Meet Your Advocates
Daniel L. Harding, CLU President
Dan received his BFA from the University of Utah in 1980 and his Chartered Life Underwriter degree from the American College in 1993. He has received numerous industry and company awards over his career, most recently the GAMA Platinum Agency award.
Dan formed Harding Financial Partners, Inc. in April 2009 after a two-year Managing Partner appointment with Securian Financial, which was preceded by a 27-year career with AXA Advisors, LLC.
Dan’s strengths have revolved around the implementation of training, recruiting and fee-based financial planning platforms at AXA Advisors, LLC. Additionally, as the Managing Director of Life Sales, Western Division he facilitated life insurance concepts, support and sales throughout the entire Western United States. Dan performed consultative sales support, training and marketing of AXA Equitable proprietary life insurance portfolios. He managed the operations of the Salt Lake City, Utah, branch office for AXA/Equitable for many years.
Dan currently serves on the Opportunity Scholar board of directors at the Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, where he also is a guest lecturer in their “Top Jobs” program.
Dan resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. He enjoys fishing, outdoor activities and plays the bagpipes in the Utah Pipe Band. Additionally, Dan and his wife, Elaine, are active in their local church and have three children and nine grandchildren.
Meet Your Advocates
Lamar Breshears, MFP, RFS Vice President
Lamar is dedicated to helping successful dentists, physicians and business owners develop comprehensive solutions designed to preserve and grow their wealth. He and his team of professionals help clients in the areas of estate, business succession, retirement, risk management, tax strategies and investment planning.
An Investment Adviser Representative who has earned designations as a Master Financial Planner (MFP) and Registered Financial Specialist (RFS), Lamar tailors his planning to each client’s specific needs, goals and visions. Lamar can offer both investment and insurance products and services, and his team works with clients’ existing CPAs, attorneys and other professionals to create coordinated strategies that provide clients with clarity and confidence to pursue their dreams.
He graduated from the University of Washington in 2001, earning his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Before entering the financial services industry to help clients protect their financial wealth, Lamar spent 12 years serving and defending our country as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps, including multiple tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. With a rich family heritage of military service, Lamar also is CEO and chairman of the board for the American Patriot Service Corp, a nonprofit organization that supports veterans and their spouses by helping them successfully apply for the Wartime Aid and Attendance Pension.
Lamar and his wife, Sarah, live in Salt Lake City and are the proud parents of three highly energetic boys. When he isn’t helping clients, Lamar enjoys shooting, camping with his family, surfing and classic motorcycle restoration.
Meet Your Advocates
Andy Brown Financial Advisor
With a strong foundation of professionalism and extensive experience, Andy helps clients with business planning, executive compensation strategies, wealth transition designs and comprehensive financial planning. He excels in identifying and clarifying clients' visions, values, goals and missions, offering a suite of services that encompasses investment analysis, retirement income strategies, estate plan consulting, and the design of both revocable and irrevocable family trusts.
A financial professional who can offer both investment and insurance products and services, Andy brings nearly two decades of experience working with physicians in the pharmaceutical industry. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Utah in 1991.
Residing in Draper, Utah, Andy and his wife, Stephanie, are the proud parents of seven children. Outside of his professional life, Andy enjoys coaching football, playing guitar, road and mountain biking, skiing, golfing and engaging in various outdoor activities.
Meet Your Advocates
Ryan Merrill Financial Advisor
Ryan graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Business and has built a successful and diverse career as an entrepreneur, private equity partner, and executive strategist. He founded Alta Home Care, which was later sold, and turned around Premier Indoor Storage, leading to another successful exit. As a private equity partner, Ryan was instrumental in companies like Aeromet, an aerospace recycling firm serving clients like American Airlines, and Rolling Waters LLC, a frack water purification company with clients such as Enron Oil & Gas. He also played a key role in Boost Motorsports, which served clients like Monster Energy.
In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Ryan has worked as an executive strategist and consultant for organizations like the County of Los Angeles and Panda Express in Anaheim. Ryan's focus has always been to help guide companies toward greater efficiency and long-term growth.
Outside of work, Ryan has been married for over 25 years to an amazing spouse and is the proud father of four energetic high school and college-age children. They keep him on his toes with their adventurous activities. He enjoys an active lifestyle, including surfing, mountain biking, shooting, skiing, downhill longboarding, and participating in his faith community, all while staying engaged with business and constantly reading great books.
Meet Your Advocates
Danielle Wolf Senior Case Manager
With a strong background in customer service, Danielle has a natural talent for finding common ground with people and fostering meaningful connections. Combined with her love of crunching numbers and solving complex problems, Danielle excels at talking with clients and agents, meticulously organizing documents and overseeing the entire process from start to finish.
Danielle’s journey into the financial industry began after a diverse career path that included working as a dental assistant for 14 years, being a stay-at-home mom — an experience she considers the most rewarding job ever — and serving as a registrar for the largest recreational soccer club in northern Utah. These roles have endowed her with exceptional interpersonal skills, organizational abilities and a knack for multitasking.
Outside of work, Danielle is a passionate advocate for childhood cancer awareness, having faced this brutal challenge when her son was diagnosed with cancer the day before his 11th birthday. Danielle founded the Wolf Haven Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to easing the burden for families affected by childhood cancer.
Danielle is the proud mother of five amazing children: Reagan, Dakota, Oakley, Jackson and Hunter. Their family also includes a beloved dog named Izzy, a 16-pound Chihuahua/shih tzu mix. In her free time, she enjoys working out and is a certified Pilates and yoga instructor. She loves hiking, water sports, reading, traveling and attending classic car shows.
Meet Your Advocates
Heidi Pendleton Office Manager/CRM for AUM
After graduating from (what is now) Utah Tech University, I took on the most rewarding job of all—being a mom to my six amazing kids. Now that I’m back in the professional world, I’ve been enjoying the dynamic challenges of managing office operations and nurturing client relationships.
I thrive on streamlining processes and building meaningful connections with our clients and team. When I’m not at work, you can usually find me enjoying time with my husband, hiking with our three dogs, playing and reading with my kids, or indulging in some delicious chocolate.