Team LaGore
Ben Oliver
Ben Oliver’s down-home, cheerful nature can make any stranger feel like a life-long friend. With his natural ability to listen and problem solve, he takes a relational and educational approach with each of his clients, focusing on their individual needs and desires.
Ben is a graduate of Lipscomb University, with an Interdisciplinary degree in American Studies. After college, he went on to work as a junior and senior high school teacher for three years. In 2014 he joined the OLV Investment Group team and has since earned his Series 7 and Series 66 along with his Health and Life Insurance License. Having had the opportunity to teach, Ben brings a dedication to research analysis with him to each OLV client meeting in order to provide thorough advice.
Having three children, and also being foster parents, Ben and his wife remain busy investing in the hearts, minds and lives of their little ones. As part of this investment, he and his family are involved at their church, First Presbyterian Church of Flint. Ben is definitely “no chicken” when it comes to hard work. In addition to working at OLV, raising a family and being active in his church, he also runs the centennial family farm, where he raises cattle, meat chickens, laying hens, honey & hay.
Hanni Oliver
Hanni’s love for people is contagious! Her bright, fun-loving disposition makes her the perfect complement to our OLV team! Her people-skills, along with her hard-working nature, allow her to excel at her role as Client Service Associate. She is often the first voice you hear when you call and the first face to greet you upon arrival in the Flint office. She serves our clients and staff with the utmost care and seeks to brighten everyone’s day.
Hanni went to work in 2002 for her parents, Dean and Zan Oliver (founders of OLV), where she began learning the documentation side of the financial industry. She worked for them on-and-off for a total of five years as she began growing her family. Before that, she had attended high school with Sonya LaGore, Jesse and Libby VanValin. So, the OLV Investment Group “family” naturally became a welcome place for her when she returned to the industry in 2019.
Hanni is a busy mom of three high-energy boys. She spends much of her time outdoors with her kids, biking, swimming, sledding, hiking and more. In addition to bringing up her boys, Hanni is also an active member of Bethany Baptist Church in Grand Blanc.
Madison Freeman
Madison has always sought to serve others and was drawn to our firm after experiencing its atmosphere of generosity and closeness. Madison is a great fit as she exhibits these qualities with everyone she encounters. She believes the financial industry will be the perfect outlet for her desire to help others.
Madison has joined OLV as Client and Culture Assistant. She helps fill the gaps in many areas of design, mailing, writing, and social media. She just completed her degree in accounting from The University of Michigan-Flint in December 2021. In recognition of her many attributes, The Kiwanis Club awarded her the prestigious A+B=C award (Attitude + Basic Values = Character).
Born and raised in Davison, Michigan, Madison loves spending time with her friends, parents and sister. She also has a bit of green thumb as her plant count crosses over 20. She enjoys lake days, longboarding and being a follower of Jesus. Most Sundays, you can find her with her family attending Richfield Church of the Nazarene.
Bernadette Rainear
Bernadette Rainear’s straightforward, systematic and results-oriented work ethic gives her the ability to make the paperwork process as smooth as possible for OLV clients. Her history as a school teacher makes her the perfect fit for the role of Client Service Associate (CSA) Supervisor in which she trains new Client Service Associates and educates the staff when operational processes and procedures are updated. Additionally, as “Transitions Specialist” Bernadette manages the process of transferring client accounts and relationships to OLV Investment Group when a new financial advisor is hired.
Bernadette earned a Bachelor’s and Masters degree in education and has a lengthy teaching history of 12 years, but she took a slight detour 10 years ago when she was hired to work “part-time” for Dean Oliver. Little did she know this would launch her career in the financial industry. She is an integral part of the OLV staff and leads with passion and conviction.
Bernadette and her husband have been married since 1993. They are the proud parents of their son, who is a Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy (USNA), and they count down the days until their next visit with him. They have also been blessed and gifted with their daughter, who is an active high school student. When not attending her daughter’s volleyball and soccer games or horse shows, she enjoys exercising. She has Kettlebell certifications, attends yoga weekly and likes to walk and run. She’s also involved in Mayfair Bible Church, where she is part of a small group.
