Kate B. Leipprandt, CFP®, ChFC, CLU
Managing Director
Kate is Managing Director of Baldwin Financial Advisors, LLC. (Arlington Heights, Illinois), a registered investment advisory firm, involved in fee-based financial planning, consulting and education for individuals and small businesses. She bought Baldwin Financial Systems, LLC from her father, Ben G. Baldwin, Jr., ChFC, CLU, MSM, MSFS in 2014. Ben G. Baldwin Jr. started the company in 1982. Kate specializes in helping her clients build, protect and sustain financial independence and has a talent for making difficult topics easier to understand. Kate and her team at Baldwin have a passion for helping others, and ‘putting the numbers’ to complex life problems allows us to provide solutions and strategies that make a difference. We do not say ‘can’t’. Our clients will tell you that ‘we made a huge difference in their lives’, and this is what gets us going every day! Our clients become a special part of our lives and we care deeply about them. We work mostly by referral, although our non-Google-able website (on purpose) has started to bring in some computer-savvy clients as well!
Kate is also a Financial Advisor for a large securities and investment advisory services firm and is licensed to sell insurance, securities, annuities and other products she considers an optional ‘tool kit’ for assisting clients. She holds her series 7, 6, 22, 63 & 65 securities licenses. Kate did her undergraduate studies at DePauw University (Greencastle, IN), earning a BA in economics with minors in French and Psychology. She studied Economics as part of her undergraduate work at the University of Strasbourg, France. Kate authored a textbook titled the “ABA Financial Planning Workbook”, a resource recommended by the American Bankers Association (ABA) for trust administrators, private bankers and other wealth advisors to obtain their Certified Trust and Financial Advisors (CTFA) designation. Kate continues to write, update texts and teach courses for the ABA.
Kate is a professional speaker who has appeared as national spokesperson for a major financial services firm in national TV advertisements, as well as in “Business Week”, “U.S. News and World Report” & “Working Woman” magazines and other publications including the Chicago Tribune. She has taught the Insurance courses at the American Bankers Association’s National Graduate Trust School off and on since 1997, and taught the ‘In-Bank’ Trust Schools (Financial Planning, Stock Options, Qualified Plans and Insurance) held by Wachovia banks in 2006. Other audiences for Ms. Leipprandt include corporate clients Commonwealth Edison, InSpeech, Underwriters Laboratories, Northern Trust Bank and the First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights. Numerous financial institutions continue to utilize systems, processes and tools Kate has taught in her presentations.
Associations Kate is involved with include: Financial Planning Association (FPA) and Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFP) and The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) among others. Ms. Leipprandt has been active in the community as past Co-President of the local High School’s PTA (TPC) board, Team Parent for the HS soccer team, and youth soccer coach. She serves on the Investment Committee and Endowment committees at the First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights, IL and has participated in several youth mission trips via Appalachia Service Project and her own family’s mission trip to S Africa to donate soccer ‘boots’ to a church group, organized by her daughter while studying at Cape Town.
Elizabeth Grady, CFP®
Financial Consultant
Elizabeth joined the Baldwin Financial team immediately following college graduation. She was chosen from a pool of over a dozen candidates for her educational achievement, service to others, ethics, professionalism and drive. Elizabeth attained a passion for investments and planning as a result of the example set by her grandfather.
Elizabeth’s grandfather inspired her as a strong investor who captured her interest in the stock market early on. He started planning for his retirement when he was young and made sure that his grandchildren understood the value of compound interest and the time value of money. Due to his investment acumen he provided his wife’s care as she was aging. Elizabeth saw firsthand the importance of planning and being prepared for the unexpected. He was still investing when he passed away at age 99. Because of the example set forth by her grandfather, she is excited to help others manage their finances so that they can successfully plan for each stage of their lives.
Elizabeth was inspired to study finance in college and graduated from DePauw University with a B.A. in Economics. She has attained her FINRA Series 7 & 66 licenses, as well as her Life, Accident, and Health Insurance license. She is currently pursuing her ChFC & CLU designations. While at DePauw, Elizabeth was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority where she served as Vice President of Finance. Elizabeth has a twin sister, also in finance, and they are inseparable!
Elizabeth was born and grew up in the city of Chicago where she attended Sacred Heart on Sheridan Road and St. Ignatius College Prep. Elizabeth claims she is “basically a city girl, who went to college in a tiny town, and sees the advantages of both”. Elizabeth received a classical education at St. Ignatius where teachers stressed service to others. This remains a core part of who Elizabeth is today. From the early inspiration of her grandparents and parents, she looks forward to continuing to help others using her degree and financial planning skills. Elizabeth will win you over with her positive and encouraging attitude and is happy to be working with the Baldwin Financial clientele.
Ben G. Baldwin, Jr., CLU, ChFC, MSFS, MSM, AEP
Baldwin Financial Advisors, LLC
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Ben has served as Director Emeritus of Baldwin Financial Advisors, LLC of Arlington Heights, IL since our opening in 2014. He is the father of our Managing Director, Kate Leipprandt. Ben started this company in 1982 under a slightly different name and remains today as our esteemed Director Emeritus. Ben has been our mentor and set the bar high with our company’s solid ethics policies and practices as well. This business is all about serving the needs of our clients, as it should be!
Ben qualified to be named a CFP Board EmeritusT as of May 1, 2020. This special designation is reserved for those who have worked in the industry for over 25 years. The CFP Board EmeritusT status reflects years of service and commitment to the profession and adherence to ethical and competent financial planning.
Ben served on the Society of Financial Service Professionals (FSP) National Board of Directors 2001-2004 and was the first chairperson of its Financial Planning professional interest section. He was a co-recipient of the FSP Kenneth Black Jr. leadership award in 2006. He was the first recipient of the prestigious Loren Dunton Award, presented by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) in recognition of his significant contributions as an agent, author, leader, educator and financial planner to the financial service profession and the public. In 2004, he was chosen to receive recognition as a Distinguished Accredited Estate Planner from the National Association of Estate Planners. A retired agent of AXA Equitable, he is the author of numerous articles on financial planning, and has conducted scores of educational sessions for broker/dealer groups and industry associations. Ben’s forte is knowing how to communicate his financial message clearly to any audience. Ben is the author of The Complete Book of Insurance (Irwin Professional Publishing 1996), The New Life Insurance Investment Advisor (Probus 1988, McGraw-Hill 1994; Second Edition 2002), and The Lawyer’s Guide to Insurance (American Bar Association, Senior Lawyers Division 1999).
Ben has worked providing expert witness services in life insurance cases, consulting on the design of new life insurance contracts, conducting educational seminars and doing financial or insurance research. An ex-Navy pilot and graduate of the University of Rochester, Ben Jr joined his father’s insurance business in 1964 and was joined in the financial services business by his daughter, Kate Leipprandt CLU, ChFC, CFP® in 1986, then by his son, Ben III ChFC, CFP® in 1989 and his daughter-in-law Susan Baldwin CFP® in 1992. Only Ben’s daughter, Kate, remains at the firm. Ben is known for his unbendable ethics, high-level of education and experience and undying enthusiasm to support the consumers and companies he works with in the insurance and financial services industry. For this and many reasons, we are proud to call Ben our Director Emeritus at Baldwin Financial Advisors, LLC.
