Our team
Our senior management team averages 20 years service with the firm. Our employees are selected from the best in the industry judged by merit and by personal standards of commitment, discretion and integrity.
Rick Thomas, CLU®
Rick Thomas is Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Financial which he founded in 1975. His firm focuses on estate planning and wealth transfer for high net worth individuals and firms as well as business continuation and executive benefits for both the public and private sectors.
Joel Stephens, CLU®
Joel specializes in life insurance planning for business owners and executives of both closely-held and publicly-held companies. He concentrates in Estate Planning for High Net Worth Individuals, Business Continuity and Executive Benefits.
Ruth White, CLU®, CLTC®
Ruth began her career with Thomas Financial in 1981 and is a Principal of the firm. She works closely with clients and their advisors throughout the wealth transfer process for high net worth individuals and families as well as executive benefit and succession planning for public and privately held companies.
Lauren Thomas Compton, CFP®, CLU®
Lauren began her insurance career with Thomas Financial in 2004. Lauren is a Principal with the firm and is responsible for new business generation and cultivating the relationships of the firm’s second and third generation clients, especially those of family businesses.
Craig Faassen, CFP®
Craig Faassen, CFP®, is President of Thomas Financial Wealth. He combines deep technical expertise with a client-centric network of professional relationships.
Leslie Darrigo, CLU®
Leslie began her insurance career with Thomas Financial in 1984. Leslie is the Director of Operations, involved in all facets of the business including overseeing coordination of the departments and flow of business, improving procedures, assisting in strategic planning and training and mentoring the team.
JS Gagnon
JS is the president of the Employee Benefits Division at Thomas Financial. A 15-year veteran of the health insurance field, he is widely recognized in the industry as a consumer driven healthcare and benefits technology expert.
Ashton Taylor, CRPS®
Ashton has been a dedicated team member at Thomas Financial since 2008, first serving in a Staff Accountant role before being promoted quickly to Controller in 2010. As Controller, Ashton directs all aspects of accounting functions, including planning, organizing, staffing, coordinating and reporting.
Shawn Hanlon
Shawn is the executive vice president of the Employee Benefits Division at Thomas Financial. He has over a decade of experience in the employee benefits industry, having worked on both the carrier and brokerage sides, as well as with a leading technology benefits firm. This experience enables Shawn to provide a holistic approach with his clients, combining expertise in benefit administration, defined contribution strategies, underwriting, data analytics, alternate funding methodologies and the private exchange platform.