Northwestern Mutual's Scott Sparks Recognized by Forbes

For more Information, please contact:

Stephanie Siewert, 1-800-323-7033

mediarelations@northwesternmutual.com

DENVER – May 2, 2024 – Northwestern Mutual announced today that Colorado-based Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Advisor Scott Sparks has been recognized on the Forbes 2024 America’s Top 250 Wealth Advisors list. This is the first time Forbes has chosen to recognize a Northwestern Mutual advisor on this prestigious list, which showcases the industry's most accomplished professionals who have consistently gone above and beyond to demonstrate exceptional leadership and deliver comprehensive financial guidance.

“Scott is truly a trailblazer in the financial services industry. As the first advisor from Northwestern Mutual ever to rank on the Top Wealth Advisors list, this achievement is truly remarkable,” said managing partner Scott Theodore. “This prestigious recognition not only highlights Scott’s outstanding leadership, but also signifies his tradition of excellence.”

Sparks and his experienced team at Sparks Financial, a Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group, are focused on building long-term relationships based on integrity, knowledge and commitment. They partner to help people define, build and enjoy prosperous lives. A Colorado native, Sparks joined Northwestern Mutual as a college intern and has since built a top-notch team that regularly achieves the highest honors across the financial services industry including Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors, Forbes’ Top Financial Security Professionals, and more.

The Forbes Top Wealth Advisors list, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a review of best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations and quantitative data, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms.

About Sparks Financial

For more than 30 years, Sparks Financial has offered carefully crafted planning solutions to clients both in Colorado and nationwide, by combining highly customized insurance, retirement, and estate planning with investment advisory services. Sparks Financial is leading a multi-generational wealth management firm built to support and sustain financially successful individuals, their families, and their businesses today and for generations to come. The Denver-based team serves more than 400 client families, some spanning four generations.

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what's most important. With over $627 billion of total assets being managed across the company's institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, more than $36 billion in revenues, and $2.3 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 111 on the 2023 FORTUNE 500 and was recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2024.

These teams use their marketing names for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with "Advisor" in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services. Forbes "America's Top Wealth Advisors" and "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" lists, (April 2024), based upon data as of 6/30/2023. Research and ranking provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Northwestern Mutual and its advisors do not pay for placement on 3rd party rating lists, but do pay marketing fees to these organizations to promote the rating(s). Rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success.

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