Shapiro Wealth Team

Building a Plan from Your Priorities

Being financially independent means having sufficient personal income to live, without needing to work actively for necessities. Our role is to help you arrive at the day when we both agree: You can now choose to work. It means a great deal to us to be part of this journey for our clients.

About Us

An important aspect of my practice is that we are independent advisors. This means that we are not obligated to sell any proprietary products and have the ability to choose from a wide variety of investment choices.

We always start our process with you, your priorities, and your questions; we build the plan and portfolio from there. In addition to investment management, we provide comprehensive investment and financial planning to help you effectively save for retirement or other large goals. We can also help you utilize tax planning strategies and transfer wealth.

Our process begins simply with a conversation, where we can begin to find out the details of your situation. We’ll discern your most important goals and concerns, and we’ll answer all your questions. You can reach out to us by phone or email to set up a complimentary consultation.

Neither Raymond James Financial Services nor any Raymond James Financial Advisor renders advice on tax issues, these matters should be discussed with the appropriate professional.

Meet Our Team

Learn more about each of the dedicated members of the Eric J. Shapiro Wealth Team.

Eric Shapiro
Eric Shapiro

CFP®

Vice President, SageSpring 

402-884-7463

Carlleen Sturdivant
Carlleen Sturdivant

Client Service Associate, SageSpring

402-513-3146

Chris Cotignola
Chris Cotignola

Financial Advisor, SageSpring 

402-315-9679

Aaron Johnson
Aaron Johnson

Client Service Associate, SageSpring

402-884-7463

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Connect with Us

SageSpring is invested in more than just your finances. We are invested in you.
Connect with us today, and discover how our unique, holistic approach to financial planning can guide you to long-lasting peace and prosperity.

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Our Location

Street Address
15808 W. Dodge Road, Suite 103

Omaha, NE 68118

Phone Number
402-884-7463

Recent Insights

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Women Taking the Reins on Their Finances

March is Women’s History Month, and we want to celebrate the achievements of women around the world. Women are making incredible advancements socially, culturally, politically — and yes, economically. Traditionally, finance is a field that’s

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615.861.6100
Aaron Johnson
Aaron Johnson

Client Service Associate, SageSpring 
402-884-7463

Aaron Johnson 

Client Service Associate, SageSpring 

Aaron is the newest member of the Shapiro Wealth Team. After years of dedicated work in the customer service contact industry, he took an interest in finance in 2017. This led him to work for a large retail broker and later moving to advisor support. It was extremely important to Aaron, when moving to the next phase of his career, that any new venture would be customer centric with an emphasis on putting people first. In his role with the Shapiro Wealth Team, Aaron will be the primary point of contact for clients; making sure every client is served in a way that will continue to bring them success!

What attracted Aaron to the SageSpring and The Shapiro Wealth Team is their clear dedication to keeping the client first by making the relationship the priority and servicing clients accordingly. Aaron looks forward to adding value to this already amazing team!

In his free time Aaron is an avid gamer and sneaker collector. However, his favorite way to spend time outside of work is being a dad to his boys Aaron Jr. and Noah. They enjoy playing basketball, football and an infinite amount of made up games. They also love wrestling and making as much noise as possible. 

Chris Cotignola
Chris Cotignola

Financial Advisor, SageSpring 
402-315-9679

Chris Cotignola 

Financial Advisor, SageSpring

Chris Cotignola is a Financial Advisor with SageSpring and has the pleasure of serving clients of the Shapiro Wealth Team as part of the company’s Mentee Program. Originally from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, Chris brings with him a diverse background having spent the first 9 years of his career as a high school band director. Every day he gets to draw from his experience as an educator to help guide clients to achieve their financial goals.

Chris and his wife Paige first came to know of SageSpring as clients of Eric Shapiro after they went through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. Having worked hard to live on a budget, get out of debt, and save for the future, Chris knows the importance of having a financial plan and carrying it out. As a client of the company, joining SageSpring as an advisor felt like coming home.

Outside of the office, Chris maintains an active schedule as a professional musician. He is the adjunct saxophone professor at Iowa Western Community College in addition to running his own private studio. He and his wife enjoy playing music together in a variety of groups as well as spending time with friends, family, and their two dogs Marley and Henry. In the little free time he has, you’re likely to find Chris on the soccer field or golf course.

Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the opinions or services of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University

Eric Shapiro
Eric Shapiro

CFP®

Vice President, SageSpring  
402-884-7463

Eric Shapiro  

Vice President, SageSpring

Growing up in Wayne, Nebraska, Eric learned the values of a strong Midwestern work ethic and a long term, conservative approach to money. After studying both finance and communications in his undergraduate studies, he realized the importance of financial literacy for folks working towards long-term goals. A passionate advocate of education, he obtained his MBA while working full-time. It’s important to him to stay educated about important factors in financial planning and capital markets as well as better ways to teach and guide others as they work towards their own priorities. Eric has great respect for Dave Ramsey and his track record of helping people get out of debt and create a better relationship with their giving, saving, and spending. He is a member of the SmartVestor Program and has taken and facilitated Dave Ramsey’s personal finance program called Financial Peace University.**

Eric is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER practitioner and holds his Series 7, Series 66, Insurance, Annuity, Long Term Care, and Disability licenses and is an independent, registered representative with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.

Life is not meant to be lived for money, but with it! Eric enjoys spending time with his wife, Hillary, and his faithful four-legged friend, Eleanor Rigby (Ellie), exploring the country and world and appreciating the many delicious restaurants that Omaha has to offer. When he wants to take a break from numbers, he also enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and making the best sounds he can on his guitar.

SmartVestor is an advertising and referral service for investing professionals (“SmartVestor Pros”) operated by The Lampo Group, LLC d/b/a Ramsey Solutions (“Ramsey Solutions”). Pursuant to an arrangement between Ramsey Solutions, SageSpring Wealth Partners and your advisor, your advisor pays Ramsey Solutions a flat monthly fee to: (a) be a SmartVestor Pro, (b) advertise services through the SmartVestor website, and (c) receive client referrals in the form of an initial introduction to interested consumers who are located in your advisor’s Pros geographic region. SageSpring Wealth Partners does not endorse and are not affiliated with Ramsey Solutions, except with respect to the arrangement described above, and neither Ramsey Solutions nor its agents are officers or employees of SageSpring Wealth Partners. Further, neither Ramsey Solutions nor its agents are authorized to provide investment advice or act in any way on behalf of SageSpring Wealth Partners, except in connection with providing your contact information to your advisor.

Ramsey Solutions’ relationship and agreement is between SageSpring Wealth Partners only. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. is not affiliated with the solicitor arrangement between Ramsey Solutions and SageSpring Wealth Partners.

**Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the opinions or services of the SmartVestor Program or the Financial Peace University program.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. 

Carlleen Sturdivant
Carlleen Sturdivant

Client Service Associate, SageSpring 
402-513-3146

Carlleen Sturdivant 

Client Service Associate, SageSpring 

Before joining SageSpring, Carlleen Sturdivant previously worked in the travel industry as an HR talent coordinator for two years. Prior to that, she worked in the human services field for 10 years, assisting individuals with preparing and gaining employment.

In her current role serving the Eric Shapiro Wealth Team and the Brandon Kew Wealth Team—both based in Omaha, Nebraska—Carlleen assists the financial advisors and provides clients with quality service. She routinely contacts internal and external customers to obtain, clarify, or provide facts and information. Carlleen also schedules and coordinates meetings, events, and appointments for advisors.

While looking for a financial advisor that aligned with their values, Carlleen and her husband were drawn to Eric Shapiro’s heart of a teacher and quickly became clients. Later, while looking for a new employment opportunity, Carlleen learned about the Client Services Associate position and jumped at the chance to be a part of the SageSpring team.

When it comes to what Carlleen loves most about working at SageSpring, it’s the support she receives from everyone in the company. Carlleen truly enjoys her amazing team, and she comes to work with a smile on her face, knowing that the work her team completes every day positively impacts the lives of others.

Outside of work, Carlleen enjoys dancing in Zumba class and hanging out with her husband and their two adult children and their families. Carlleen loves being a grandma, and she has a passion for helping family and friends find work and life balance. 

