We’re all in this
together.

When you work with HELMSTAR, you work with a team of cross-functional subject matter experts to explore options, define strategies, and uncover solutions to get you to your goals.

Expertise still matters.

Unlike firms where you are assigned a single financial advisor, we believe modern financial life requires a team approach to fully understand and act on the opportunities (or challenges) in front of you.
Whether you are an entrepreneur or retiree, no single person can be an expert on all of the tax, estate planning, and investment management that you face. That’s why Helmstar’s team approach exists: to give you access to the specific knowledge you need when you need it.

Ben
Boettcher

FOUNDING PRINCIPAL

Ben Boettcher is a co-founder of Helmstar and has been advising clients for over 20 years. He loves coming to work every day. Ben graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in Global Economy. Ben holds Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Consultant™ (CHFC®) designations. Ben and his wife Amy love Idaho and have been actively engaged in raising their five children in Boise. They spend their family time skiing, hiking, golfing, and playing tennis together. Ben has served on several community boards and committees and is inspired by all the wonderful work done by charitable organizations in the valley. Ben is inspired by human ingenuity, which is so often found within the Helmstar team and amongst Helmstar clients. Ben loves being a part of the Helmstar community, which he believes truly represents some of the best the world has to offer!

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Credentials

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)™ Chartered Financial Consultant (CHFC)®

Education

Bachelor's Degree – Brigham Young University

Major in Global Economy, Minor in Business Management

Affiliations

Investment committee member for the Idaho Youth Ranch

Former Board Member and Treasurer of Opera Idaho

Member of Boise Chapter of the Financial Planning Association

Tom
Steelman

FOUNDING PRINCIPAL

Tom Steelman feels blessed to work with the best clients and the best team.

Tom started as a financial planner in 2004. He is proud that he has spent his entire professional career dedicated to helping clients and growing a team that is equally committed to helping clients reach their goals.

Tom graduated cum laude from Utah State with an Accounting degree. Tom is very dedicated and passionate about advancing his knowledge and skills, as he sees continuing education and growth as a responsibility to clients and team members. The training he most recently completed that clients have benefited from is becoming a Registered Life Planner through the Kinder Institute.

Tom loves his work. He feels blessed that he loves being in the office and that he enjoys coming back to work after the occasional vacation. He also dearly loves his family and enjoys spending time with his children. Creating memories together is the highlight of his life. Tom has many hobbies, which mostly revolve around spending time with family.

Tom feels a deep commitment to the work he does for clients and to the team that he is a part of. He believes the trust given to Helmstar by clients is sacred and that the impact the team has on clients’ lives is immeasurable.

Tom believes that Helmstar’s work enables clients to live their most fulfilled and joyful lives. This is what he enjoys most about Helmstar: impacting clients’ lives in a way that is irreplaceable.

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Education

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting – Utah State University, Cum Laude

Affiliations

Past President and current Member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) Idaho Chapter

Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)

Joe
Piscione

PARTNER

Joe Piscione is a Partner with The Helmstar Group. He is responsible for maintaining the financial well-being and success of his clients.

Joe began his career in Albertson's Corporate Office as a Certified Internal Auditor before becoming the Controller of the Risk Management department. After Albertson's, Joe made the shift to the financial planning industry and worked at a local RIA for nine years before eventually joining The Helmstar Group in 2013. 

Joe is especially grateful that he found The Helmstar Group, a firm that aligns with his values and embodies the ideals that he holds around excellent client experience, an engaging work environment, and a growth-oriented mindset. Ultimately, the people at the firm set it apart — he knows that he can go to work every day with the assurance that he is working alongside those who truly care about each and every person who walks through the door.

Joe graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Accounting. He enjoys serving and interacting with people across the Treasure Valley, including those in various congregations of his church. He currently sits on the Board of Friendship Events, an organization dedicated to building unity throughout the local community and fundraising for various philanthropic purposes, including Boise Rescue Mission Ministries and other local charities.

In his spare time, you can find Joe with his family. He loves any excuse to get everyone together — good food, a big football game, or a family vacation - because the joy is in being together! He also knows that a key ingredient to cultivating joy in his life is allowing his clients to experience the same. He works tirelessly to ensure that they can have peace of mind and accomplish the things most important to them.

Joe believes that the most important things in life are the ones upon which we choose to dedicate our time, talents, and energy. He strives daily to ensure that his values align with the way he spends his efforts, and he helps clients to do the same.

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Credentials

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)™

Education

Bachelor’s Degree – Brigham Young University

Major in Accounting

Robb
Schober

SENIOR FINANCIAL PLANNER

Robb lives in Nampa, Idaho with his wife Jackie on the still-operating family farm where he was reared. Over the last several years, Robb has found a renewed interest in the sport of golf and together Robb and Jackie enjoy travel with a particular fondness to the Oregon Coast.

