James W. Mader, CLU, ChFC

Chairman

James W. Mader is founder of Mader & Shannon Wealth Management, Inc., an independent asset management and financial planning firm. He has been in the financial services industry for 46 years, where he spent the first 26 years as a marketing executive with two life insurance companies. In this capacity, Jim hired, trained, and managed thousands of financial services representatives.

He received the designations of Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant from the American College of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania in 1977 and 1984 respectfully.

Jim is the past president of the Kansas City chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals He has served a 3-year term on the national board and has served for the past 5 years as chairman of their investment committee which oversees the Society’s trust fund. The Society is a more than 80-year-old organization of credentialed professionals with over 11,000 members nationally. The organization is made up of financial professionals from accounting, insurance, investments, and law.

Jim is licensed in more than a dozen states for life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance.

Jim has provided expert witness services for investment and insurance litigation for law firms in Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Nevada.

George R. Shannon

Co-founder
Portfolio Manager 2001 - 2016

George R. Shannon attended The University of Texas at Austin on a football scholarship, where he graduated with Honors. He then was accepted and attended the UT Austin Graduate School of Business MBA program for two semesters. George left the MBA program to join the Merrill Lynch account executive training program in New York, to become a Merrill Lynch Account Executive in Houston. After a year as a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch in Houston, George applied for the Ph.D. program in economics at the University of Texas at Austin, was accepted into that Ph.D. program and took graduate coursework in Economics for two years. While in Austin he was recruited by Rotan Mosle, at that time the oldest brokerage firm in Texas, well known for expertise in the burgeoning oil and gas business in Texas. For a time George both worked as a stockbroker with Rotan Mosle in Austin and pursued his Ph.D. at the University of Texas. During that time he also provided a market report on KVET radio at 5:15 am each weekday morning. George left the Ph.D. program at the University of Texas, eventually joining E.F. Hutton, and later was recruited for management training by PaineWebber. George went through the PaineWebber Management Training program in 1986, again in New York. George has since managed brokerage offices for major brokerage firms such as PaineWebber, A.G. Edwards, and Southwest Securities, Inc.

George brings to Mader & Shannon forty years of experience in the financial markets and the brokerage industry; an excellent formal education in accounting, economics, and finance; and a proven track record of investment analysis and portfolio management. George has an analytical appreciation of value based on fundamental analysis, and believes an appreciation of the liquidity of markets, coupled with an in-depth understanding of the history of asset category performance; provide important keys to successful portfolio management.

George believes three of the most notable recent academic articles concerning reasonable expectations for future financial market performance are the contrasting views expressed by "Valuation Ratios and the Long_Run Stock Market Outlook: An Update"† by John Y. Campbell and Robert J. Shiller: "Stock Market Returns in the Long Run"† by Roger G. Ibbotson and Peng Chen: and "From Efficient Markets Theory to Behavior Finance" by Robert J. Shiller.

Bret Guillaume, CFP®

President

Bret Guillaume joined Mader & Shannon as a Financial Advisor in 2004. A graduate of the University of Missouri - Kansas City, Bret holds the designation of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.

Prior to joining the firm Bret held the position of Trader with JPMorgan in Tampa, Florida. Prior to JPMorgan, Bret traded options as an independent Registered Representative. Before entering the financial services industry Bret spent several years as a technology consultant for Andersen Consulting and CCP Global.

Bret is Past President of the Kansas City chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals. The Society is a multi-disciplinary organization made up of financial professionals from accounting, insurance, investments, and law. Bret is also a member of the Financial Planning Association.

Kyle Sanders, CMT

Chief Investment Strategist, Portfolio Manager

Since joining Mader Shannon in September of 2011, Kyle Sanders has worked in the capacity of Assistant Portfolio Manager, Investment Strategist and Equity Research Analyst.  He formed a keen interest in financial markets at a very young age and has fully committed himself to the portfolio management profession. 

In his time with Mader Shannon, Kyle has gained an appreciation for not just the mechanics behind the implementation of the Mader & Shannon Total Return Strategy, but also the client-centric approach that sets us apart. As Chief Investment Strategist and Portfolio Manager, Kyle is dedicated to advancing Mader Shannon’s mission of positive client outcomes and excellent risk management.

Prior to joining Mader Shannon, Kyle held positions in retail banking and commercial mortgaged backed security (CMBS) servicing.  He attended The University of Missouri-Kansas City where he attained dual degrees; Bachelor of Science - Accounting and Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance. During his time at UMKC, Kyle served in both leadership and liaison roles in various student and alumni organizations.

Kyle was awarded the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) designation and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Investment Advisor Representative.

Leann Knuth

Senior Financial Advisor

Leann joined the team at Mader Shannon as a Senior Financial Advisor in 2024 with 15+ years of experience in Financial Services.  She graduated with honors from the University of Missouri Columbia in 2006 and has previously served as a Broker Dealer principal and insurance agent.

She is an experienced manager with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry.   She has successfully led a team of industry professionals as they provide advice to clients on financial planning, portfolio management, and servicing their accounts with a strong background in regulatory compliance.

Leann’s husband Matt is a surface warfare officer with the US Navy, and they enjoy moving around the country with their two children: Brianna and Michael.  When she is not working, she can frequently be found volunteering.  She enjoys supporting her kid’s schools, sports teams, and scouts.

Tyler Zimmerman

Equity Research Assistant, Portfolio Administrator

Tyler joined Mader Shannon in October of 2019 while in his final year at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. In his time at UMKC, Tyler served on the School of Management Dean's Advisory Board for two years. He has since graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

While in school, Tyler also held positions at various finance and accounting firms that included wealth management and bookkeeping responsibilities.

Tyler's role at Mader Shannon includes conducting broad-based market research, securities analysis, client portfolio administration, generating reports, and helping maintain the firm's proprietary data. Tyler is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Investment Advisor Representative.

Sydney Marker

Administrative Coordinator

Sydney joined Mader Shannon in July of 2024 after moving from her hometown of Wichita, Kansas. Sydney has a diverse background in the financial industry, coming to us with four and a half years of financial services experience and seven years of customer service. From banking to investment operations and administration, Sydney brings her expertise to Mader Shannon and the Client Services department, working alongside Bret Guillaume. 

As Administrative Coordinator at Mader Shannon, Sydney works directly with our clients and is the first point of contact. Sydney oversees account establishment, maintenance, and funding, and assists with any inquiry or request clients may have.