Managing Partners
Bill Edwards serves as Managing Partner from Chicago, Illinois, where he leads the firm’s strategic growth initiatives, institutional relationship development, and customized investment solution distribution efforts. With more than 17 years of experience in institutional business management within the financial services industry, he brings deep expertise in institutional business development, quantitative investment distribution, and custom asset management strategy implementation. Throughout his career, Bill has worked extensively with institutional asset managers and, more recently, with RIAs and broker-dealers of all sizes — operating as a senior consultative partner embedded at both the individual advisor and enterprise executive levels. Drawing on his institutional background, he helps advisory firms optimize their portfolio management frameworks and sharpen their strategic direction, translating complex investment thinking into practical, client-facing solutions. He is recognized for his analytical rigor, collaborative leadership style, and commitment to aligning sophisticated investment strategies with the real-world objectives of the practices he serves.
John Stadtmueller joins as Managing Partner from Minneapolis, Minnesota, bringing more than 20 years of experience across the advisor and institutional landscape in roles spanning Financial Advisor, Wholesaler, Broker-Dealer Officer, and Regional Consultant. In 2022, John founded Good Advisors Finish First, a peer-driven advisor community built around the principle of “Pursuing Better Client Outcomes as a Community.” His extensive relationship network and deep commitment to advisor collaboration provide a-Squared with meaningful reach across the national and global wealth management community.
Together, Edwards and Stadtmueller bring more than four decades of combined experience and relationship networks that span the institutional and advisor landscape globally, meaningfully expanding the firm’s distribution reach and strategic depth.
“Bill and John are exactly the caliber of partners we set out to find — experienced, principled, and deeply connected across the markets we serve. Their addition signals clearly the kind of firm we are building and the standard we intend to set,” said Vincent Tassone, Founder and Managing Partner.
Executive Leadership
a-Squared also announced its core executive team: Mike Palladino as Chief Operating Officer; Evonne Nees as Chief Marketing Officer; Agata Wroblewska as Chief of Staff and Administration; and Rashon Pleasants as Chief Technology Officer.
Mike Palladino serves as Chief Operating Officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience as a strategic advisor and transformation leader with deep expertise in enterprise agility, large-scale organizational change, and the practical integration of emerging technologies including AI. Most recently, he served as Director of Enterprise Agility at Bristol Myers Squibb, and earlier held dual CFO and CIO responsibilities at Personal Eyes. An adjunct professor at Columbia University and Villanova University, Mike holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Drexel University and an Executive MBA from Villanova University.
Evonne Nees serves as Chief Marketing Officer, bringing a strong background in visual communication, user experience design, and digital interface strategy, with particular expertise in translating complex investment concepts into clear, compelling, and compliant messaging for institutional and intermediary audiences. She holds a B.S. in Graphic Design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia, where she graduated with honors, and has earned UX design certifications through both Adobe and Google.
Agata Wroblewska serves as Chief of Staff and Administration, bringing more than 15 years of experience in workforce development, team leadership, and organizational support, with a strong track record of designing training programs and building high-performing teams. She holds degrees from Gloucester County Institute of Technology and Walnut Hill College.
Rashon Pleasants serves as Chief Technology Officer, bringing extensive experience in enterprise IT systems management, cybersecurity, data protection, and business continuity within highly regulated environments. He is IAM level 1 and IAT level 2 certified and holds an M.S. in Secondary Education and a B.S. in American History from Wagner College.
Strategic Advisory
a-Squared’s advisory structure is organized into two specialized groups; technology and consultancy.
The Technology Consulting Group serves as the firm’s primary liaison with the wealth technology firms a-Squared serves. It coordinates business development efforts, acting as the key point of engagement for a2ip clients across the technology landscape.
The Consulting Group functions as the firm’s internal strategic engine, providing guidance directly to executive leadership on business development, organizational growth, and long-term positioning.
Technology Consulting Group
Patrick Spencer, CEO of Spencer Business Strategies, is a 37-year veteran of B2B enterprise sales and GTM strategic leadership spanning banking and fintech, and holds an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Domenico Sainato brings over a decade of experience building strategic partnerships across consumer technology and data-driven SaaS platforms, with prior roles at Veeva Systems, Amazon, and Gopuff. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from Rutgers University.
Tim Checko brings more than 30 years of next-generation product development experience at Fortune 500 financial services firms, including EVP of Advisor Experience at LPL Financial and Managing Director at both Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. A Duke University graduate, he holds Series 7, 24, 27, 63, 65, 4, and 8 licenses.
Steve Mitchels brings 20+ years of financial services and fintech business development experience, with prior roles at Fidelity Investments, Voya Investment Management, and FIS Global, and holds a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University.
Consulting Group
Brad Myers is an entrepreneur and operator with experience spanning venture capital, technology, Bitcoin, and consumer brands, including co-founding Early Riders, a Bitcoin venture capital firm, and prior experience at Deloitte Investments.
Kyle Darby is President and CEO of Darby Public Strategies and founder of the U.S. African Trade Alliance, and holds an M.A. in Public Policy from Temple University and an Executive Education Certificate from Harvard Kennedy School.
Brian Russell is a management consultant with more than 10 years advising C-Suite and Fortune 50 executives on organizational transformation and Office of the CFO initiatives, and holds an MBA from Villanova University.
Steven Weidler brings more than 13 years of experience in commercial finance, lending, capital planning, and business development. Throughout his career, he has helped businesses access capital, support growth initiatives, and navigate financing strategies across a variety of industries. He also brings an entrepreneurial perspective in real estate and private enterprise. Steven holds a B.A. in History from Fairleigh Dickinson University, graduating with honors, and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Accounting and Finance.
About a-Squared Investment Partners, LLC
a-Squared Investment Partners, LLC is an independent investment solution, wealth technology, and professional services distribution platform headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
a-Squared connects investment managers, wealth technology companies, and financial service providers with financial advisors and C-suite executives at RIAs, wirehouses, independent broker-dealers, banks, and family offices.
For more information, visit www.a2investmentpartners.com.
