Our Team and Mission
Old Peak Finance exists for one simple reason: to offer tailored, transparent advice so clients can achieve their financial goals.
The financial advice industry has been broken for years. It is littered with conflicts of interest, high fees and advisors who don’t understand or particularly care about their clients. Wall Street discovered long ago that the key to making money is to mass-market expensive products, not to offer individualized advice.
The result is that too many clients pay too much, get too little and don’t achieve their financial goals.
Our mission at Old Peak Finance is to change that. Individuals and families deserve better, and the world will be a better place if more of us have a sound financial plan.
We know we cannot change the world on our own. But, the Old Peak Finance team can play a part in the solution. That’s what motivates us every day. Being there for you.
Rick Waechter
CFP®, Founder, Advisor
"I started Old Peak to offer a service that is badly needed and in short supply: comprehensive financial planning. We want to know our clients deeply, give them thoughtful, tailored advice and help them achieve their dreams."
Rick founded Old Peak. He has 25 years’ experience providing financial advice. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. He previously spent 15 years advising companies and governments throughout Asia, with Merrill Lynch, where he led teams that completed $50 billion of transactions. Rick has degrees from Princeton (AB) and Harvard Business School (MBA). He volunteers in area schools, teaching financial literacy. Rick and his wife have two adult children and live in Chapel Hill.
Rick Waechter
Founder, CFP®
Molly Stanifer
CFP® Financial Advisor
Director of Financial Planning
"Being a CFP® is a standard. One that requires me as a professional to hold up to (at a minimum) and helps consumers make decisions when seeking someone to provide financial advice
At Old Peak, I am contributing to provide financial advice the right way; collaborating with my colleagues and clients; forever exploring improvement. Ultimately, we are seeking to provide clarity to help our clients make decisions."
Molly has over a decade of experience as a financial advisor. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. She has a bachelor’s degree from NC State and a master’s in financial planning and taxation. In 2014, she spent six months with a non-profit in Tanzania, teaching English, business, and vocational skills to women. As a commitment to improving and engaging in the industry, she serves on the regional NAPFA board and the regional estate planning council board. Molly, her husband, and their two daughters now live in Traverse City, MI, where they love exploring and enjoying its natural beauty.
Molly Stanifer
CFP®, Financial Advisor
Director of Financial Planning
Donna Reaves
Operations Manager
"Old Peak Finance, to me, personifies what it means to be a fiduciary. Our founder, Rick Waechter, has created an environment that promotes goal orientation and ownership and responsibility and satisfaction. I believe those values exist because Old Peak Finance operates from a place of respect and integrity. I have experienced and witnessed understanding, compassion, encouragement, direction and support from everyone on our team, and endeavor to offer the same in return. I am thankful to be here. Why do I work at Old Peak Finance? Because fiduciary is not only our commitment; fiduciary is our culture."
Donna joined Old Peak in 2015. She spent the two prior years teaching 5th grade math (1st year) and high school Geometry and Algebra II (2nd year) as a Teach for America Corps Member in Leflore County, MS. Donna is currently developing a non-profit organization devoted to educational equity and aimed at high school age students. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has three children, and lives in Broadway, Harnett County, NC.
Donna Reaves
Operations Manager
Katie Villegas
CFP®,CSRIC™, Financial Advisor
Chief Compliance Officer
"As a CFP professional, I enjoy helping clients align their money with their values. I believe our money is an extension of our values – the way we earn, save, spend, and invest.
Old Peak stands apart because of our focus on putting our client’s needs first, by providing honest and tailored advice".
Katie joined Old Peak in 2017. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and has been working in the financial planning and community investment field for nearly a decade. As a Chartered SRI Counselor™, Katie is particularly interested in sustainable investing practices and provides expertise to clients interested in aligning their investments with their values. She has a bachelor’s degree from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, a master’s in international relations from the American Graduate School in Paris, and an MBA from the Collaborative MBA program through Bluffton University. She volunteers with the VITA program, providing free tax assistance, and serves on the Investment Committee of the Mennonite Education Agency.
Katie Villegas
CFP®, CSRIC™, Financial Advisor
Chief Compliance Officer
Johanna Hammond
Client Service Associate
"It’s a breath of fresh air to work at Old Peak Finance. It’s refreshing to have an employer who treats his employees as humans and values them, not numbers who are dispensable. Working in financial planning means one doesn’t stop learning, which I thoroughly enjoy. The knowledge is beyond finance; I get to learn about healthcare, estate planning, just to name a few."
