Valmark Financial Group today announced the launch of NextGen Advisor Pathway™, a new comprehensive recruiting and development solution designed to help independent financial services firms identify, hire, train and retain the next generation of financial advisors.
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NextGen Advisor Pathway™ Inaugural Class
As firms across the financial services profession plan for continued growth and succession, developing emerging advisor talent has become increasingly important, and increasingly difficult. NextGen Advisor Pathway™ was created to help Valmark Member Firms address that challenge with the same structured approach Valmark has used to build its own advisor bench.
“Finding talented people is only one piece of the challenge,” said Larry J. Rybka, JD, CFP®, Chairman & CEO of Valmark Financial Group. “The other side is giving them the training, mentorship and structure they need to build a long-term future with the firm. NextGen Advisor Pathway™ helps our members create that foundation from the very beginning.”
NextGen Advisor Pathway™ builds directly on the success of Valmark’s own internship program. Over the past 20+ years, Valmark has hosted close to 300 interns and hired approximately 100 in full-time roles. Key to that success was partnering early with the University of Akron, and subsequently other universities, to attract students pursuing financial planning degrees who are eligible to sit for the CFP® exam.
“This is the natural next step: helping the Member Firms we serve the same way we have benefited ourselves for the last 20 years,” said Caleb Callahan, CFP®, President of Valmark Financial Group. “We are turning one of the most important strategic investments we ever made into something that now benefits the advisors we serve.”
NextGen Advisor Pathway™ draws from Valmark’s growing network of 17 university partnerships across nine states, including many with CFP® Board Registered Programs. These relationships expand Valmark’s access to high-caliber candidates with specialized financial planning education, including graduates eligible to sit for the CFP® exam, who are interested in building long-term careers in the profession.
NextGen Advisor Pathway™ is essentially made up of targeted candidate sourcing with enhanced training and ongoing support for both the new advisor and the hiring firm. Through the program, participating Valmark Member Firms receive support throughout the development process, including:
- Targeted sourcing and screening of emerging advisor candidates;
- Candidate interviewing and selection support;
- Human resources and onboarding guidance;
- Several weeks of immersive, instructor-led training delivered through a combination of in-person and virtual learning
- Hands-on exposure to financial planning, investments, life insurance, technology, operations and Valmark resources; and
- Structured post-hire follow-up with the advisor and Member Firm.
A central component is the NextGen Advisor Pathway™ Bootcamp, an immersive training experience at Valmark’s Akron headquarters. Participants will spend approximately half of their time developing foundational knowledge and the other half gaining hands-on experience with Valmark teams, advisors at Member Firms, and systems and resources. Training can also be customized based on the business model and needs of the hiring Member Firm.
Following the success of its inaugural bootcamp earlier this year, Valmark expects the first formal NextGen Advisor Pathway™ cohort to begin in the summer of 2027.
NextGen Advisor Pathway™ was formally introduced to Valmark members during the company’s 2026 Member Summit conference. CFP® Program directors from four of Valmark’s growing university partnerships (The University of Akron, Texas A&M University, Samford University, and Grove City College) were in attendance.
About Valmark Financial Group, LLC
Valmark Financial Group is a holding company of several subsidiaries, including Executive Insurance Agency, Inc., a national producer group; Valmark Securities, Inc., a broker-dealer and member of both FINRA and SIPC; Valmark Advisers, Inc., a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment adviser; and the Valmark Policy Management Company, LLC, which provides ongoing policy management and monitoring services for life insurance policyholders.
With a proud history of serving independently owned financial services firms committed to high ethical standards in more than 30 states, Valmark offers a wide range of insurance and investment solutions for high-net-worth clients. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with operations in St. Paul, Minnesota, Valmark, through its affiliated entities, has helped Member Firms place approximately $80 billion of life insurance death benefits and manage insurance policies with a cumulative cash value of over $8 billion. Valmark’s affiliated RIA, Valmark Advisers, has an estimated $11.5 billion in assets under management and advisement.
To learn more about Valmark Financial Group, visit www.valmarkfg.com.
Securities offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory services offered through Valmark Advisers, Inc., a SEC Registered Investment Advisor.
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