As you navigate through the many stages of life, your ability to set money aside fluctuates. This fluctuation must be factored into your long-term accumulation strategy.
Regardless of when you begin to accumulate wealth, a successful plan requires:
The right plan can help protect against market fluctuations and may result in greater wealth over a long term.
Patrick is Dave and Kathe’s son. He came to us at an early age and wanted to get into our industry. We turned him away and told him he needed to live life and learn the value of life choices and money management. Patrick graduated with a BS in Aerinautical with a specialization in unmanned vehicles. He has worked abroad and traveled the World. He is an adjunct professor and has worked in the unmanned vehicle world for 12 years. He started at Meade Wheeler Financial group in 2023 as our Director of Business Development. He has learned the ins and outs of our business and is a licensed agent. Patrick is transitioning to an advisor role. We are excited to see where his future goes.
Check out our Bio’s for more information about our team members and some fun facts!
Patricia Wheeler collaborates with her husband Ken Wheeler in the Meade Wheeler financial Group family, bringing over 45 years of experience and knowledge of our industry. Pat would like to say she is now “retired”, but we often look to her for her expertise. Patricia is a valuable part of our team.
“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.”
– Mark Twain
Cross country skier, amateur geologist and hiker-kayaker-gardener-extraordinaire are among many of Marie’s talents. But her absolute favorite activity is experiencing these outdoor adventures with her sweet and smart walking partner – her dog Hope!
While Hope may be the inspiration and motivator to keep Marie active in the great outdoors, Marie is also inspired by the idea of maintaining a positive perspective on life – created from staying informed and viewing situations from all vantage points.
Marie applies this concept to her position as Director of First Impressions at Meade Wheeler Financial Group. She believes if individuals are educated and can “see a situation from all vantage points,” they can shape their perspective on life which will help them visualize their dreams and define their goals.
The ability of Meade Wheeler Financial Group to educate their clients and to help them successfully achieve their goals is one of the reasons that attracted Marie to the company. She is “impressed with their ability to understand our clients, their individual needs and tailor a plan for them.” It is this process combined with the honesty and integrity displayed by Kathe and Dave Meade that makes her proud.
Marie enjoys contributing to the overall process of creating individualized financial plans to help clients achieve their goals. Her experience has greatly contributed to the company’s success.
Ken Wheeler has helped hundreds of people with their retirements, he himself has no desire to ever retire! This may be surprising to some, but as the saying goes… “If you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life.” Ken understands the importance of succession planning for his clients as well as his own business. Ken is able to continue the career he loves by staying on at Meade Wheeler Financial group with our team.
“Be where your feet are.”
“5 kids between the Dave and I, six grand kids, an 11-year old daughter, a little dog, a cat and two hamsters … we are the Brady Bunch,” Kathe Meade, President of Meade Wheeler Financial Group, says while she laughs. “Plus being married to my business partner is a daily reminder to keep our practice focused on what matters most … faith, family and security.”
Kathe grew up in the industry. Her step-father Ken and Mother Patricia started their agency in 1976. Ken was and still is one of Jackson County’s leading financial planners. “It’s so great to see clients I grew up with who would come into see Ken now bring their children and grandchildren in to plan for their future,” Meade recollects. “I’ve been so fortunate to watch so many families reach so many milestones together and truly watch their dreams come true. We follow the succession plan we preach.” Meade has worked in financial services and benefits for over 25 years. Over a decade ago, Kathe and David Meade bought the family business, and we became Meade Wheeler Financial Group.
For over 25 years, Meade has helped business owners provide comprehensive employee health plans and financial services for her clients. Meade has also helped many of the agencies’ financial clients navigate through the wildly complicated path of Medicare planning.
Meade also prides herself on helping women steer in to the next chapter of their life. “Divorce and death can be overwhelming and at times devastating,” Meade said. “I’ve realized humans need an objective ear and an unemotional bias to really review the truth to figure out what the next chapter of their lives is going to look like. There have been so many happy endings that started in despair.”
