Integrity is the Foundation of Who We Are

Marissa D. Nehlsen

Chief Executive Officer, Financial Professional

From humble beginnings as a North Dakota farm girl to becoming the founder and CEO of Freedom Financial Group, Marissa Nehlsen has built an eight-figure financial firm and a legacy rooted in purpose, passion, and people. Over her 30 + year career, she has guided thousands of clients and entrepreneurs to achieve extraordinary results both financially and personally.



As a money and business strategist, Marissa is recognized nationally for her expertise in building wealth, minimizing taxes, and repositioning profits for long-term success. Freedom Financial Group operates on a mission to educate, empower, and equip individuals, organizations, and businesses to make wise financial decisions that align with their vision and values.

When she’s not helping business owners future-proof their wealth and businesses, she can be found at her retreat center in Costa Rica, changing lives through the Foundation of Latin America, or on her mountain, living the very freedom she teaches others to create.

Nick Mock

Chief Operations Officer, Financial Professional

Minot Office

Nick Mock grew up in a family-owned business, watching his dad and grandfather navigate generational leadership and legacy planning.

They taught him lessons about saving, investing, and hard work. Nick was blessed to have two wonderful role models teach him about business and finance. He soon realized he had a real niche for finance and focused all of his education on it. After graduating from high school in Minot, North Dakota, he attended the University of Nevada in Las Vegas and graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance. Shortly after graduating, in 2009, he returned to Minot to start his career. First, as an intern with Freedom Financial Group, and then working himself through the ranks in 2018 to his current role as chief operations officer and advanced planning team lead.

Today, he is an essential member of the Freedom Financial Group team - a dependable and devoted sounding board for his clients as well as his fellow colleagues. He has the drive to help impact those around him in every aspect of their financial planning. His common-sense approach to designing your ideal plan and maximizing strategies for tax, legal, risk, and wealth management has earned him the respect and gratitude from all who know him.

As a partner in Freedom Financial Group, Nick's professional and personal goals are the same… To build lasting relationships with his clients to educate, empower, and equip those around him.

Outside the walls of Freedom Financial Group, Nick is a devoted husband and father. As a dad, Nick enjoys coaching their sports teams and loves every minute of watching them grow and develop. Nick understands the beauty and hard work that comes with raising two young boys in a family-owned business. Nick and his wife Ashley are modeling values-based leadership in their community, businesses, and home. Nick looks forward to getting to know your goals and helping you build your freedom plan.

Troy Mantz

Financial Professional

Minot Office

Troy is a dedicated advisor who helps our clients not only achieve their financial goals but also enjoy the ride while they plan for their financial future. Whether you have met with him before or not, he will have you leaving our office with a smile and a coordinated plan to tackle even the largest of obstacles.

Troy graduated from Minot State University with a Business Management degree in the mid-80s. Prior to joining our team in early 2015, Troy spent 28 years working as a sales representative in Minot. Troy holds his Securities Licenses (Series 63,65, and 7) along with his Insurance Producer Licenses. He is a vital part of our team and is always willing to lend a helping hand.

When Troy isn’t at work, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Sue, and his two boys, Garret and Clay. They often spend their weekends making memories, traveling or at the lake riding jet-skis until they run out of gas.

Troy has always said that he would never recommend anything for clients that he would not do himself. While building a Comprehensive Retirement plan, he treats our clients as if they were his own family. You will see what makes us different in that we don’t take a cookie-cutter approach to our Planning, and every client's plan is different and done so that is both understandable and attainable. Come on in and see what we have to offer.

Meggan Urban

Financial Professional

Minot Office

As a dedicated Advisor, with a fondness for building relationships with those she works with, Meggan works hard to make sure you feel heard. Through experience and growth, Meggan has become a passionate Financial Professional, who goes the extra mile making sure no stone gets left unturned when it comes to your financial planning process. Meggan strives to continue the relationship after the initial planning is complete. She calls these “warm fuzzy" relationships. As you go through changes in your life, you know that you have a qualified and reliable thinking partner on your side at whatever stage you are in.

From Minot, ND Meggan has always needed to understand the value of a dollar. Stepping into the financial planning world by chance, Meggan is constantly willing to learn more! You will work well with Meggan if you believe a penny saved is a penny earned, but a penny leveraged is a penny gained. Meggan joined the Freedom Financial Group team in 2014 as an intern through Minot State University and has had several roles throughout her time but feels most comfortable building financial confidence within families!

In her free time, Meggan enjoys getting her hands dirty in the garden. She’s an advocate for the benefits of a yoga practice but also encourages Pizza Friday.

Carl Wallin

Financial Professional

Minot Office & Fargo Office

Carl Wallin began his journey of partnering with clients to help them set and achieve their goals back in 2013.

During these five years, he discovered some universal keys to achieving the results you want in your life. He consistently helped individuals find their way, overcome obstacles, setbacks and create adaptive plans. This helped ensure ongoing success with their life, health, and fitness goals.

