Join the Winning Team at Northwestern Mutual - Central Illinois!
Are you an athlete at heart with a passion for teamwork and competition? Bring your sports background to a dynamic career as a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual - Central Illinois!
Why Current and Former Athletes Could Thrive Here:
We appreciate the strengths and mindset athletes often bring to a professional environment—habits like discipline, a competitive spirit, and a drive to grow. The career path we offer provides structure, coaching, and support while allowing for personal ownership and independence. Here’s why this environment could be a strong fit for those with an athletic background:
- Coaching-Focused Support System: Many who join our firm value being surrounded by people invested in their development. Our approach includes access to an Activity Coach, Client Building Coach, Performance & Mindset Coach, and Technology Coach, along with weekly opportunities for mentorship, skill-building, and accountability. While we don’t manage people, we do offer guidance and leadership for those who are coachable and motivated to improve.
- Resilience and Focus: Athletes are familiar with pushing through challenges, staying committed, and maintaining long-term focus—qualities that could be helpful when navigating new opportunities or building something of your own.
- Goal-Oriented Approach: Setting and working toward goals is second nature to most athletes. That mindset could translate well in a career where goal-setting and progress tracking are part of the day-to-day rhythm.
- Discipline and Priority Management: Athletes learn to balance intense schedules early on. Rather than focusing on time management, we talk about priority management—because everyone gets the same 1,440 minutes in a day. How those minutes are invested can make a meaningful difference.
- A Balance of Support and Independence: This is a team-oriented culture in many ways—there’s shared learning, encouragement, and connection. At the same time, many people here value the independence the career offers. It’s a unique mix of collaborative energy and personal responsibility that can feel familiar to those coming from competitive sports.
Our thriving offices are located:
- Lincoln office: 2201 Woodlawn Road Lincoln IL 62656
- Pittsfield office: 311 W Washington Street Pittsfield IL 62363
- Jacksonville office: 606 E State Street Jacksonville IL 62650
- Springfield Office: 2921 Greenbriar Drive, Suite A, Springfield IL 62704
Meet some of our local team:
D. Patrick Scheina, CLU – Managing Director and Wealth Management Advisor:
- Time with Northwestern Mutual: 22 years
- Previous Experience: Worked as a Loss Prevention Safety Consultant with an insurance company before joining Northwestern Mutual. He graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science.
- Outside Interests: Patrick, his wife, and daughter enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, water recreation, and cooking. They are members of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, and Patrick also serves on the Sangamon County CEO Board.
Eli Cook – Growth and Development Director:
- Time with Northwestern Mutual: 11 years
- Previous Experience: Began his career with Northwestern Mutual as a College Financial Representative in 2014 and has grown within the organization ever since.
- Outside Interests: Eli and his wife have been married since 2019 and have a cocker spaniel named Colby Jack. In his spare time, Eli enjoys hunting.
Brent Shunk – Private Wealth Advisor:
- Time with Northwestern Mutual: 38 years
- Previous Experience: Brent has spent his entire career with Northwestern Mutual.
- Outside Interests: Brent and his wife love spending time with their grandkids in Illinois and Florida. They stay active with boating, hiking, travel, playing cards, dancing, attending Bible study, and enjoying their weekly date night.
Austin Shunk – Private Wealth Advisor:
- Time with Northwestern Mutual: 13 years
- Previous Experience: Austin has built his entire professional career with Northwestern Mutual.
- Outside Interests: Austin enjoys spending time with his family, studying maps and the Bible, watching basketball, and playing chess. He also stays active by swimming, biking, and hiking.
Sheila Davidsmeyer – Financial Advisor:
- Time with Northwestern Mutual: Over 27 years
- Previous Experience: Sheila began her career at Northwestern Mutual in 1998 as an Associate Financial Representative and became a Financial Advisor in 2013. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from Olivet Nazarene University.
- Outside Interests: Sheila loves spending time with her kids and is an enthusiastic supporter of local sports in Pittsfield, IL.
Key Responsibilities: As a Financial Advisor, your primary role will be to engage with clients to understand their comprehensive financial needs, providing personalized guidance to help them achieve their financial protection and planning goals. You will design and implement tailored strategies that safeguard clients' assets, income, and overall financial well-being, ensuring their long-term security. Regularly reviewing and updating clients' financial plans and insurance policies to reflect any changes in their circumstances or goals will be crucial to ensure continuous protection. Additionally, you will cultivate a robust network of clients through referrals, active community involvement, and professional associations.
Qualifications: We prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree in finance, business, or a related discipline. While prior experience in insurance, financial services, or business development is beneficial, it is not mandatory. Successful candidates will possess excellent interpersonal and communication abilities, strong analytical skills, and the capability to build lasting client relationships. We welcome individuals from business development-oriented organizations with uncapped earnings potential, including those from Medical Device, Education (teachers, administrators), Logistics, Solar, Payroll Services, Tech Business Development, Real Estate, Auto Rental and others. You will be required to obtain state insurance licenses, with training provided and sponsorship considered.
Benefits: You will have continuous access to training and development programs, with sponsorship for advanced certifications to enhance your expertise. We offer a lucrative compensation structure including performance-based incentives and unlimited earning potential. You will receive extensive support from a dedicated planning team, marketing resources, and experienced mentors. Enjoy the flexibility to design a work schedule that aligns with your personal and professional goals. Most importantly, you will play a pivotal role in helping individuals and families secure their financial future, making a lasting difference in the community.
Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI. Patrick Scheina is a General Agent of NM and not in legal partnership with NM, or its subsidiaries.