When Meade is not leading the Meade Wheeler Financial Group, she loves spending time with her 11 year old daughter Abigail at their cottage on Beaver Island. “There is something so magical seeing nature through a child’s eye,” Meade said. Yet, eyes lighting up around Kathe is not reserved solely for when exploring the beauty in nature with her family….
Just two simple words ‘Culinary Secrets’ has been known to light up the eyes of the Meade’s entire community, at least those of whom have had the distinct pleasure of indulging in one of Kathe’s culinary masterpieces!
When asked her secret in the kitchen, Kathe smiles and responds simply with “I cook with love!” Spending time with her daughter in the kitchen is the highlights of their time together. “Abigail makes a mean braised short rib for being 11!”
Though she may never reveal all of the secrets behind the mastery of craft, Kathe loves teaching cooking classes where she is able to share her passion with others.
Kathe Meade has been proud to call Jackson, Michigan her home for her entire life. Meade is currently a member on the Board of Directors for Cascade Manors House and on Jackson Christian Schools royal Ministries Trust Foundation committee.
Dave and Kathe come from a diverse unique background full of life experiences and situations that give us a perspective that helps us not only relate to our clients but show compassion and empathy to the clients who come face to face within life. Dave and Kathy will celebrate 33 years of marriage on October 31st; no not because they love Halloween or wanted to dress up as a bride and groom! Honestly, it is because it was the only weekend that they could both be away from work and juggle kids to have a honeymoon! Together they have 4 adult children, and a daughter at home getting ready to graduate from Highschool in May of 2026! They also have7 grandchildren, their youngest was born in September of 2025. Their home is filled with a Golden Retriever, and a yorkie poo. A cat and Parrot too!
Being married and business partners is a daily reminder for us to keep our practice focused on what matters the most our faith, our family, and our clients. Kathe is the president of Mead Wheeler Financial Group. Kathe has been in the industry for over 34 years and feels she has been so fortunate to watch many families reach many milestones together and truly watch their dreams come true. Kathe grew up in the business. From a very young age she learned the importance of proper planning, saving, and setting goals. Dave has retired from the manufacturing world where he worked his way up from the shop floor to plant manager he has managed multimillion dollar companies and worked in many different areas of manufacturing world they’ve started working for the agency 20 years ago and is the VP Dave was in the 101st airborne and is a Vietnam Veteran. Dave is instrumental in developing plans for our clients and has a unique perspective and understanding of what our business clients face daily running a business.
“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.”
-C.S. Lewis
Family. Dog. Friends. Church. Community. These are Amanda’s passions.
Amanda loves spending time with all of her family members. She has a very large extensive family that includes many siblings, her parents and her “bonus parents” – ask her to elaborate next time you see her. She holds a special place in her heart for her niece and nephew, and carves out extra time to spend with them so they can enjoy adventures together. And then there is the cherry-on-top-of-the-cake of Amanda’s life – Tika, her dog. Tika is her sweet fur-child, and, of course, center of her universe.
Amanda recently moved to Jackson from her stomping grounds in Northern Michigan. While Northern Michigan is still her favorite travel destination, her new town easily accommodates her favorite hobbies of cooking, baking and reading. Amanda was very involved in her church and community, and she looks forward to using this relocation opportunity to expand her base of friends and community activities.
Because family is at the core of Amanda’s heart, becoming a full-time Business Development Manager at a family-centered agency was a natural transition. And it is the mission at Meade Wheeler Financial that continues to impress Amanda – to help clients and their families achieve financial freedom and success. This mission inspires her every day to be an integral part of guiding clients to a secure and happy future. “As a family agency, we care about helping you and your family find security and peace. We go above and beyond to make that a possibility,” says Amanda.
Amanda received her Bachelor of Science in Communications from Spring Arbor University. She has been a part of the agency and family since 2007 and has more than 12 years of marketing and business experience.