Seasoned Advisors
    and Great Friends

     

    Our team is made up of experienced financial advisors and an invaluable support team, but we’re also longtime friends. We’ve joined forces to bring you the synergies of our shared knowledge, advanced planning strategies, and extensive industry experience. We welcome you to come and meet our team.

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    Colin H. Albers

    Senior Partner

    Colin Albers has a lot of friends. In fact, most of his clients are friends he’s known for more than 30 years. Because of his close, personal connection to his clients, Colin insists “I never recommend an investment or insurance product that I wouldn’t purchase for myself. That’s the biggest difference between me and advisors at other firms.”

    As the Senior Partner of Pathfinder Wealth Advisors, he made the move to join with the other six advisors to start the firm in 2017. It was a leap of faith that has been a great decision. Together the advisors serve clients in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and 20 other states.

    Raised on a farm in Northeast Kansas, Colin was intrigued by the business side of farming. After college, he started in banking, working as a lender with farmers and small businesses. “My goal was to become a bank president,” he says. “I eventually reached that goal, but after a few years, I wondered when the fun was going to start.” At age 41, Colin made the life-changing decision to start his own financial planning practice. That was when the fun began.

    Colin received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Emporia State University. He went on to graduate from the Colorado Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado. He obtained his Chartered Mutual Fund CounselorSM certification to further emphasize his work in the financial services industry.

    Colin is committed to philanthropy. A man of faith and family, Colin is an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Nebraska City, where he serves on the church’s finance committee. He has worked on several endowment committees as well as the city economic development board. He is also a supporter of EDGE Nebraska City, a nonprofit organization aimed at reducing poverty rates in Nebraska City.

    Colin enjoys spending time with his wife, Teresa; his two children, son Derick and his wife Melissa, and daughter Megan and her husband Andrew; and 16 grandchildren, including four sets of twins. In his free time, Colin enjoys traveling, hiking, golfing, biking, and watching Husker football.

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    Chris Johnson, EA

    Senior Partner

    Chris Johnson is a pilot who soloed his first airplane at the age of 16 and received his private pilot's license shortly thereafter. “Flying high above the countryside gives you a rewarding perspective of the landscape.” As a financial advisor, Chris helps his clients gain a similar perspective of their financial landscape.

    A self-professed “numbers guy,” Chris brings more than 30 years of income tax experience to his clients. He started his tax and accounting practice in 1989. That is when he realized that many people in his community were not prepared for retirement. “Seeing many people struggle with retirement led me to get registered as a financial advisor so I could help people pursue their financial goals and plan for their future.”

    With his income tax experience, Chris helps his clients with the many complex tax implications that surround their financial planning. He also takes pride in helping young individuals and families get started with retirement planning. “I believe everyone deserves the help and guidance required to achieve whatever financial goals they may have.”

    Chris is a graduate of Iowa Western Community College with an agricultural business degree and Nebraska College of Business with an accounting degree. He holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network®, and he passed the Enrolled Agent exam in 1991.

    Chris is committed to his community and he has been involved in the Sidney Chamber of Commerce, Sidney Housing Development, Shenandoah Fire and Rescue, Sidney Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Nishnabotany Lodge #153, Sidney United Methodist Church, and Sidney United Faith Church.

    Chris and his wife, Kathryn, a teacher at Glenwood High School, have been married for 38 years and live in Sidney, Iowa. They have a daughter, Abby, who is a beautician, a son, Brandon, who is in the U.S. Navy, and five grandchildren.  Chris enjoys spending time with family and friends, working in his yard, boating, water skiing, hunting, hiking, motorcycling, and flying

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    Colin Kramer

    Senior Partner

    Colin Kramer grew up in a coach’s house. He has always loved sports and like most winning coaches, Colin is knowledgeable, supportive, trusting, experienced, and goal-oriented. Today, he brings that same passion for coaching to his clients as he helps them strategize and make the right moves with their wealth to achieve their goals.

