OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Brad Wheeler | Board Chair
Brad Wheeler is the father of a special, and wonderful, daughter with autism who, for twelve years, has been a client of NMTSA, and is one of the original students at ACT School. Brad believes deeply that NMTSA changes lives and uses cutting-edge techniques to enable clients to gain more independence.
He joined the board in the Spring of 2010, where he now serves as Chairman. Brad is the President of AssetMark Trust Company which serves independent financial advisors and their investment clients, holding over $15 billion in assets. AssetMark Trust Company is based in Phoenix, Arizona and is part of its parent company AssetMark Investments, located in Concord, California.
Brad has over 25 years of experience in the investment and insurance industry and has served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Senior Vice President of Business Development for growing divisions of GE and Genworth. He holds an MBA from Arizona State University and a Liberal Arts degree with studies in Finance and Economics from Olivet Nazarene University. He is a father of five children and resides in Cave Creek, Arizona.
Ron Link | Treasurer
Ron is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Arizona, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Ron has been employed by AssetMark Financial, Inc. for more than 16 years, serving in dual roles as the Chief Financial Officer of AssetMark Trust Company, an Arizona trust company with $16 billion/110,000 accounts in custody, and the Controller of AssetMark, Inc., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor with $22 billion in assets under management. Ron is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the financial statements of all AssetMark Financial companies. He is also responsible for all financial and operational audits by external firms and banking regulators, compliance with the Arizona Revised Statutes for Trust Companies, and the firms’ adherence to all corporate policies and practices.
Prior to joining AssetMark Ron worked in Public Accounting for 4 years as an auditor and systems consultant, providing process and IT guidance in the healthcare, construction and manufacturing industries.
Ron attended Arizona State University and received a BSBA in Accounting before sitting for the CPA exam in 1993. Ron served 4 years in the U.S. Navy after High School in the pre-medical program at the Naval School of Health Sciences in San Diego, CA. Ron has been married for 25 years to his wife Lori, and they have nine children - five boys and four girls, ranging in age from 3 to 21 years old. Ron spends his free time cycling, taking care of their three horses, and supporting his college, high school, and younger age kids in all of their academic and sports-related activities.
Nicole Hollenbeck | Board Director
Nicole grew up in Phoenix surrounded by a musically talented family that fostered a love of music and an admiration for the unique effect music can have on people. Impressed by the innovative use of music to help people, Nicole was moved by NMTSA’s programs and successes and sought to join the Board to assist in the continued success in helping people achieve their potential.
With over 20 years of experience in business, Nicole has spent her career in finance and strategic planning, helping small to medium size businesses explore growth opportunities and develop the infrastructure to support future growth. She has advanced the finance, accounting, and treasury functions and led process improvement initiatives in several industries including technology, payroll/ HR services, restaurant, and property management. Nicole graduated with honors from Grand Canyon University with an MBA and Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration degree in Finance.
Nicole is a devoted Aunt and is passionate about travel and all things flying. When she is not on the ground spending time with her family, she is up in the air sky diving, gliding, or flying off to her next adventure in travel.
Ben Shepherd | Board Director
Ben was raised in a home filled with music and at a young age learned that music is a powerful tool for both expression and teaching. He is impressed with NMTSA’s mission and honored to serve on the board.
As a procurement and supply chain professional, Ben has a passion for helping companies reduce costs. He has had 15 years of experience teaching organizations how to implement sourcing and procurement best practices. He has worked in the electronics, chemical, and food industries.
Prior to beginning his career, Ben lived in Taiwan for two years where he learned Mandarin Chinese and developed a love for Chinese food. He attended Arizona State University and holds a BS in Supply Chain Management. He enjoys singing and playing guitar - often performing covers of his favorite band, The Cure. Ben and his wife have three children. They enjoy being outdoors as well as staying inside and playing games. (Ben usually loses.)