Dean Ripley, CEO, Founder, and Majority Partner

Dean started the firm Ripley, Garlock & Associates Financial Planning Group in 1994 now known as Grow Wealth Partners, after graduating with a B.A. in Government from Beloit College in Beloit, WI. Dean holds numerous securities licenses and has obtained a substantial number of professional designations, including the CFP® credential. Dean has been affiliated with Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company for the entirety of his career, having helped pioneer many of the developments that have brought Northwestern Mutual Life from being a premiere insurance company to becoming one of fastest growing and most prestigious wealth management firms in the industry. Dean started his practice in his hometown of Boulder, CO and opened his second office in Phoenix, NY when he relocated there with his family in 2002. His clientele spans the entirety of the US, and he is particularly grateful for the exceptionally long-tenure of many of those relationships.

Dean prides himself on being technically astute and he works every day to better his skills of eliciting and understanding his clients' goals and dreams. His hope is that simplicity and integrity are the benefits most enjoyed from his work with his clients. His values include hard work, loyalty, and courage.

Dean’s practice work is focused on retirement distribution planning, estate planning, and working with owners of closely held family businesses to aid in planning for growth and succession. Dean is the head of the Investment Committee, the Planning and Practice Committee and acting President and CEO of Ripley, Garlock & Associates. Dean has received numerous awards and recognition from Northwestern Mutual and other industry organizations over his extensive career, including many years as a Top of the Table qualifier with MDRT™ and consistently qualifying for NMWMC’s Wealth Management Conference- the highest honor for Wealth Management Advisors at Northwestern Mutual.

Dean lives in Phoenix, NY and loves to travel and follow Syracuse and Colorado Sports with his long-time companion Sheila. Dean and Sheila also enjoy spending time with their children, who all live locally, working or attending college. Dean and Sheila are both very passionate about the non-profit hunger program Sheila started in 2017, Erin’s Angels, and many other Phoenix community and school district causes. Dean recently was recognized as the Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year by the Central New York Association of Fundraising Professionals, and he also serves as a Board Member at Beaver Meadows Country Club.

Trevor C Garlock

Trevor is a Wealth Management Advisor as well as a Founder and Principal of Grow Wealth Partners. He graduated Cum Laude from St. Lawrence University in 2010, majoring in Economics & Environmental Studies, and has earned the Chartered Financial Underwriter (CLU®), the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) and the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) credentials through American College. Trevor’s entire professional career has been in the financial services industry with Northwestern Mutual. He strongly believes that the professional work we do has a profound impact in our clients’ lives. His practice focuses on retirement income management, wealth accumulation, financial planning, and risk management.

Trevor lives with his wife Erica, sons Remington and Rory, and Mini Bernedoodle, Deke, in Alexandria Bay, NY. In their down time, they enjoy boating on the St. Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands, traveling, and camping. Trevor also enjoys playing golf, fishing, ice hockey, cooking, and spending time with close family and friends.

Trevor is very involved in volunteering his time to serve his community. He currently co-chairs the Foundation for Community Betterment – Alexandria Bay Chapter. He also sits on the national board for the Foundation for Community Betterment acting as treasurer. In his work, he has assisted the organization in applying for and receiving a number of grants. Trevor also raises money for River Hospital in Alexandria Bay.

Trevor has been awarded Northwestern Mutual’s Quality Award (2013-2016) which recognizes commitment to excellence in service to clients as well as the Community Service Award (2017) for his philanthropic efforts. In 2014, Trevor received the 20 Under 40 Award from the Northern New York Business magazine recognizing him as an emerging community leader.

Jen joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in October of 2016. She is a Service Associate and the primary contact for Trevor Garlock. She has an associate degree in Arts and Humanities. Jen grew up in Watertown and recently moved back from Philadelphia, PA where she worked in a high-level administrative role. Jen's main focus is scheduling appointments and managing the day-to-day operations for Trevor. In her free time, she likes reading, running, and anything to do with being on the water!

Kim has been affiliated with Northwestern Mutual since 2006. She joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in January of 2008. She has more than 20 years of experience in professional office executive assistant positions and a track record of strong performance in high-volume, high-pressure environments. She’s a time management maven and administrative expertise runs through her veins. Kim skillfully manages Dean's calendar as well as numerous other areas of the enterprise including handling various aspects of client relations, database maintenance, event planning and training and development. In addition, she provides support to Dean in fulfilling his ongoing professional development. Kim currently resides in Central New York with her family.

