Our ORigins

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Our History

For over two decades, our family-owned financial services firm has been dedicated to helping clients secure their financial future through comprehensive financial planning, life and health insurance, annuities, employee benefit plans, financial wellness, and more. Our focus is always on providing personalized solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each client.

Our Founders' Journey

Laura Wimpee and her son, Bradley Stewart, bring a wealth of diverse experiences to the financial services industry. Both entered the field from different professional backgrounds, offering a unique perspective to the industry.

In 2013, Laura and Bradley established The DFS Group, LLC, driven by their shared goal of guiding clients through the complexities of the financial landscape—challenges they themselves had faced in previous careers.

Before entering the financial services industry, Laura was a special education teacher for 20 years, while her husband, Gerald Wimpee, worked as a real estate agent in Texas. As Laura approached retirement, she realized that pensions and retirement plans had changed significantly from what she had known earlier in her career. In 1998, she decided to pursue a career in financial services, working as a financial advisor for AXA Advisors. However, Laura quickly recognized a disconnect between her philosophy and that of her employer, which prioritized meeting quotas over client needs. This realization led her to dream of creating a firm where the focus would always be on doing what’s best for clients, not on satisfying corporate mandates.

After several years, Laura and Gerald decided to establish a financial services company focused on providing diverse, client-centered solutions rather than solutions driven by corporate interests. In May 2012, they founded Diversified Financial Services, which would later become The DFS Group, LLC. However, later that year, Gerald faced significant health challenges and was forced to step away from the business due to early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Laura assumed full responsibility for leading and growing the firm on her own. Gerald Wimpee passed away from Alzheimer's disease in December, 2019.

Bradley Stewart Joins the Family Business

In 2013, Bradley Stewart, having already built a successful career in entertainment management with several Grammy-winning albums to his name, decided to transition to the financial services industry to support his mother and join the family business. Together, Laura and Bradley renamed the company to The DFS Group, LLC and expanded their range of services to better serve their clients.

Bradley’s Path to Becoming a Financial Advisor

In February 2016, Bradley earned his Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative licenses to further enhance his ability to serve clients. He began his career at Ameriprise Financial, gaining valuable training and experience in the financial services industry. After building a strong foundation at Ameriprise, Bradley made the decision in June 2017 to leave and pursue the independent financial advisory sector, believing it would better serve his specific clients’ future needs.

Forming Strategic Partnerships

In September 2017, Bradley met Shane Westhoelter, CEO of Gateway Financial Advisors, Inc. and Gateway Insurance Group, Inc. After aligning their visions for the future of their businesses, Bradley joined forces with one of the nation’s top independent financial advisory firms and Offices of Supervisory Jurisdiction (OSJ). 

In October 2017, Shane brought Bradley’s independent practice to Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., based in Fairfield, Iowa. Cambridge, an independent broker-dealers and Registered Investment Advisors (RIA), founded in 1981, has seen significant growth since inception.

As of December 31, 2024, Cambridge Investment Research is ranked as: 

• 7th largest independent broker-dealer based on total revenue from InvestmentNews Magazine's 2024 independent broker-dealer industry survey ranking.
• 9th independent broker-dealer in total account assets from Financial Planning Magazine's 2024 Independent Broker-Dealer Elite survey rankings.
• 10th fastest-growing independent broker dealer based on revenu growth by InvestmentNews Magazine's 2023 Independent Broker Dealer industry survey rankings.

The DFS Group's Expanding Reach

In early 2020, Laura and Bradley made the strategic decision to expand The DFS Group, LLC by seperating it into two separate entities: The DFS Financial Group and The DFS Insurance Group. This expansion allows the firm to continue providing comprehensive financial services while focusing on meeting the distinct needs of both wealth management and insurance clients. Both of these companies operate seperately and independently of each other and The DFS Group, LLC. As of 2024, The DFS Financial Group is a subsiderary of The DFS Financial Group, LLC.

The DFS Financial Group's Commitment

At The DFS Financial Group, we remain dedicated to serving our clients with integrity, expertise, and a client-first approach. With a solid foundation and decades of experience, we are proud to continue helping individuals, families, and businesses navigate the complexities of financial planning, offering solutions that are tailored to each client’s unique needs and goals.