr. Callahan is also Chairman of Valmark’s Global Gift Fund™, which makes charitable contributions to non-profit organizations and ministries around the world. He is a frequent presenter at industry meetings such as the American Bar Association (ABA), the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). He has also provided expert testimony to the United States Congress, Department of Labor (DOL) and National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Mr. Callahan holds BSBA in Finance and a Minor in Economics from the University of Akron, where he was Valedictorian and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Along with Series 7, 24 and 66 registrations and Life, Health and Variable Annuity Licenses, Mr. Callahan is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU).

Michael McClary

MBA

Chief Investment Officer

Michael McClary is the Chief Investment Officer of Valmark Advisers, Inc. and Valmark Financial Group, LLC. His primary responsibility is coordinating all investment management solutions for Valmark Advisers and Valmark Institutional, including TOPS®, TOPS® Strategic Allocation Portfolios, TOPS® Managed Risk ETF Portfolios and Valmark ACCESS™, and ACCESS™ Plus solutions. Mr. McClary was named by EFTReport as one of “10 Rising Stars” in 2012 and one of “10 All Stars” in 2014. He is nationally recognized as one of the first three memebrs of the IMN/Research Magazine “ETF Advisors Hall of Fame” in 2007 and is regularly published on ETF.com. In addition, he has collaborated with the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s, Financial Advisor, and Research Magazine, to name a few, on ETF-related topics and has been a featured speaker for organizations such as the S&P and the Financial Planning Association. Mr. McClary holds FINRA series 7, 24 and 66 securities registrations, is a Member of the Cleveland Society of Chartered Financial Analysts®, and is a Registered Investment Advisor. He earned an MBA in Financial Management and a BBA in Finance in Financial Services, Magna Cum Laude, both from the University of Akron.

Tyler Denholm

CFA®

Vice President, Investment Management & Research

Tyler Denholm is the Vice President of Investment Management and Research for our partner, Valmark Financial Group. His primary responsibility includes overseeing the investment management process and conducting research for TOPS®, TOPS® Strategic Allocation Portfolios and TOPS® Variable Insurance Trust. Specifically, he is responsible for portfolio design and portfolio management. Mr. Denholm regularly analyzes the TOPS® Portfolios and is heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of portfolio management. He also helps analyze our prospective portfolios, and we work directly with Tyler to determine which of the various Wealth Solutions would be the best fit for our clients. He earned his BSBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Akron, graduating Summa Cum Laude. In addition to his Series 7 and 24 registrations, Mr. Denholm is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®).

Michael Noss

FALU®

Director, Underwriting

As a Senior Underwriter for our partner, Valmark Financial Group, Michael Noss is responsible for the technical assessment and negotiation of underwriting offers and serves as a contact for any new business or underwriting issues. He is a national presenter for the Valmark School of Excellence in addition to various industry conferences. Mr. Noss earned his BA in Philosophy and Communication from Saint John’s University. He is a member of the Association of Home Office Underwriters (AHOU) and a Fellow of the Academy of Life Underwriting (FALU).

Mindy Shaffer

New Business Specialist

As a New Business Specialist for our partner, Valmark Financial Group’s Underwriting team, Mindy Shaffer works with Member Firms to provide excellent customer service and to make sure their life insurance cases get submitted, issued, and placed in a timely manner. She has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, with 13 of those years being in life insurance. Ms. Shaffer previously worked for a core carrier of Valmark’s on their indexing, submit and issue team, while also filling in on their 1035 team before transitioning to policy administration. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, and fishing with her husband and son.

Eric Johnson

Vice President, Underwriting

Eric Johnson is Vice President of Underwriting for our partner, Valmark Financial Group. He is responsible for risk assessment appraisal, consultation and negotiation on the behalf of Valmark Financial Group member offices and clients. Mr. Johnson brings more than 30 years of experience with impaired risk and jumbo case underwriting, reinsurance, sales and brokerage operations. He is a presenter at numerous industry seminars and workshops speaking on topics such as Challenging Underwriting Impairments, Jumbo Business and Brokerage Underwriting. Mr. Johnson earned his BA from Luther College and holds Minnesota Life, Accident and Health Insurance licenses. He is a member of the Association of Home Office Underwriters (AHOU) and the Twin Cities Association of Home Office Life Underwriters (TCAHOLU).

