North Star honored for financial services profession impact at Finseca’s 2026 LAMP event
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—March 23, 2026—North Star Resource Group and several of its advisors and leaders were recognized across three award categories at Finseca’s annual LAMP program, an international event focused on advocating, developing and promoting the work of financial professionals.
North Star once again received the Master Firm award, which recognizes firms that reach rigorous commission and premium levels, marking a commitment to promoting and advancing financial security for all. North Star has received this award every year since 1987, and in 2024, it also received Finseca’s Community Impact award, highlighting a commitment to giving back to others.
In addition to the Master Firm award, nine North Star advisors and leaders were also recognized for their impact on the profession:
- Gaylen Harms, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC®, CPFA®, Senior Partner – International Management Award
- Brian Hensen, CFP®, ChFC®, Senior Partner – International Management Award
- David Jacobs, AIF®, CLTC®, CFP®, QPFC®, NQPA™, Senior Partner – International Management Award
- Shaun McDuffee, AEP, CLU®, ChFC®, CEPA®, Senior Vice President – International Management Award
- Stephanie Tsang, CPA, CFP®, ChFC®, CEPA®, CDFA®, Senior Partner – International Management Award
- Davin Bell, Associate Partner – Frontline Leader Award
- Thomas Kuykendall, Associate Vice President, Twin Cities Advisor Development – Frontline Leader Award
- Damon Lichtenberger, CLTC®, Senior Partner – Frontline Leader Award
- Anthony Schau, CFP®, Regional Vice President – Frontline Leader Award
This comes after several individuals—including several of the above—received individual recognition at last year’s LAMP program in Orlando, Fla., demonstrating their commitment to developing current and future leaders in this space.
“North Star is thrilled to once again receive the Master Firm Award as one of the top 100 firms in Finseca,” stated North Star CEO Ed Deutschlander, CLU®, CLF®, who was also inducted into Finseca’s Management Hall of Fame at this event. “We are one of the very few firms that have won this award every year since its inception, and we are proud to be a part of the Finseca family.”
The International Management Award recognizes high-achieving Finseca members who supervise full-time career agents, advisors or sales representatives at a firm or agency, and the Frontline Leader Award recognizes current Finseca members who are frontline managers and who have direct responsibility for a portion of an agency or firm’s success.
Harms is a founding partner of Fortune Financial, an independent financial services firm in Minnetonka, Minn. For over 40 years, he has provided financial alternatives in helping business owners, professionals and pre-retirees pursue financial success. He also actively mentors two junior advisors at Fortune, leveraging his experience in the profession to contribute to their professional development.
Hensen has been a financial advisor with North Star since 1992. Working out of the firm’s Madison, Wis., office, he specializes in working with physicians and other medical professionals. Hensen is also a member of the North Star Medical Division and is frequently one of the top financial advisors at the firm based on GDC.
With nearly 25 years of experience in the financial industry, Jacobs is a member of Jacobs Financial, a family-owned financial services firm with 50 years of dedicated service located in St. Cloud, Minn. As a third-generation advisor and current co-leader of Jacobs Financial alongside his brother and business partner, Senior Partner Andrew Jacobs, ChFC®, AIF®, RICP®, CLTC®, CPFA®, Jacobs is deeply rooted in the mission of serving others.
McDuffee joined North Star in 1990 and is the founder of North Star affiliate Twin Oak Advisors in Austin, Texas, which specializes in serving the medical community. McDuffee also serves on North Star’s leadership team as senior vice president and helped found the North Star Medical Division in 2001, which provides members with the resources to deliver holistic financial planning for medical clients. Additionally, he also served as a member of the Finseca Board of Directors between 2022 and 2024, along with its political advocacy and acceleration committees.
Tsang has been a financial advisor with North Star since 2006 and is a leader in the firm’s Southwest division. She mentors new advisors in North Star’s Scottsdale, Ariz., and San Diego offices as they build their businesses and help clients work toward financial independence.