His passion to serve clients evolved into financial planning in 2018. Carl knew he could help people create a holistic plan, so he joined Freedom Financial Group. He now helps take the complicated world of finance and make it simple for our clients.

By optimizing the Core Four for tax, legal, risk, and wealth Carl’s clients are able to prepare versus repair. He is passionate about helping families, business owners, and retirees create a plan of prosperity for them, and future generations.

Ellen Warner

Chief of Staff

Minot Office

In the early stages of Freedom Financial Group, Ellen worked very closely with Marissa, since their desks were so close their chairs would touch. Ellen moved with Marissa into their first office location and assisted with anything that needed to be done including reception, answering phones, filling out applications, calling clients back, and maintaining compliance among other tasks.

Ellen left Freedom Financial Group in 2011, to be home with her two young sons. As her boys, Beckett & Taeson, both started elementary school, she pursued jobs that would allow her to work during school hours and found her love of organizing and merchandising. As time has passed, so have Marissa and Ellen’s paths. Everything seemed to align with both, a position at FFG and Ellen’s season of life, as if it were meant to be.

It has always been a passion of Ellen’s to assist others. She takes pride in pushing others higher and being the light for clients and team members. She is a great fit as an Office Administrator as well as working on some of the Human Resources at Freedom Financial Group.

Some of Ellen’s favorite things are her two boys, her pets, her family, her home, and white cheddar popcorn. When Ellen is not at work, she enjoys keeping her house and yard tidy, going for walks with her dogs, and spending time with her boys and family who live in Minot. Being born and raised in Minot, she usually doesn’t venture too far away but when she does it’s usually driving to see her sister in MN. When her brother comes to town, you can find them doing various activities like roofing, laying flooring, trimming trees, etc. Finding something that needs to be done and wanting to accomplish it is a trait both her parents have passed down to her and she is grateful for it. This trait has been an asset to our team at Freedom Financial Group.

Jake Mock

Client Review Analyst

Remote Team Member

Jacob Mock is a Service Assistant at Freedom Financial Group. With an education in business and accounting at Minot State University and a passion for accuracy, Jake is dedicated to providing top-notch service to our clients. His primary role is to create and maintain client reviews with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that each client receives accurate and comprehensive information. He stives to go above and beyond to exceed expectations with our clients and is committed to assisting advisors in their goal of helping individuals and families achieve financial freedom and security.

Outside of work, you can find Jake spending quality time with his family and two playful dogs. He enjoys outdoor activities at the lake and traveling to new places with his loved ones. His family and dogs bring him balance and motivation to give his best in all that he does.”

Jay Caldwell

Financial Professional

Jamestown Office & Bismarck Office

An accomplished leader with 17 years of experience, Jay Caldwell is an award-winning financial advisor whose dedication and drive brings a unique perspective to help clients achieve their loftiest goals. Jay works with clients to create a comprehensive financial plan to better manage their money, making adjustments to bring optimal growth.

Operating as a “thinking partner”, Jay communicates every step of the process and is always a phone call away to address any questions clients may have. With his client-first mentality, Jay will always have your best interest at heart, working with you to build a better future.

Growing up, Jay was inspired to pursue a career in finance by his great-grandfather, who served on the Federal Reserve board, along with several relatives in financial services. Jay went on to graduate from DePauw University with degrees in both economics and communications. He currently holds his Series 7, Series 66, and Insurance Provider licenses. Post college, Jay held many successful positions working at Transamerica, Curian Capital, and later, at his own independent financial advising practice. In 2018, Jay joined the Freedom Financial Group team when, after years of doing things all on his own, he realized that it’s impossible to be all things to all people and a team perspective is the most beneficial for clients.

When he’s not busy with work, Jay focuses on being a husband and a father. Jay and his wife, Alli, work as a team in raising their two young daughters, Reese & Piper. For fun, Jay enjoys exercising, golfing, and traveling with his family.

Adam Melom

Financial Professional

Bismarck Office

Jared Wittenberg

Paraplanner 

Bismarck Office

As a paraplanner, Jared thrives on solving the puzzle of financial plans with precision. He believes that accuracy and structure provide the greatest benefit to clients, offering them confidence and clarity in their financial future. Whether supporting advisors or working behind the scenes, Jared is committed to making every plan reliable and effective.

Jared graduated from North Dakota State University in 2022 with a degree in business administration. He joined Freedom Financial Group in 2023 and has since applied his analytical skills to strengthen financial plans and support both clients and advisors.

Outside of work, Jared enjoys disc golf, softball, and hunting. Family is at the heart of his life, and he treasures time spent with his wife, Savannah, and their dog, Ariat. He believes in planning wisely for the future while also embracing the everyday joys that make life meaningful.

