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Chain-of-Secrets Conference

Affiliated Advisors

Dear affiliated advisory firms,

On behalf of the entire team here at USA Financial, I’m thrilled to formally invite you to our fall 2025 Chain-of-Secrets event. We are looking forward to seeing many of you in Grand Rapids this October.

We are making some subtle changes to this year’s event in an effort to deliver some new experiences for everybody involved.

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We'll be starting the event on Wednesday, October 1, at 1:00 PM. This afternoon session will include some open conversation about building the ideal practice (with hindsight being 20/20) AND will provide an opportunity for some of our sponsors to give a brief introduction to who they are and the role they play in the industry serving financial advisors.

We’re finalizing our speaker lineup but have listed below the currently planned lineup of speakers and presentation titles. While this is subject to change still as we finalize availability and tinker with agenda lineup, we’re confident that this gives a good representation of the event itself and wanted to get this information to you as quickly as possible.

Last, but not least, we will also be hosting specific sessions for some of the key support folks from your teams. This will continue our efforts to support and foster the Key Support Community.

However, the first step is for you to formally register. Please take a minute to do so utilizing the links on the page.

We’re looking forward to seeing many of you this fall. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or your Business Development Consultant.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Mersman
Chief Marketing Officer
USA Financial

P.S. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find information about our event sponsors and speakers. We’re thankful for their participation in the event; we encourage you to visit with them and learn more about what they do to serve the financial advice world.

Agenda & Details

*Schedule of events subject to change as we finalize all details*


Tuesday, September 30th

Arrivals throughout the day
Evening at your leisure

Wednesday, October 1st

Arrivals throughout the morning
Breakfast and lunch on your own
Chain-of-Secrets Advisor Conference
1:00 PM* - Growing Your Practice with Hindsight 20/20
2:45 PM - Break
3:00 PM - Sponsor Showcase
5:30 PM - Welcome Reception at SILVA Grand Rapids
8:30 PM - Welcome Reception Concludes


Thursday, October 2nd

Breakfast at Embassy Suites
Chain-of-Secrets Advisor Conference
8:30 AM - Welcome & Key Updates
8:45 AM - Keynote Presentation
10:00 AM - Break
10:15 AM - Keynote Presentation - Part 1
12:00 PM - Lunch
1:00 PM* - Keynote Presentation - Part 2

2:15 PM - Marketing Presentation
2:45 PM - Break
3:00 PM - Marketing Presentation
4:00 PM - Technology Panel
4:45 PM - Day Concludes
6:00 PM - Evening Reception at Frederik Meijer Gardens
9:00 PM - Evening Reception Concludes

Friday, October 3rd

Breakfast at Embassy Suites
Chain-of-Secrets Advisor Conference
8:30 AM - What's Next at USA Financial
9:30 AM - Break
9:45 AM* - Investment Management Discussion
10:45 AM - Investment Management Discussion

11:45 AM - Wrap-up
12:00 PM - Event Concludes


* The Key Support Community will meet separately at the following times:

Wednesday 1:00 - 2:45 PM - Meet Your Peers, Discuss Opportunities & Challenges
Thursday 1:00 - 2:45 PM - Client Experience, Marketing, and Growth
Friday 9:45 - 11:45 AM - Technology, Efficiency, and AI

Featured Speakers & Presentations


meghaan-lurtzMeghaan Lurtz

Presentation Title:
25 Questions for Better Client Connection

Dr. Meghaan Lurtz is a leading global expert on the psychology of financial planning. A dedicated educator, she is a Professor of Practice at Kansas State University teaching in the Advanced Financial Planning and Financial Therapy Certificate Programs. She is also a lecturer at Columbia University, where she teaches Financial Psychology. She currently serves on multiple financial technology boards bringing together finances and mental health. She is an active researcher, writer and an ongoing contributor to the Kitces platform, writing about the intersection of money, advice, and wellbeing.

frank-maselliFrank Maselli

Presentation Title:
Advanced Presentation Skills & The Art of the Seminar

Frank Maselli is a former U.S. Army officer and a 40-year veteran of the financial services industry. He has a Ph.D. in Psychology and has authored three best-selling books for financial advisors on major aspects of business development. Starting as an advisor in 1983, Frank rose through the management ranks quickly and ended his corporate career as the EVP & National Sales Manager of one of the largest asset management first in the world based in Boston. While there he created entirely new methods for working with clients that led to a ten-fold jump in annual revenue and have since permeated the industry. As a speaker, Frank's keynotes and skill training programs focus on the specific activities and attitudes financial advisors and other top sales professionals need to succeed in today's hyper-competitive environment. He is a recognized expert in marketing and advanced client communication modalities.

