Professional Specialties

With more than 30 years of experience and a drive to deliver exceptional financial guidance, Scott offers a deeper level of planning for highly successful individuals. Partnering primarily with established business owners, specialized professionals, and c-suite executives, he leverages a generational, outcome-based approach that enhances clients’ entire financial landscape. He considers the big picture, coordinating both estate planning and retirement strategies to ensure a cohesive plan that mitigates tax burdens and offers peace about the future. By discovering the purpose and values his clients live for, he helps them position their wealth according to their most meaningful goals.

Industry Awards & Involvement

In 2022, Scott was recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Financial Security Professionals in the U.S. and second in Southern California. Throughout his career, he has been consistently recognized as one of Northwestern Mutual's top financial advisors in the country. He is a member of the Million Dollar Round Table honor roll and qualified for the Top of the Table, a recognition reserved for the top 1% of all financial services professionals. He served as president of NAIFA San Diego and was selected by SD Metro magazine as a "40 Under 40" recipient, recognizing him as a leader in the community.

Education & History

Originally from Colorado, Scott earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he met his wife, Noemi. After graduating, he taught finance and accounting at a college in Belize as a member of the Jesuit International Volunteers (JIV). Scott is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with others, and today, he often speaks to law firms, accounting firms, and other financial services offices throughout the United States. He is a Chartered Life Underwriter® and Chartered Financial Consultant®.

In the Community

Scott is committed to helping others grow and become better versions of themselves, and that extends beyond his clients and to his team and community. He never says ‘no’ to anyone in need, and he’s adamant about being involved however he can. He has volunteered much of his time to charitable organizations, and he offers paid time off for his team members to volunteer in the community. His priority is to make a positive impact on those around him, and he’s passionate about supporting the following organizations:

• Just in Time
• Project Mercy
• YMCA Indian Princess Program
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego
• The Children’s Hospital
• The Nativity School

Personal & Family Life

Scott and his wife Noemi have two adult daughters who live in Los Angeles and Seattle. The couple loves traveling together, whether to visit their daughters, go skiing in Tahoe, or to explore a new country. Scott is fascinated by art history, and he enjoys visiting museums during their travels. In his free time, he likes to play pickleball and practice yoga, a discipline he has developed over more than 20 years.

Professional Specialties

Bobby is our team’s resident investment specialist, and he’s one of the primary advisors who works directly with clients to help them develop comprehensive financial plans, leading strategy discussions about investments and retirement distribution. When Bobby joined Ashline in 2014, he knew he wanted to be part of something that would last for generations. He focused on helping clients build enduring legacies, and today, he oversees all the investment operations for our firm. As a Partner, he’s also responsible for several executive functions like recruiting, mentoring, and strategic planning.

In every role, Bobby strives for excellence, and he’s adamant about providing superior client service as well as building an equipped, efficient team. This ambition earned him multiple awards when he started with Northwestern Mutual in 2006, and he has also achieved several recognitions within our firm. With his vision and drive, Bobby is an invaluable asset to both our team and our clients.

Education & Credentials

Bobby is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, one of the industry’s most holistic designations. Education is incredibly important to Bobby, and he’s committed to a lifetime of learning so he can continually grow and provide the best value for his clients.

Bobby graduated from the University of San Diego with two bachelors’ degrees, one in computer science and one in business administration. During college, he stayed incredibly busy and focused (much like he is now). He took 18 credits each semester, participated in a work-study program, managed intramural soccer teams, and played club soccer. He also had the highest GPA in the School of Business (a 4.0), earning him the Scholarship Key Award.

Personal Passions

Personal growth is incredibly important to Bobby. Every day, he strives to develop habits that drive success in both his personal and professional life. Some of his current focuses are regularly reviewing his goals, delegating tasks to his team, and exercising consistently. He loves reading educational books, particularly ones that teach him how to be a better dad or business owner. He also enjoys listening to business podcasts.

Bobby loves dogs. This love was fostered by time spent volunteering at the local Humane Society, walking dogs and training them so they were ready for adoption. He’s also a fitness enthusiast and loves all things soccer—he follows the University of San Diego’s teams, as well as the local professional teams. Both of his kids play soccer, and he hopes to pick up volunteer coaching again when they’re older.

When he has free time, Bobby likes listening to live music, sailing, hiking, and paddle surfing.

Family

No matter how busy he is, Bobby prioritizes time with his family (including their chocolate Labrador, Cooper). He and his wife Jenna love watching their kids Maddie and Ryder play sports, and they all travel together whenever they can.

Professional

Bob Ekhaml has been a part of the financial services industry since 1999. He has earned the followings designations and certification:

• Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®)
  
  • Bob Ekhaml received his CLU® in 2003 from The American College
• Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®)
  
  • Bob Ekhaml received his ChFC® in 2005 from The American College
• Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL®)
  
  • Bob Ekhaml recieved his CASL® in 2009 from the American College

Career Achievements

Bob has earned numerous awards throughout his career, including Forum, the National Quality Award and the Million Dollar Round Table's Qualifying Member awards.

• Forum is the highest honor awarded by Northwestern Mutual, earned by only the top 5% of representatives nationally.
• The National Quality Award was created in 1944. The NQA recognizes agents whose persistency records indicate competence and dedication to the insurance industry and their clients. Agents who win this award have tangible evidence signifying that the products they sell will meet clients' needs.
• Founded in 1927, the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) provides its members with resources to improve their technical knowledge, sales and client service while maintaining a culture of high ethical standards. Its mission is to be a valued, member-driven international network of leading insurance and investment financial services professionals who serve their clients by exemplary performance and the highest standards of ethics, knowledge, service and productivity.

