Our team

Kevin J. Hermening, CFP®

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

Kevin Hermening, CFP®;, is the Managing Partner of Hermening Financial Group LLC.

For nearly 18 years, Kevin Hermening has operated his own financial planning firm, Hermening Financial Group LLC (HFG), an independent firm with a focus on comprehensive financial planning, tax planning, and investment management.

Kevin is an independent investment advisor and Registered Representative with First Allied Securities Inc. and also manages HFG as the Branch office of First Allied Securities Inc., an Advanced Equities Company. As the principal of the local Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction with First Allied Securities Inc., he supervises other planners affiliated with his branch office.

He is also a Registered Investment Advisor-Agent with Hermening Advisory Services LLC (HAS), and dually-licensed with First Allied Advisory Services Inc. These affiliations permit him to offer investment securities products and investment advisory services as a fee-based planner.

Working closely with the staff of HFG, Kevin is able to manage the planning relationship with each of the firm's clients. HFG offers a wide range of investment, insurance, tax reduction, and estate planning services. They utilize mutual funds, annuities, stocks and bonds, REITs and Private Equity investment opportunities. In addition to financial planning, HFG also offers income tax preparation services.

He also is a product specialist for employee retirement programs, including 401(k) plans, 403(b) programs, and 457 retirement plans, SIMPLE IRAs, and non-qualified investment plans, among others. Drawing on that background, Kevin teaches "Financial Management / Investment Basics" and "Estate Planning" seminars in a variety of settings, including for Northcentral Technical College (NTC), Wausau.

He earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) designation after passing the CFP® Board of Standards' examination. At present, Kevin is pursuing an MBA, with an emphasis in Finance, Investments and Banking.

Kevin is a member of the Financial Planning Association, the professional organization for independent financial advisors. He is also a member of several local civic organizations, including the Wausau Area Chamber of Commerce, and has served on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement.

From 1993 to 2000, he hosted "Your Business, Your Money, and You," a weekly hour-long live radio broadcast on talk radio 1230 (AM) WXCO, with a focus on area business, the economy, and financial planning.

Previously, Kevin was a regional sales manager with Wisconsin Independent Businesses Inc., a Madison-based company lobbying state government on behalf of small business, and earlier worked as the advertising sales manager for Milwaukee Public Television for five years.

Kevin is an accomplished public speaker, having addressed more than 3,000 audiences nationwide over the past 25 years, often about his experiences as the youngest of the 52 Americans held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Iran for 444 days from 1979 - 1981. He served a total of 13 years in the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve, and received an Honorable Discharge in 1994. He is the recipient of the U.S. State Department�s Award for Valor, and received the Prisoner of War Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the nation�s highest peacetime military decorations, from the Department of Defense.

He has been involved in national, state, and local politics for many years, and has twice been a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and the Wisconsin State Legislature.

He and his wife, Wendy, have two daughters, Kacey and Kaitlyn and currently reside in Mosinee. Kevin served many years as a Member of the Mosinee School Board. Kevin enjoys golf, softball, and bowling and often appears as a cast member of the Mosinee Summer Theater.

Beth Hoffman

Associate Advisor

Beth Hoffman joined Hermening Financial Group in June 2007, following 13 years in the brokerage business.

Beth recently retired from managing her own client relationships, and is consulting with HFG as both she and Kevin work with her clients as they transition their investment and financial planning work to her new firm. Her clients will be provided with full-service financial planning, investment management, and tax planning opportunities.

She is heavily involved in legacy planning, assisting clients with their charitable and estate planning needs.

She will work from both the Wausau and new Stevens Point branch office locations of HFG.

Justin Sitte

Registered Principal / Associate Advisor

Justin manages the Registered Investment Advisor operations for Hermening Advisory Services LLC. He is also the manager of trading and customer service.

Responsible for the customer service department, he ensures that our customers' paperwork is properly submitted, and pursues the follow-up work necessary to keep our customers satisfied.

He routinely tracks investment portfolio balances, and any changes to customer accounts.

Justin is a fully licensed General Securities representative (Series 7), and holds a General Principal's license (Series 24) with the NASD. He assists Kevin in the new insurance application process. He holds a B.S. - Business Administration (Finance) degree.

Kimberly Payne

Registered Paraplanner / Operations Manager

Kim is responsible for the internal operations of Hermening Financial Group LLC, and provides oversight of all customer service and company products and services. She is completing the REGISTERED PARAPLANNERSM certification program through the College for Financial Planning in Denver (where Kevin received his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation); and is presently pursuing an Accounting degree through U.W. - Stevens Point. Kim is also licensed as a Notary Public with the State of Wisconsin.

William Shirer, Ph.D.

Certified Senior Advisor

Bill joined the firm in August, 2002. He holds advanced degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a Certified Strategic Planner, and is an adjunct faculty member at Cardinal Stritch University. He is a recently retired school superintendent with thirty-five years of professional experience. He assists Kevin in working with clients regarding retirement planning, and planning assistance to nonprofit organizations and small businesses. He has personal experience with retirement savings, and senior citizen issues. Bill is a Certified Senior Advisor, and discusses many of specialty senior planning issues for our clients.

Wendy Hermening

Client Reception Hostess / Appointment Secretary

Wendy is the firm's receptionist, and greets visitors to the office. She schedules most client appointments, and periodic and annual reviews. She is also responsible for coordinating the marketing efforts of the firm. She plans and organizes our public seminars, advertising programs, and client communications efforts.

Sally Sorenson

Administrative Assistant

Sally has been with HFG for nearly seven years, and brings a lifetime of organization, systems support, and superior customer service to her role with the firm.

She offers our staff wise counsel when things get dicey around the office, and always brings proper perspective to every situation.

Sally will assist you with address changes, beneficiary designation changes, and is probably the one responsible for ensuring your paperwork gets out on time.