Our Team

Don Richards, CFP®

Don Richards, CFP®, CPFA® has been a financial advisor and an independent insurance broker since 1984. He earned his BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado in 1978, his MBA in Finance from the University of Denver in 1983, his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation in 1989, and his Certified Plan Fidcuiary Advisor designation in 2021. Don currently holds FINRA Series 7, 63 and 65 registrations and provides investment products through Cetera Advisor Networks, LLC. He is the founder of The Richards Financial Group, Inc. and is an associate with The Benefit Team, LLC, an employee benefits consulting and brokerage firm.

Don is involved in numerous community and professional organizations and has served on the boards and advisory councils of several charitable foundations, including the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Young Americans Education Foundation and Junior Achievement of Metro Denver. He served on the Chamber's Executive Committee from 2008 through 2009. Don is an active member and volunteer with the Denver Chamber, is a graduate of the 2007 class of Leadership Denver, an eight-time delegate in the Leadership Exchange program and a six-time delegate in Colorado Experience. He is a 2011 graduate of Leadership Program of the Rockies and is an advisor to the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network. Don serves on the steering committee of the Dean’s Society at the Daniels College of Business and has served as a mentor in the Daniels Scholars program. Don is an active member of Colorado Farm Bureau, the Western Stock Show Association, Colorado Cattlemen's Association, and the Silver Spur Club at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo.

Distinctions:

Daniels College of Business Outstanding Alumnus of the Year - 2015
Robert Blankenship Heart Award (Denver Chamber) - 2014
Reiman School of Finance Distinguished Alumni Award - 2013
David E. Bailey Small-Business Advocate Award - 2008
Four-time recipient of the Chamber Champion Award

Don has climbed all of Colorado’s Fourteeners and is a regular participant in long-distance cycling events. He is a pen-and-ink artist whose work has been published since 1972. Don is a frequent speaker at various events and programs within the Denver business, civic and academic communities.

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Full Bio Here | Connect with Don

Colin O. Anderson, AIF®, Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

Colin O. Anderson, AIF® is a retirement plan specialist with our affiliate Vantage Financial Group Inc. For our retirement plan clients, Colin consults on plan design, fiduciary compliance and regulatory issues. He develops investment policies for our clients’ retirement plans, conducts due diligence monitoring of investment managers, facilitates investment committee meetings, benchmarks plan costs and services, and assists with fund selection.

He joined the firm in 2009 as an employee benefits consultant specializing in employer-sponsored qualified retirement plans. Prior to joining Vantage, Colin spent the previous eight years in Eastern Pennsylvania working with employers in the design, implementation and ongoing support of complex employee retirement programs. Colin’s unique capabilities include implementing useful techniques for employers to obtain more satisfactory participation levels in 401(k) plans and the understanding that participants have of the value of their plans. Colin earned the AIF® Designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies in 2012. The AIF Designation certifies he has specialized knowledge of fiduciary standards of care and their application to the investment management process. Colin currently holds FINRA Series 7, 63 and 65 registrations and Life, A&H and VA licenses and is a Representative of Cetera Advisor Networks LLC. Colin is a cum laude graduate of Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH with a B.A. in Business Administration.

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Justin Pagnard, AIF®

Phone: (216) 642-8049

E-mail: jpagnard@vanfin.com

Justin Pagnard joined Vantage Financial Group in January 2011. Justin strives to provide sound financial advice to clients, while helping them develop a plan for both their short- and long-term financial needs. Justin has been working in the financial services industry since 2004.

A 2004 graduate of Bowling Green State University’s College of Business, Justin has experience in unsecured credit underwriting, unsecured credit risk management, retail banking, and investment management.

Currently, Justin is President for the Cleveland chapter of the National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and a former trustees for the Rotary Club of Cleveland.

Justin holds his Series 6, 7, 63 & 65 securities registrations as well as Life, Accident & Health insurance licenses.

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Michael T. Bearducci, AIF®, Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

Michael T. Bearducci, AIF® is a principal and retirement plan specialist with our affiliate Vantage Financial Group, Inc. He specializes in plan design and consulting and managing plan risks and fiduciary responsibilities.

Michael is a Registered Representative of Cetera Advisor Networks LLC and is a member of Cetera’s Retirement Plan Advisory Board. His is also a member of the National Association of Plan Advisors. In 2012, Michael earned the AIF® Designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies, certifying that he has specialized knowledge of fiduciary standards of care and their application to the investment management process. Michael currently holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 registrations along with Life, A&H, VA licenses. He graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College.