Chris Bottaro

MBA

Senior Vice President, Insurance Services

Chris Bottaro is the Senior Vice President of Insurance Services for our partner, Valmark Financial Group. He is responsible for the vision, strategy, and execution of life insurance marketing, underwriting, new business and in force insurance solutions initiatives. Formerly, Mr. Bottaro was an Underwriting Account Executive at Lincoln Financial Group where he led a team of 25 underwriters and new business associates through strategic initiatives aimed at making the life insurance process simpler and more efficient for advisors and their clients. He has an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts and holds Series 6 and 26 registrations.

Phil Jackson

MBA, CLU®, CFP®

Director, Insurance Planning

Phil Jackson is the Director of Insurance Planning for our partner, Valmark Financial Group, with a focus on insurance solutions. In his role, he analyzes estate, business and retirement planning strategies specializing in life and long term care insurance. In addition to his Series 7 and 24 registrations, as well as Ohio Life, Health and Variable licenses, Mr. Jackson is a Chartered Life Underwriter® and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, an MBA from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Michael Michlitsch

MBA, CRPC®

VP, In Force Insurance Solutions

As the VP of In Force Insurance Solutions for our partner, Valmark Financial Group, Michael Michlitsch is responsible for integrating strategies and solutions for in force life insurance business. Michael is responsible for the Valmark Policy Management Company and Valmark’s Life Settlement Advocacy division. Previously, he was Manager of Practice Management at Securian Financial Services, Inc., a Senior Training Manager for Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., and Sales Manager for Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Mr. Michlitsch earned his MBA from the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas and his BA in Management and Marketing from Bethany Lutheran College. He is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ and carries the following Financial Services Designations: CFS, CIS, CES, CAS and CTS. In addition, he holds Series 7, 24 and 66 registrations as well as Life, Health, and Variable Life and Annuity licenses.

Zach Hurst

CFP®

Director, Financial Planning

Zach Hurst is a Director of Financial Planning for our partner, Valmark Financial Group. In his role, he is responsible for aspects of design, marketing and implementation of Valmark’s unique financial planning processes. He oversees a team that assists member offices with accumulation, income distribution, and legacy planning through various processes designed to best meet the unique needs of each of our clients. Mr. Hurst earned a BSBA in Financial Services from the University of Akron, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and holds Series 7, 24 and 66 registrations. In addition, he is licensed for Ohio Life, Health, Accident and Variable Life Insurance and is a Chartered Life Underwriter®. He has been recognized for Outstanding Work and Accomplishment in the Field of Financial Planning from the University of Akron’s Finance Advisory Board (2014) and has presented on financial planning topics at Valmark’s Member Summit (formerly School of Life) as well as at various College of Business courses and panels with the University of Akron.

Jessica Rorar

CFP®

Director, Financial Technology and Investments

Jessica Rorar is the Director of Financial Technology and Investments for our partner, Valmark Financial Group. Jessica focuses on assisting Member Firms to enhance existing practice management workflow. She is primarily responsible for auditing Financial Technology (FinTech) solutions. This includes reviewing integration capabilities and obtaining group pricing discounts with different Fintech vendors. She also leads the annuity product line, assisting with case design and policy reviews within clients’ retirement and estate plans. Mrs. Rorar earned a BSBA in Financial Services from the University of Akron with a Minor in Spanish and graduated with Honors. Mrs. Rorar also holds Series 7, 24 and 66 registrations as well as Ohio Life, Health and Variable licenses and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.

Jamie Summerville

MBA

Vice President of Communications

In her role as Vice President of Communications for our partner, Valmark Financial Group, Jamie Summerville is responsible for cross-department development, collaboration and positioning of insurance and investment marketing initiatives. She assists with branding and marketing strategies as well as the creation of marketing collateral. Additional responsibilities include the design and implementation of technology-based marketing solutions, including Valmark Connect and Valmark’s external website. Mrs. Summerville also serves as project lead for ensuring the vision and integrity of Valmark’s brand. She earned an MBA in Strategic Marketing, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and a BSBA in International Business, graduating Summa Cum Laude, both from The University of Akron.

Doug Wilburn

General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

In his role as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for our partner, Valmark Financial Group, Doug Wilburn is responsible for all aspects of Valmark’s legal affairs as well as regulatory compliance for Valmark’s broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment advisers. Doug’s extensive experience includes serving as Securities Commissioner for the State of Missouri; Managing Director of Wachovia Securities; Chief Compliance Officer for J.P. Morgan Chase Investment Services, WaMu Investments and Wachovia Securities Financial Network respectively; and Financial Analyst and Investment Advisor at A.G. Edwards & Sons. Doug earned a Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law and a BA in Political Science from the University of Missouri. He is also a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute® sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.