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Credentials

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)™

Education

Bachelor of Science – Northwest Nazarene University

Masters of Education with an emphasis in leadership – Northwest Nazarene

University Specialist in Administration advanced degree – University of Idaho

Affiliations

Past President of the Treasure Valley Association of Insurance and Financial

Advisors National Committeeman:
State Board Past President and current member of the Financial Planning Association for the State of Idaho

Past Chairman of the Idaho Roundtable:
A two day continuing education symposium conducted for financial professionals in the State of Idaho

Katy
Weyand

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

FINANCIAL PLANNER

Katy Weyand plays several roles at Helmstar. In addition to overseeing the development, refinement, implementation, and execution of internal processes and systems, she also serves as one of the office’s paraplanners, and provides personalized family office support to ultra-high-net worth client households.

Katy has been a member of the Helmstar team since moving to Boise from Dallas-Fort Worth four years ago. Prior to Helmstar, she worked in commercial real estate and in the film/television/theater industry. Katy graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M University with a B.A. in Russian and Sociology. She is a member of several honors societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, and is currently pursuing both a Masters in Personal Financial Planning from Kansas State University and a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation. She holds a Series 65 license and is also a licensed insurance agent.

Outside of work, Katy enjoys hiking, reading, pretending to be a foodie, traveling, and engaging with the visual and performing arts as much as possible. She’s also an amateur “circus person” and can often be found hanging out mid-air on various aerial apparatuses, including silks, hammock, straps, and hoop. 

Katy considers herself a perpetual student. She is endlessly curious and believes that there are always more ways in which to grow. She finds great fulfillment in helping clients attain their personal and financial goals, thereby empowering them to live their most meaningful lives. She is deeply grateful to work for a firm with a truly service-oriented mindset and with a team that is so passionate about the work that they do and the clients that they do it for.

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Education

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Russian and Sociology – Texas A&M University Magna Cum Laude

Graduate Certificate in Personal Financial Planning - Kansas State University

Affiliations

Member of Phi Beta Kappa, National Honor Society

Member of Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor Society Member of Dobro Slovo, National Slavic Honor Society

Credentials

Licensed Investment Advisory Representative

Jake
Williams

DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & RESEARCH

SENIOR FINANCIAL PLANNER

Jake Williams oversees the financial planning and investment management strategies of the firm while also serving clients along their financial journey. Jake has been with Helmstar for over five years. He began his career in the aerospace industry, where he was selected to participate in a leadership development program. Although he enjoyed his work and was on a great career path, his heart wasn’t fully in it.

After six years, he quit his position to enroll in Texas Tech University’s Doctoral program in Financial Planning. He taught undergraduate financial planning classes and immersed himself deeply in academic research. Jake has always been focused on how research applies to individuals and how the knowledge gained from research can be used to help them. Joining the Helmstar team offered a great opportunity to both use his academic knowledge and work directly with people. He maintains involvement in the academic field by teaching the Financial Planning course at Boise State University.

Jake is married to his wonderful wife, Melanie. They have four girls and one boy. They enjoy being in the outdoors whenever possible. All the various activities in which his kids are involved in keep their family very busy!

One of Jake’s core beliefs is that no one is destined to failure — he wants to help others both see and reach their full potential. He believes that life is too short to take the path of least resistance and live beneath the privileges one has been given.

Jake loves solving problems and helping others. His relationship with Helmstar’s many wonderful clients brings him joy and motivates him to provide the best service possible. He also feels blessed to work alongside bright and genuinely caring colleagues.

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Credentials

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)™

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) – Texas Tech University
Financial Planning (a combination of Wealth Management, Behavioral Finance, and Economics) Dissertation focused on Retirement Income

Masters of Business Administration – Texas Tech University
Bachelors of Science – Brigham Young University-Idaho
Finance

Affiliations

Current Member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) Idaho Chapter

Desiree
Trueba

DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES

Desiree Trueba has been with the firm for 7 years and does a little bit of everything. Desiree completed her B.A. at Oregon State University in Political Science, where she graduated summa cum laude; she has worked at Helmstar ever since. She is a licensed investment advisory representative, allowing her to fill in on the planning team when necessary, and she assists the Client Services team as needed, leading on tasks related to client support.

Desiree is also the Chief Compliance Officer for the firm. She manages all aspects of compliance policies and procedures, striving for excellence and transparency in a highly regulated industry. In her free time, she enjoys the peaceful quiet of the McCall mountains in both summer and winter. She is a voracious reader, and often reads multiple books concurrently. She is also a committed and engaged mom who participates in every opportunity she gets to spend time with her 4 children. Desiree values her time at Helmstar for the interactions it provides with the community and with her coworkers. She is a people person who thrives on human connectedness. Additionally, she believes in Helmstar’s mission and receives fulfillment from improving the financial well-being of their clients.

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Education

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science – Oregon State University Summa Cum Laude

Credentials

Licensed Investment Advisory Representative

Bob
Flagler

FINANCIAL
PLANNER

Bob Flagler assists with building robust financial plans and ensuring the quality and efficiency of operations within the company.

While new to Helmstar, Rob has lived in the Treasure Valley for over a decade; he moved here in 2011 to attend Boise State University, where he earned a B.A. in History. Once geared toward becoming a history teacher, Rob discovered an immediate passion for financial planning and technology when he started his first job in the industry 8 years ago.