    Colin is committed to rolling up his sleeves and doing the hard work that is required to develop a solid game plan for his clients. “Behind the scenes, I am doing all the strategizing and planning for my clients so I can present them with a detailed game plan that they can execute to pursue their goals. And I am by their side every step of the way, monitoring their progress and making adjustments to help keep them on track.”

    With more than 15 years of experience serving as a financial advisor, Colin has delivered hundreds of financial plans. He holds the FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network® and has a life and health insurance license. Colin is passionate about creating detailed financial plans and working with his clients on their unique financial situations to implement solutions that achieve their goals.  

    Colin earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska and a master's degree from Bellevue University. He is driven to give back to the community he loves and has been involved in several local organizations, including Papillion LaVista Schools Foundation, Papillion Downtown Business Association, Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He also sponsors several local sports teams, including youth baseball, soccer, basketball, and a swim club.

    When he isn’t coaching his clients, Colin enjoys attending his kid’s many activities. His son, Nate, has played baseball, basketball, football, and golf. His daughter, Addie, has participated in soccer, basketball, and the swim team. Colin also enjoys golf, basketball, projects around the house, traveling, and attending Husker games.

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    Kevyn Sopinski

    Senior Partner

    Kevyn Sopinski’s grandfather was a brilliant man who taught Kevyn many valuable lessons. Perhaps one of the greatest passions he passed on to his grandson was the love of working with his hands and carpentry. After his family lost their lakeside cabin in the floods that devastated Nebraska in 2019, Kevyn completely rebuilt the home from the ground up. He displays the same attention to detail for his Pathfinder Wealth Advisors clients, serving as their financial architect to design and build their investment and financial plans.   

    “Sound, strategic financial planning is at the core of everything I do. I invest the time to get to know every detail about my clients’ fears, dreams, and aspirations. This approach allows me to craft their personalized blueprint for financial independence.”

    Born and raised in South Omaha, Kevyn started his career managing the margin and options desks at TD Ameritrade, where he was employed for 11 years. From 2008 to 2016, Kevyn served as managing principal for the Omaha Division of Waddell & Reed. In 2017, he forged a partnership with several advisors and friends to create Pathfinder Wealth Advisors. Once again, Kevyn picked up his tools and remodeled an office building for his practice. 

    Kevyn graduated from Creighton University with a degree in economics, and he received an MBA from Bellevue University. He holds the FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network®.

    Kevyn was taught at a young age the importance of serving others. That's why he is committed to giving back to his community. He currently serves on the Papillion Police and Fire retirement committees, is a board member for Midlands Community Foundation, and also serves on the finance committee for Daniel J. Gross High School. He has been active for years with the Papillion Downtown Business Association and recently finished a term serving on the Papillion LaVista Schools Foundation.

    Kevyn and his wife, Martha, have been married for 25 years as of November 2022. They have twin daughters, Piper and Cameron, who will be attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kevyn enjoys carpentry, golf, yard work, volunteering, and cheering for Creighton basketball and Husker football.

     

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    Daniel Shultz

    Financial Advisor

    Dan Shultz started saving at an early age. In fact, he still has the two silver dollars he earned tap dancing at a retirement home when he was just 9 years old. You could say his destiny with helping people plan and invest so they can enjoy retirement was minted back then. “I realized early in my professional career that I would not likely earn a lucrative pension, and I needed to be accountable for my own financial success,” says Dan.

    Dan likes to take a historical perspective to understanding a client’s financial progress. He believes when he explains their potential growth trajectory in a way that is clear, it helps clients make better decisions going forward. And those clients have been benefitting from his practical, no-nonsense approach to wealth management ever since he was registered as a financial advisor in 2012.

    “As a continual student of financial planning and investing, I’m a goals-based behavior advisor who helps clients avoid emotional decisions.” He does this by “utilizing patience and discipline, and by practicing asset allocation, diversification, and rebalancing.” He believes if he and his clients can identify, quantify, and prioritize their financial goals, he can create a strategic plan to help them pursue those goals, while also addressing any issues and concerns they may have.