Jeffrey Dobyns
Jeffrey T. Dobyns

CFP®, CLU, CHFC

President, SageSpring | Financial Advisor, RJFS 
615-861-6102

Jeffrey T. Dobyns

President, SageSpring | Financial Advisor, RJFS

Jeff Dobyns has enjoyed extraordinary success providing comprehensive financial planning to retirees, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and executives by taking the time to truly know his clients, understand their goals and develop and execute their ongoing, strategic, financial plans.

Jeff earned his finance degree in business administration from Ohio University and has held executive positions with financial planning firms for more than two decades. After serving as Vice President of Investments of Lykins Financial Group, CPA’s, in his hometown of Westerville, Ohio, Jeff moved to Nashville, Tennessee to found SageSpring Wealth Partners in 2002. As its President, Jeff has led SageSpring to remarkable success, holding the distinction of being one of Raymond James’ top independent contractor offices, and a member of its Chairman’s Council*, every year since 2008.

Jeff’s true calling, however, is working directly with clients, helping them plan their financial futures in a manner that aligns with their values and helps provide them with financial confidence. To help meet these goals, Jeff leads the team of Dobyns Wealth Team and also incorporates the expertise of attorneys, accountants and other professionals to provide quality financial, tax and estate planning, and ongoing asset and risk management.

As independent advisory businesses, neither SageSpring Wealth Partners nor Dobyns Wealth Team hold any assets on behalf of clients, with such custodial and brokerage services being provided by Raymond James. As a leader in wealth management, Raymond James has an exemplary reputation and today serves more than $930 billion in client assets through 8,200 financial advisors worldwide (as of 9/30/2020).

In order to meet the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in the industry, Jeff is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM practitioner**, a Chartered Life Underwriter and a Chartered Financial Consultant. Jeff is also a participant of the Dave Ramsey SmartVestor program.

Jeff’s work and personal life are both guided by his faith and the Christian principles of honesty, generosity, compassion, and integrity. Accordingly, Jeff devotes considerable time and resources to a number of causes, including serving as a board member of Men of Valor, a prison ministry and mentoring program. He is also on the advisory board of The Signatry of Middle Tennessee, which works with families to increase their charitable giving to their favorite causes. Additionally, Jeff is on the advisory board for Halftime Institute, an organization that coaches marketplace leaders to discern and engage in their life purpose. Lastly, Jeff serves on the board of the Legacy Center of Nashville, a collaboration of independent coaching resources. He is a past board member of Porter’s Call, a Nashville charity that provides free counseling for musicians and their families, and the Martha O’Bryan Center, which empowers those in poverty to transform their lives through work, education, employment, and fellowship.

Jeff and his wife, Amy, are raising their family in Brentwood where they are members of the Brentwood Baptist Church, and their children, Gracyn, Hunter, and twins Tanner and Logan, attend the Christ Presbyterian Academy. For recreation, Jeff enjoys hunting, fishing and just being outdoors.

* Membership is based on prior fiscal year production. Re-qualification is required annually.

**Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

SmartVestor is an advertising and referral service for investing professionals (“SmartVestor Pros”) operated by The Lampo Group, LLC d/b/a Ramsey Solutions (“Ramsey Solutions”). Pursuant to an arrangement between Ramsey Solutions, SageSpring Wealth Partners and your advisor, your advisor pays Ramsey Solutions a flat monthly fee to: (a) be a SmartVestor Pro, (b) advertise services through the SmartVestor website, and (c) receive client referrals in the form of an initial introduction to interested consumers who are located in your advisor’s Pros geographic region. SageSpring Wealth Partners does not endorse and are not affiliated with Ramsey Solutions, except with respect to the arrangement described above, and neither Ramsey Solutions nor its agents are officers or employees of SageSpring Wealth Partners. Further, neither Ramsey Solutions nor its agents are authorized to provide investment advice or act in any way on behalf of SageSpring Wealth Partners, except in connection with providing your contact information to your advisor.

Ramsey Solutions’ relationship and agreement is between SageSpring Wealth Partners only. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. is not affiliated with the solicitor arrangement between Ramsey Solutions and SageSpring Wealth Partners.

Raymond James is not affiliated with any of the organizations mentioned above.