In-House Team
Scott Underwood first found his passion for financial planning through an internship with Northwestern Mutual in 1991. After being a Top 10 Intern for three consecutive years with one year as the top intern in the entire company, Scott began his full-time career with an insurance-focused business. As the industry evolved, so did his vision for the future. Today, he has 11 team members at Socium Advisors who help him develop comprehensive financial plans for individuals, families, and businesses all over the country. Over and over, he has proven his dedication to delivering industry-leading services for his clients, and he has been recognized for his ceaseless efforts to navigate the complexity of each person’s unique situation. Throughout his career, Scott has had numerous things to consider accomplishments, but none so much as the trust and partnership he has built with his team and clients.
When he’s not working, you could find Scott and his two boys, Billy and Peter, anywhere from the mountains of St. Lucia to riding four-wheelers around their farmland in Missouri.
As a Principal at Socium, Tripp Kelly specializes in solution-based planning through aggregating clients’ needs with high level resources. While his perceptivity is innate, he first found his aptitude for problem-solving and finance with the hobby of stock trading in high school and a short stint working with a civil engineer in college. After graduating from Hampden-Sydney College with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, he served a tenure as an accountant for a small local business until starting with Northwestern Mutual in 2008 as a Financial Advisor. Tripp is originally from Newport News, Virginia, where he comes from four generations of individuals dedicated to professional service and considers his career a full embodiment of that tradition.
Tripp and his wife Sarah reside in Arlington, Virginia, where their house is filled not only with sounds of chaos from their three boys: Ford, Beau, and Quinn, but also sweet smells of barbeque from his Big Green Egg.
As a veteran team member, Michelle has been helping clients visualize their long-term goals and take the appropriate steps to achieve them since Socium Advisors began. Prior to joining the firm in 2010, she was a Portfolio Manager with a regional bank & trust company, where she handled investment portfolio design and implementation. Today, Michelle’s breadth of knowledge in investment management continues to serve her in her efforts to help clients decipher their financial portfolios and oversee Socium’s Investment Committee. She’s proud of her team, but she’s even more excited for what the future holds.
Away from the office, Michelle moves quickly. Whether she’s chasing her two boys, Walter and Hank, with her husband John, or running a marathon, she rarely sits still. While she enjoys a nice, long jog in her free-time, Michelle has bridged her love running with an organization close to her heart: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. She has raised money for and participated in St. Jude’s Marathon several times and describes running through the hospital’s campus seeing patients and their families in the surrounding area as one of the most moving experiences of her life.
Since joining the Socium team in November of 2019, Madelaine Archie brings a high attention to detail to the operations team. While she didn’t always see herself working in finance, her desire to interact directly with people led her to her current role.
Madelaine is responsible for assisting clients with a variety of day-to-day needs and helps onboard new clients. She demonstrates her commitment to good service and transparency by providing clients with efficient and effective solutions as well as being open to continuous learning.
Madelaine is a graduate from the University of Arizona, and currently lives in St. Louis. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and reading.
As Socium’s Operations Associate, Jackie Ayala demonstrates her dedication to matchless customer service daily under the philosophy that every client is unique and deserves a tailored experience. She started working in the insurance industry for a major company in 2011, and her depth of product knowledge as well as her priority for client convenience has been directly reflected in her work since joining Northwestern Mutual in 2016. Jackie was born and raised in El Salvador but moved to America when she was twelve years old. While today she considers the Washington D.C. area home, she is frequently reminded of her roots through her work with Spanish clients and is fluent in both English and Spanish.
When she’s out of the office, she could be found at the beach, on the dance-floor, or spending time with her family.
With extensive experience in investment portfolio management, Conrad’s career philosophy has always been simple: to make the right decisions for the client. Before coming to Socium Advisors in 2013, he was the Director of Wealth Management Research at One Capitol Management LLC in Los Angeles. Today, Conrad continues to serve clients’ best interest within the parameters of and in accordance with their long-term goals and needs. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance from the University of Wyoming, and often travels back to the state as he is originally from there.
Conrad and his wife Lauren have been married for five years and have two boys: Cayden and Coltyn. He enjoys fishing, hunting, and all things outdoors – including coaching his sons’ baseball teams.
As a Client Service Associate for Socium Advisors, Darin Clark assists in managing client requests and account maintenance. Originally from Lake St. Louis, Clark holds a Master’s in Finance from New England College of Business. He initially started working in corporate finance, but soon found that his interest in behavioral finance aligned better with personal financial planning. His passion for self-improvement, commitment to lifelong learning, and persistent effort to keep his word are not only what he lives by, but also are integral to the high level of service he provides to clients.
Outside of the office, he enjoys working out, catching a St. Louis blue’s hockey game, as well as spending quality time with his daughter Calista and dog, Wiley.
