Our Teams

Designations

• Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®)
• Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®)
• Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®)

Awards & Recognition

• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and Quality Award (NAIFA)
• Northwestern Mutual Forum Qualifier (1996, 2001, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)
• Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisors (2020)
• Northwestern Mutual Life Impact Award (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021)

Personal

I was born and raised in Sterling Heights, Michigan and currently reside in Oakland, Michigan with my wife Nella and our four children. I work with business owners and high-level clients by developing specialized comprehensive financial plans with an emphasis on advanced estate and financial planning topics. Away from the office, I find pleasure in attending sporting events and spending time at our Northern Michigan home with family. I am very active in the community, including many local church organizations and business associations.

Marty Schmidt entered the financial services industry in 1984. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Economics and Finance.

Designations

• Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®)
• Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®)
• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ 
• Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) - 1989, 1990, 2007, 2018

Awards and Recognition

• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)
• National Quality Award (1992-2001, 2003-2007, 2009-2010, 2017-2018)
• NAIFA Quality Award (2011-2015)
• Northwestern Mutual Forum Qualifier (2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisors (2020)

Personal

Marty lives in West Bloomfield with his wife, Patty, and their four children. Away from the office Marty enjoys spending time with his children, boating, skiing, and exercising. He is active in the community, including volunteer work with his church, local food kitchens, and multiple business organizations.

Jennifer began her career with Northwestern Mutual in 1994. She became an Associate Financial Representative for Northwestern Mutual in 1995 and is now an Associate Wealth Management Advisor. She has her life, health and variable annuities license and also her Series 6, 7 & 63. Jennifer graduated Cum Laude from Oakland Community College in 1996 with her Associates Degree in Business Administration and in 2013 she received the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) designation with the American College. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Scott has been with Northwestern Mutual in a variety of roles since 2007. He joined the Cranbrook Team in November 2009. Scott is fully licensed in Life, Heath, Long-Term Care Insurance & also a Registered Representative with NMIS, having passed the FINRA Series 6, 63, and 7 securities exam. In addition Scott has earned the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) designation, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) designation, and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.

Scott currently prepares in-depth personal financial plans, manages client assets, and conducts meetings with both existing and prospective clients.

In his spare time, Scott enjoys spending time with family, golf, competitive sports, and relaxing in the wilderness of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Evelyn joined Northwestern Mutual in 2015 in Chicago and became an Associate Financial Representative. In 2016, she got married and moved to the metro-Detroit area where her husband is from. Since becoming a mother in 2018, Evelyn now mainly works from home and manages the scheduling and marketing aspects of the business. She is known for her love of coffee, gardening, and browsing through antique shops.

Francesco began at Northwestern Mutual as a college intern in 2015 and has since continued to pursue his financial career. He graduated from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and currently holds his Life and Health Insurance Licenses and FINRA Series 6 and 63 Securities Licenses. Francesco loves spending time with friends and family and is currently working to get his Golf Handicap in the single digits.

Jeff is 1996 graduate of Oakland University, B.S. He has been affiliated with Northwestern Mutual since 1999 and with Sebastian's team since 2006. Jeff holds the life, accident & health, and variable contracts licenses as well as the Series 6 & 63. Jeff's focus is in the qualified plan arena such as 401(k), Profit Sharing, & Cash Balance plans. In his spare time, Jeff spends time with his wife and children. He enjoys coaching youth sports, golfing, and reading.

Annaliese began her career at Northwestern Mutual working for the General Agency in 2017. She completed her Life, Accident, & Health license to become an Associate Financial Representative in 2019 before joining Sebastian’s team in the beginning of 2020. Annaliese is currently handling the insurance portion of the business, while branching out into the personal financial planning. Annaliese is a graduate of Oakland University, where she earned a degree in biology with a focus in biomolecular genetic engineering. In her spare time, Annaliese spends time outdoors tending to her gardens or hiking all around the U.S. with her husband Chris and their puppy, Archer.

Mya Kulaga joined Marty's office in 2017, and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2013. She is Life, Health, and Long Term Care licensed in Michigan as well as Series 7 and 63 securities licensed. Mya can assist you with insurance underwriting questions, policy service and billing issues, and scheduling appointments.

How can Mya help you?

• Schedule and reschedule Marty's appointments
• Provide policy values and process owner/beneficiary changes
• Facilitate premium payments and changes to billing accounts
• Process loan requests and repayments
• Update client information
• Encourage and accept favorable introductions to new potential clients
• Prepare illustrations and comparisons for Life and Disability Income insurance
• Assist with insurance applications and the underwriting process

Susan DeLong began working for Northwestern Mutual in 1989 and is Life and Health licensed as well as Series 6 and 63 securities licensed. Her extensive administrative background is a valuable asset in assisting you.

How can Susan help you?

• Open and update investment accounts
• Process account transfers and IRA rollovers
• Prepare performance reports
• Trade and monitor investment accounts
• Assist with 529 education account trading and rebalancing
• Provide consolidated investment account and insurance policy reports
• Provide policy values and process owner/beneficiary changes
• Facilitate premium payments and changes to billing accounts
• Process loan requests and repayments
• Update client information

Robin Petras joined Marty's office in 2002. She is Life and Health licensed in Michigan. Robin has passed the FINRA Series 6, 63, and 7 securities exams, and is highly qualified to assist you with serving your investment accounts.

How can Robin help you?

• Preparing investment proposals
• Open and update investment accounts
• Process account transfers and IRA rollovers
• Trade and monitor investment accounts
• Preparing performance reports
• Assist with 529 education account trading and rebalancing
• Providing consolidated investment account and insurance policy reports

Steve Lane joined Marty's office in 2008. As an Associate Wealth management Advisor he holds his securities Series 7, Series 66, and insurance licenses. Steve also has an MBA from Oakland University, and has earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.

How can Steve help you?

• Meet with new referrals
• In depth fact finding to discover potential planning gaps or opportunities.
• Conduct annual review meetings
• Discuss Life Insurance, Disability & Long-Term Care needs
• Deliver and explain investment proposals and financial plans
• Review performance reports
• Facilitate account transfers and IRA rollovers
• Trade and monitor investment accounts