COMPANIES

Wealth Enhancement Group

Office address: 505 Highway 169 North, Suite 900, Plymouth, MN 55441
Website: wealthenhancement.com
Year established: 1997
Company type: financial services
Employees: 1,300+
Expertise: retirement income planning, investment management, risk management and insurance, tax strategies, estate planning, financial planning, employee retirement account management, trust services, tax preparation, business owner consulting
Parent company: N/A
Key people: Jeff Dekko (CEO), Jim Cahn (chief strategy officer), Michelle Brownstein (chief new client development officer), Kelly Windorski (CFO), Bill Rice (chief legal officer), Joe Dieckhaus (CCO), Dawn Elmore (chief people and productivity officer)
Financing status: private equity-backed

Wealth Enhancement Group (WEG) is a Plymouth-based registered investment advisor and one of the fastest-growing RIAs in the US. The firm uses a team-based model called the Roundtable, which pairs local advisors with specialists in six core service areas. It has more than 1,300 employees and 165 local advisory offices, with over 100 mergers completed.

History of Wealth Enhancement Group

WEG traces its roots to a shared office in Minneapolis during the mid-1990s. Four financial professionals with different specialties discovered they shared a common belief about client service.

They noticed many clients struggled to coordinate multiple advisors, accounts, and financial relationships on their own. The four advisors decided to team up, and in 1997, they founded Wealth Enhancement Group.

Building momentum

A leadership shift in the early 2000s set the stage for the company’s rapid growth. Wealth Enhancement Group hired Jeff Dekko as CEO in 2003.

By 2005, the firm had reached $1 billion in AUM. It began expanding into new states in 2010 and crossed the $4 billion AUM mark by 2013.

Expanding services

It soon looked beyond asset growth to broaden its offerings. WEG added its first custodial referral partner in 2015 to support its advisors. A year later, it introduced tax and consulting services to meet a wider range of client needs.

Wealth Enhancement Group’s recent milestones

The company exceeded $100 billion in AUM in 2024 and expanded to 165 offices nationwide by 2025. Wealth Enhancement Group made its first 2025 acquisition with the Capstone Team from Capstone Wealth Advisors. The deal marked another step in WEG’s continued nationwide expansion.

Four WEG teams also earned spots on the InvestmentNews 5-Star Wealth Management Teams 2025 list. The recognition honored the firm for its industry impact and commitment to meeting client needs.

Wealth Enhancement Group’s products and services

WEG offers financial services through its team-based Roundtable™ model:

Core wealth management services

  • retirement income planning: prepares clients for post-work income needs
  • investment management: builds and oversees client portfolios
  • risk management and insurance: protects against financial loss
  • tax strategies: minimizes tax burdens through planning
  • estate planning: prepares wealth transfer to heirs
  • financial planning: maps out long-term financial goals

Specialized solutions

  • employee retirement account management: handles retirement accounts for employees
  • trust services: administers trusts
  • tax preparation: prepares and files tax returns
  • business owner consulting: advises owners on financial decisions

Business services

  • plan sponsor guidance: supports employers with retirement plan management
  • plan participant education: teaches employees about retirement options
  • employee benefits programs: helps design workplace benefits packages

The firm operates as a fiduciary and puts client interests first. Its 3-step UniFi™ process helps keep financial plans organized and easy to manage.

Culture and corporate values

Wealth Enhancement Group encourages new ideas and internal entrepreneurship. Teamwork drives growth and progress, according to the company. Its core values include:

  • drive
  • teamwork
  • clarity
  • compassion
  • integrity
  • inclusion

The firm backs its advisors with a nationwide network of specialists. It states a commitment to both staff and local communities. Wealth Enhancement Group employee benefits include:

  • health coverage: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability plans
  • financial wellness: 401k with 3 percent match, profit sharing, HSA, and FSA
  • work flexibility: remote options, flexible schedules, and paid time off
  • family leave: parental leave and caregiver leave with paid benefits
  • wellness programs: employee assistance, Wellbeats digital fitness, and critical illness coverage
  • community giving: nationwide Day of Service and charitable matching to nonprofits
  • additional perks: mentor programs, pet insurance, fun culture, and travel support

Beyond benefits, Wealth Enhancement Group supports inclusion through employee resource groups and a focus on women in advisory roles. This effort earned recognition when two of its advisors made the InvestmentNews $100M Club: Top Female Advisors 2025 list. Women make up less than 30 percent of advisors nationwide, making the achievement stand out.

About CEO Jeff Dekko and key people

Jeff Dekko has served as CEO of Wealth Enhancement Group since 2003 and brings more than 35 years of experience. Dekko previously held strategy and marketing roles at Fortune 500 companies like General Mills. He earned his MBA in finance and strategy from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Dekko is supported by a leadership team that helps guide Wealth Enhancement Group:

  • Jim Cahn serves as chair of the investment committee and chief strategy officer, overseeing the company’s investment decisions and long-term strategy
  • Michelle Brownstein is chief new client development officer, a CFP® focused on firm growth and client acquisition
  • Kelly Windorski is CFO, a CFA® managing financial operations in Plymouth, MN
  • Bill Rice is chief legal officer, a JD handling legal affairs in Plymouth, MN
  • Joe Dieckhaus is chief compliance officer, a JD overseeing regulatory compliance at Wealth Enhancement Group
  • Dawn Elmore is chief people and productivity officer, an SPHR leading HR from the Jacksonville area

The leadership team at Wealth Enhancement Group equips advisors with tools and resources for financial planning. This support allows advisors to stay focused on serving clients.

