Our Team
Financial Planning and Wealth Management takes expertise and experience followed by dedication and discipline. Erpelding Wealth Management is made up of a team of financial professionals to help you best meet your financial goals and objectives. The team focuses on wealth and risk management tied together in a comprehensive financial plan. All members of the team share this enthusiasm and commitment to a client-focused approach.

Michael Erpelding CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®
Founder and Private Wealth Advisor
Mike Erpelding joined Northwestern Mutual in 1987, and is the founder of Erpelding Wealth Management as well as the Managing Director of the Edina, MN district office. Over the years, Mike has built Erpelding Wealth Management into a well-rounded practice based on the principals of honesty, integrity and being client-focused. While maintaining a strong wealth management practice, Mike plays a key role in the career development of other financial representatives.
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Eric Benson CFP®, RICP®, CLU®, ChFC®
Partner and Private Wealth Advisor
Eric is responsible for creating comprehensive financial plans, implementing investment and insurance strategies and conducting annual reviews with clients.
Upon graduation, Eric began his career at Northwestern Mutual as a financial representative with The Bohannon Group. He joined Michael Erpelding's team in January 2005.
Eric has obtained his FINRA Series 7 & 66 securities licenses as well as his Life, Health, Long Term Care and Annuity licenses. He has earned the Chartered Life Underwriter ®, Chartered Financial Consultant ®, Retirement Income Certified Professional ® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designations.
He enjoys coaching his children’s various sports and is a loyal Minnesota Gopher basketball and football fan.
Eric lives in Chanhassen with his wife Gretchen, their twins Eli and Sydney, and boxer Beau.

Bob is responsible for conducting new client meetings and annual reviews with current clients. He prepares financial plans and implements investment and insurance strategies. Bob believes client relationships are built upon mutual trust. He views his role as a behavioral investment counselor, helping clients avoid costly investment mistakes while keeping them focused on their most important goals.
Bob holds a B.A. in finance from the University of Iowa. Bob earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, his FINRA series 7 & 66 Securities Licenses, and his Life, Health, Long Term Care, and Annuity Licenses.
Bob enjoys spending time with his family, taking trips up to the cabin, and cheering on Minnesota's professional sports teams. He resides in Eagan with his wife Rachelle and their three sons, Hudson, Henry, and Leo.

Cole Lunde CFP®, RICP®, WMCP®
Partner and Private Wealth Advisor
Cole Lunde is a Partner and Private Wealth Advisor with Erpelding Wealth Management. He primarily works with high-net-worth individuals and families to provide comprehensive wealth management services tailored to their unique goals and needs. Cole has extensive expertise in investment management, estate planning, tax management and comprehensive financial planning. Cole also chairs the EWM Investment Committee, leveraging his experience, skill and passion in portfolio construction, research, private alternative investments and analysis to drive our firm’s wealth management process and philosophies. He is a student of the markets and is dedicated to providing the most effective and pertinent portfolio solutions to our clients, understanding the immense value and significance of what they’ve worked so hard to build.
Cole joined Erpelding Wealth Management in 2018 and has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2014. Cole was previously a team member of the Northwestern Mutual Concierge Planning team (now Sophisticated Planning Strategies team), which specializes in sophisticated retirement, estate and business planning for ultra-high net worth clientele with complex planning considerations.
Cole graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.B.A. in Finance, Investment and Banking with an emphasis in Wealth Management. Cole Lunde is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificant (CFP®), Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®), a Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®) and holds the Preferred Portfolio Management certification (PPM). Cole has earned his FINRA Series 7 & 66 as well as the Life, Accident, Health, Annuity and Long-Term Care licenses.
Cole lives in Inver Grove Heights with his wife, Shelby. Together they enjoy traveling, boating and cheering on the Wisconsin Badgers and MN sports teams.

Eitel joined Erpelding Wealth Management in 2021. Prior to joining the team, he was a Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative with the Hellyer Group. He carries his SIE, FINRA 6 & 63 as well as his Life, Accident, Health, Long Term Care and Annuity Licenses.
Eitel is very passionate about establishing deep connections with his clients and orchestrating an overarching, comprehensive financial plan that accounts for all the pieces that make up your financial life. No financial decision should be made in a vacuum. The goal is for the plan to be meaningful today, tomorrow, retirement and for future generations. His client evaluation process is embedded in the notion that our own personal beliefs around finances often go well beyond the “numbers”.
Past experiences and lessons we learned (or didn’t learn) in our earlier years often shape our feelings and decision-making around money today. These attributes don’t fit on a spreadsheet but they are critical in delivering a plan that feels personal, delivers clarity, provides confidence and assuages fears, anxieties, and/or a general feeling that you’re “missing out” on what is possible.
Eitel leverages the various expertise on the team to ensure that clients receive the best-in-class experience that embodies maximizing every opportunity available to them by implementing advanced tax-mitigation strategies that set the foundation for wealth accumulation and preservation. When Eitel isn’t meeting with clients it usually involves social events and/or physical fitness. He currently resides in Apple Valley with his wife Ashley and their three children, Benson, Kingston and Lily.