    Before joining the Pathfinder Wealth Advisors team, Dan spent more than 30 years in institutional commercial real estate investments. He worked on valuations, acquisitions, asset management, financing, and dispositions for an insurance company, pension fund manager, mortgage banking company, mortgage REIT, and a commercial bank. 

    Dan holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations, has his Life Insurance license and earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business in 1975 from Iowa State University.

    When he’s not visiting National Parks and exploring more of his bucket list trips with his wife, Laurie, Dan enjoys spending time with family and friends.

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    John Hogeland

    Financial Advisor

    John Hogeland knows the satisfying feeling a teacher gets when the lightbulb comes on for a student. John was a high school business teacher for seven years and he was always inspired when he was able to help a student learn. Today, John experiences a similar feeling of satisfaction when he helps his clients understand complex financial concepts on their journey to greater financial confidence.

    A teacher at heart, John is committed to providing the financial knowledge, experience, and education his clients need to make more informed financial decisions. John started as a financial advisor in 2013. Before that, he was a bank loan officer for nine years. John specializes in helping his clients with their unique situations involving financial planning, retirement income planning, and risk management planning.

    “I have been fortunate to work with some great mentors here at Pathfinder Wealth Advisors. I continue to learn from financial advisors who each have more than 20 years of experience. I put the lessons I have learned from my mentors to work every day for my clients, so I can continue to bring my clients innovative thinking to help meet their financial planning needs.”

    A graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, John earned a bachelor’s degree in business education. He holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network®.  He also has his life and health insurance license.

    His extensive work on various local boards and his volunteerism have always kept John connected to his community. He has served as board chairman of the Nebraska City Utilities and as a member of the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation, the Nebraska City Rotary Club, the Knights of Columbus, Leadership Nebraska City, and Ducks Unlimited. John is proud of the role he played in guiding children who could benefit from his direction as part of the TeamMates Mentoring program.

    John and his wife, Linda, a preschool teacher, have been married for more than 27 years and live in Nebraska City, Nebraska. They have two grown sons, Alex and Brock. In his spare time, John enjoys spending time outdoors, hunting, fishing, and playing basketball.

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    David Pease, APMA®

    Financial Advisor

    The roots of Dave Pease's financial advisory career were formed in the middle of the ocean on a Navy submarine. While studying business administration in college during the energy crisis of the late 1970s, Dave decided to join the U.S. Navy in its nuclear power program. That experience led him to a 30-year career in the nuclear power field, and he eventually served on the retirement fund committee of a power plant. That role sparked Dave’s interest in the financial services industry.

    “While serving on the retirement fund committee, I met my mentor, John Russon, a consultant who emphasized the importance of providing employees with a range of options so that they could diversify their portfolios. That planted the seed for me, and it is the reason why I am so passionate about helping my clients take advantage of the benefits of diversification and asset allocation.”

    After retiring from the power plant, Dave became a registered financial advisor in 2006. He enjoys working with clients who need help matching their retirement goals with available assets. He also has developed investment portfolios that address the needs for growth and income.

    An Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA®), Dave holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network® and has life and long-term care insurance licenses.

    Dave is the mayor of the city of Peru, Nebraska, and he serves as a member of the Nemaha County Future Fund. He has also run 11 marathons to help raise money for Project Purple to fight pancreatic cancer. He and his wife, Susan, live in Peru and have been married for 35 years. Dave enjoys spending time with his family, including stepson, Jarod, daughters, Emilee and Erica, and foster grandchildren, Alan and Lee.

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    Robert Irby

    Financial Advisor

    Bob Irby’s entrepreneurial spirit goes back to his teenage years. What started as a high school summer job painting houses alongside his father, became his first small business adventure that paid Bob’s way through college. But even after he left his painting startup for a career in the electric utility industry – and later financial advising – the lessons he learned as a young business owner stuck with him: the importance of building a network and choosing the right people to partner with to achieve success.

