Our Team

LHD Retirement | The Leadership Team

Leaders. Visionaries. Entrepreneurs. Advisors who provide strategic thought to the customized approaches they offer their clients.

These are some of the ways to describe John Ludwig, founder of LHD Retirement, and his partner and lead advisor, Christopher Keen. John and Chris met and began working together in the retirement plan industry in 1994. They worked side by side providing retirement plan strategies to clients until 2004 when they each went on to form their own advisory practices.

In September of 2014, Chris merged his successful practice into LHD Retirement and again joined together with John to further their shared philosophies on retirement plan strategies, holistic financial planning for individuals, and client service.

John Ludwig, ChFC®, CRPS®, AIF®

LPL Financial Advisor

John is a registered representative of LPL Financial where he is recognized as a leader in retirement plan consulting through his position in the firm’s Retirement Partners Group. John is also a member of the LPL Advisor Council. John entered the retirement planning business in 1984 as a consultant with a major insurance company. His expertise in retirement plan design, plan operations, investment monitoring, and employee education is the foundation for the customized strategies that LHD Retirement has become known for.

John graduated from Iowa State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture business finance. He is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS®) designee, an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®), a member of the Global Leadership Council, and has earned the CEFEX** certification from the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence.

John and his wife Laura have three children: Joe, Amanda, and Sydney. John is active in his community as well as in his children’s schools.

*Retirement Partners Group is a network of advisors associated with LPL

** CEFEX certification for advisory services provided through the LPL Financial Retirement Plan Consulting Program. LHD Retirement and LPL Financial are not affiliated with CEFEX.

Shawnda Sparks, CRPC®

Senior Individual Client Relationship Manager

Shawnda has been working with individual wealth management clients since 2007, and joined LHD Retirement in 2014. Her primary role is to provide support and assistance to our individual wealth management clients, as well as to oversee the processes and procedures in place to ensure an excellent client experience.

Prior to joining the team, she worked with other financial consulting teams in the Indianapolis area. This experience enabled her to become acquainted with other firms, which helps her transition new clients from their current advisor to LHD Retirement. Shawnda is a registered administrative assistant with LPL Financial. She has Series 7 and 66 registrations held with LPL Financial, and has earned his Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) designation. She also holds an insurance license.

Shawnda, her husband Travis, and their son, Landon, reside in Indianapolis. She holds an associate’s degree from Ivy Tech and a bachelor’s degree from IUPUI. Shawnda and her family enjoy snow skiing in the winter and water skiing in the summer, and are proud supporters of the Indianapolis Colts.

Jess DeGabriele, CFA®, CRPS®

Investment Strategist

Jess came to LHD Retirement in 2014 from a Registered Investment Advisory practice in Muncie, Indiana where he served as a portfolio manager and headed the firm’s International and Emerging Markets research.

Jess' primary role is to provide research analysis and portfolio management to our retirement plan clients, as well as building model portfolios for our individual clients. Jess is a member of the LHD investment committee that meets regularly to discuss macro and micro trends in the economy and financial markets as a means of monitoring our clients’ allocations. In addition, Jess reviews the retirement plan investment menus offered by our retirement plan clients to ensure they are fulfilling their fiduciary duty with regard to measuring and monitoring their investments.

Jess has earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and holds his Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist® designation. He is a graduate of Ball State University.

Kyle Schau, CFP®, CRPC®

Client Services Manager

Kyle is an Eastern Iowa native, and a graduate of the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. After graduation, he relocated to Indianapolis to work as a broker for a major financial services firm. While employed there, he was promoted to a role as a Specialist within their High Net Worth team, before eventually leaving to join LHD Retirement in the fall of 2015.

His primary role with LHD is to guide employers through the complexities of facilitating and maintaining beneficial retirement savings vehicles for their employees. Kyle leverages his industry knowledge and uses a hands-on, tailored approach to continuously deliver superior customer service to LHD’s existing and blossoming client base.

In addition to having Series 7 & 63 registrations held through LPL Financial, Kyle is a CFP® professional, as well as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) designee.

Mike Hobbs

Client Relationship Manager

Mike has worked in the financial industry most of his adult life before coming to LHD. During his professional life, he has worked with clients in a variety of ways to increase and manage wealth including both corporate and individual clients. His wide range of experience makes him ready to help clients in the easiest and smoothest method possible.

Series 7 and 63 licensed with LPL Financial, Mike prides himself on staying aware of market trends and how they may affect his clients’ needs. He holds a B.A. from Beloit College in Wisconsin.

Mike and his spouse spend most weekends working on their 1892 Victorian and caring for their five furry kids.

Jeremy Lursen

Client Relationship Manager

Jeremy joined LHD Retirement in 2018 as a Client Relationship Manager.

Jeremy is a native of Northern Indiana, and a graduate of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Finance. He also has Series 6 and 63 registrations held with LPL Financial. Prior to joining LHD, he worked in Indianapolis in the financial services industry for 9 years in various client service roles, as well as 2 years in the Chicagoland area working as an Investments Manager for a small family office.

Jeremy, his wife Jackie, daughter Kali, and son Bryce, reside in Westfield. When he’s not chasing his two young children, Jeremy enjoys golf and the sporting exploits of the Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks and Hoosiers.

Donna Parker

Client Relationship Manager

Donna enjoys supporting every LHD Retirement client to pursue their financial goals. Prior to LHD Retirement, she worked for a major financial services firm trading and working with clients to increase their financial knowledge and ability to utilize the firm’s resources. She was promoted to the estates team and ultimately served as an operational supervisor focusing on fast and effective strategies to help clients in life’s most difficult moments.

The common thread is Donna’s focus to provide every client with an exceptional experience through empathy, listening, and the ability to add value tailored to each client’s unique situation. Donna has a bachelor of arts degree, and has Series 7 and 63 registrations held with LPL Financial.

Donna calls Brownsburg home with her husband, David. She enjoys reading, learning, traveling, home projects, staying in touch with family and friends, and keeping up with David’s golf tournaments.

Dottie Muller

Branch Office Administrator

As manager of the daily operations of the LHD office, Dottie plays a key role in ensuring that client inquiries, deposits, and distributions get handled quickly and efficiently.

A native of Northwest Indiana, Dottie has worked as branch administrator and client services coordinator in the financial and marketing industries in Chicago.

Dottie is a native of Northwest Indiana, and enjoys traveling and music.

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Our Team

LHD Retirement | The Leadership Team

Leaders. Visionaries. Entrepreneurs. Advisors who provide strategic thought to the customized approaches they offer their clients.

John Ludwig, ChFC®, CRPS®, AIF®

LPL Financial Advisor

Shawnda Sparks, CRPC®

Senior Individual Client Relationship Manager

Jess DeGabriele, CFA®, CRPS®

Investment Strategist

Kyle Schau, CFP®, CRPC®

Client Services Manager

Mike Hobbs

Client Relationship Manager

Jeremy Lursen

Client Relationship Manager

Donna Parker

Client Relationship Manager

Dottie Muller

Branch Office Administrator

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