IREAP IMPACT DAY

Elliot Dole, CFP, EA, AEP, CEPA, CAP is Senior Wealth Advisor with Focus Partners Wealth where he specializes in guiding high-net-worth individuals and families along their financial journey. His clients appreciate his collaborative approach and trust him to manage complex financial strategies. With a deep understanding of investments, estate planning, and taxation, Elliot helps clients build lasting legacies, transfer wealth effectively, and navigate business succession. His knowledge and experience extend to tax optimization, charitable giving, and comprehensive wealth management. He partners closely with clients and their legal and accounting teams to develop tailored solutions. Elliot’s commitment to exceptional service is evident in his extensive industry involvement and advanced credentials. As president of the Estate Planning Council of Saint Louis and a legacy advisory board member for independent charities, Elliot is actively involved in the community. He is also a member of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils and the New York City Estate Planning Council.

Steve Gorin, JD is a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP, where he practices trust and estate law and helps owners structure closely held businesses. Steve has practiced law for over 30 years and practiced accounting for eight years prior to that. He is a member of the Business Planning Committee and Chair of the Employee Benefits Committee of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and Chair of the Committee on Governmental Submissions for the ABA’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section. He was inducted into the NAEPC Estate Planning Hall of Fame® in 2020.

John Scott, CPA, AEP/CGMA is a partner in tax and is active in the Manufacturing and Distribution and Family Wealth and Estate Planning groups. Leading the firm’s legal industry efforts for the Virtual CFO team, John offers dedicated resources, financial insight and critical thinking to address complex issues facing law firms. John has extensive experience in helping clients be more efficient, competitive and profitable. John also specializes in estate planning services at the firm with clients including individuals, families, law firms and owners. His team approach to working with other financial and legal advisors assists clients in achieving their goals in a tax-efficient manner.  He works with clients on individual and corporate tax planning, estate planning, multistate tax planning, ESOPs and valuations of closely held business interests.

Michael Tessler is President of Brokerage Unlimited, Inc., where he assists financial professionals with the implementation of advanced wealth transfer and wealth protection strategies. He is a sought-after resource for financial advisors nationwide. With experience both in the home office and in the field, he brings a broad perspective on the life insurance business. Under his leadership, BUI has built a reputation for providing top-tier support to financial and insurance advisors, offering objective, multi-carrier solutions that simplify everything from everyday term cases to sophisticated estate and business planning strategies.  His leadership drives a culture of integrity, expertise, and exceptional service throughout the organization. Additionally, Michael has held numerous leadership roles within the industry, including serving as past president of NAIFA St. Louis and LIFE, Inc., as well as past board member of NAIFA Missouri, LifeMark Partners (now LIBRA), the International Hispanic Insurance Association (IAHIP), and the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA), where he also served as chairman of the board. Additionally, he was a board member of the L.I.F.E. Foundation and is currently a member of the Legacy Advisory Council at Missouri Baptist Hospital. His insights have been featured in multiple industry and financial publications.

Kathleen Bilderback, JD, LLM, AEP joined the law firm of Sandberg Phoenix in 2024 as Counsel in the Business practice group. Kathleen specializes in estate, business, and executive benefits planning, with special emphasis on incorporating and maximizing the benefits of life insurance. She is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and former adjunct professor in the LL.M. in Taxation program at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Kathleen graduated from St. Louis University with degrees in Accounting and Theatre. She received her law degree and LL.M. in Taxation from Washington University’s School of Law. Beginning her Advanced Markets career at General American Life Insurance Company (later merged into MetLife), she provided training and advanced underwriting support for the top producers of MetLife and its subsidiaries for 10 years before returning to private practice. In 2007, Kathleen and her partners founded Affinity Law Group, LLC to provide legal services to businesses, their owners, and executives from formation to succession and beyond. She rose to the position of Managing Member prior to successfully combining the firm into Sandberg Phoenix, a firm of approximately 200 attorneys in eight offices with a nationwide practice. Kathleen is a member of the Missouri, Illinois, and Pennsylvania bars. She is a former national President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. She has been an active member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) at the national and local level. Kathleen currently serves on NAIFA’s National Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee of the St. Louis Zoo Association Board, and the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation Planned Giving Committee. She has presented at AALU, the Top of the Table Meeting for the Million Dollar Roundtable, and Estate Planning Councils around the country. Kathleen has been selected for inclusion in Missouri and Kansas SuperLawyers each year since 2012, and recognized by Best Lawyers in the areas of Business Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, and Trusts and Estates each year since 2020.