ABOUT US

MISSION

Our mission is to consistently deliver impeccable service while fostering a collaborative personable culture of fiduciary-minded advisors, employees, business partners and associates.

Our continued growth is achieved by attracting and retaining the “Ideal Advisor” through dynamic open-architecture platforms and technologies built to increase efficiency while offering business and practice management solutions that result in valued and trusted relationships between the home office, our advisors and their clients.

VISION

Our vision is to be the premier employee and advisor owned partnership of elite financial professionals mutually committed to exceeding client expectations.

IDEAL ADVISOR

United Planners focuses on selecting the “Ideal Advisors” for this Firm. We choose to build lasting relationships with the successful, client-centric advisors that embrace our culture.

The “Ideal Advisor” is:
A highly ethical, passionate and fiduciary-focused professional that places a client’s needs first. They are client-centric, kind and compassionate entrepreneurs that maintain a culture of compliance and are committed to the financial services industry. They value our vision, mission and culture. They are trusted partners who work collaboratively with their fellow partners.

FOUNDED IN 1987

500 FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS

$21.7 B AUM SERVICED

100500 CLIENTS

100% Employee & Advisor Owned

OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

HISTORY

In 1987, United Planners was formed as a Limited Partnership. The original founders of United Planners strategically designed the firm using a Limited Partnership structure to prevent hostile takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, which we often see in our industry and is extremely disruptive to all parties (employees, business partners, advisors and clients). The original General Partner was Pacific Life Insurance Company, who owned 45% of the firm and the remaining 55% of the firm was and still is owned by the firm’s affiliated advisors who qualify as Limited Partners. This corporate structure creates a unique atmosphere that supports a true partnership with its affiliated advisors since they collectively own a majority share of the firm, share in the profits and can take advantage of the tax benefits.

In 2007, twenty years after inception, Pacific Life sold the General Partnership interest to the executive management team at the time, which consisted of Tom Oliver, Dave Shindel and Mike Baker.

In 2019, Tom Oliver retired and sold his shares to Dave Shindel, CEO and Mike Baker, President, who jointly owned the 45% General Partnership share of the firm. The General Partners are located with the rest of the Home Office Team in the Scottsdale, AZ headquarters and collectively are responsible for the daily operations of the firm. This unique Limited Partnership structure has withstood the test of time while fostering a dynamic corporate environment built on a solid foundation that has not changed since the firm’s inception.

In 2020, Mike Baker purchased the shares of Dave Shindel, who unexpectedly passed away in October 2019. Mike brought three current employees into the General Partner ownership structure: Sheila Cuffari-Agasi, firm’s Executive Vice President; Billy Oliverio, the firm’s other Executive Vice President; and Chad Shindel, the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Having four executives making up the third generation of General Partners in the firm’s history ensures the stability and longevity of the Partnership for years to come.

ReachUP

ReachUP was developed so each United Planners employee has an opportunity to be involved with outreach activities planned to enrich our community. We are excited to ReachUP within our community while strengthening relationships, morale and building team support here at the Home Office! In the Quick Links you can find some of our past events.