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Keith Brownrigg

Group Employee Benefits

Mobile: 303-475-798

Keith Brownrigg is a veteran Employee Benefits Consultant with The Benefit Team, LLC, one of our partner companies. Keith serves our clients in the areas of employee benefits (group health, dental, life and disability insurance) for small and medium-sized businesses. He is exceptionally knowledgeable with benefit plan strategies, insurance products and regulatory matters (including the Affordable Care Act.) Keith provides clear and unbiased explanations of concepts and solutions to benefits managers as well as employees. Keith was President of the Metro Denver Health Underwriters Association (MDAHU) for two terms from 2012 - 2014, and he was Co-Legislative Chair of MDAHU form 2008 - 2012. Keith continues to represent the employee benefits aspect of our business, often meeting with legislators and insurance industry leaders. (Keith Brownrigg of The Benefit Team, LLC is not affiliated or registered with Cetera Advisor Networks LLC. Advice provided by Keith is made on behalf of The Richards Financial Group, Inc. and The Benefit Team, LLC and is not related to Cetera Advisor Networks LLC or its registered representatives.)

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Rachelle Brownrigg

Group Employee Benefits

Mobile: (303) 933-9175

Rachelle Brownrigg is an Employee Benefits Consultant with The Benefit Team, LLC, one of our partner companies. Rachelle serves our clients in the areas of employee benefits (group health, dental, life and disability insurance) for small and medium-sized businesses. She is deeply knowledgeable with benefit plan strategies, insurance products and regulatory matters (including the Affordable Care Act.) Rachelle provides clear and unbiased explanations of concepts and solutions to benefits managers as well as employees and provides exemplary ongoing service to our clients. (Rachelle is not affiliated or registered with Cetera Advisor Networks LLC. Advice provided by her is made on behalf of The Richards Financial Group, Inc. and The Benefit Team, LLC and is not related to Cetera Advisor Networks LLC or its registered representatives.)

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Brooks Bergner, CLU, ChFC, RHU, Large-Group Employee Benefits

Brooks Bergner, CLU, ChFC, RHU is an account executive with our affiliate AssuredPartners, Inc., providing advanced design, implementation and service expertise in the areas of large-employer benefit plans and other risk-management programs. Brooks was the founder of Brewster Benefits, Inc. and co-founder of Advanced Benefits Advisors, LLC, two highly respected Denver employee benefits consulting companies, and he was co-founder of Piney Creek Digital, Inc., a developer of digital resources for human resources executives.

Brooks earned his B.A. Economics, Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland. After graduating from Officer Candidate School, served in the U.S. Navy as an Intelligence Officer. During aircraft carrier-based deployments, gained skills in project management, personnel management, accountability, security systems, tactical and strategic planning, logistics and operations. Honorably discharged. (Brooks Bergner of AssuredPartners, Inc. is not affiliated or registered with Cetera Advisor Networks LLC. Advice provided by Brooks is made on behalf of The Richards Financial Group, Inc. and AssuredPartners, Inc. and is not related to Cetera Advisor Networks LLC or its registered representatives.)

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Brian MacKenzie, Medicare Supplemental Insurance

Brian MacKenzie has been in the health insurance industry for over 18 years. Starting in the customer service department of the largest managed care health plan in Arizona, he advanced on to the commercial accounts division where he managed premium rate and benefit plan renewals for large and small employer group customers. When Congress passed the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) in 2003, it represented the largest overhaul of the Medicare program since its inception. Most notably, MMA provided prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans to Medicare beneficiaries beginning in 2006. Since 2006, Brian has been working with Medicare beneficiaries to ensure their understanding of their Medicare benefits and the gaps that exist to enroll them in the appropriate senior supplemental insurance.

Brian has a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and enjoys jogging, walking his dogs and mountain biking in his free time.

(Brian MacKenzie of Kellogg Insurance Marketing is not affiliated or registered with Cetera Advisor Networks LLC. Advice provided by Brian is made on behalf of Kellogg and is not related to Cetera Advisor Networks LLC or its registered representatives.)

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Our Team

Don Richards, CFP®

Colin O. Anderson, AIF®, Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

Justin Pagnard, AIF®

Michael T. Bearducci, AIF®, Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

Keith Brownrigg

Group Employee Benefits

Rachelle Brownrigg

Group Employee Benefits

Brooks Bergner, CLU, ChFC, RHU, Large-Group Employee Benefits

Brian MacKenzie, Medicare Supplemental Insurance