Meet the management team
Dwight C. Larkin, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC, FLMI®
Associate Regional Managing Director
Dwight has over 30 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industry. He sees the industry through a truly diverse lens. Dwight began his career trading options on futures in the Chicago trading pits, then moved on to supervise one of the largest OSJs at a major mutual insurance company. Dwight has experience advising clients and businesses directly and coaching financial professionals on best practices. Dwight teaches financial professionals how to look at all aspects of a financial plan, whether for a business or family, and incorporates in-depth concepts that touch both the investment space and insurance planning.
Contact information
904-999-3095
larkin.dwight@principal.com
Jason Sanders, MBA, AIF®
Managing Director
As managing director, Jason actively recruits both new and experienced financial professionals to the firm and supports the professional development of all financial representatives. He joined the leadership team in 2015 after starting as a financial professional with 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏin 2009. Jason graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s in finance, then went on to get his M.B.A. from the University of North Florida. Jason and his wife have two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities and watching Florida State and Jacksonville Jaguars football.
Contact information
904-993-3107
sanders.jason@principal.com
Dava Weitzel
Associate Director Field Operations
Dava 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
770-250-7606
weitzel.dava@princpal.com
Erin Thornburgh
Senior Manager Field Operations
Erin leads a team of new business consultants and works closely with corporate partners to develop processes which enable the team to provide an elevated level of service to the representatives in the territory.
Contact information
thornburgh.erin@principal.com
Rocio Stevens
Business Development Consultant
Rocio partners with the management team and representatives to implement strategies to expand their marketing, branding, and business development efforts at both the representative and regional office level.
Contact information
stevens.rocio@principal.com
Richard Barrett
New Business Consultant
Richard is responsible for consulting and managing new business case design and submission. He partners 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
barrett.richard@principal.com
Shirley A. Cody, ACS
Senior Site Coordinator
Shirley plays a crucial role in ensuring our offices operate efficiently. Working closely with the entire team, she serves as a skilled troubleshooter who addresses challenges head-on. Shirley takes pride in making sure inquiries are handled promptly. With her proactive approach and attention to detail, Shirley contributes to a supportive environment where client needs are prioritized.
Contact information
cody.shirley@principal.com
Suzie Daggett
Candidate Experience Consultant
Suzie partners 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, preparing contracting and registration paperwork.
Contact information
daggett.suzie@principal.com
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
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
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
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
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