Innovators in Data-Driven Growth and Mission Driven
We identified a gap between what clients want and what most advisors deliver. Practice Intel was created to bridge that gap and help more advisors deliver better advice.
Leveraging years of J.D. Power research and guided by extensive industry experience, our mission is to advance the advice profession. Our work is more then just incremental change, it is disruptive and innovative.
Join us on the journey of helping advisors deliver on the full promise of financial advice.
Leadership Team
Tom Rieman, CPWA
Tom Rieman, CPWA® has a career spanning over 25 years in wealth management with a background in field sales, training & development and data science. Tom brings significant expertise including asset management distribution, institutional consumer research and a deep understanding of the broker-dealer ecosystem with a focus on process and performance improvement. Before founding Practice Intel, Tom was Head of Wealth Solutions at J.D. Power & Associates, Executive Director of Practice Management at Brinker Capital, and Vice President of Learning and Development at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Tom's extensive experience also includes time in the field as a wholesaler and providing advisory services to high-net-worth clients. Tom is a respected speaker at national conferences and a valued contributor to Barron's Advisor and other industry publications. He holds a master’s degree in Organizational Learning and a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® certification.
Kathy Cottrell, Ph.D.
Kathy Cottrell, Ph.D. has extensive experience in both operations and internal consulting with expertise helping senior leaders and organizations reach higher levels of performance. She designs, develops and leads individual and organizational transformational change initiatives to improve both individual and organizational effectiveness. Prior to co-founding Practice Intel Kathy held senior level roles with The Walt Disney Company, Raytheon and Tenet Healthcare with responsibilities that included strategy design and development, workforce development solutions, competency design, executive coaching, and large scale enterprise change. Kathy has served as an adjunct professor at several universities teaching post graduate courses including Organizational Theory and Behavior, Ethics, Diversity, and Human Resource Systems. She holds a master's in policy Analysis and Administration and a Ph. D. in Organizational Psychology.
Tom Lawler
Tom Lawler has a career spanning over 25 years in financial services with extensive experience in field sales management, training & development, and CX. Tom draws upon his significant expertise to improve comprehensive business outcomes and is probably best known for his ability to “make the complex, simple”. Prior to joining Practice Intel, Tom was Head of the Consumer Lending Intelligence Practice at J.D. Power & Associates, he held numerous senior roles at Wells Fargo and led the Corporate Trust/Municipal Bond Call Center at U.S. Trust. Tom's career also includes tenure as a licensed individual producer and a sales manager for nontraditional bank products including fixed/variable annuities and mutual funds. He holds a B.S.B.A degree from Manhattan College where he was inducted into the prestigious Epsilon Sigma Pi Scholastic Honor Society.
Advisory Board
Raleigh Peters
Raleigh Peters, a Senior Advisor at New Mountain Capital, has over 25 years of experience in investment management. Previously, he led the Global Strategic Partnerships team at Blackstone, growing the private wealth business through partnerships and successful fund launches. Before Blackstone, he was a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, focusing on capital raising for mutual funds and retirement solutions. Peters serves on several boards and committees, including the Board of Trustees at Grove City College and the Investment Committees at Westminster Theological Seminary and Felician Sisters of North America. He holds a B.S. in Finance from Grove City College and an MBA from Eastern University.
Malcolm Ethridge
Malcolm Ethridge, CFP® is executive vice president at CIC Wealth and leverages his expertise as a Certified Financial Planner to help bring clarity to some of the most complex financial situations that working professionals tend to face. Malcolm is a frequent CNBC on-air contributor and both co-host and executive producer of Manage Your Damn Money; a show designed to help make casual conversations about personal finance the rule and no longer the exception among millennials and other young people. Malcolm is very active in several community service organizations as both a board member and/or mentor. He is very passionate about the case for financial literacy, and the transformative effects it can have on young people. As a very proud Aggie Alum, Malcolm holds a Bachelor’s degree from North Carolina A&T State University, where he studied marketing and management. Malcolm is a native Washingtonian, and in his free time, he enjoys skiing, flag football, and reading.
Jordan Hutchison
Dr. Jordan Hutchison, Vice President of Technology & Operations at RFG Advisory, is a leading figure in the financial industry known for his innovative approach. With a background in psychology and finance, he transitioned from financial advising to FinTech in 2018, contributing to companies like SignatureFD, Monstro.AI, XY Planning Network, and Shaping Wealth. His expertise now drives his role at RFG Advisory, where he works on enhancing technology and strategies to improve client and advisor experiences. Jordan earned his Doctorate in Behavioral Finance, specializing in positive psychology and financial planners and teaches Behavioral Finance and Psychology of Financial Planning at Kaplan’s College for Financial Planning. Outside of work, he enjoys family time, sports, and continuous learning.
Dean Harman
Dean Harman, CFP® is the founder and CEO of Harman Wealth Management and co-founder of Alphalytics Research. He established Harman Wealth Management in 1994 and expanded it through acquisitions, and in 2015, he co-founded Alphalytics Research, a leader in U.S. business cycle analytics. Dean is past chair of the Financial Services Institute and currently sits on advisory boards for FINRA and Osaic, the nation’s largest broker dealer. He is a recognized thought leader, frequently quoted in major media and has testified before Congress on financial industry standards. He authored “Win By Not Losing” and advocates for evidence-based investment strategies. Dean holds a business management degree from Clemson University, where he also played football. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).
James Lee
James Lee, CFP®, AIF®, CRPC® is the founder and President of Lee Investment Management, which he started in 1998 to provide independent financial planning and investment advice. He began his career at Federal Filings, Inc., where he analyzed legislation and regulations for institutional investors, and was a shareholder when the company was acquired by Dow Jones Inc. James holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. He actively participates in the Financial Planning Association® and serves as Past President of its national board. Additionally, he is a member of NAPFA and volunteers for various charities and boards. In his free time, James enjoys family activities, golf, skiing, and relaxing at Lake George.
Scooter Willis
Scooter Willis, Ph.D. is a seasoned AI and machine learning expert with a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering, an MBA, and a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida, where he was also Student Body President. With a diverse career spanning various industries, he specializes in leveraging advanced analytics, predictive modeling, and AI technologies to solve complex business problems. He founded TechGarage, a non-profit focused on challenge-based learning for at-risk students, and is a senior author of BioJava, recognized as one of the top Java applications by Oracle. Scooter resides on an 80-acre farm near Gainesville, FL, with his family, where he is reimagining organic farming with robotics. When not at home, he and his wife Karen enjoy traveling and are close to joining the Travelers’ Century Club.
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