About Us Our Company Worldwide locations Regional locations Principal ® Financial Network of the Carolinas Meet the management team - The Carolinas

Meet the management team - The Carolinas

Principal® Financial Network of the Carolinas
Meet the management team
Office leadership
Shawn Will
Shawn Will
Senior Regional Managing Director

Shawn is committed to helping our financial representatives determine what financial success looks like and helping them achieve it. As a former financial professional and managing partner, Shawn has been in the financial industry since 2000. He is an active member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the General Agency Management Association (GAMA).

Contact information
919-755-8688 will.shawn@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Ryan Marsh
Ryan Marsh CLF®
Senior Managing Director

Ryan has served the Charlotte community with financial services since 2001. Before joining the management team, he built a successful practice of business owners and families. Ryan is a graduate of UNC Charlotte, a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and an advisor for the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). A sports enthusiast, Ryan loves engaging in golf, softball, basketball, and football. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife and their five children.

Contact information
980-235-0505 marsh.ryan@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Craig B. Miller
Craig B. Miller CFP®, CRPC®
Managing Director - Development

Craig has been in the financial services industry since 2006 and brings a strong background to his managing director - development role. Craig is passionate about working with both clients as well as internal partners, providing financial planning solutions to clients and training and growth support to financial representatives. Craig and his wife live in Raleigh with their two sons. Craig is originally from Florida and enjoys staying active through sports and outdoor activities.

Contact information
919-755-8662 miller.craig@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Office staff
Dava Weitzel
Dava Weitzel
Associate Director Field Operations

Dava drives operational excellence in partnership with the regional and territory leaders. Through leadership of and in partnership with a team of territorial support staff she strives to deliver solutions to help financial professionals cultivate compliant and best in class practices.

Contact information
770-250-7606 weitzel.dava@princpal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Erin Thornburgh
Erin Thornburgh
Senior Manager Field Operations

Erin leads a team of new business consultants and works closely with corporate partners to develop processes which enable the team to provide an elevated level of service to the representatives in the territory.

Contact information
thornburgh.erin@principal.com
Nicole Hathaway
Nicole Hathaway
Business Development Strategist

Nicole works alongside the management team and financial representatives to create and implement initiatives designed to boost marketing, enhance branding, and drive business development at both the individual representative and regional office levels.

Contact information
hathaway.nicole@principal.com
Kelly Childers
Kelly Childers
New Business Consultant

Kelly is responsible for consulting and managing new business case design and submission. She works with financial professionals and their teams, along with our corporate product partners, to ensure cases are submitted accurately so they can be processed on time and in alignment with product area processes.

Contact information
childers.kelly@principal.com
Rachel Coffey
Rachel Coffey
New Business Consultant

Rachel directs the design and submission of new business cases. Working together with financial professionals and their teams, along with corporate product partners, she verifies that all cases are submitted with precision and adhere to product area processes. Her commitment to excellence ensures timely processing.

Contact information
coffey.rachel@principal.com
Angie Dirks
Angie Dirks
Site Coordinator

Angie plays a crucial role in ensuring our offices operate efficiently. Working closely with the entire team, she serves as a skilled troubleshooter who addresses challenges head-on. Angie takes pride in making sure inquiries are handled promptly. With her proactive approach and attention to detail, Angie contributes to a supportive environment where client needs are prioritized.

Contact information
dirks.angie@principal.com
Ellen Brill
Ellen Brill
Senior Candidate Experience Consultant

Ellen partners with the management team to provide comprehensive support to all new financial representative candidates through the onboarding and initial marketing launch processes. This includes scheduling of exams, ordering background checks, and preparing contracting and registration paperwork.

Contact information
brill.ellen@principal.com
Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson
Field Supervisor

Bill assists the management team with their supervisory and regulatory responsibilities. He is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the firm by ensuring activities comply with regulatory requirements, laws, and firm policies.

Contact information
nelson.bill@principal.com
National staff
Jane Choi
Jane Choi, CLF®, LUTCF®
National Recruiting Director

For over two decades, Jane has specialized in building and leading entrepreneurial teams and helping individuals from diverse backgrounds grow and succeed in their careers. Her expertise is in recruiting, with a focus on identifying, hiring, and retaining top talent with strong business acumen and strategic problem-solving skills. Jane is passionate about fostering collaboration while upholding the values of client service, operational excellence, and market growth. Her goal is to help create high-performing offices that offer meaningful opportunities and long-term support for professionals in our industry. If you are interested in joining our nationwide network of leaders and financial professionals, she would love to connect.

Contact information
805-844-0025 choi.jane@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Lisa Rinehart
Lisa Rinehart
Regional Talent Acquisition Consultant

Lisa has decades of experience in the financial services industry with a career that started managing credit union relationships on the West Coast. She joined Principal® in 2008 to focus on sourcing registered financial professional and leader talent. She finds great satisfaction in this role as she lives out the company’s values and mission, bringing new talent from across the country into our culture of inclusion and diversity, where both specific and holistic practices thrive.

Contact information
559-214-2123 rinehart.lisa@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Melville Waithe
Melville Waithe
National Director - Succession and Practice Management

Melville is an experienced financial services leader with a strong background in wealth management sales and a commitment to servant leadership. Skilled in managing, coaching, and mentoring teams of over 1,000 professionals, including sales coaches, financial and wealth advisors, client relationship consultants, and senior managers, both directly and indirectly. Proven success in guiding advisor teams to integrate key principles of practice management, business planning, insights discovery, advisor technology resources, and the consultative sales process into their operations. He holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Business and is a proud lifetime member of the Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in business administration and The National Society of Leadership and Success.

Contact information
704-716-2468 waithe.melville@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
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