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Offering Over 120 Years
Of Combined Industry Experience

We began with one intention: To Serve the individual, not the institutional.

Our firm has been offering clients investment management and financial planning insights for more than a quarter century. Founded in 1989 as a New York City based hedge fund, we moved our practice to Kansas City in 1999 and transitioned to offering individuals and families access to institutional level financial planning and asset management. Today, we’re proud to be a fee-only firm with a fiduciary responsibility to put our clients and their needs first, always. We view every relationship as long-term and are proud to serve multiple generations of families.

From Wall Street to Fortune 500 management, from MBAs to CFP® professionals, our team  brings a wealth of diverse experience to our firm and our clients.


Why Sterneck Capital Management?

Because We Are:



Fiduciaries

Innovators

Holistic By Nature

  

Get to Know Your Personal CFOs

Frank M. Sterneck Photo
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Frank M. Sterneck

Founder & Chief Investment Officer

MBA, BA Economics, Tulane University

Email: fsterneck@sterneckcapital.com

Phone: 816.268.2230

After a career as Vice President of Salomon Brothers on Wall Street, Frank Sterneck founded Sterneck Capital Management in New York in 1989.

Frank moved away from the noise of Wall Street and relocated Sterneck Capital to Kansas City, MO in 2001.

Having worked with both individual and institutional clients, weathering many market fluctuations in his 30-year career, today Frank brings informed experience and an active approach to overseeing client relationships and leading the portfolio team.

Now established in Kansas City, Frank has been involved in the community and has worked with many nonprofits over the years.


Robin P. Sterneck Photo
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Robin P. Sterneck

President

BS, Trinity College

MBA, Tulane University

Email: rsterneck@sterneckcapital.com
Phone: 816-531-2254

With 30+ years in financial services and business leadership to her credit, Robin Sterneck brings deep industry experience to her work on the Sterneck Capital team.

Formerly an Investment Banker at Lehman Brothers in New York, she focused on the Capital Markets and Municipal Finance areas, ultimately running the Health and Education Public Finance Department.

Robin later served on leadership teams at GE, including national and global roles in pricing, actuarial, marketing and talent development. Additionally, she led the $1 Billion Commercial Insurance business portfolio and division.

Robin currently serves on two corporate boards. She also serves on the boards of the Heartland Chapter of National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and the KC Chapter of Women Corporate Directors, both of which focus on corporate governance.

Previously, Robin served on boards for:

  • The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
  • WIN for KC/KC Sports Commission
  • Pembroke Hill School
  • Alterra Bank/First Business Bank Boards

Robin has been recognized professionally among “Women Who Mean Business” by the KC Business Journal, among “People to Watch in Insurance” by Insurance Magazine, as the Mentor of the Year by the Central Exchange and as the 2015 WIN for KC Wow Award Winner.


Alec J. Bethurum Photo
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Alec J. Bethurum

Senior Portfolio Manager

BA History, Colgate University

Email: abethurum@sterneckcapital.com
P: 816.268.2233

Sterneck Capital welcomed Alec Bethurum to the firm in 2013. Before joining, Alec worked for several bulge bracket Wall St. firms. His work focused on institutional equity research sales and trading. 

Alec then worked as a proprietary trader for a West Coast-based hedge fund before relocating to Kansas City where his wife’s family resides.

Over the years Alec’s contribution to client success has evolved from a focus purely on securities research and asset allocation to a more wholistic advisory role including involvement in behavioral finance, tax and financial planning.

Alec is the lead author of the firm’s quarterly portfolio manager’s insights and hosts our quarterly investor calls.


Brandie M. Giffin Photo
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Brandie M. Giffin

Chief Operating Officer & Chief Compliance Officer

BS Business Administration & Marketing, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Email: bgiffin@sterneckcapital.com
P: 816.268.2243

Brandie Giffin came to Sterneck Capital in April 2014 having held a variety of progressive leadership positions at The Principal Financial Group, BlueCross Blue Shield of Nebraska and Aetna. As a registered investment advisor, Brandie admired our company’s client-first culture and appreciates working for an investment firm whose code of ethics exceeds the industry standard. She brings depth to our initiatives from her strategic, service and operational expertise.

Brandie is responsible for overseeing all corporate engagements, from client services and financial offerings to operations and marketing. She is the architect of the client service strategy and is focused on the firm’s high-quality client experience, which fosters long-standing, multi-generational relationships. Additionally, Brandie ensures the firm is compliant with all local and federal regulations and makes certain the firm’s fiduciary responsibility is supported by a strong culture of compliance.

Residing in Omaha, Brandie is a local presence for Nebraska clients as well as a leader affecting client services across the country. Her presence and impact in the local community extends to the youth and under-privileged. She is active in missions, disaster recovery, Youth Frontiers and Youth Emergency Services. Brandie also volunteers as a grief counseling facilitator and is the acting board of director’s treasurer for Grief’s Journey.


Austin Drake, CFP® Photo
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Austin Drake, CFP®

Senior Wealth Advisor

BS Finance & Accounting, University of Kansas

Email: adrake@sterneckcapital.com
P: 816.268.2244

Austin started his career in Equity Research at B. Riley Securities, an Investment Bank in Los Angeles. After serving institutional clients, he relocated back to the Kansas City area and joined Sterneck Capital in 2018, to pursue his desire to help clients in their financial journeys.

Austin is the leader of our financial planning and implementation efforts. He also provides investment and asset allocation research and serves as a member of our investment committee.

Austin serves on the Board of Directors for Urban Ranger Corps, a KC based non-profit focused on preparing at-risk inner city youth for responsible and productive futures.


Merrit G. Kerr Photo
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Merrit G. Kerr

Office Manager

Merrit G. Kerr

Email: mkerr@sterneckcapital.com
P: 816.268.2235

Merrit Kerr has long served Sterneck Capital as an indispensable problem-solver.

As one of our earliest associates, Merrit has a deep understanding of the processes involved in executing transactions for our clients. Prior to working with our team, Merrit was notable in the banking and customer service professions.

Year after year, her attentive and diligent operational support proves to be the connective element that makes many of our long-term relationships so successful.

Above all, Merrit believes personal service is essential for a positive professional relationship.