S.A.F.E. Financial Group is a group of companies, one being a Strategic Partner, dedicated to helping people protect their assets. It is comprised of:
- Secure Assets Financial Enterprises, Inc. (Insurance Agency)
- Spectrum Advisors Financial, LLC (Register Investment Adviser Firm)
Our specialty is helping retirees and those near retirement, protect their money from financial difficulties associated with market risk, taxes, probate, nursing home expenses, low interest rates, etc. We are very proficient at helping people with their retirement income planning needs.
Donald H. House, Jr.
Founder and President of S.A.F.E. Financial Group
Don House is a retirement planner who specializes in asset protection and income planning. He has spent over 34 years in the business, diligently researching all the tools a retiree can use to protect their nest egg. As the father of five children, Don understands the need for a safe and sound financial plan.
A member of St. Rose Catholic Church Knightstown, Don is currently serving on the finance committee. As a certified catechist, he has taught religious education for 22 years; most recently as a catechist for SPRED (Religious Education for those with Special Needs).
“For the last eleven years I have worked with a young man named Beau Botkins. My friend Beau is blind and autistic and one of the most wonderful people I have ever met. At first I thought I was doing it to help him. But I can’t begin to describe how much I have learned and benefited from our blessed friendship.”
Don’s hobby/ministry is coaching basketball. His most recent accomplishment was winning the sixth grade State Championship in the small school division.
“My primary goal is always to be a good mentor for the young men and women I coach. I have always believed you need to meet them where their heart is. Basketball is the vehicle I use to teach about how to excel in life.”
Kathleen Funk
Office Manager
Kathleen manages the office at S.A.F.E. Financial Group and is Don’s personal assistant. Her organizational skills keep things running smoothly at our office. Her creative mind and technical proficiency enables her to tackle any project presented to her. Her warm personality makes everyone that comes to our office comfortable and at ease. Don says, “Our firm is blessed to have Kathleen. In addition to her proficiency in administrative and technical details, she has the gift of hospitality. Our customers just love her!”
When not at the office, Kathleen keeps busy with home and family. She has two married sons and seven grandchildren who are the lights of her life. A lover of technology, she maintains two websites and her personal blog. Her hobbies are reading, scrapbooking and knitting. She knits prayer shawls and also makes preemie size knitted blankets for The Toledo Hospital in memory of her granddaughter each year.
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Michael Binger, CFA®
President Gradient Investments, LLC
Mr. Binger is the President of Gradient Investments. He has been with Gradient Investments since 2012 and has more than 30 years of total investment management experience. Mr. Binger’s prior roles include managing multi-billion dollar investment products for a large institutional asset manager. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and is a CFA® charterholder. We believe that he brings a depth of market experience that is rare within the industry and has been a featured contributor with several media outlets including CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and The Wall Street Journal.
Jeremy Bryan, CFA®
Senior Portfolio Manager Gradient Investments, LLC
Mr. Bryan is a Senior Portfolio Manager for Gradient Investments. He has been with Gradient Investments since 2016 and has over 15 years of total investment management experience. Mr. Bryan’s job history includes equity research and portfolio management roles for institutional asset managers in Minneapolis and New York. He has been a frequent contributor to media outlets including CNBC, Fox Business, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Bryan graduated with a bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University, earned an MBA from the University of St. Thomas, and is a CFA® charterholder.
Mariann Montagne, CFA®
Portfolio Manager Gradient Investments, LLC
Ms. Montagne is a Portfolio Manager for Gradient Investments. She has been with Gradient Investments since 2014 and has more than 25 years of total investment management experience. Ms. Montagne’s prior roles include equity analysis for institutional fund managers as well as a senior investment analyst position for a $500M registered investment advisor. She is a frequent contributor to media outlets, including CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg, and Barron’s. Ms. Montagne graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Detroit and is a CFA® charterholder.
This endorsement of Gradient Investments, LLC is provided by an investment advisor who refers clients to Gradient Investments, LLC. A conflict of interest exists because this investment advisor receives a portion of the annual management fee charged by Gradient Investments, LLC, based on the assets under management of this investment advisor’s clients. This endorsement could assist in the investment advisor increasing the assets placed with Gradient Investments, LLC, and therefore their compensation. These investment advisors are not affiliated with or supervised by Gradient Investments, LLC.