The future at Wealth Enhancement Group

WEG gained recognition when advisor and SVP Laura Mattia made the InvestmentNews Hot List 2025. The November list honored financial professionals who guided clients through a challenging year and provided access to sophisticated investments. The achievement reflects the firm’s focus on helping investors handle market shifts in the years ahead.

WEG also grew its reach in late 2025. Wealth Enhancement Group acquired Spectrum Wealth Management, an Irvine-based RIA with more than $182 million in client assets, in December. The deal adds tax planning expertise and brings the company’s California office count to 20, signaling further growth ahead.

The latest Wealth Enhancement Group news

Displaying 74 results
Record RIA M&A activity marks strong start to 2025
RIA NEWS APR 29, 2025
Record RIA M&A activity marks strong start to 2025

Sellers shift focus: It's not about succession anymore.

Delaware court allows disclosure claim in Focus Financial buyout lawsuit to proceed
Delaware court allows disclosure claim in Focus Financial buyout lawsuit to proceed

Delaware’s Chancery Court dismissed controller and fiduciary claims in a suit over Focus Financial’s sale but kept alive a disclosure issue tied to a rival bidder.

Top Financial Advisors in the USA
BEST IN WEALTH FEB 25, 2025
Top Financial Advisors in the USA

Recognizing the top financial advisors in the USA who have recorded growth in both AUM and client base

'Bogged down' advisors just want to have fun (again)
RIA NEWS FEB 14, 2025
'Bogged down' advisors just want to have fun (again)

Jim Cahn, of Wealth Enhancement Group, lifts the lid on his firm's partnership model, his views on RIA M&A, and the widely slept-on reason why advisors are merging into larger organizations.

Decade of RIA M&A explosion shows no slowdown: Fidelity
Decade of RIA M&A explosion shows no slowdown: Fidelity

There's been an emergence of buyers, backed with PE dollars, making repeated acquisitions.

Wealth Enhancement, Corient announce new acquisitions
RIA NEWS FEB 06, 2025
Wealth Enhancement, Corient announce new acquisitions

Wealth Enhancement Group officially kicks off its 2025 deal season in the Pacific Northwest while Corient extends its reach in Pennsylvania

$10B Merit sharpens growth focus with new M&A lead
RIA NEWS JAN 23, 2025
$10B Merit sharpens growth focus with new M&A lead

With deep experience and wide connections, the top-ranked RIA 's latest hire from Captrust extends its streak of strategic executive recruitments.

Wealth Enhancement and Farther make milestone acquisitions
RIA NEWS JAN 16, 2025
Wealth Enhancement and Farther make milestone acquisitions

$103 billion Wealth Enhancement debuts in Maine while fast-growing RIA Farther welcomes its biggest partner yet.

Wealth Enhancement Group plants third stake in Oregon
RIA NEWS JAN 14, 2025
Wealth Enhancement Group plants third stake in Oregon

The serial acquirer's latest RIA partnership adds more than $673 million in client assets while strengthening its presence in the Pacific Northwest.

Wealth Enhancement Group tops $103B in assets with Ohio acquisition
RIA NEWS JAN 10, 2025
Wealth Enhancement Group tops $103B in assets with Ohio acquisition

The RIA colossus adds to its still-growing national footprint with its fourth location in the state.

Giant Wealth Enhancement Group latest to split from LPL
Giant Wealth Enhancement Group latest to split from LPL

LPL's former CEO Dan Arnold this summer said it was parting ways with two large hybrids.

Best Wealth Managers & Advisors Under 40 in the USA | Rising Stars
BEST IN WEALTH NOV 20, 2024
Best Wealth Managers & Advisors Under 40 in the USA | Rising Stars

Recognizing the top financial advisors and wealth management professionals under 40 standing out due to their achievements, goals, and industry contributions

RIA consolidators are gobbling up market share: Cerulli
RIA NEWS NOV 13, 2024
RIA consolidators are gobbling up market share: Cerulli

“The variety of consolidators drives competition, but it can make the market confusing,” one recruiter said.

Wealth Enhancement Group snaps up $536M M&R Capital Management
RIA NEWS NOV 07, 2024
Wealth Enhancement Group snaps up $536M M&R Capital Management

The RIA aggregator's latest deal gives it a sixth New Jersey location while pushing its assets managed to $96.6 billion.

Waverly unlocks Ohio market with $1B tax and planning firm
RIA NEWS OCT 23, 2024
Waverly unlocks Ohio market with $1B tax and planning firm

The RIA's latest acquisition adds three office-based locations and boosts it past the $14B AUM mark.