Mallory joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in June 2022 as an Insurance Coordinator. She graduated from SUNY Oneonta in 2006 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Ecology: Food Service & Restaurant Administration. She has worked at SUNY Oswego for nearly 16 years in Food Service Management. Mallory is excited to transition to a new career in helping people with their insurance needs. She resides in Fair Haven with her husband, daughter, son, cat and dog. She enjoys camping trips with her family and loves to kayak. She recently worked to become a certified astrologer and loves to share her wealth of knowledge.

Jeff joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in December 2023 as an Investment Operations Associate. He graduated from SUNY Oswego in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Cinema and Screen Studies. He has worked in the film industry, primarily as a Prop Master, for over four years before transitioning to a new career in Investment Operations. He resides in Cicero with his fiancé and two cats. He enjoys golfing, snowboarding, football, and all things outdoors.

Wendy joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in April 2022. She is the office manager in the Phoenix, NY office. Wendy has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Bryant University in RI. She is a native of Central New York and intends to stay in the area at least until retirement. She loves going on vacation, especially cruises in the Caribbean. She has 2 small dogs and 8 nieces and nephews that she spends as much time with as possible.

Lynne Mathews

Lynne will greet you with a smile, whether in person or on the phone. Her commitment to personal relationship management and excellence in client services means that she will address your questions and needs effectively and efficiently.

Lynne brings a wealth of experience having worked for one of the largest international banks, a Denver-based brokerage firm, a registered investment advisor, plus her experience working for the healthcare industry and a Fortune 500 Company, as well as over 15 years’ experience working with John and his clients.

As a licensed insurance agent, Lynne can also help with new insurance needs and underwriting whether it be life, disability, or long-term care insurance.

Lynne is looking forward to serving you. Please give her a call.

Jessica joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in January of 2017 and provides support within our investment operations area. She attended Le Moyne College in Syracuse and was in retail management prior to coming into the financial services field. She has obtained her FINRA Series 6, 7 & 63 securities registrations, as well as New York State Agent License for Life, Accident and Health. Jessica is a Phoenix native and long-time family friend of the Ripley’s. Jessica is passionate about charities and organizations that benefit the wellbeing of children and animals, loves spending time with her son and friends, and her favorite holiday is Christmas.

Peter joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in 2023 and assists in both our insurance and investment operations area. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Peter obtained his FINRA Series 7 securities registration and is currently working on obtaining additional registrations. He currently resides in Manlius NY with his wife Sari, three boys and 2 cats. He enjoys traveling, golfing, skiing, hiking and Syracuse University Athletics.

Robyn recently joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in 2023. Robyn assists Jennifer Campbell in managing Trevor Garlock’s day-to-day operations and prepping for meetings. She is a few credits shy of gaining her associate degree in marketing and human resources. She also has several years of administrative as well as hospitality management experience. She recently moved back to the Watertown area from Oklahoma City with her cat, Luna. In her free time, she enjoys fitness, reading, baking, and traveling!

Sheila has been affiliated with Northwestern Mutual since 2019. With a passion for communication, she brings a creative approach to our marketing efforts. She loves to create informative and engaging content that resonates with our clients and the community. She is also the founder and director of Erin’s Angels of CNY, a nonprofit organization dedicated to feeding local school children. Throughout her career, She has been recognized for her leadership and contributions to the community. She has received numerous awards and honors, including The Central New York Business Journal’s Non-Profit Award for Board Leadership, the Phoenix Central School District “Making a Difference Award” and she was recently recognized by Channel 9 as one of Central New York’s “Most Remarkable Women”. She resides in Baldwinsville and loves to spend time with family and travel with her significant other Dean and her pocket beagle Zuzu.

Edward joined Grow Wealth Partners (formally Ripley, Garlock & Associates) in 2024. Edward works as Laura Engle's right-hand, scheduling appointments and managing her practice. He has earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from SUNY Oswego. He resides in Camillus area with his dog, Ruby. He is an avid sports lover; he spends most of his free time playing or watching athletics. Outside of work, Edward spends every hour at the golf course.