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Principal® Financial Network of Mid-Atlantic
Meet the management team
Office leadership
Headshot of Michael S. Conk.
Michael S. Conk, AIF®, CRPC®, CFS®, CLF®, RICP®
Senior Regional Managing Director

Mike is responsible for recruiting, training, and developing financial professionals. Since starting his career in the financial services industry in 2004, he has been an active member of several organizations, including the Greater Philadelphia Society of Financial Services Professionals (SFSP), where he served as president, as well as the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and the General Agents and Managers Association (GAMA). Mike resides in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, with his wife, two daughters, and their dog. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing and volunteers as Treasurer for Ten Thousand Villages, a non-profit Fair-Trade organization in Souderton, Pennsylvania

Contact information
484-654-0753 conk.mike@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Dennis Lusk
Dennis E. Lusk, LUTCF®
Senior Managing Director

Dennis is proud to work with a greater purpose in mind—to give people the financial tools and confidence to live their best lives. Our clients’ goals are at the heart of what he does, as he continues to educate and develop his team of financial professionals who deliver solutions to help their clients. From providing career development, comprehensive benefits, and a vibrant, diverse work environment, Dennis believes our culture reflects our commitment to helping financial professionals build and grow healthy sustainable practices and make a positive impact on the communities we serve.

Contact information
856-985-2204 lusk.dennis@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Headshot of Michael Grembi Jr.
Michael Grembi Jr.
Managing Director

As a managing director with over 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry, my commitment to members of my team is to value their unique background and perspective, and to empower them to grow professionally. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a financial professional with Principal®, you’ll be joining a team of leaders and like-minded financial professionals committed to helping individuals and business owners work toward their financial goals. If you or someone you know is searching for a career where you can live your passion—we need to talk!

Contact information
412-327-9175 grembi.michael@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Headshot of Matthew DiPuppo.
Matthew R. DiPuppo, MS PFP, CFP®, EA, AWMA®, CRPC®
Managing Director - Development

With over a decade of financial services industry experience, Matt focuses on helping clients build, manage, and preserve their wealth. He uses a holistic approach to build integrated plans for his clients and he values mentoring fellow financial professionals on effective client service. Matt holds a Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, demonstrating extensive training in areas such as estate planning, investments, taxes, and retirement planning, all governed by the CFP Board’s rigorous Standards of Professional Conduct. Active in the community, Matt is a member of the Montgomery County and Mainline Chamber of Commerce, serving as a chamber ambassador, and participates in the Conshohocken Plymouth Whitemarsh Rotary, volunteering for various community service projects.

Contact information
484-581-1563 dipuppo.matt@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Office staff
Headshot of Andrea Garrett
Andrea Garrett
Assistant Director Field Operations

Andrea 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
517-927-4068 garrett.andrea@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Headshot of Ginny Otero
Ginny Otero
Manager Field Operations

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

Contact information
otero.ginny@principal.com
Headshot of Sara Hawks.
Sara Hawks
Senior Business Development Consultant

Sara 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
hawks.sara@principal.com
Headshot of Kathy McDevitt.
Kathy McDevitt
Senior New Business Consultant

Kathy facilitates the design and submission of new business cases. Collaborating with financial professionals and their teams, as well as corporate product partners, she meticulously reviews submissions to ensure they meet all necessary criteria. Kathy attention to detail helps maintain a smooth workflow, benefiting both financial professionals and internal stakeholders.

Contact information
mcdevitt.kathy@principal.com
Headshot of Debbie Swerdlow.
Debbie Swerdlow
New Business Consultant

Debbie is responsible for consulting and managing new business case design and submission. She partners 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
swerdlow.debbie@principal.com
Headshot of Cadie Rogers.
Cadie Rogers
Site Coordinator

Cadie 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. Cadie takes pride in making sure inquiries are handled promptly. With her proactive approach and attention to detail, Cadie contributes to a supportive environment where client needs are prioritized.

Contact information
rogers.cadie@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
Headshot of Shannon Barrioneuvo.
Shannon Barrioneuvo
Field Supervisor

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

Contact information
barrioneuvo.shannon@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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