    Bob’s career in financial advising began in 2004. This move came with the encouragement of a family friend who was a retired financial advisor, who quickly became a mentor. It didn’t take Bob long to realize how fulfilling it was to help people plan for their future, withstand challenges along the way, and ultimately realize their financial goals. “It’s critical to listen to a client’s ideas and develop an understanding of what they want in the future. Then it’s up to me to develop the plan and explain the tools we can use to implement their plan.”

    Beyond his career, Bob has been an active member of his community. He is a member of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as Chairman of the Columbus Community Hospital Foundation Board. Bob has also been involved in Boy Scouts, coaching youth sports teams as his children grew up and committees and boards supporting the communities he has lived in. His various volunteering pursuits have allowed him to meet a lot of people, many of whom are now clients of Pathfinder Wealth Advisors, which he joined in 2017.

    Bob graduated from the University of Nebraska – Kearney with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and holds his FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations, and his life and health insurance license.

    When he thinks about winding down his career, Bob imagines traveling around the country, meeting new people, and enjoying time with his wife, Maureen, four kids, and his growing brood of grandchildren (4 and counting!). A few more sunrises from the duck blind, along with more fishing and golfing are also in his plan.

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    John Kelly

    Financial Advisor

    John Kelly was born and raised in central Nebraska. At an early age, John was faced with one of life’s most devastating challenges, the loss of both his parents. Through this difficult time, he was adopted by an amazing, compassionate man, his stepfather, Jim, who raised him to have a strong work ethic, and to be prudent and wise with his money. At fifteen years of age, he earned his very first paycheck at the local grocery store. It was there, where he began to learn the value of money, the power of listening to the customer and understanding their needs. These life experiences have created the foundation of how John interacts and advises his clients today.

    John is an experienced financial advisor with a 22-year track record helping clients build, preserve and manage their wealth. Prior to joining Pathfinder Wealth Advisors, he spent 19 years as a vice president & financial advisor of a regional bank. He has managed investments with numerous broker dealers such as Piper Jaffray, Spectrum Capital Inc., Cetera Investment Services and Raymond James. John graduated from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with a degree in finance and holds his FINRA Series 7, 63 and 65 securities registrations, and his life and health insurance licenses.

    It is evident how much family means to John through his actions as a devoted husband and father, always putting his wife, Jodi, and their four children first. He has been married to Jodi for 20 years and has supported her 22 year-long career as a kindergarten teacher. Together, they are blessed with one son, Clay (18), and three beautiful daughters, Kathleen (16), Lyla (10), and Claire (8), all who currently attend Gretna Public Schools. In his spare time, John cherishes taking family vacations and making memories. He likes playing basketball with his daughters, going to cheer competitions and watching football with his son. Not to mention the occasional TikToks that he gets coerced in to doing.

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    Tylar Tierney

    Financial Advisor

    At Pathfinder Wealth Advisors, Tylar breaks down clients' wants and needs to better suit them for retirement with a goal and cash flow-based planning software.  Attention to detail, effective listening skills, and consistent follow-up are some of the characteristics Tylar exemplifies when working with clients.

    Tylar attended Bellevue University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance. In 2013, Tylar joined the Nebraska Army National Guard where he serves as a sergeant and team leader in the Broken Bow transportation unit. He holds the FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network® and has a life and health insurance license.

    Tylar currently resides in Papillion, NE, where he enjoys spending time with family, golfing, the outdoors and rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs. 

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    Megan McHugh

    Administrative Assistant

    Megan McHugh is a graduate of Wayne State College and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She works as an assistant to Bob Irby in Columbus. She enjoys getting to know clients and with working with Bob to help clients achieve their financial goals.

    Megan and her husband, Ty, live in Columbus with their two young daughters, Emma and Hadley. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

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    Christiane Vaverek

    Administrative Assistant

    Christiane Vaverek began her career with Pathfinders in 2021 after several years in the municipal and commercial insurance industry. She enjoys working with the Nebraska City team and helping clients get the tools they need for financial success.

    Christiane and her husband, Brennan, live in Nebraska City. They have six children and four granddaughters. In her free time, Christiane enjoys sailing, travel, and spoiling her grandkids.