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Gradient Securities : Our Team
Tami J. Lucius
Owner
Tami J. Lucius serves as an officer and co-founder for Gradient Financial Group, LLC. Tami boasts an extensive financial services background with over 17 years industry experience. She started her career with Prudential Life Insurance Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She served in the field as an agent for one of Prudential’s leading agencies and was promoted to a director where she recruited and trained new agents for the development of an additional St. Paul, Minnesota branch office.
In 2001, Tami moved to Topeka, Kansas and began her tenure at an Allianz-owned field marketing organization, Personalized Brokerage Services (PBS). Tami served as vice president of operations and was instrumental in growing PBS from a team of 15 professionals to 150 professionals. PBS earned a reputation for operational excellence. Annual fixed annuity premium soared, and a wealth management business model was created which included securities, long-term care and life insurance divisions as well as a top-tier practice management program.
In 2005, Tami co-founded Gradient Insurance Brokerage, Inc. (GIB) where she currently serves as principal and chief operating officer. GIB is one of the fastest growing marketing organizations in the country and offers over 100 years of combined industry experience, proven prospecting platforms, all-inclusive service, superior back-office and marketing support.
In 2008, Tami co-founded Gradient Financial Group. The organization encompasses a comprehensive family of financial services firms which includes Gradient Insurance Brokerage, Gradient Investments, Gradient Securities, Gradient Tax, and Gradient Home Mortgage.
Tami earned her degree from Minnesota State University where she graduated with distinction in the top 10 percent of her graduating class. She has earned her Series 6 and 63 and is life and health licensed in all 50 states.
Jeff Foley
President
Jeff brings over 12 years of financial services experience in the insurance and the investment side of the industry. On the insurance side, he worked with a leading marketing organization based in Topeka, Kansas and served in numerous senior management roles, including vice president of marketing. Under his leadership, the organization submitted nearly $1 billion in annuity premium.
In 2006, Jeff joined Old Mutual Financial Network as Assistant Vice President Broker/Dealer and Marketing Relations where he was responsible for the internal annuity and life sales teams as well as the Spanish sales team and all broker/dealer relations.
On the investment and compliance side, Jeff provides product and practice management guidance and training to advisors and has continuously supervised Registered Representatives. He performs compliance and correspondence reviews and signature guarantees.
Jeff earned his Masters of Science in Management from the American College and graduated with honors from Bethany College. Over the course of his career, Jeff has attained his Series 7, 24, 6, 63 and 66 registrations as well as the CLTC designation. He has held Life and Health licenses in all 50 states.
Jeff has lectured widely on financial topics and has authored numerous industry articles.
Greg Stecher
Chief Compliance Officer
Greg Stecher serves as our Chief Compliance Officer and head of operations. Greg has served for 24 years as a compliance and operations executive. He most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for GWG Holdings, a structured finance company with multiple financial subsidiaries and over $800 million in assets under management. In his role he worked closely with the CEO on the formation of a complex corporate structure involving 13 corporate entities.
Greg also served as Senior Vice President, Regional Administrative Officer for AXA Advisor to manage the implementation of fee-base financial planning for the North Central region. He was responsible for efficiently managing annual operating expenses in excess of $6 million and over $200 million in revenues, while remaining one of the most profitable business units in the company.
Greg holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Iowa and holds his Series 6, 7, 24 and 65 registrations.
Walter Costenbader
Financial and Operations Principal
Walter Costenbader has over 20 years experience in compliance and business management in the broker/dealer and investment advisor arenas. Currently, Walter is a senior compliance consultant for small and large international financial services firms. Prior to this, he formed and served as chief compliance officer for the broker/dealer and investment advisor subsidiary of Webster Financial Services ('WBS' on the NYSE). Before joining Webster, Costenbader started a broker/dealer and investment advisor subsidiary of CIGNA Corp, and served as its chief operating officer and chief compliance officer. He has a BA in Education, and received the CFP designation after attending Boston College. He also serves as an active NYSE arbitrator.
Don Davis
Affiliation Consultant and Registered Principal
For over 10 years, Don Davis has been in the insurance brokerage industry and has held numerous management roles during his tenure. In 1997, Don joined a leading marketing organization where he began by recruiting new insurance agents to the organization and then moved into managing a team of 25 sales professionals. In 2003, Don was charged with starting the securities division and consistently led recruiting for the broker/dealer.
Don has also served as director of recruiting, director of securities marketing, director of compliance, and director of broker-dealer relations. Don holds Kansas life and health licenses, property and casualty licenses and the following registrations: Series 4, 6, 7, 24, 26, 63 and 66.
Don has authored many industry articles regarding sales and compliance topics.
Peter Rondoni
Marketing Consultant and Registered Principal
Peter started his financial services career with Gradient Securities and has quickly acquired knowledge and expertise in securities products, investment advisory business and compliance. While working at Gradient Securities, he has attained his Series 6, 63 and 26 registrations.
Prior to joining the financial services industry, he spent several years traveling throughout the United States and Europe educating underprivileged youth.
Peter holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Kevin Nashbar
Registered Principal
Kevin Nashbar serves as a Registered Principal for Gradient Securities’ South Florida Region where he specializes in supervision and compliance as well as participating in the development of the firm’s policies and procedures.
Most recently, Kevin worked as a field compliance supervisor for Ameriprise Financial. He quickly earned recognition for his performance and won the 2008 National Registered Principal Recognition Award, an award given to only one compliance supervisor annually. Prior to his role at Ameriprise, Kevin was an accomplished financial advisor and founded a firm that specialized in private real estate placement for high net worth investors. He is a recipient of the Albert Gallatin Award, A.G. Edwards’ highest honor for rookie advisors.
Kevin is an Accredited Asset Management Specialist by the College for Financial Planning and holds a Bachelors of Science in Finance, with a concentration in Advanced Portfolio Theory, from the University of South Florida. He holds his Series 7, 9, 10, 24, 63 and 65 registrations as well as his life and health insurance licenses.
