Eric began his investment industry career in 1987 with G.C. George Securities and joined Stifel in 2019. Prior to Stifel, he spent the majority of his career as a financial advisor with D.A. Davidson & Co. and Wells Fargo Advisors.
Having a strong passion for reading great books, Eric earned a B.A. in English from the University of Washington. After graduation, his goal was to enter the investment industry and study finance and the markets. In 1988, Eric joined a small brokerage firm, Harper McLean, which specialized in underwriting local municipal bonds. Eric built his practice by prospecting investors who were looking to beat the bank’s rates.
Eric is a member of the University of Washington Alumni Association and Friends of Manito. He is also a supporter of Eternal Hope, Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursey, Union Gospel Mission, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Outside the office, Eric enjoys spending time out in the woods clearing brush or marching around with his two black standard poodles, Scout and Dutch. He and his wife, Angie, are adjusting to an empty nest, as their children, Ashley, Emily, and Henry, are now out in the world, making their way. Eric can think of no other place on Earth where a guy like him can achieve the success he has been fortunate enough to enjoy.
Steve brings nearly 30 years of experience to the Spokane office, joining the firm in 2020. Throughout his tenure, he has emphasized personalized wealth management with a focus on income planning based on his clients’ unique vision of their retirement. To do this, he takes a holistic, long-term approach to the investment process, developing strategies that align with his clients’ specific estate and legacy planning needs, along with considering the potential impact of Social Security, long-term care expenses, cost of living, and Medicare.
Steve earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University and holds Series 7, 63, and 65 securities licenses, as well as life and variable insurance licenses (including annuities). Outside the office, he is involved with the Spokane Rotary Club and enjoys golfing and spending time at Hayden Lake, Idaho.
Michael has been in the financial services industry since 1993. Before he began his decades-long career as a Financial Advisor, he worked more than six years as a New Accounts Specialist and Compliance Officer with WM Financial Services.
Michael is committed to helping his clients manage their financial life and address their retirement income needs. By reviewing his clients’ current income sources and assets, he is able to create a plan designed to supply them with an income stream during retirement and beyond. This includes a review of his clients’ savings and investments, as well as the potential impact of Social Security, long-term care expenses, cost of living, and Medicare.
Michael earned a B.A. in Social Sciences from Washington State University and holds Series 7, 63, and 65 securities licenses. Outside the office, Michael enjoys boating and water skiing with his wife, Rhonda, and their four adult children: Hayden, Hannah, Summer, and Jack. Michael and his wife enjoy being involved with their church and their community.
John began his investment industry career at Stifel in 2023 and brings unique corporate skills and experience to the team. He has worked alongside senior executives at various companies throughout the world, serving in finance-related roles.
John’s passion is working closely with clients and providing comprehensive financial guidance to help them pursue their financial goals. He believes that a core element to successful wealth management is a relationship built on trust that is strengthened over time. He seeks to build his relationships by aligning his actions and guidance with his clients’ goals.
John graduated from Biola University with a B.S. in Business Administration, where he served as captain of the golf team. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with family, golfing, skiing, and fly fishing.
Brenda was born and raised in the small wheat farming community of Harrington, Washington. She has been a resident of Spokane since graduating from high school.
Brenda has worked in various capacities during her 30-plus years in the financial services industry, including Registered Assistant, Operations Manager, and Administrative Manager. She holds Series 7, 9 & 10, 63, and 65 securities licenses.
Brenda is highly motivated and enjoys developing long-term, healthy relationships with her clients and associates. She enjoys interacting with clients and fostering a valuable and beneficial experience for each one. Throughout her career and the various roles she has enjoyed, she still places her highest pleasure in the rewarding experience of assisting a valued client with their account-related needs.
Outside the office, Brenda has volunteered with local women’s shelters and organizations that help women get back on their feet and into the workforce. In her spare time, Brenda enjoys spending time with family and friends, gardening, cooking, entertaining, traveling, and engaging in home décor projects.
Irene has more than 15 years in the financial services industry and brings deep knowledge and dedication to helping the team’s clients with their account-related needs. She earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University and holds Series 7, 9 & 10, 63, and 65 securities licenses.
Irene has been a proud resident of Spokane for most of her life. Outside the office, Irene is a devoted mom to her son. Together, they enjoy a life with sports, outdoor adventures, skiing, hiking, and traveling.
Val began her financial services career in 2013 and joined Stifel in 2024. Prior to joining Stifel, she worked as a Branch Office Administrator at Edward Jones for 11 years.
Val’s experience has led her to develop a solid work ethic, organizational skills, a positive attitude, and a high level of professionalism. She believes in building personal, long-term relationships based on trust, striving to assist clients with all their account-related needs while offering high-quality service.
Val has served in the community in various roles, including volunteering at the local food pantries, collecting items for the backpacks for the homeless in their community, and collecting cosmetics for Project Beauty Share. She has also been volunteering as a wedding/large event coordinator in her church.
Outside the office, Val enjoys working in the garden, taking walks with her husband, and learning to speak basic German.* Val and her husband, Keith, have three grown kids. While they are fortunate to have two children living close by, their oldest lives in Germany and has five children. She and her husband are looking forward to their summer visits in Germany!
*All business communication will be in English.
In Memoriam
Mark Graham
It is with an incredibly heavy heart that we share that Mark Graham – cherished father, dedicated husband, true friend, and incredible role model – passed away in July 2025.
One of Mark’s greatest joys in life was serving each of his clients. He took great pride in the way he cared for and served each and every person that he had the privilege to work with. He worked tirelessly to build a practice that was set up to provide best-in-class service. One of his favorite things was hearing life updates from his clients, many becoming dear friends. He loved hearing about the most recent vacation you had been on or about your kids/grandkids or successes at work. He loved it all and often said that this was why he loved this business. When Mark stepped into meetings, his goal was to make sure you felt like the most important person in his life.
From a business perspective, one of Mark’s proudest moments and accomplishments was being named to Forbes’ 2025 Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list. He wasn’t proud of it because of what it said about him. He was proud of it because he felt like he was being recognized for what he had spent his entire career building. He was also proud of the hundreds of incredible relationships he built over decades in this business, and he felt that a business focused on service was the right way to build a business.
Outside of his work as a financial advisor, here are a few things about Mark that you might not know – he started a pet store (the “Pet Barn”) in Southern California back in the late 1980s, and it quickly became one of the largest pet stores in the Los Angeles area before the Petco’s and PetSmart’s of the world came around. Mark helped start the surfing team at Point Loma Nazarene University and starred as the captain of that team. Another truly amazing fact is that Mark started a pig farm in Uganda with the stated goal of providing a funding source for women who are rescued from sex trafficking. He started this farm back in 2012, and it is still running to this day.
Mark’s impact on so many lives is undeniable. Each of our lives is richer because of him.
Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors rankings are based on the 12-month period ending June 30 of the year prior to publication and selected by SHOOK Research, LLC from a pool of nominations as indicated in the methodology. For more information, see www.stifel.info/award-disclosures.
