State College Office Representatives

ASSISTANTS:

• Madeline Jaglowski - mjaglowski@dapsc.com
• Dianne Pighetti - dpighetti@dapsc.com
• Cori Gerlach - cgerlach@dapsc.com

Donald Leitzell was a founding member and president of Diversified Asset Planners, INC. established on June 10th, 1987. He is a Registered Representative with J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. and an Investment Advisor Representative with J.W. Cole Advisors. He helps individuals, businesses, and organizations develop a comprehensive financial roadmap to establish a secure future while taking into account individual client’s goals.

Don believes in conservative investments during these uncertain days while providing the income that may be needed. He meets with clients by referral with one-on- one meetings discussing confidential and life-altering events such as retirement.

Don holds FINRA series 7 and 65 licenses along with being a representative for life, fixed annuity, variable life, variable annuity, health and accident insurances. He is able to provide comprehensive insurance and investment solutions to help meet various needs for retirement.

Don earned a Bachelor of Science (1971) and Master’s (1976) Degree in Economics graduating with honors and distinction from The Pennsylvania State University. Don’s financial experience within the field dates back to 1974 contributing to his success in holding over 800 clients within the Central Pennsylvania and Eastern Coastline areas.

Outside of assisting his clients, Don is incredibly involved with the Blanchard Church of Christ. He enjoys spending time with his family and watching his grandchildren participate in local sports. He is an avid supporter of the Coaches Vs. Cancer foundation along with Bellefonte Little League, State College High School sports, and many others.

ASSISTANT:

• Heidi Luchs - hluchs@dapsc.com

Nick has been a financial planner since 1979 and is a founding partner of Diversified Asset Planners, Inc. established in 1987. He has been a registered representative with JW Cole Financial Inc. since 2007 and an Investment Advisor Representative with JW Cole Advisors Inc. since 2016.

Nick earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at The Pennsylvania State University in 1977 and graduated with Distinction. He earned the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP) professional designation from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in 1988. Nick successfully passed the Series 6 and 63 securities registration examinations in 1985 and Series 22 in 1989. He also holds the Pennsylvania Life, Accident, and Health certification since 1979.

Nick works closely with his clients through all phases of their financial journey. He takes the time to truly get to know each client to provide individualized service to meet their needs now and in the future. Nick feels very blessed because over the years since many of his clients have become good friends.

Outside of work, Nick enjoys spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren. He is an amateur chef providing family and friends with delicious meals and snacks. For the past 30 years, Nick has volunteered for the Park Forest Swim Team helping to run their concessions. Nick is also an avid Penn State fan who hasn’t missed attending a home football game since 1976.

ASSISTANT:

• Alicia Moore - amoore@dapsc.com

Ted joined Diversified Asset Planners in 1990 as an independent financial professional. In 2001, he became a Certified Financial Planner™ and Partner in the Firm. The CFP® designation identifies individuals who have met the experience and ethical requirements of the CFP® Board, have successfully completed financial planning coursework, and have passed the 12-hour cumulative CFP® certification exam. On January 1, 2023, Ted Became President of DAP.

Ted is a Registered Representative with J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. and an Investment Advisor Representative with J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc. Ted holds FINRA series 6, 7, 63, and 65 licenses; as well as life, health, accident, disability, and long-term care insurance.

As a complement to the Firm’s desire to provide individual and business solutions, Ted has dedicated over three decades of his professional career serving the financial needs of many in Central Pennsylvania. Although he resides and currently serves clients in this area, Ted is licensed in 26 additional states, serving others throughout the country. Ted best identifies as a conservative wealth advisor, focusing on his clients to build trusted relationships. He is a trusted advisor helping clients go from success to significance, implementing our generational wealth strategies.  Looking out for the client’s best interest, he provides investment, retirement, and insurance planning solutions. Ted leads an exceptional team, which features high touch service to his valued clients.

