Rick has worked in the insurance industry for over 25 years. Rick has spent the majority of his career working with banks, wirehouses and independent financial advisors in a consultative sales environment. Before entering the insurance and financial services industry, Rick was an officer in the US Army Field Artillery, attaining the rank of Captain before his honorable discharge in 1989. While in the military, Rick graduated from both the Airborne and Ranger schools and deployed to Panama as part of Operation Just Cause.

In 1992, Rick joined the Hartford, where he achieved the highest production awards for a manager and field consultant. From 2003 - 2010 Rick was Hartford Regional Vice President for California, Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest before becoming a Partner with Pacific Southwest Financial (PSF) and joining the Capitas Financial team. Rick is responsible for the recruitment, training, development and growth of the Global Wealth Insurance Group of agencies across the country. The PSF sales distribution supports financial advisors and institutional accounts of Capitas.

Rick has had multiple articles published in The National Underwriter and California Broker. He holds a Criminal Justice degree from San Diego State University and is a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). Rick holds the Series 26, 6 and 63 licenses as well as a RIA. Rick plays Golf and Baseball in the Senior League in Southern California and resides in Oak Park with his wife Cheryl. They have two adult daughters

Tim Smith started working with the Charles T. Smith Insurance Company – a partner firm of Capitas Financial – in the summer of 1985. He has held various internal positions with the company over the past 25-plus years including Marketing, Field Underwriting, and Case Design for National Accounts and Independent producers.

From 1987-1998 he held a position as Sales Vice President/Associate General Agent where he worked with Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, and A.G. Edwards Advisors. He also worked with property and casualty firms to develop strategies to market life insurance to business owners.

Since 1999, Tim has focused on marketing life insurance to large independent producers using a variety of insurance and financial strategies, such as business continuation planning, estate planning, and planning for non-resident citizens holding U.S. assets

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Tom entered the financial and insurance industries. In 1987, he founded Pittsburgh Brokerage Services, Inc. Drawing on 35 years’ experience, he specializes in estate planning and has a longstanding reputation for making recommendations for yielding the best result for the client to maximize estate values. Tom is a long-time member of both the Pittsburgh Estate Planning Council and the Pittsburgh Life Underwriters Association.

Mike Blair is the President of The Blair Agency and a Partner of Capitas Financial. He has been a member of the Capitas Executive Committee since 2016. Mike is experienced in the management of a multiple company brokerage agency and skilled in the art of negotiating contracts for his clients.

Mike actively works with clients of his advisors, helping them identify and implement estate planning strategies, effective business continuation and the integration of Insurance into the financial plan. Mike, along with his team, are experienced in providing a highly customized approach in developing strategies that address the specific needs of today’s clients.

Bill entered the insurance business in 1975 and has both field and home office management experience. In 1980, he moved to Cleveland and became partners with Bob Oglevee in R.C. Oglevee Agency, Inc. representing Crown Life of Canada. In 1991, as NorthCoast Brokerage, they became a Founding Partner of Capitas Financial, Inc., with whom they are still associated. Bill’s technical knowledge and expertise in the estate and business planning areas have been a valuable resource to our firm and our brokers. Bill is a past member of the Capitas Board of Directors, enjoys public speaking, and has been a guest speaker before such varied groups as the Internal Revenue Service – Estate and Gift Tax Division, several Ohio and Pennsylvania CLU chapters and Estate Planning Councils, and both regional and national stockbrokerage company seminars. He is an accredited continuing education speaker for the Ohio Bar, the Ohio Society of CPAs, and the Ohio Insurance Department.

Tim has been in the financial services industry for over 40 years. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Westland Financial Services, a firm that specializes in supporting top financial professionals with their planning using protection strategies. Westland is insurance licensed in all states supporting independent broker/dealers, RIA’s, and their associates. Tim enjoys working directly with advisors as their trusted partner and subject matter expert to handle life insurance, long-term-care, disability, and annuities. Tim has a team of very experienced staff that is best in class to support you and your client’s advanced business & estate planning needs. No case is too big, too complex, or too small.

Before joining Westland in 2007, Tim was CEO of JMC Financial Corporation (JMC) for 12 years. JMC was a full service FINRA broker/dealer with over 600 advisors serving banks and credit unions. Mr. Morton started his financial services career at Private Ledger (now LPL) in 1982.

Tim holds current Life, Disability and Long-Term-Care Insurance licenses and FINRA Series 7 and 24 licenses.

Damien joined Smith Companies and Capitas Financial since 2002.

Damien is a member of our advanced planning department which consists of Paul Stevenson and Gary Lee our estate planning attorneys.

Damien works with financial advisors, CPA’s and attorneys to help clients with their wealth transfer, business planning and charitable objectives. Damien holds a M.S. degree in Finance as well as a M.S. in Financial Planning from the McCallum Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in Finance from Bentley College

Damien resides with his wife Megan in North Andover, Massachusetts

Paul is a member of the Advanced Planning Group (APG) at the Smith Companies, Ltd., The APG provides “value added” advanced planning support, technical expertise and related consulting services to life insurance professionals, financial planners, investment advisors, banks, investment firms, attorneys, CPAs and other financial services professionals.

The APG offers consulting services in the areas of income, gift and estate planning, charitable giving and legacy planning, business succession and business exit planning, retirement planning and planning for life style maintenance, life insurance planning, personal and financial risk management and other services involving the creation, conservation and perpetuation of family wealth. Paul has over 40 years consulting experience with primary emphasis on the tax and financial considerations affecting the creation, preservation and perpetuation of wealth.

Paul’s practice focus is on business exit planning, business succession, business valuations and business value enhancement, personal and financial risk management and gift and estate planning for business owners and high net worth individuals and their families.

Paul received an undergraduate degree (BA-Psychology) from the University of Minnesota in 1967, an law (JD) degree from William Mitchell College of Law in 1974, a Master of Law degree (LLM) in Taxation from New York University in 1980, a Master of Science in Financial Services degree (MSFS) from the American College in 1980, a Master of Science degree in Finance (Financial Analysis concentration) from the College for Financial Planning (CFFP) in 2009 and a Master of Science degree in Finance (Investment Management Concentration) from Golden Gate University (GGU) in 2012

Rick Schrage is a 30-plus year veteran in the insurance industry. He has working experience as a case designer, product specialist, and advanced sales consultant in both career and brokerage distribution channels. He has also served as an internal wholesaler directly for a life insurance carrier.

He joined Financial Advisory Associates, a partner firm of Capitas Financial, Inc., in July 2004 to build and manage their Case Design department. Financial Advisory Associates merged with The Smith Companies, Ltd in 2020 and Rick continues to support field personnel as a case designer. Given Rick’s tenure in the industry, he also works closely with our Advanced Planning Group.

Rick also uses his technical skills to help develop innovative sales and marketing tools for use by The Smith Companies and Capitas throughout the domestic footprint.

In addition to his life and health insurance licenses, Rick holds a Series 7 and 63 registrations. In his spare time, he and his wife enjoy scuba diving, mountain biking, and reading.