Our team

Kevin J. Hermening, CFP®, CWS®

CEO - Senior Wealth Advisor

Kevin Hermening is the Managing Partner of Hermening Financial Group LLC.

For nearly 20 years, Kevin Hermening has operated his own financial planning firm, Hermening Financial Group LLC (HFG), an independent firm with a focus on comprehensive financial planning, tax planning, and investment management.

Kevin is an independent investment advisor and Registered Representative with First Allied Securities Inc. and also manages HFG as the Branch office of First Allied Securities Inc., an Advanced Equities Company, with offices in Wausau, Stevens Point, and Green Bay, Wisconsin. As the principal of the local Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction with First Allied Securities Inc., he supervises other planners affiliated with his branch offices.

He is also an Investment Advisor Representative with Hermening Advisory Services LLC (HAS), and dually-licensed with First Allied Advisory Services Inc. These affiliations permit him to offer investment securities products and investment advisory services as a fee-based planner.

Working closely with the staff of HFG, Kevin is able to manage the planning relationship with each of the firm’s clients. HFG offers a wide range of investment, insurance, tax reduction, and estate planning services. They utilize mutual funds, annuities, stocks and bonds, REITs and alternative investment opportunities. In addition to financial planning, HFG also offers income tax preparation services.

He also is a product specialist for employee retirement programs, including 401(k) plans, 403(b) programs, and 457 retirement plans, SIMPLE IRAs, and non-qualified investment plans, among others. Drawing on that background, Kevin teaches “Financial Management / Investment Basics” and “Estate Planning” seminars in a variety of settings, including for Northcentral Technical College (NTC), Wausau.

He earned his Certified Financial Planner™ designation after passing the CFP®, Board of Standards’ examination. Kevin has also earned the Certified Wealth Strategist® certificant designation administered by the Cannon Financial Institute which recognizes those individuals that have completed thorough studies of the issues surrounding effective wealth advising and comprehensively addressing clients’ wealth management needs. At present, Kevin is pursuing an MBA, with an emphasis in Finance, Investments and Banking.

Kevin is a member of the Financial Planning Association, the professional organization for independent financial advisors. He is also a member of several local civic organizations, including the Wausau Area Chamber of Commerce, and has served on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement.

For seven years, he hosted “Your Business, Your Money, and You,” a weekly hour-long live radio broadcast on talk radio 1230 (AM) WXCO, with a focus on area business, the economy, and financial planning. He occasionally hosts Wisconsin Public Radio’s On Your Money.

Kevin is an accomplished public speaker, having addressed more than 3,000 audiences nationwide over the past 25 years, often about his experiences as the youngest of the 52 Americans held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Iran for 444 days from 1979 – 1981. He served a total of 13 years in the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve, and received an Honorable Discharge in 1994. He is the recipient of the U.S. State Department’s Award for Valor, and received the Prisoner of War Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the nation’s highest peacetime military decorations, from the Department of Defense.

He has been involved in national, state, and local politics for many years, and has twice been a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and the Wisconsin State Legislature.

He and his wife, Wendy, have two daughters, Kacey and Kaitlyn and currently reside in Mosinee. Kevin served many years as a Member of the Mosinee School Board. Kevin enjoys golf, softball, and bowling and often appears as a cast member of the Mosinee Summer Theater.

George Hoffman, CFP®, CWS®

Financial Planner

For nearly 20 years George Hoffman has worked in the financial services industry.
His career includes commercial insurance expertise with Sentry Insurance, focusing on the needs of small businesses and 401k profit sharing retirement plans. In 2002 he sold his half of the practice, moving to an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and AXA Advisors, LLC, to focus on being the total wealth management planning expert for other financial planners within the organization.

Last year George rejoined Hermening Financial Group (HFG) as a planning specialist focusing on the business owner market with a detailed focus on their unique retirement, tax and estate planning needs. In this field, HFG works closely with the business owner’s accountant and attorney to create a plan that helps them keep more of what they earn, reduce taxes over their lifetime and pass their estates on their heirs efficiently.

George earned his CFP® designation from the College for Financial Planning in Denver in 2003. He regularly pursues ongoing education to advance his knowledge and expertise for his client’s benefit, particularly in the areas of asset management, tax planning and practice management issues.

George has also earned the Certified Wealth Strategist® certificant designation administered by the Cannon Financial Institute which recognizes those individuals that have completed thorough studies of the issues surrounding effective wealth advising and comprehensively address clients’ wealth management needs.

George and his wife Lisa live in Wausau, WI. They have two children, Lydia and Elijah. He enjoys bow hunting and managing wildlife habitat throughout Wisconsin and in the Rocky Mountains.

James Ison, CFP®

Financial Planner

For nearly a decade, James Ison has helped families and small business owners manage their financial needs. James focuses on building long-term client relationships with a comprehensive financial planning approach and works closely with his clients’ other advisors, including tax preparers, attorneys, insurance professionals and outside investment advisors.

His core philosophies for wealth management hinge on reducing taxes paid over one’s lifetime, avoiding market declines, and protecting one’s assets from third party claims. He affiliated with Hermening Financial Group, with offices in Wausau, Stevens Point, and Green Bay, Wisconsin, in early 2010.

