WISDOM.
EXPERIENCE.
INSIGHT.
Helping individuals and families pursue their goals and protect their legacies.
Sherri Over, NACFF™
CEO | Financial Protection Specialist
“Everything I had worked for my whole life was gone. My inheritance, my home, my children’s college funds — my world was turned upside down in every imaginable way.”
It’s said that experience is the best teacher, but there are some lessons no one should have to learn. Following a devastating incident that left her personal and financial life in shambles, Sherri quickly learned the importance of comprehensive financial planning. She became dedicated to helping others protect their finances — for themselves and their loved ones.
Before becoming a financial planner, Sherri spent years as an entrepreneur establishing more than 10 businesses where she handled the financial aspects. These experiences have given her a wealth of knowledge and resources to pass on to her clients as they work toward their retirement goals. What Sherri loves most about financial planning is the ability to educate and empower others, helping to ensure they will not outlive their savings so they can feel confident and secure in their retirement.
Sherri founded The Athena Team with the goal of providing clients with the best options and strategies for safe-money growth, lifetime income, tax-efficient retirement planning, and insurance and legacy protection. Sherri aims to take the worry out of planning while offering clients peace of mind, knowing their assets and legacy are protected with the loyalty and dedication of a warrior.
“I’m very much a fighter for people,” says Sherri. “The reality is, I can’t keep bad things from happening, but I can help people figure out how to protect what they have now and work toward something for the future that they can be proud of and feel good about.”
Sherri is a financial professional who goes beyond the conventional role of advisor, positioning herself as a tenacious advocate, solutions provider and change champion for her clients. She specializes in financial protection and distribution, takes a holistic approach to retirement planning and is aligned with strategic partners who help further empower clients.
When she’s not helping clients, Sherri loves spending time with her 3 children and grandchildren. She also loves warm weather, beaches and scuba diving.
Strategic Partners
MARTIN RUBY, FSA
Founder and CEO - Stonewood Financial
Martin Ruby is founder and CEO of Stonewood Financial. A seasoned financial industry executive, Martin has decades of experience developing, pricing and selling insurance products, and managing strategic corporate growth. A nationally-recognized public speaker and trainer, Martin is author of industry-leading books The No-Compromise Retirement Plan and The New Rules of Retirement Saving.
An actuary by background, Martin wanted to use his actuarial expertise to help American savers. In 2001, he founded a retail annuity and insurance practice and began marketing Indexed Universal Life insurance solutions. His strategies proved so popular that other financial advisors began asking Marty to help them as they added IUL to their practices.
In response, Martin founded Stonewood Financial in 2013 to help advisors grow their practices with innovative marketing strategies, customized proposal tools, and software that helps clients better understand the value of their strategies.
Prior to founding Stonewood, Martin served as CEO of Integrity Life Insurance Companies, where he led the growth of a successful retail annuity business, cutting-edge technology platforms, and innovative product development. He has also served as head of the Life and Annuity Industry Group for Channel Point Technology, and in several senior executive positions for Capital Holding Corporation (now part of AEGON).
Martin is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA). He holds an MBA from Bellarmine College and a B.S. from Purdue University.
A dedicated community leader, Martin has served on numerous boards in the Greater Louisville region. His service includes Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Jewish Hospital, and President of the Board of Trustees for both the Temple Adath Israel Brith Sholom and the Louisville Jewish Community Center. Martin has also served on the boards of the Louisville Fund for the Arts and Louisville Metro United Way.
BECKY SWANSBURG
Chief Marketing Officer - Stonewood Financial
Becky Ruby Swansburg is Partner & Chief Marketing Officer for Stonewood Financial, and co-author of the industry-leading books The No-Compromise Retirement Plan and The New Rules of Retirement Saving. A nationally-recognized public speaker, Becky has trained advisors across the country on incorporating tax-efficient income planning and new holistic strategies into their practices.
Becky has more than a decade of experience in marketing, public relations and communications across a range of industries in the for-profit, non-profit and government sectors.
Prior to joining Stonewood, Becky served as Director of Communication and Public Affairs for Greater Louisville Inc. – The Metro Chamber of Commerce, where she directed the chamber’s communications and government relations. Becky has also handled marketing and communications for several U.S. Congressmen and government agencies, and has worked in the White House Press Office in Washington, D.C.
Becky holds a B.S. in Political Science from Middlebury College and an M.S. in Public Relations from Boston University. An active community member, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Jewish Community of Louisville and the Jewish Community Relations Council. Becky is chair of the Board of Directors for Louisville Classical Academy, and has prior service on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Louisville and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives.
Becky was named to Business First’s prestigious ‘Forty Under 40’ list of community leaders, and is a Bingham Fellow through the Leadership Louisville Center.
NEIL WILDING
Chief Development Officer - Stonewood Financial
Neil Wilding is Partner & Chief Development Officer for Stonewood Financial, and co-author of the industry-leading books The No-Compromise Retirement Plan and The New Rules of Retirement Saving. A noted trainer and public speaker, Neil helps advisors incorporate new holistic strategies and tax-efficient income planning into their practices, and connects leading industry institutions with innovative, growth-oriented approaches to IUL.
Prior to joining Stonewood, Neil led sales, business development and operations for Aria, running their National Sales Office. He has also served as the National Sales Manager for the Institutional Retirement Group of Genworth Financial, leading sales and business development efforts for the advisor market. Neil’s career has included time wholesaling annuities, mutual funds, and managed money in all channels of distribution.
Neil holds a BS in Marketing from the University of Louisville. He is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association. He lives in Louisville with his wife and children.