Credentials & Recognitions



CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNNERTM 

Dustin Sandlin has earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional certification. To earn his CFP® credential, Dustin has completed hundreds of hours of rigorous courses and examinations offered by various colleges and universities across the country. These courses are then followed by a comprehensive examination administered according to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. The qualification process is comprehensive array of advice and skill-based approach that distinguishes CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioners from other professional advisors, who typically focus on only one area of a client's financial life.

 

Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®)

Zach Gladen has earned the AAMS® designation by completing the required course of study encompassing investments, insurance, tax, retirement, and estate investment planning issues. Additionally, he passed an end-of-course examination that tested his ability to synthesize complex concepts and apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations.

 

Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM (CRPC®)

Steve Kimberlin has earned the CRPC® designation which focuses on building an in-depth knowledge of clients' needs both before and after retirement. As a Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor, Steve focuses on client centric problem solving as he assists clients planning for the entire retirement planning process, including planning for multiple financial objectives, identifying sources of retirement income, building personal savings, taking advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans, planning for tax efficient investing, projecting and meeting retirement cash flow needs, asset management and estate investment planning.

 

Wells Fargo Advisors Platinum Council

Dustin Sandlin and Zach Gladen have been named a Wells Fargo Advisors Platinum Council. Dustin in 2019, 2020 and 2022 and Zach in 2018 and 2019. The Platinum Council (previously known as Premier Advisor) distinction is held by a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors as measured by completion of educational components, business production based on the past year, and professionalism. Additional criteria, best practices and team structure, may also be used to determine recipients.



Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors

Zach Gladen was named as Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors for 2017. Dustin Sandlin was named as Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors for 2017, 2018 and 2019.  The Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors rating algorithm is based on the previous year’s industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria.



Five Star Wealth Manager

Dustin Sandlin was named as a Five Star Wealth Manager in 2015, 2016 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. 

The Five Star Wealth Manager award was issued on July 1, 2020 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. 4374 Dallas-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 335 (8% of candidates) were named 2020 Five Star Wealth Managers. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Award issued on July 1, 2019 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. 3899 Dallas-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 393 (10% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

Award issued on July 1, 2018 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. 3851 Dallas-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 338 (9% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

Award issued on July 1, 2017 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. 2730 Dallas-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 382 (14% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

Award issued on 06/1/2016 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 11/30/2015 through 05/18/2016. 2471 Dallas-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 678 (27% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

Award issued on 07/1/2015 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 11/30/2014 through 05/18/2015.2862 Dallas-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 684 (24% of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.