James earned a BBA in Finance, with an emphasis in Financial Planning from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, summa cum laude. He also received an Associate’s degree from UW-Marathon County. While attending college, James accepted membership into the international honor society for business students, Beta Gamma Sigma, and the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa. James earned his Certified Financial Planner™ certification in 2009.

James served nine years in the armed forces, including three years on active duty in the United States Army followed by service in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. He is a member of the American Legion, has taught entrepreneurship to Junior Achievement students, has served on the Get $mart Wausau Coalition board, has been a volunteer financial counselor for the UW-Extension system and has taught financial education courses at the first three Wausau Money Conferences.

James resides in Marathon City with his wife Connie and their two children, Kestler and Orion. His passions include hunting whitetail deer, fishing for muskellunge and Green Bay Packers football. Of course, with two young sons, he helps them look for deer, fish for bluegills and wrestle over a fumbled ball.

Kevin Rust CWS®

Financial Planner

Kevin Rust works with clients in the firm’s Green Bay location, and with individuals and small businesses throughout the Fox River Valley. Kevin is a fully-licensed financial planner holding the Series 7, 63, & 65 registrations. He works primarily with small business owners and high net worth individuals. Kevin has also earned the Certified Wealth Strategist® certificant designation administered by the Cannon Financial Institute which recognizes those individuals that have completed a thorough study of the issues surrounding effective wealth advising to comprehensively addressing clients’ wealth management needs.

Kevin shares our firm’s commitment to high quality client service and brings his perspective as a financial planning client and the knowledge and expertise of his business experience. With a young family, Kevin knows that he must work hard, plan for the future and make sure his family has a secure financial situation. He also knows that life requires a balance among family, finances, good health, and fun. He very much enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, cooking and riding his Harley Davidson.

Mike Handrick ChFC®

Insurance Planning Specialist

Mike Handrick joined HFG in July 2011 as our insurance planning specialist. He manages our property and casualty insurance division and is our Federal Employee Benefits Specialist. Mike brings over four years of home, auto and umbrella insurance coverage experience along with more than 20 years of various experience in the financial services industry. Mike holds the securities series 6 & 63 licenses along with all applicable insurance licenses.

Mike started his career as a financial planner with IDS in 1989, then worked in the IDS corporate office as a retirement plan specialist and national account manager for Financial Education Services. He teaches the Junior Achievement Financial Planning program at area high schools. Mike graduated from UW-Stevens Point with a Business/Marketing degree. In 2010 Mike earned his Chartered Financial Consultant® designation from the American College.

Justin Sitte

Vice President, Client Services

Justin is responsible for the client service department. He ensures that our clients’ paperwork is properly submitted, and routinely tracks investment portfolio balances and any changes to client accounts. Justin is a fully licensed General Securities representative (Series 7) and General Principal with FINRA through First Allied Securities, Inc. (Series 24). He processes all securities trades, and manages the firm’s Investment Advisory subsidiary, Hermening Advisory Services LLC. He has earned a Business Administration degree from Upper Iowa University.

Faye Felckowski

Registered Service Associate - Office Manager

Faye is the Office Manager of the Stevens Point office location of Hermening Financial Group, LLC.
She also works with Justin in the firm’s Client Services department, assuring the daily needs of the clients are met. Faye also holds her Finra 6 & 63 Securities License & WI State Insurance License. Faye has more than 13 years of Industry experience, working previously as a Licensed Banker with Chase Bank and Client Services Associate with Stifel Nicolaus.

Faye grew up in Stevens Point, WI and currently resides in Plover with her husband Dave. She has two grown children and two Beautiful grandchildren (Trevor & Chelsea), whom she loves spending a lot of time with! Faye also likes to take walks with her husband & travel.

Kimberly Payne

Vice President, Operations & Compliance

Kim was the very first employee of Hermening Financial Group hired in June 1997. She has had many different job duties over the years and is currently responsible for all of the internal operations of the HFG offices as well as the oversight of the affiliated offices to which HFG provides supervision. She is also the Chief Compliance Officer for the firm’s Investment Advisory subsidiary, Hermening Advisory Services. Kim works to ensure compliance with all federal and state regulatory agency rules. She is also licensed as a Notary Public with the State of Wisconsin.

Kim grew up in Des Moines, IA and moved to Wausau in 1993. She and her husband, Jon, have two college age daughters, Kristin and Jessica. To avoid the empty nest syndrome, Kim recently rescued two adorable terriers, Baxter and Bailey, from the Humane Society. She is actively involved in her church’s children’s ministries and enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, and Sunday afternoon Dallas Cowboy games. Go Boys!

Bill Shirer, PhD

CERTIFIED SENIOR ADVISOR CSA®

Bill assists the firm’s financial planners on senior issues related to aging, healthcare and concerns to retirees and pre-retirees. He also helps the principals in offering planning assistance to nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

Bill’s expertise in strategic planning allows him to lead and coordinate the HFG’s management strategies for the firm’s growth and operations.

He has personal experience with higher education planning, retirement planning and more. He holds advanced degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a Certified Strategic Planner and is an adjunct faculty member at Edgewood College. He recently retired following a 35-year career in education, including a decade as a school district superintendent.

Wendy Hermening

Executive Assistant

Wendy schedules client appointments and is responsible for supporting the marketing efforts of the firm including seminars, advertising and client communications. Wendy is our Director of First Impressions.