Providing services in the Central Pennsylvania area has further permitted Ted to invest his time in giving back to the local community. Ted volunteers his time by serving on the Mount Nittany Health Golf Classic Committee and The Foundation Board. He is an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in State College. In the past, Ted served as Vice President on Church Council, and as Chair of the Pay It Forward Team; educating the church congregation about charitable giving.  He is currently a member of the Finance Committee, Usher, and cuts the grass for Grace. Ted is also passionate about supporting Coaches vs. Cancer, the YMCA backpack program, Mount Nittany Health Foundation, and Centre County Paws. Ted believes he has not built a legacy of success, if it doesn’t lift up others in his community.

Separate from servicing and helping his clients, Ted is similarly passionate about spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children; Trey and Linlee. Trey is a senior at La Roche University, and a member of the basketball team. Linlee is a sophomore in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State. Ted enjoys attending Trey’s basketball games along with PSU athletic events, golfing, spending time outdoors, and working out at the YMCA.

ASSISTANTS:

• Madeline Jaglowski - mjaglowski@dapsc.com
• Dianne Pighetti - dpighetti@dapsc.com
• Cori Gerlach - cgerlach@dapsc.com

Taylor graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Financial Counseling. During his time at PCT he served as Vice President and President of the Student Managed Investment Fund. He was immediately hired at Diversified Asset Planners and has been contributing to, learning from, and building upon the highly experienced firm. With his father, Don, being one of the founding members of DAP still actively serving clients and his brother, Chris, serving DAP for over 27 years until his passing, Taylor looks to build upon the legacy of DAP and the legacies of each client DAP is able to serve.

Taylor holds his Series 7, Series 63, and Life, Health, & Annuity licenses. Taylor uses a goal-oriented approach for the client in determining proper investments, asset allocation, insurance needs, retirement, and income strategies. The investments and strategies should work towards the goals of the client, not the other way around. Regular reviews are a key part of the goal-oriented planning process, ensuring that Taylor and the client are always on the same page. 

Taylor is an active member of the Blanchard Church of Christ and is instrumental in the Church’s Youth Ministries. Being a part of these programs is truly a passion for Taylor whether it is behind the scenes hauling a trailer full of suitcases for retreats and conferences, or being there each week instructing and leading games with the kids. He also serves on the technical team for Sunday morning services, and aids in instructing various Sunday School classes. After his passion for his job and passion to serve the church, Taylor inherited a love of classic cars from his father. In addition to enjoying it himself, he and his father have been able to share this hobby together for many years.

ASSISTANT:

• Heidi Luchs - hluchs@dapsc.com

Joseph is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor with a deep commitment to assisting individuals, businesses, and organizations in creating comprehensive financial roadmaps. His primary goal is to employ a client-centric approach and develop targeted strategies that align with their unique needs.

Following a successful career in corporate finance, Joe pursued his lifelong aspiration of becoming a personal financial advisor. In 2009, Joe embarked on this journey by partnering with Diversified Asset Planners, Inc., an esteemed company that has been serving clients since 1987.

In addition to his extensive corporate finance background, Joe holds FINRA series 7, 63, and 65 licenses. Moreover, he specializes in offering life and long-term care, providing clients with comprehensive insurance and investment options that cater to various requirements, from retirement planning to building a legacy.

With over 15 years of global finance experience in diverse roles such as financial analysis, planning, mergers, and acquisitions, budgeting, and leadership, Joe possess a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape and its potential impact on clients.

Joe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance (with Economics minor), graduating with honors. He also has a Master’s in Business Administration with a Finance concentration from Bucknell University. He is actively involved in the community as a board member of the State College Quarterback Club, a Penn State football booster club, and served as President from 2017 to 2019. Additionally, Joe is a board member of the Penn State All Sports Museum, which celebrates the accomplishments of Penn State Intercollegiate Athletes. Furthermore, experience includes his passion for teaching having worked as a part-time adjunct instructor at St. Francis University, where he taught Economics.