Heather’s experience in financial services stretches over two decades. As a part of Sociums Advisors’ operations team, she helps to ensure clients’ needs are met and helps them through the onboarding process. Along with her extensive industry experience, she brings strong organizational skills as well as an ability to multitask that is unparalleled. Heather’s combination of proficiencies is not only beneficial for Socium Advisors' clients but also internally for the team. She spends her free time with her husband Colin, her stepchildren, or with her 5-month-old grandbaby. In addition to spending time with her family, Heather is a dog-lover and trains them for shows as a hobby. She is keen on traveling whether that’s to her next dog show or her favorite vacation spot.
Socium’s newest team member, Adam, hails from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He attended Elon University and received a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance. As a student, he interned for Edward Jones and Merrill Lynch, where he gained both an appreciation and passion for the impact advisors could have on the lives of their clients. After school he landed a job with Northwestern Mutual in Washington, DC to follow the ambition to make a difference in peoples’ lives. In his current role at Socium, Adam works closely with the team to ensure clients’ financial plans are tailored to their goals and needs.
His passion for positively influencing other people not only motivates him professionally, but also his involvement in the World Pediatric Project. This organization works to heal critically ill children and build healthcare capacity in the world to those who would not receive care otherwise. He also serves on the Rock N Heal Committee, which supports their annual fundraiser event. In his free-time, you may find Adam with his friends, on the golf course, or wedding planning with his fiancé, Jessica.
As a Client Relations Associate, Bevan Gourley ensures clients’ needs are met by strategic and focused follow through. After graduation from Humboldt State University with a bachelor’s in economics, he started his professional career working at a private school as the Director of Extended Care and camps.
In this position, he developed a passion for building lasting relationships. His interest in finance and ability to work well directly with people led him to a wealth management firm in Long Beach, California, and eventually to Socium Advisors in January of 2020. Bevan enjoys helping others navigate the complexities of financial planning as well as forming genuine partnership.
In his leisure time, Bevan enjoys time spent at the golf course, walking his dog, or with his fiancé, Cheyenne.
Webster University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business and Computer Science, he interned with AG Edwards, which eventually turned into a full-time position. After ten years, he joined Socium Advisors and currently is a Director of Financial Planning for the team. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Adam continues to utilize his industry experience and team-oriented approach to create comprehensive financial plans for clients. Out of the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Laura, and children: Chase, Addyson, Olivia, Hannah, and Morgan, as well as golfing and cycling.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.
Lewis Hodge joined Socium Advisors in December of 2019. Originally from a small Caribbean island called Anguilla, he moved to St. Louis to attend Lindenwood University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in hopes of working in financial services one day. Upon graduating, he fulfilled this desire and began his career as a Financial Services Representative at a nationally recognized firm.
Today, as an Investment Associate with Socium Advisors, he is responsible for case preparation as well as account maintenance, and holds his Series 7 and 63 licenses. Lewis’s extensive product knowledge and expertise in financial modeling makes him not only a great resource for clients, but also a unique asset to Socium’s investment team.
Out of the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Kiya, and their three children: L’Oree, Parker, and Zuri.
Marlene Lupas first found her love for the financial services industry when she took a part time job at a brokerage firm in college. She then went on to a brokerage position trading equities and options, and eventually moved into a Director position at national firm where she was part of a fixed income sales team covering primarily states, corporations, municipalities and commercial real estate accounts.
Today, she works closely with Tripp Kelly in client relations. Marlene is first and foremost a people person and believes that work with clients is done best with empathy and a genuine desire to serve others.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College, and an MBA from the University of Richmond.
In her free time, you can find her in the gym, most likely in a cycling class, walking her dog, trying new recipes, or reading and spending time with her family.
With over 18 years of experience in executive assistant positions, Dana Novack has a long track record of professional partnership and strong performance in administrative duties. At Socium, she assists Scott directly in managing and overseeing his schedule and assisting in client correspondence. Dana leads with strong personal values and a love for people, which helps her bring a meaningful and inviting feel to her work.
Outside of the office, she enjoys live music, new restaurants, and being outside at local parks. Most of all, she treasures time spent with her two sons, Matthew and Connor.
As the Chief Operating Officer, Maura has her hands on almost every aspect of Socium Advisors' business procedures. While she began her career in finance after graduating college, her aspiration to work in the industry dates back much earlier. When asked her sophomore year of high school what she thought she would be doing in 10 years for a time capsule video, she answered, “working at a large international investment company,” and that’s exactly what she did. Upon graduating from Fairfield University in Connecticut with a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance and Management, Maura joined UBS Investment Bank’s Analyst Training Program. Developing a prowess for investment operations took her to London to lead an international assignment and then eventually back home in St. Louis to her current role at Socium Advisors. She currently has her Six Sigma Green belt, a certification earned by those who are well-versed in solving quality problems and have a proven ability to improve business efficiency.
Maura volunteers as the Treasurer for the Red Shoe Society of St. Louis, which is an extension of Ronald McDonald House. As a former member of her college equestrian team and a Certified Yoga Instructor, she enjoys riding horses and practicing yoga in her free time.