Who We Are
We are a tight-knit team with the shared vision of redefining the investment experience. We focus on helping our clients pursue their short- and long-term financial goals.
About Me
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 many different 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.
About Me
Brenda was born and raised in the small wheat farming community of Harrington, Washington, and 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 and 9 & 10 securities licenses.
Brenda is highly motivated and enjoys developing long-term, healthy relationships with 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.
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.
About Me
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.