Beyond Joe’s professional pursuits, he finds immense joy in spending quality time with his wife of 27 years, Stephanie, and their two daughters. If you know Joe, you are aware of his love for outdoor activities and the importance he places on building strong relationships. Joe actively engages in charitable events and has raised funds for organizations such as Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes, the Ruffled Grouse Society, and other non-profit organizations.

ASSISTANT:

• Heidi Luchs - hluchs@dapsc.com

Steve had a thirty-year career as a teacher before joining the team at Diversified Asset Planners in July of 1999. After teaching high school social studies in Rochester, New York for three years, Steve and his wife, Carol, found their way to State College and Penn State. Steve earned both Master’s and PhD degrees in history at Penn State. He had a 27-year career at the University where he held a number of administrative positions while teaching history on a part time basis. During the late 1990’s he was Director of the Department of Independent Learning and a member of a large team that developed the Penn State World Campus, the University’s digital learning platform.

Over a period of almost 25 years, Steve has developed his financial planning business and grown his client base. He holds FINRA series 7 and 65 license and is a Registered Representative of JW Cole Financial, Inc. based in Tampa, Florida. Steve has approximately 200 clients in 19 different states and specializes in retirement planning. He is licensed to represent a number of companies offering a range of insurance products including fixed and variable annuities. Steve meets with clients on a regular basis to review the performance of their investments and discuss changes that might need to be made. Many of his clients have been a part of Steve’s practice from the beginning which has enabled him to assist in securing their financial futures. Most of all, Steve has viewed his work with his clients as that of a teacher wanting to be certain that the individuals and families, he works with understand how their individual investments work and fit together within overall portfolios.

Karen holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Penn State University and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). She also holds her FINRA Series 6, 7, 63 and 66 securities registrations.

Karen has been providing sound financial guidance to her clients for more than 30 years and was one of the first women to venture into the financial planning field. Karen’s practice is centered on financial planning and investment management for individuals and also covers tax-qualified retirement plans for businesses.  Other areas of concentration include strategies for estate planning, tax planning and legacy planning.

Karen focuses on building long-term relationships with her clients to assist them in pursuing their dreams and objectives.  She accomplishes this by customizing appropriate strategies in an objective and independent fashion with a “clients come first” mindset. Her core values include integrity, professionalism, honesty and extraordinary client service, and she believes these values should never be compromised.

Karen has been very active in her local community of State College, PA. Past volunteer and community activities include:

• Palmer Museum of Art – Friends Board Member and served as President, Vice President and Treasurer, and also served on the PMOA Advisory Board
• Penn State Women’s Athletics – Chairperson of the Finance Committee for the 40th Celebration
• Centre County Community Foundation - Board Member and served on the Investment and Finance Committees
• Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts – Board Member and Treasurer
• State College Centennial Commission – Board Member and Finance Chairperson
• American Cancer Society – Centre County, Co-Chairperson with Husband
• Penn State College, College of Arts & Architecture – Development Committee
• Mount Nittany Health Systems – Board of Directors and served on the Finance and Governance Committees
• Mount Nittany Medical Center - Trustee

Karen and her husband, Bob, have lived in State College since 1992.

Stephanie holds her FINRA Series 6, 63, and 65 securities registrations. She received a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Marketing/Management from the Pennsylvania State University. Her emphasis was on the Management side of the curriculum. She then went on to receive an MBA in Public Accounting from the Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, New York.

Stephanie competed on the Women's Golf Team while at Penn State and worked in the golf industry from 1980-2012, either as a PGA club professional, competing on Tour, and eventually as an Operations assistant for the LPGA Tour.  Prior to 2024, Stephanie was a Quarter Century member of the PGA of America.

Stephanie functions with the same core values of her mentor, Karen Shute.  Those values include integrity, honesty, professionalism, and extraordinary client service, it was an easy transition to carry her passion of being service focused, from her many years of work in the golf industry, directly into the financial services field and to continue her mentor’s “clients come first” mindset.

Stephanie's giving back to the community has included serving on the Mount Nittany Medical Center Golf Classic Committee. She also enjoys volunteering her time and expertise with Destiny’s Calling Ministries.