President & Chief Compliance Officer
Jill’s knowledge, expertise, and strength have helped to continue the development of Gateway Financial Partners.
She is a graduate of UW Madison with a degree in Communications.
Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
David Wood, a pioneer in the financial services industry, established Gateway Financial Partners in 1994, which he continues to steer as the Chief Visionary Officer. Wood’s experience spans across several decades, marking him as a leader, an accomplished entrepreneur, and an influential figure in the financial landscape. He possesses an innate ability to identify growth opportunities and is committed to delivering innovative strategies that elevate the success of independent practices.
David is passionate about community engagement; he is renowned for his dedication to supporting not only local initiatives but nationwide initiatives. David is a signee of The Fearless Pledge, serves on the board of Females & Finance, is a frequent national speaker and has presented at many industry conferences, including the Investment News RIA Summit, The TPN Conference, and Nitrogen’s Riskalyze Fearless Investing Summit. David is frequently quoted in WealthManagement.com, Investment News, and Yahoo Finance.
David’s zest and curiosity extend beyond the financial world. He is an active member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), reflecting his belief in the importance of exploring ‘outside of your comfort zone.’ Wood is an ‘idea man’, passionate about providing his advisors with the support they need to help grow their independent practices and is full of fresh perspectives, undoubtedly shaping his extraordinary career trajectory.
Chief Executive Officer
Eric is an AIF® Accredited Investment Fiduciary™.
Eric’s vision and strategic planning strategies gives our Gateway Financial Partners team and corporate structure a fresh and positive outlook on meeting our future goals and corporate expectations.
He has a Bachelor of Business Administration-Economics. Eric was an Army Reservist. He was honorably discharged in 2008 after being deployed twice; once in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the other in support Operation Enduring Freedom.
Director of Premier Advisor Support
Kristyn Alexson joined Gateway Financial Partners as a Marketing Intern in January 2014. After just a few months, Kristyn was hired full time specializing in Advisor Support on Gateway’s Operations Team. For two years Kristyn worked full time at Gateway during the day and attended Business school at night. In 2016, Kristyn graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing. In her spare time, Kristyn tries to spend as much time outdoors as possible. She enjoys going for walks, adventuring, and discovering new places.
Advisor Support
Alana is an administrative professional with over 10 years in the financial industry. Eight of those years were as an Internal Auditor in Louisiana at a credit union and two years as a Registration Specialist at a Broker/ Dealer. Previous to those adventures, she was a State Investigator in Milwaukee, WI for 4 years and in Richmond, VA for 2 years.
Alana works with our team servicing clients and providing administrative oversight.
Alana’s career background and impeccable organizational management skills make her an asset to Gateway Financial Partners.
Advisor Support
She oversees the offices daily operations and administrative staff as well as manages our client communications and data. In addition, she continues to work closely with clients to build relationships and rapport.
She has an extensive background in the financial services industry having served in a variety of roles, including Branch Manager, Assistant Vice President/Sales and Marketing and Personal Banking Officer/Sales Manager. She holds Property & Casualty and Life & Health insurance licenses as well.
Nancy is a native of Appleton, WI and enjoys spending time with friends and family. Nancy is a long time season ticket holder of the Green Bay Packers, GO PACK GO!
Nancy recently served as President of the Altrusa International of Appleton, WI, Inc. and continues as an active member. appleton.altrusa.org
Director of Talent Acquisition
Mike works directly with financial advisors to better understand the past, present and future of their practice. He is exceptionally skilled in the financial services industry with 16 years of experience cultivating high-level talent and recruiting tactics.
“The best part of my day is getting to know financial representatives and learning more about what they need to grow their business.”
— MIKE
He listens and asks targeted questions to reveal opportunities for additional support. He is continually striving to understand all aspects of the financial industry as it pertains to advisors and their long and short-term planning.
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Sydney started her career in marketing & writing at a small manufacturing company in CT. Sydney’s ability to adapt and grow in an industry unfamiliar has fostered her adaptation and success in financial services. She loves interacting & connecting with people. As the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Gateway Financial Partners, Sydney discovers, creates, and implements opportunities for advisors and their clients while fostering relationships and providing a fresh lens in business development for the firm. Outside of her full-time role, she coaches CrossFit, writes creatively, and spends time outdoors with her family.
Chief Experience Officer
Silvi Weatherill first joined Gateway Financial Partners as a Graphic Design Intern in January 2020. Silvi took on projects and worked with our Marketing Team behind the scenes until joining us as the Director of First Impressions in June 2020.
In December of 2021, Silvi took on the role of Chief Experience Officer in the Marketing Team where she oversees the client experience and assists in finding different strategies to assist our Gateway Advisors. Silvi graduated from the University of Hartford with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. Outside of work, she loves to paint, draw, hike, and play volleyball.
Director of Digital Strategy