Kristie J Robinet CLU®, ChFC®, CFP®
Associate Private Wealth Advisor
Kristie began her career with Northwestern Mutual in 2001 and joined Erpelding Wealth Management in 2023. Kristie works alongside our Private Wealth Advisors and team members to enhance and facilitate the planning process and experience of our clients.
Kristie received her bachelor’s in finance from Minnesota State University-Mankato. Kristie is CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificant (CFP®) and holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) designations. Kristie has earned her FINRA Series 7, 6 & 63 as well as the Life, Accident, Health and Annuity licenses.
She lives in Inver Grove Heights with her husband Mike and their children Jackson, Brynn, and Weston. In her free time she enjoys being with her family, traveling, biking, running, and volleyball.

Trenton Joined Erpelding Wealth Management in 2019 as our team’s Retirement Plan Specialist. Prior to joining EWM, Trenton was a wholesaler for a large Record-keeper, helping hundreds of clients with their 401(k) plans and qualified plans. He currently holds his FINRA Series 6 & 63 as well as his Life, Accident, Health, Long term Care and Annuity licenses.
Trenton is solely dedicated to educating and guiding Business Owners and their management teams on the landscape of Employer Sponsored Retirement plans. He brings extensive experience, knowledge, and specialization to our 401(k), 403(b), SIMPLE IRA, Solo K, Cash Balance Plans, and Non-Qualified Plans.
Trenton graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 2009 and currently resides in Rosemount with his wife, Molly, their son, Rex, and dog, Lola.

Bryant joined Erpelding Wealth Management in 2022. Bryant has been in the industry for 5 years and carries his FINRA 6 & 63 as well as his Life, Accident, Health, Long Term Care and Annuity licenses.
Prior to joining Erpelding Wealth Management, Bryant worked in the HCM industry, as well as a record-keeper wholesaler; working with hundreds of clients servicing their 401(k) plans. Bryant is solely dedicated to our Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans and brings a vast knowledge and specialization to our 401(k), 403(b), SIMPLE IRA and Solo(k) clients.
Bryant currently lives in St Louis Park, with his wife, Alissa and their dog Kobe. They love to spend their time, at the cabin, fishing, golfing, and enjoying time with friends and family!

Eric Barber CFP®
Director of Investment Operations and Services
Eric graduated from Colorado Christian University with a degree in Computer Information Systems Management. He has been with Northwestern Mutual since February 2005 and joined Erpelding Wealth Management in August 2009. Eric has earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and is licensed for both securities and insurance products.
Eric lives in Chanhassen with his wife, Stephany, and their three children.
Please contact Eric with any investment account related questions.

Sean supports the team’s advisors and specializes in personal planning analysis with an emphasis in creating tax efficient retirement distribution strategies.
Sean graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a B.B.A in Finance. He joined the team in July of 2018 and has since obtained his FINRA SIE, Series 7 & 63, as well as his Life, Accident, Health, Long Term Care and Annuity Licenses.
Sean lives in Minneapolis and enjoys spending time outdoors and at the gym. He can often be found on the hockey rink or snowboarding at the local hills during the winter months.

Alex assists the advisors and team by focusing on comprehensive financial planning customized to the goals and needs of new and existing clients.
Alex graduated from Grand Canyon University with a B.S. in Entrepreneurial Studies while minoring in Accounting. He recently joined the Erpelding Wealth Management team as an Associate Financial Representative in June 2021, having been with Northwestern Mutual since 2020 as a Financial Representative. Since joining Northwestern Mutual he has obtained his Life, Accident, Health, Long Term Care, and Annuity licenses.
Alex lives in St. Louis Park and enjoys traveling, cheering on Minnesota’s sports teams, and exploring all of the hiking trails Minnesota has to offer.

Cassy is a Client Service Associate and primarily supports Mike Erpelding and his clients. She also supports the daily operations for our team through her management of client meeting coordination, client communications and insurance servicing.
Cassy graduated from University of Wisconsin – River Falls with a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in Finance.
She has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2017 and joined the Erpelding Wealth Management Team in 2023.
She holds her Life, Accident and Health and licenses.
Cassy loves spending her additional time outdoors or up at the cabin, fishing, four wheeling, snowmobiling or just enjoying a nice cruise on the pontoon!
She lives in Lakeland, MN with her significant other, Chris, and their South African Boerboel, Koa.

Lisen joined Mike and Northwestern Mutual in 1996 and was an instrumental team member in the start and continued growth of our team as a lead client service representative. Lisen now supports our continued growth through her role as Director of Human Resources and focuses on the operational side of our team structure.
She resides in Minneapolis with her husband, two teen boys and goldendoodle, Murphy. Lisen enjoys all outdoor activities, pickleball, volunteering and traveling.

Teresa joined Erpelding Wealth Management in 2016 as their Receptionist. For the past thirty years she has been the “ambassador of first impressions” in highly professional environments with outstanding corporations. She enjoys creating a welcoming rapport with our clientele and visitors, logging of investment checks, as well as assisting with a variety of administrative tasks for the entire office.
Teresa was a Fine Arts Major at MCAD and continues to be a practicing artist. You can visit her creative website, under her name. Teresa is an avid walker/hiker and resides in Edina. She has two grown sons, Jack and Wylie.
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