Career Meeting | Before You Roll Your Eyes, Let's Talk! | DALLAS

Charlie Burt is a Benefits Advisor from Lawley Insurance who partners with organizations to unlock efficiencies within their employer-sponsored health insurance plans. A pre-medical graduate turned advisor, Charlie brings a clinically informed lens to an industry often dominated by transactional thinking. As a Qualified Employee Benefits Specialist (QEBS), he is driven by a mission to improve how healthcare is delivered and financed, helping businesses take control of one of their largest and most complex expenses.

Charlie works closely with business leaders who are increasingly frustrated by the traditional renewal cycle—where rising costs, limited transparency and recycled strategies from major carriers fail to deliver meaningful change. He challenges the status quo by moving beyond conventional fully insured models, guiding organizations toward alternative funding strategies that prioritize both cost containment and improved patient outcomes.

Known for his proactive and practical approach, Charlie focuses on simplifying complex insurance principles and translating them into clear, actionable strategies. He equips leadership teams with a step-by-step framework designed to drive smarter decision-making, enhance employee benefits and ultimately return measurable dollars back to the bottom line.

Beyond his advisory work, Charlie is actively involved in both professional and philanthropic communities. He serves as Vice Chair of Next Wave Leaders for the Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley, supporting initiatives that provide comfort and care to families in need. He is also a sponsor of Financial Executives International New York City Chapter (FEI NYC), a member of Business Council of Westchester, Nonprofit Westchester, and Author of the Benefits Bottom Line Newsletter.

Michael Talley is Director of Economic Development, and brings over a decade of experience in economic development and strategic business recruitment to the role. Talley joins Plano after serving as Senior Vice President of the McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), where he oversaw a project pipeline valued at up to $3.2 billion and led outbound business recruitment strategies across corporate, industrial and innovation sectors. He was named to the Consultant Connect North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers in 2024.

Prior to his work in McKinney, Talley served as Economic Development Director for Denton County, where he worked with more than 40 communities on industrial and corporate development efforts and created the OPEN Grants Program, distributing over $39 million in funding to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also served as Economic Development Director for the City of Keene, overseeing business recruitment, incentive negotiations, long-range planning and community development initiatives.
 

Talley holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.

Kristi Petty is the Learning and Development Manager at Saville CPAs & Advisors, where she leads the firm’s learning strategy and designs programs that support leadership effectiveness, coaching, and professional growth across all levels. With a background that spans education, instructional coaching, and corporate learning, Kristi brings a practical, people‑centered approach to development. Kristi is passionate about helping leaders strengthen everyday conversations, especially through listening, to create clarity, engagement, and growth.

Nic Salden is a Client Executive working within the Commercial Lines division at Hylant. Drawing on his experience working within the software industry, his role centers on partnering with clients and prospects to solve complex risk and insurance challenges. On a day to day basis he works closely with business owners, executives, and internal teams to analyze exposures, design tailored insurance programs, negotiate coverage with carriers, and proactively manage risk as his clients’ operations evolve.

Bob is a global technology leader with significant experience guiding high performing teams while aligning IT with business strategy and risk management. He is known for blending deep manufacturing operations expertise with innovative technology approaches. His work has led large scale ERP implementations across international environments to improve supply chain visibility, operational efficiency, and real time decision making. A trusted innovator and executor, Bob has led teams across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, modernizing legacy systems, integrating acquisitions, and introducing secure, forward looking technologies to help organizations remain competitive, adaptive, and well prepared to manage operational and information security risk.

Brent Brinkman serves as Hylant’s Information Security Officer, architecting and leading Hylant’s enterprise-wide IT Security Program, shaping resilient security strategies to reduce risk across the organization. He also has responsibility for IT Operations and serves as a resource for our Cyber Practice - providing strategic cyber advisory to help organizations stay ahead of evolving threats. With over 22 years of IT and cybersecurity experience, he brings deep and rounded knowledge for businesses to operate efficiently and securely. 

Mike Reterstorf is the Chief Information Security Officer at Plante Moran, a 100+ year-old global Tax, Audit, and Wealth Management firm based in Southfield, Michigan. Mike has nearly 30 years of professional technical experience covering time in application development, system architecture, and most recently over a decade in Cybersecurity. Through his career, Mike has developed extensive experience in areas including hospitality, automotive, critical infrastructure, and finance.
 

Steve Nelson is an Executive Director in J.P. Morgan’s Syndicated Finance Group, where he leads coverage for commercial clients across Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri, as well as the Technology sector in the Midwest and Northeast regions. In this role, Steve partners with clients to structure, market, and execute syndicated and leveraged debt transactions, delivering tailored capital solutions that support their strategic objectives.
With ten years of experience at J.P. Morgan, Steve has worked extensively with middle market companies with revenues ranging from $100 million to $2 billion. He specializes in developing creative financing strategies, including syndicated loans, leveraged transactions, and venture debt, to help clients achieve growth, manage acquisitions, and optimize their capital structures.
Steve is known for his practical insights, responsiveness, and commitment to building strong client relationships. He takes a hands-on approach to advising clients, ensuring their needs are understood and addressed with thoughtful solutions. Steve’s dedication to service is reflected in his ability to navigate complex transactions and provide clear guidance throughout the financing process. His collaborative style and focus on long-term partnerships have earned him the trust of clients and colleagues alike.
Steve is licensed by FINRA with Series 63 and 79 registrations. Heearned his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.