Associations and Memberships

• Bob has served two terms as the President of the local association of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
• Bob has been a Board Member at the Aseltine School since 2004.

As an Associate Financial Representative, Jonathan helps our clients (who he describes as “the world’s most outstanding humans”) build personalized financial plans that help them live authentically and win financially. He helps them identify their financial security needs, and then focuses on proven solutions that help them make their goals a reality. His mission is to make a positive impact on everyone he interacts with, and he strives to do things better than they’ve ever been done before.

Jonathan began his career with Northwestern Mutual in 2011, and in 2022 he joined the Ashline team and he was ranked one of Forbes’ Best-in-State Top Financial Security Professionals. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from California State University San Marcos.

Jonathan loves spending time outdoors, and some of his favorite activities are visiting parks with his wife Kristine and son Nolan, spending the day at the beach with his family, motorcycling, and surfing. He’s also involved with Project Mercy Baja, an organization that builds houses in Mexico.

David has been with our firm since 2011, and he supports our advising team by creating custom financial plans that suit our clients’ unique needs, goals, and values. He also designs insurance policies and reviews existing accounts to ensure our clients have everything they need as their circumstances change throughout their lives. He holds his Series 7, 63, 65, and 4 securities licenses.

David likes to stay fit by jogging and hiking in the North County hills, going to the gym, and participating in Spartan obstacle course races. He also enjoys homebrewing, reading science fiction, and spending time with his family.

Kelly has been with Northwestern Mutual since 1995 and our firm since 2019. She oversees all our investment operations. With her experience and dedication to our clients’ needs, she’s an invaluable asset to our team. She onboards new investment clients and establishes everything from their communication schedule to their online account access. She executes buy or sell trading orders, asset allocation trades, rebalancing, and tax loss harvesting. Kelly oversees clients who are currently in retirement, and her goal is to make sure we fulfill every promise we make to them. She holds her Series 7 and 63 securities licenses, as well as her Life and Health insurance licenses.

Kelly loves spending time with her family and exploring new places with them, and she’s especially grateful when they can all get together under one roof. Her eldest, Lauren (25) is a traveling OR nurse, and her son Jaden (22) now lives in Aspen, Colorado, while her daughter Ashlyn (15) lives at home and plays soccer competitively for Kansas City Scott Gallagher Club. Kelly and her husband Jason have two Goldendoodles, Charli and Banks, and Kelly loves taking them for walks every day. She also enjoys visiting local eateries and wineries with her friends in the Kansas City metro. Her favorite sports to watch are the Chiefs’ football games and her daughter’s soccer matches, and you can find her cheering for both just about every week.

With more than a decade of industry experience, Ryan serves as an Associate Private Wealth Advisor for our firm. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional and joined the Ashline team in 2021.

He helps create custom financial plans that align with our clients’ specific needs and values. He also supports our investment operations. Ryan holds his Series 7 and 66 licenses as well as his California Life and Health insurance licenses.

In his free time, he enjoys hiking and exploring the Southern California coast with his wife Brittany. He loves the West Coast, but he grew up in Alabama and will forever be an Auburn football and Miami Dolphins fan. He also enjoys spending time with his dog Bruce and cat Freya.

Estefani’s primary role is managing insurance services for our firm, which includes oversight of underwriting and service for all clients. Being fluent in Spanish, she also manages the international underwriting for the firm. She has experience on our investment team,and supports our firm pretty much anywhere we need her help. With her diverse skill set and passion for making a positive impact and delivering incredible client service.

Estefani comes from a large family, and she loves spending time with them. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, photography, and being with her friends. She’s also a big sports fan and roots for FC Barcelona, the New York Yankees, and the Mexican national football team. She loves all animals, especially her three beautiful chocolate labs Romulus, Lola and Tres.

Steve has been part of Scott’s team since 1994, and he’s responsible for introducing future clients to the Ashline practice. As our primary point of contact, he helps schedule meetings and direct service calls to other team members. Over the years, he’s also helped Scott maintain an organized schedule to effectively serve our clients. Steve takes pride in providing superior customer service as well as protecting the privacy of our clients.

He has a degree in business administration from the University of Northern Colorado, and prior to joining the practice, Steve gained several years of experience in marketing and customer relations. In his spare time, he likes to read, travel, and enjoy the company of his family and friends. He also enjoys watching both collegiate and professional athletics.

Harrison graduated from California State University of San Marcos in 2021, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Management. He currently holds the Series 6, 63, 7 registrations and RICP® designation. He joined Northwestern Mutual straight out of college, after an internship at our Carlsbad Office. This career choice was due to his passion for finance and personal planning. Seeing the effect good versus bad advisors had on his family was something that motivated him to pursue comprehensive financial planning – as opposed to transactional.

In his free time, he is a golfer who usually plays once or twice a week. He and his family love to explore new restaurants in town and bring along their dog, Baxter.

Amy is a registered Associate Financial Representative, holding Series 6 and 63 investment registrations as well as a California Life, Health and Long Term Care insurance license (CA License: #0F40675). Amy joined Bob's team in 2006. She provides assistance with the underwriting process, policy service questions, connecting with the home office and coordinating the daily business in Bob's office.

Amy enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. They love to go to the beach, get together with friends, and enjoy the SD lifestyle.