Since 2001, Bell has worked out of North Star’s Austin, Texas, office as a financial professional and the Austin office’s dedicated growth leader. He has a clear focus on developing emerging financial leaders and training them for success in the industry, using lessons imparted to him throughout his career as a financial professional. He has also served as a member of the Finseca Foundation Board of Trustees since 2019.
Kuykendall coaches early-career advisors out of North Star’s Minneapolis headquarters, a role he has held since 2018. He leverages his experience as a financial advisor to support the growth of financial advisors in all stages of their careers across the state of Minnesota.
As a financial advisor at North Star’s Durham, N.C., office since 2004, Lichtenberger has built a nationwide financial practice and has become a regular keynote speaker at various teaching hospitals and medical groups throughout the country. He has also been published in “Medical Economics,” “Dental Products Report” and “The Torch,” demonstrating his dedication to serving the medical community’s unique financial needs.
Finally, Schau has served clients out of North Star’s Iowa City, Iowa, office since 1992. He specializes in helping medical professionals and pre-retirees develop a roadmap to achieve their goals through retirement planning, investments, risk management and asset protection strategies.
“The above group of individuals represents some of the finest members of the financial services profession,” added Deutschlander. “I am extremely honored and excited to congratulate this group on receiving these prestigious awards. To have one person in a given firm receive awards such as these is a great accomplishment, but to have so many hail from one organization is a testament to the leadership and impact our firm has.”
The individuals above received these accolades at Finseca’s annual LAMP program in Nashville, Tenn., which occurred from March 22-24, 2026.
To learn more about Finseca’s LAMP awards, visit www.finseca.org/lamp/leadership-awards.
About Finseca
Founded in 2020, Finseca is the home of the top financial security professionals. Achieving financial security means improving people’s lives, protecting their livelihoods, and enhancing their well-being for the future. Finseca members have access to the tools, support, and network needed to grow businesses and advocate for effective policies affecting the industry. To learn more about Finseca, visit www.finseca.org.
About North Star Resource Group
North Star Resource Group is a Minneapolis-based financial services firm that provides both individuals and businesses with the resources to help create, preserve and protect their wealth. North Star has more than 200 full-time advisors and over 218 employees. In a network of 43 offices in over 17 states, they have contributed to the financial security and well-being of over 150,000 individuals and small businesses.* To learn more about North Star Resource Group, visit www.northstarfinancial.com.
*Data as of 12/2025
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If you would like more information about this topic, please call Ian Rich at 612.617.6076 or email him at ian.rich@northstarfinancial.com.
2026 Finseca Master Agency Award issued by Finseca. Master Agency/Firm Awards are given to an agency head who is a Finseca member at a firm with at least $8,500,000 USD in commission levels or $17,000,000 USD in premium levels during the previous year. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial advisor by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
2026 Finseca International Management Award issued by Finseca. The International Management Award recognizes the achievements of first-line managers (heads of agencies or firms). All qualifiers must be active Finseca members and must personally supervise full-time career agents, advisors, or sales representatives in the agency or firm. Six classes are awarded Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Titanium. Each has a set min qualifying commissions (USD/ICE) and min qualifying premiums (USD/ICE). Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
2026 Front Line Leader Award issued by Finseca. The Frontline Leader Award recognizes frontline managers, such as unit, division, or district managers who have direct responsibility for a portion of an agency or firm. All qualifiers must be current Finseca members. This award has five classes Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each has a set min qualifying commissions (USD/ICE) and min qualifying premiums (USD/ICE). Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
2024 Community Impact Award issued by Finseca. The Community Impact Leadership Award honors financial security firms/ agencies that are having a tangible, measurable effect on their clients and their communities. That impact might be the result of a number of activities, such as lives secured, charitable efforts or DE&I initiatives that promote doing well by doing good. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
Management Hall of Fame Class of 2026 issued by Finseca. Finseca Management Hall of Fame is a leadership recognition program administered by Finseca to acknowledge individuals demonstrating core leadership competencies. Candidates are nominated and submissions are reviewed by Finseca, with final determinations made by Finseca’s President. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.