Tommy Falk

Paraplanner 

Jamestown Office & Bismarck Office

After earning his degree in Finance from Minnesota State University Moorhead, Tommy chose to follow in his grandfather Dave’s footsteps and pursue a career in financial services. Inspired by the care and commitment Dave devoted to his clients, Tommy is passionate about continuing that same legacy of trust and service.

Working alongside Jay and Dave, Tommy serves as a paraplanner—helping build comprehensive financial plans and ensuring each client receives exceptional support and personalized guidance.

Outside of work, Tommy enjoys spending time outdoors hunting and fishing, as well as golfing and playing baseball.

Linda Panchot

Service Division Manager 

Remote Team Member

Linda Panchot is the voice often heard when calling Freedom Financial Group Jamestown, and she serves in a more behind-the-scenes role for our Bismarck office. She’s a caring and hard-working personality whose main goal is to serve clients and their unique situations.

Finance can be confusing, so it’s her mission to make financial matters run as smoothly as possible for clients and our office. This may involve preparing documentation, conducting a call, or just listening to the client’s concerns. For her, every client is a top priority and is seen as a real person, not just a business opportunity.

Raised in Marion, ND on a small family farm, she was taught the importance and impact of hard work and helping others. After our Jamestown team joined Freedom Financial Group in 2019, she has come to truly appreciate the value of using a team to offer a holistic planning approach instead of narrowly focusing on a specific financial need.

A rural and family girl at heart, she loves spending her time with her husband and four growing daughters on a little farm and enjoys gardening, cheering for local high school teams, connecting with the community, and serving through church and Camp Good News.

Dave Falk

Financial Professional

Jamestown Office

David Falk has been serving clients from the Jamestown area and beyond since 1980. He thrives on building relationships and friendships with his clients and multiple generations of their families. If you need to know who is related to whom, he is your guy. Dave was an Equitable/AXA agent for 35 years before venturing into the world of being an independent financial professional – allowing him the opportunity to better customize products and services to meet his clients’ unique needs. He joined the Freedom Financial Group team in 2019 so he and his clients could benefit from a locally-based true team approach for their financial and family legacies. When Dave is not in the office, you’ll likely find his wife and him court or field side enjoying his grandchildren’s many sporting events.

Renae Polensky

Financial Professional

Dickinson Office

Renae is the founder and CEO of Angel Advocates. After dealing with her family’s disability claims and closing affairs after their deaths, Renae felt it was her calling to help others in the same manner, so she put her degree in Business Management to work and started Angel Advocates in 2015. She started by helping clients complete their legacy planning, so their family would have a roadmap to follow once they were gone. This legacy planning then led her to assisting people with applying for SSA disability, SSA

retirement, and Medicare, as well as health and life insurance. She has now expanded even further by assisting her clients with their investments and retirement planning. Renae’s passion is assisting people and giving them peace of mind as they transition into the next chapter of their lives.

Renae treats everyone who walks through her door like family and has engrained that in her employees. Because of that, she has grown Angel Advocates from a one-person mobile service into a five-person brick-and-mortar business that continues to grow as their clients’ needs continue to grow.

When she is not helping people achieve peace of mind, Renae enjoys spending time with her family and spoiling her grandchildren. She also enjoys the freedom of riding her motorcycle and taking in the wonders that God has created.

Eric Sines

Financial Professional

Seminole, Florida

From day one, Eric watched his parents start and build a financial planning firm while juggling three boys. Hard work was engrained into his mind from the start.

By observing his father, Eric gained firsthand insight into the industry long before earning his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Central Florida in 2018. Since then, he has gone on to earn his Series 7, Series 63, Series 65, and CRPC ® designation. Drawing on years of hands-on experience and the guidance of a 30-year industry veteran, Eric brings a depth of expertise that enables him to deliver precise, strategic advice tailored to each client’s needs.

Eric uses his licenses and experience to help a variety of families to reach their goals through strategies ranging from tax management to retirement planning. He has helped hundreds of families to alleviate stress by providing extensive financial services and allowing them to focus on other important matters. He approaches every client relationship with the same care and dedication that he would give to his own family.

In his free time, Eric is an avid golf player and a dedicated husband to his wife Brooke. He values strong family ties and keeps that mindset as he serves his clients.

Julie Thompson

Client Service Associate

Remote Service Team

Julie is a Client Service Associate at Freedom Financial Group, working remotely from Georgia and bringing over a decade of experience in financial services and operational support. With a Business degree from Liberty University, she combines strategic insight with a passion for problem-solving and encouragement often communicated through a perfectly selected GIF. Julie collaborates closely with advisors to ensure seamless service delivery, handling account logistics and administrative processes with precision and care. Her responsiveness, attention to detail, and positive energy make her a valued partner in driving efficiency and trust across the team.



Outside of work, Julie loves spending time with her husband, their two sons, and their two dogs, Chloe and Zoe, her fluffy and dependable companions. She enjoys going to church, serving her community, and cherishing time at the lake with her sister and extended family.