North Star Financial Consulting

About Us

Alice Bryan

Alice Bryan is Founder and CEO of North Star Financial Consulting, LLC, a Fee-Only financial planning firm headquartered in Indianapolis. The firm provides financial planning and advice to individuals and families from all walks of life. Services are offered on an hourly, as-needed basis, which may be one-time advice for a specific topic, or a coordinated financial plan. Because no products are sold and there are no investment account minimums, this model provides the independence needed to be completely objective in client recommendations.

As a native Hoosier, Alice graduated from Indiana University in 1972 with a B.S. in Administration. She is a veteran in the financial services industry, who has worked in this field since 1988. She spent over six years with National City Bank. In addition, she assisted in founding a financial services company that partners and collaborates with CPA firms throughout the state. As a CFP®, Alice embraces the six-step financial planning process brought forth by the CFP® Board of Standards.

Alice is proud to be affiliated with The Garrett Planning Network (GPN), and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) , two nationwide networks of professional, Fee-Only financial advisors.

She offers a no-obligation Get Acquainted meeting so that you may determine which of her services are right for you. Contact Alice today and enjoy a brighter financial future tomorrow.

Karen Bolton

Karen Bolton graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington with a BBA in Accounting and Marketing in 1980. After spending 20 years working for a Fortune 500 corporation as a business analyst, accountant, and systems analyst, Karen decided to pursue her passion for financial planning and joined the North Star team.

Karen earned the Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS) designation from the National Institute of Certified College Planners. She is currently working toward obtaining the CFP® mark and CPA designation.

Karen is a member of the Financial Planning Association, the Garrett Planning Network, and the National Institute of Certified College Planners. She received a Certificate in Financial Planning from Kaplan University in December 2004.

Dwight Kellams

Dwight graduated from Indiana University in 1981 with a B.S. in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting. He passed the CPA exam in 1983 and became certified in 1986. He obtained his M.B.A. in 1991 while employed as an Assistant Controller for a local company, and then as a Corporate Income Tax Accountant for a Fortune 500 telecommunications firm.

He also served four years as Director of Financial Services for a multi-partner CPA firm and was the Chief Investment Officer for a Registered Investment Advisory firm. In addition to his CPA and MBA designations, Dwight moved on to acquire the PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) designation in 2001. The PFS accreditation is administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and is held only by CPAs. He successfully passed the CFP® exam on his initial challenge, and acquired his CFP® designation in the spring of 2006. Dwight is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Indiana CPA Society.

Sharon Holbrook

Sharon serves as our Client Services Coordinator, and brings more than 30 years of customer service and insurance/investment experience. Prior to joining our organization, Sharon was employed by a premier financial planning firm for nearly 19 years serving in a variety of positions and most recently as the Local Operations Leader. She enjoys reading and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Affiliations

Commitment to Continued Education

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Board of Standards is a professional regulatory organization which promotes ethics, integrity and professional standards in personal financial planning.

Commitment to Objectivity

NAPFA, the National Association of Personal Financial Planners (www.napfa.org). Fee-Only advisors provide consumers and institutions with comprehensive and objective financial advice on a "Fee-Only" basis, keeping only the best interests of the client in mind – with neither the advisor nor any related party receiving compensation based on the purchase or sale of any financial products.

Commitment to Excellence

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors is the largest professional association of comprehensive, Fee-Only financial planners in the United States. Members of NAPFA subscribe to a strict fiduciary oath. In addition, NAPFA members are required to fulfill significant continuing education requirements.

Commitment to Helping People from All Walks of Life

The Garrett Planning Network, Inc., is the nation's premier network of professional, Fee-Only financial advisors dedicated to providing independent, objective financial planning and advice to people from all walks of life, on a project basis. Only 1% of the nation's financial planning firms are structured this way. In addition, there are no minimum income or net worth requirements.