His first book "Seminars: The Emotional Dynamic" is considered the "bible" for all forms of professional presentations. With "Referrals the Professional Way," he developed an entirely new process to solve one of the greatest challenges sales professionals face in growing their client base. His most recent book "40 Tips for the Under 40 Advisor" is filled with valuable advice for new professionals in a rapidly changing industry. As a keynote speaker, Frank was voted "Top Industry Speaker" for seven consecutive years by the largest financial services firm in the world. His programs are inspirational, practical, and filled with engaging humor. They offer audiences a perspective that helps them find greater joy and the unique value in their activities. They also provide real-world tools needed to take action and implement those strategies immediately.

A native of New York City, Frank now lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife and two daughters where he's an avid, if not particularly good, golfer.

robert-trubeRobert Trube

Presentation Title:
The Revenue Acceleration Playbook

Rob Trube is the founder of Strategy Simple and simpleAUDIENCE, a growth advisor, lead generation strategist, and best-selling author. He’s helped scale companies from startups to billion-dollar enterprises and has coached teams across industries on how to think—and execute—strategically.

matt-halloranMatt Halloran

Presentation Title:
Accelerate Your Influence

Matt Halloran is a co-founder of ProudMouth, the world’s leading influence accelerator for financial advisors. He has appeared on over 1,000 podcasts. As well, Matt is the host of ProudMouth’s Top Advisor Marketing Podcast, where he and industry leaders empower advisors to become trusted, recognized authorities. Matt is the author of “The Social Media Handbook for Financial Advisors,” the first social media book for financial services.

As one of the world’s leading experts on influence for financial advisors and other professional experts, Matt Halloran is a highly sought-after and acclaimed keynote speaker who has been invited to present to audiences at companies like Orion, MarketCounsel, and Hightower, and has been a featured speaker at many events, including Jolt, Carson Excell, Fearless Investing, and the FPA Annual Conference.

ned-quinnNed Quinn

Presentation Title:
JPMorgan Tax-Smart Direct Indexing Strategies- Implementation and Best Practices

Ned Quinn is a member of J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Platform Solutions team, where he supports a range of growth-focused solutions, primarily J.P. Morgan and 55ip’s automated, tax-smart implementation capabilities. Ned’s primary focus is helping advisors and their clients understand how creating consistency and scale for wealth management practices can be achieved, specifically through the lens of systematic, tax-managed investment solutions. Previously, Ned worked for State Street Global Advisors & SPDR ETFs covering wealth advisory firms throughout the Southeast. Ned earned a BA in Economics from The University of South Carolina and his MBA from Boston College Carroll School of Management.

steve-bernhardtSteve Bernhardt

Presentation Title:
JPMorgan Tax-Smart Direct Indexing Strategies- Implementation and Best Practices

Steve Bernhardt, Vice President, is a Client Advisor within the Global Funds Management Group at J.P. Morgan Asset Management and has been with J.P. Morgan since 2012.  Steve is responsible for all aspects of business development and sales for Western Michigan and Northern Indiana for the Independent Broker Dealer Division.  Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Steve spent 11 years as a Financial Advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors.  Steve earned his B.S. in Finance from The University of Dayton.  In his free time Steve enjoys playing golf, snow skiing and exercising. Steve lives in Ada, MI with his wife Jessica and children Stella and Carlie.

brian-sanbornBrian Sanborn

Presentation Title:
See the Signals in Wealth Management

Brian Sanborn, CFA, Vice President – Investment Solutions, oversees all investment model and signal delivery partnerships. He has been with NDR since 2004. Brian chairs NDR’s Index Committee, consisting of NDR strategists, research analysts, and product specialists. The Index Committee reviews and approves new investment models as well as enhancements to existing models. Brian’s team developed and maintains NDR’s Stock Selection Service, which provides unique stock screening and portfolio analysis tools, in-depth actionable commentary (including themed baskets), and detailed stock information. Brian writes NDR’s Stock Selection publications, which provide insights into recent factor performance, emerging factor trends, and favorable factors for the macro environment. Previously, Brian led NDR’s Research Applications team, which supported strategists’ research, delivered implementation ideas, maintained interactive tools, and established data feeds. Before joining NDR, Brian was an Assistant Financial Statement Analyst and an Assistant Quantitative Analyst for Vardon Capital Management, where he performed statistical testing and constructed quantitative models. Brian received a Master’s degree in Statistics from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Economics from Davidson College. Brian is a CFA charterholder and is a member of the CFA Institute.

Event Locations, Travel, & Lodging Arrangements

Chain-of-Secrets
October 1-3, 2025

Embassy Suites by Hilton Grand Rapids Downtown
710 Monroe Ave. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503


A hotel block room rate has been secured for USA Financial at the Embassy Suites.

Travel and lodging is the responsibility of each attendee. Standard room rate at Embassy Suites starts at $149/night + tax.

Please indicate if you would like us to reserve your room when you complete your event registration. Should you have any questions related to travel/lodging, please contact Kasidee Bigham at kbigham@usafinancial.com.

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Hope to See You There!