Johanna joined Old Peak in 2019. She has a bachelor’s degree in Media and Journalism, with a specialization in Public Relations, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Johanna is an author. She self-published her first book, Soar, in 2019. Johanna, her husband and their two children live in the Triangle Area of North Carolina.
Johanna Hammond
Client Service Associate
Dan Routh
CFP®, Advisor
"Being a CFP® professional asserts my personal and professional desire to always put clients’ best interests above my own. To me, working at Old Peak means I get to work together with my colleagues, not alone, to foster an environment of continuous learning and providing real financial planning to our clients."
Dan joined Old Peak in 2019. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and has a decade of experience in the financial planning profession. Dan has a bachelor’s degree in business and minor in applied economics from Virginia Tech. He has spent most of his career advising executives and business owners, mostly in the life sciences and medical industries. He is an active member of NAPFA. He and his wife, along with their dog, Laney, live in Raleigh, NC. Outside of work Dan is a constant adventurer. His favorites include exploring the North Carolina mountains and surfing east coast beaches.
Dan Routh
CFP®, Financial Advisor
MaryAnne Gucciardi
RICP®, Financial Advisor
"I have been an entrepreneur for most of my working life, creating new products and promoting new ideas. Just as important, I have always sought to make the world a better place through my work. That's what attracts me to Old Peak. They want to do the right thing for their clients."
MaryAnne joined Old Peak in 2020 as Chief Marketing Officer and in 2021 became a Financial Advisor. She has a deep marketing, business development, strategy, and entrepreneurial background. MaryAnne spent 10+ years in CPG, manufacturing and outside sales in Asia, four years in fundraising with Stanford and UNC School of Medicine and 10+ years in manufacturing, e-commerce, digital marketing, and multi-channel distribution at Dragonwing girlgear. MaryAnne completed the Northwestern University CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certification Education Program, successfully passed the CFP® exam and is a candidate for CFP® certification. MaryAnne is a Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®). MaryAnne has degrees from Wellesley (AB in Economics with Honors) and Harvard Business School (MBA). MaryAnne and her husband have two adult children and live in Chapel Hill, NC.
MaryAnne Gucciardi
RICP®, Financial Advisor
Erin Vickery
CFP®, Financial Advisor
“As a CFP® professional, our most valuable role is to educate. Making custom, often complex, solutions feel accessible is essential to building lasting advisor-client relationships. My priority is for our clients to feel informed in their decision-making and empowered by knowing they have a professional partner to help strategically navigate their financial journey.”
Erin has been in the financial services industry since 2016, including working as a solo-practitioner for 3 years before joining Old Peak in 2022. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and passionate about tackling wealth and income disparity through public policy and financial literacy. Erin received a bachelor’s degree in biology from East Carolina University, a product of her lifelong interest in health and wellness. An avid traveler destined for island life, she can most often be found outdoors, adventuring with family and friends.
Erin Vickery
CFP®, Financial Advisor
Laura Borowski
Client Services Associate
"The small firm environment of Old Peak was a natural fit for me because of the shared vision to put clients first, the high level of team collaboration and the overall camaraderie. I immediately felt valued and respected for my perspectives and skills. I was also drawn to Old Peak Finance's commitment to charitable giving each year. It was important to find a career that aligned with my social commitment to serving others."
Laura joined Old Peak in 2022. She has a psychology degree from North Carolina Central University. Laura has an extensive background in nonprofit mental health and substance abuse treatment and has worked with local outreach programs and agencies. Laura and her daughter live in Mebane, North Carolina with their 1 dog and 3 cats. Outside of the office, Laura loves gardening and spending time with her daughter. She also has a passion for helping those who are disadvantaged.
Laura Borowski
Client Service Associate
Danielle Hochstetter
Financial Planning Associate
"Being a fee-only planner at Old Peak Finance means focusing simply on what is best for the client and helping them achieve their goals.
Learning about new policies and technologies, consulting with experts and crunching the numbers are all a part of that mission. We are passionate about always being on your side."
Danielle joined Old Peak in 2022. She has a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina and a graduate certificate in Tea Science from Zhejiang University. After living in China for 6 years, Danielle returned to the US to work in the tea industry. While living in California, she completed the University of California Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Extension CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ education program and worked as an associate financial planner. She currently lives with her partner and son in Durham. You can often find her in her garden or behind a book.
Danielle Hochstetter
Financial Planning Associate
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