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Principal® Financial Network of New York Metro
Meet the management team
Office leadership
Headshot of Scott Powhida
Scott Powhida, CFP®
Regional Managing Director

Scott joined Principal Financial Group® as a managing director in 2014. He began his career as a financial professional with Edward Jones, and then spent 14 years with Key Investment Services, LLC as a financial professional and vice president. Scott found that his passion lies with motivating and aiding other financial representatives in growing their businesses. Scot has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Siena College in Latham, NY, is a Certified Financial Planner™, and has his Series 7, 9, 10, 24, 31, 51, 63, and 65 FINRA securities registrations. A native of NY’s Capital Region, Scott enjoys fitness and outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, boating, and spending time with his family and friends on Great Sacandaga Lake.

Contact information
518-724-1703 powhida.scott@principal.com Connect with me on LinkedIn
Headshot of Frank DiSpigna
Frank DiSpigna
Managing Director

Frank works with individuals, business owners, key executives, and entrepreneurial professionals to build and protect wealth through comprehensive financial planning. Frank is a former member of the FDNY and has four plus decades of experience in the financial, insurance, and group benefits industry. He graduated from St. John’s University in Queens, NY, holds Series 7, 24, 51, and 63 securities registrations and is life and health licensed. In his free time, Frank enjoys boating, living an active lifestyle, and being close to family. He is a member of St. Joseph’s Church and a former CYO coach for the boy’s lacrosse and girls’ basketball teams.

Contact information
631-861-2575 dispigna.frank@principal.com
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 Alex Wallace
Alex Wallace
Business Development Consultant

Alex works with the management team and financial representatives to implement strategies to expand their marketing, branding, and business development efforts at both the representative and regional office level.

Contact information
wallace.alex@principal.com
Headshot of Ashley Davis
Ashley Davis
New Business Consultant

Ashley 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
davis.ashley@principal.com
Headshot of Jerry Murphy
Jerry Murphy
Site Coordinator

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

Contact information
murphy.jerry@principal.com
Headshot of Suzie Daggett
Suzie Daggett
Candidate Experience Consultant

Suzie works 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
daggett.suzie@principal.com
Headshot of Dawn Spaulding
Dawn Spaulding
Field Supervisor

Dawn 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
spaulding.dawn@principal.com
National staff
Headshot of 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
Headshot of 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
Headshot of 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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