Meet Our Team

Joseph S. Messinger, CCPS, CLU, ChFC

Joe Messinger began his financial planning career in 2000.  Prior to co-founding Capstone Wealth Partners, Ltd. and Capstone College Partners in 2009, Joe spent nearly a decade working in leadership roles with industry-leading financial services companies.  After a career of training and developing successful financial advisors across the country, he is back to doing what he loves most - personally advising families and businesses.

Joe loves to work with passionate and successful people that want the best for themselves, their family, and their businesses.  He takes pride in advising clients to make sound decisions with their finances so they can spend their time and energy on things that truly matter most to them - their family, their chosen profession, leisure activities, etc. Joe’s satisfaction comes from empowering and educating people so that they feel in control of their financial futures.

At Capstone College Partners, Joe is recognized as an expert in the area of college funding, and leads regular workshops for parents of high school students in central Ohio, showing them how to pay less for college.  At Capstone Wealth Partners, Joe helps clients create a vision for long-term success, and develop comprehensive solutions to meet their goals.

Joe is committed to a lifetime of learning and constant self-improvement.  He has completed the coursework necessary to qualify him for the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter* (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant* (ChFC), having matriculated in a wide variety of investment and advanced financial planning subjects.  In addition, Joe has earned his Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS) credential from the National Institute of Certified College Planners (NICCP).  He is also an active member of the Central Ohio chapters of the Financial Planning Association, the Society of Financial Services Professionals, and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

In addition to his work with Capstone, Mr. Messinger sits on the advisory board at the Columbus Collegiate Academy and, in 2010, was appointed to the Ohio Commission on Personal Financial Education to promote and advocate financial literacy for all Ohioans.  Joe is a proud graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management.  His passions outside of work include travelling, cooking, reading, and music.  He currently resides in the Victorian Village of Columbus with his wife Jackie and their dog Roxy.

Ryan L. Sheppard, CCPS

Ryan Sheppard is a co-founder and lead financial planner at Capstone Wealth Partners.  He entered the financial services field upon graduating from The Ohio State University in 2003.  He spent six years in both the bank and brokerage environments before jointly founding CWP in 2009.  Ryan has developed a deep passion for helping his clients navigate the difficult process of managing their personal financial affairs, both small and large.  Furthermore, Ryan has a propensity for college funding and planning services, assisting successful families in reducing out-of-pocket expenses for post-secondary education.

On changing direction and transitioning to a financial advisory firm, Ryan states, “I began my financial services career in a world that supported sales initiatives and company profits, and this scenario didn’t always keep my clients’ best interests at heart.  Once I realized this, I saw no other choice but to make the change to becoming an independent planning firm that adheres to a strict fiduciary standard.  We are paid by our clients, NOT by the financial institutions we represent.  Being free of corporate investment incentives allows us to always act in our client’s best interests, which is really what we’re all about.”

Ryan also enjoys introducing new technologies to both his company and his clients.  He believes being on the cutting edge of investment management and financial planning offers clients of CWP a “leg up” over other advisors.  Ryan has been a key catalyst for the firm’s initiatives on “going paperless”, social media, and the Capstone Online Wealth Center.

Ryan earned his B.S. in Economics, and most recently attained his CCPS credentials (Certified College Planning Specialist) in 2009.  In addition, he is scheduled to complete his CFP and ChFC designations in 2010.  Ryan is an active member of the central Ohio chapters of the Financial Planning Association, the Society of Financial Services Professionals, and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He lives in Columbus with his wife, Abbey.