ABOUT THE DFS FINANCIAL GROUP

The DFS Financial Group is founded by Investment Advisor Representative and Registered Representative, Bradley Stewart, CRPC®, APMA™. 

The DFS Financial Group was founded in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic when Mr. Stewart decided to split The DFS Group, LLC into two separate entities, The DFS Financial Group and The DFS Insurance Group. 

The DFS Financial Group services Wealth Management needs for affluent individuals, families, and business owners across the country. Through our strategic alliances with Gateway Financial Advisors, Inc., Gateway Insurance Group, Inc., award-winning independent Broker-Dealer and Registered Investment Advisory firm Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., along with non-affiliated estate planning attorneys and accounting firms, allows our financial professionals the ability to provide comprehensive wealth management services to our valued clients.  

THE DFS GROUP HISTORY:

For two decades, our family-owned financial services company has been providing comprehensive financial planning, life insurance, health insurance, annuities, employee benefit plans, financial wellness, and other products that are designed to help our clients prepare for their financial future. Laura Wimpee and her son, Bradley, both entered the financial services industry from outside professions. 

In 2013, they built The DFS Group, LLC to help clients navigate through the everchanging financial obstacles that they have also experienced in previous professions. 

Previously, Laura was a special education teacher for 20 years and her husband Gerald Wimpee was a real estate agent in Texas. When Laura was ready to retire, she realized that pensions and the idea of retirement was not the same as it was in her earlier years. Laura decided to enter the financial services industry in 1998, by working as a financial advisor for AXA Advisors. Quickly realizing that her philosophy and that of her employer were not the same, Laura envisioned building a company that catered to doing what is best for her clients and not geared to satisfying a quarterly or annual quota.

After several years, Laura and Gerald decided to go into business together by building a financial services company designed to help others effectively navigate and properly prepare for retirement. Their goal was to build a financial services company that offered a wide variety of solutions based on the client's needs, not based on a major corporations' bottom line. In May of 2012, Laura and Gerald Wimpee created Diversified Financial Services, now known as The DFS Group, LLC. 

Unfortunately, in 2012, major health issues started becoming a problem for Gerald. Shortly after, Gerald departed the company due to an early onset of the Alzheimer's disease. Laura took on the task of maintaining and building their company by herself. 

BRADLEY STEWART JOINING THE FAMILY BUSINESS   

In early 2013, after building a lucrative entertainment management company with several Grammy winning songs and albums included in his resume, Gerald and Laura's son, Bradley, decided to fold his management company and help Laura by entering into the family business. Laura and Bradley decided to change the name of the company to The DFS Group, LLC and expand the quality of services they provide to their clients.

BECOMING A FINANCIAL ADVISOR

In February 2016, Bradley decided to expand his ability to help clientele and pursued his Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative license. Bradley started his career at Ameriprise Financial where he gained extensive training and knowledge of the financial services industry. During his tenure at Ameriprise Financial, Bradley learned the corporate and independent side of the financial services industry. In June 2017, Bradley decided to resign from Ameriprise and explore the independent sector, as he personally felt it would be more advantageous for the future goals of his practice and clientele. 

JOINING GATEWAY

In September of 2017, Bradley met Shane Westhoelter, CEO of Gateway Financial Advisors, Inc. and Gateway Insurance Group, Inc. After getting to know each other and sharing the same visions for their companies, Bradley joined an alliance with one of the top independent financial advisory firms and Offices of Supervisory Jurisdiction (OSJ) in the United States. Since joining Gateway Financial Advisors, Inc., Bradley has been able to benefit from the professional network of more than 140 financial professionals in Gateway, administrative staff, and insurance specialist. Gateway as of December 31, 2021, managed over $4B in Assets Under Management with over $30M in total gross revenue. 

JOINING CAMBRIGE

Shane brought Bradley's independent practice to Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. in October 2017. Founded in 1981 and based in Fairfield, Iowa, Cambridge is one of the largest independent broker-dealers and RIA's in the country. As of December 31, 2021, Cambridge has a projected $1.37B in total revenue, $160.9B in Assets Under Advisement*, 861 CFP Professionals, 864 Home Office Associates, and 3,729 Producing Financial Professionals. 

THE EXPANSION

In 2020, Laura and Bradley decided to expand The DFS Group, LLC into two subsidiaries, The DFS Insurance Group, and The DFS Financial Group.

Footnotes: *AUA reflects fee based and independent RIA assets plus commission assets