Our Team

Ryan McLaughlin

Ryan has over five years of experience working with institutional and individual investors. He has significant experience in portfolio management, security analysis, and interest rate risk management. Prior joining Westward Investment Advisory, Ryan developed a strong planning, analysis, budgeting, and project management background with one of the largest commercial construction firms in the U.S. He also has capital markets experience through serving clients with a regional broker dealer firm.

Ryan completed undergraduate studies in Marketing, Economics, and Spanish at Marquette University. He is actively involved in the Kansas Bankers Association, the Missouri Bankers Association, and the Community Bankers Association of Kansas.

Ryan has participated in programs in support of The United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and The Special Olympics. He is a volunteer youth lacrosse coach and is president of the Great Plains Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse. Ryan is also active within the St. Vincent De Paul Society.

Our Hometowns

Our Team

The breadth and depth of our experience is significant. Our investment professionals have an average of over 20 years of experience in the industry working with a wide variety of clients. We have served foundations, corporations, family offices, municipalities, individuals, financial institutions and others in a variety of capacities including financial advisor, consultant, broker, and fiduciary. Our clients benefit from the wealth of our experience and market knowledge.

Casey McLiney, Managing Director

Casey has over twenty years of experience in financial services. He began his career working with community banks in a variety of capacities and has held management roles including Vice President, Director, and Chairman of the Board. Casey has over seventeen years of capital markets experience working with institutional and individual investors on portfolio management, security analysis, and asset/liability management. He also has significant experience as a senior manager for a registered broker/dealer. Casey is a co-founder of Westward Investment Advisory.

Casey earned a BGS degree from the University of Kansas and is an active member of the Kansas Bankers Association, the Missouri Bankers Association, and the Community Bankers of America.

Casey is an active supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Catholic Charities, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, The Kansas City Symphony, and St. Ann's Catholic Church and School in Prairie Village, KS.

Chicago

James Holcomb, Managing Director/CEO

James (aka Jim) has over twenty-five years of experience working with a wide variety of clients as an investment manager, consultant, and fiduciary. His clients have included family offices, corporations, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, individuals, trusts, and retirement plans. Prior to co-founding Westward Investment Advisory, he was the national director of BMO Global Asset Management’s non-ERISA institutional investment advisory and asset servicing businesses. James has also held positions at Deloitte Consulting, MetLife’s institutional retirement plan division, and Commerce Bank’s capital markets group.

James' education includes undergraduate studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, a Bachelor of Science and Business Administration in Finance with emphasis in Investment Management from the University of Arkansas and graduate studies in Finance at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. James has also completed the Investment Management Theory & Practice program at the Yale School of Management.

James has served on the boards of several private foundations and social service organizations. He is founding chair of the Neuroscience Board at the Medical College of Wisconsin, a former director of the Advisory Board of the Milwaukee Public Museum and a long-time volunteer for the United Way and the Salvation Army.

Dale Pfeifer, Vice President

Dale has over thirty years of experience in financial services as an advisor, a corporate treasurer, and a bank examiner. He has managed investment portfolios for three different regional banks through five interest rate cycles. Dale has extensive experience in portfolio management, security analysis, asset/liability management, and risk management. Dale's experience includes positions at UMB Financial Corporation, Hawthorn Bancshares, and Central States Capital Markets.

Dale earned a Bachelor's of Business Administration from Fort Hays State University and an MBA from the University of Kansas.

Dale is a volunteer/supporter for Partners in Education, The United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and The March of Dimes.