Tim St. Cin
Gerald (Tim) St. Cin has a genuine care for his clients’ well-being that stems from his family’s long-standing training of service before self. At a very young age Tim learned to serve and help others, as he modeled his father’s example as Senior Pastor at Westwood Church of God in Flint, for over 35 years. It is this care and concern for people that keeps Tim motivated to constantly innovate and create unique ways of solving his clients’ financial needs.
Tim’s contemplative approach to problem solving allows him to sift through his clients’ complex and detailed needs. When Tim comes to a solution, we are certain that it has been well thought through, analyzed, tested, and his intent is to produce the best possible outcome for his clients’ needs.
Tim’s genuine care for his clients is only superseded by his love of God and Family. Tim has been married to his lovely wife Dawn for over 25 years. Together they have two lovely daughters – Mandy and Emmy – both of which are a testament to Tim’s dedication to a relentless pursuit of knowledge, as both are fully engrossed in their collegiate studies.
Tim holds his B.A. from Anderson University with post-graduate studies at the University of Michigan, Flint. Tim is fully licensed in Michigan to help service his clients’ needs. Tim holds the series 7, 63, 65, and 31 Licenses and is also Life, Health, and Variable Contracts Licensed, which allows for Tim to act in both an Advisory & Brokerage capacity to service his client’s broad ranging needs.
When not working diligently for his clients, Tim enjoys playing the keys with the worship team at Flushing Community Church. He is also a board member of the Genesee County Coaches and Officials Association (Director of Softball), and he enjoys officiating many high school varsity sports events. When allowed, Tim also loves to tag along with his family to His wife’s favorite place on earth, Disney World.
Marc Janca
Marc is a welcome addition to the OLV team. His bright and engaging personality draws people in. His cheerful disposition and in-depth knowledge of the financial industry make him a perfect fit for our clients. When it comes to your financial world, Marc Janca believes knowledge is your best friend. “When you know and are comfortable with your financial situation, you will have greater peace of mind,” he says. “I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping clients work toward their financial goals.”
Marc got his start in the industry in 2005 and started his career at the Royal Bank of Canada as an investment advisor. Upon moving to the United States, he spent ten years at Chase Bank where he learned a lot about what the industry has to offer. Today, he is a financial advisor who can offer investment and insurance products and services with confidence. Marc has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Windsor.
Marc and his wife, Ana, have two young daughters-Sasha and Dylan. “Family is very important to me,” Marc says, adding that he spends most of his free time with immediate and extended family. In addition, Marc also serves on the board of the Roman James Foundation, which helps pay the funeral costs of Metro Detroit-area families who have lost a child in the neonatal intensive care unit. Marc and his wife started the foundation after losing their son, Roman James, in the NICU in 2015.
Joel LaGore
Within minutes of talking to Joel LaGore, you’ll feel as if you’ve been friends for a lifetime! Joel’s outgoing, welcoming, friendly personality often turns a client affiliation into deep, long-lasting friendship! This relationship-focused mindset leads Joel to constantly recreate and cultivate the financial planning process to provide clients with quality service.
Joel’s first experience in the financial industry came when he interned for Dean Oliver in 1999. After gaining wisdom from Dean, Joel went on to become a personal banker with Huntington Bank, moving on to become a Team Leader with Huntington Investment Company. A few years later, Joel took his investment skills to Smith Barney. He stayed at this location until the financial crisis hit in 2008-2009 which created turmoil in the brokerage industry. In an effort to continue providing clients with quality service, Joel and his wife Sonya took a leap of faith and started LaGore Wealth Management. In 2012, Joel returned to join forces with his mentor, Dean Oliver, and friend, Jesse VanValin, to launch OLV Investment Group.
From their first date in 1999, Joel knew Sonya was “the one,” and they were married only a year later. They have two musically talented daughters, one who is a singer/songwriter and the other whose dream is to be a concert violinist. The girls’ talents lead the family to take many weekend trips to Nashville in an effort to support their musical aspirations. When not traveling to Tennessee, Joel works as a life group leader and spiritual life development team member, and sings on the worship team at Flushing Community Church. He enjoys serving the community through his work as an advisory committee member of the Flushing Community Fund. When he can sneak in a few minutes to relax, he’s an avid golfer.