Rob holds his Series 65 License and is entering training to achieve the CFP designation. He is an Eagle Scout, an active member of the Boise Young Professionals, and participates within the Idaho Historical Society.

Rob spends as much free time as possible in Idaho’s great outdoors. His favorite activities are hiking in the Sawtooth Mountains, skiing on Bogus Basin, walking his dog Ginger, and relaxing with his wife Alexa.

Rob takes enormous pride in his work and strives to create a client experience that empowers Helmstar's clients to have peace of mind, no matter the market cycle.

His favorite author is Mark Twain, who said, "if you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."

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Education

Bachelor of Arts Degree in History – Boise State University

Credentials

Licensed Investment Advisory Representative

Pete Butler

FINANCIAL ANALYST

Peter leads the business valuation consulting and M&A analysis work for Helmstar clients.
Peter is a veteran having served as a surface warfare officer and instructor in the U.S. Navy for 8 years. Peter then entered the world of finance and has been analyzing publicly-traded stocks, privately-held companies and other securities for almost thirty years.

As President of his business appraisal firm, Valtrend, LLC, he has published numerous articles and been afforded the opportunity to speak at international, national and regional business valuation conferences on a variety of different topics. Previously, he was an adjunct faculty member at George Fox University in Boise, teaching corporate finance to MBA students. Peter also has invented and co-developed a software program, available to his peers, to assist in the development of the cost of capital for privately-held companies.

Peter enjoys solving problems and undertaking the difficult task of valuing privately-held companies. He looks forward to assisting Helmstar’s clients who are business owners with value discovery and improvement over time as they strive to reach their investment and exit planning goals.

Peter and his wife, Jennifer - both from the Buffalo, New York area - are Buffalo Bills fans (and waiting patiently for a Super Bowl victory) – but feel like Idaho is home having enjoyed all it has to offer since moving here in 2004. They are empty nesters now with their two kids in college (Quinn at the University of Idaho) and beyond (Connor, a minor league baseball player in the Boston Red Sox organization).

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Credentials

Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®)
Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in business valuation

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering – United States Naval Academy
Masters of Business Administration – San Diego State University

Affiliations

Past President and current Board Member of CFA Society Idaho
Member of the American Society of Appraisers
Blue and Gold Officer for the United States Naval Academy

Aaron Piscione

FINANCIAL PLANNER

Aaron assists planners and advisors in helping clients reach their goals through the financial planning process. He recently graduated and started at Helmstar Wealth Management in May 2023. Prior to his graduation, he completed financial planning internships that introduced him to the world of financial planning and interested him in helping people live life according to their values.

Aaron graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor's Degree in English and earned his Master's in Financial Planning at Utah Valley University. Although he is still working toward the experience requirement to become a Certified Financial Planner ®, he passed the CFP® exam in March. He is a current member of the Financial Therapy Association and loves to learn about all things psychology (and pretty much anything else).

Some of Aaron's favorite ways to spend free time include reading a good book (recent favorites include How Will You Measure Your Life, Into Thin Air, and Give and Take), writing, playing basketball, visiting friends, and spending time with his wife, Brie. Aaron is a strong believer that people are doing the best they can with what they have. He feels humbled and fortunate to work alongside such incredible people at The Helmstar Group, and to have the opportunity to work with his father, Joe.

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Education

Bachelor's Degree in English – Utah State University
Masters of Financial Planning – Utah Valley University

Credentials

Passed CFP Exam March 2023
Licensed Investment Advisory Representative

Emily Henderson

CLIENT SERVICES

Emily Henderson joins our team with a plethora of varied experience and a fresh perspective on the financial industry. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Utah Valley University with a Bachelors of Emergency Services Administration and Management and a minor in Community Health Education, which led her to work as a Quality of Care Admin for Emergency Room Services. After a short career sabbatical to care for her family, she joined the Helmstar Wealth Management team.

Emily excels at elevating current processes, creating efficiency in anything she touches, and seeing the big picture while not losing any of the details. She loves solving a problem and looks for opportunities to improve systems and processes when needed. Getting to know people and helping them reach their goals is truly a highlight of her career.

Originally from Utah, Emily also previously lived in Dallas, Texas before moving to the Treasure Valley 3 years ago with her husband and 2 daughters. In her free time, Emily enjoys family time, attending dance classes as often as she can, traveling + exploring new places, and leaning into a variety of hobbies.

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Education

Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services Administration and Management, Community Health Services -- Utah Valley University

Patti Hyde

CLIENT SERVICES

Patti is the newest member of the team, having joined us in December. She will be serving as a first point of contact as our receptionist.

Patti is joining us after a brief retirement and is thrilled to be back at work. Her previous business ownership gives her a unique insight into the dynamics of a team dedicated to serving a vibrant and diverse client base. Her zest for serving others is genuine and energetic.

In her personal life, Patti enjoys cooking, wooden jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with friends and her pets, Clifford and Lumpy. She is looking forward to getting to know our clients.

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Kim Argo

MARKETING

Kim Argo became an integral part of the firm in 2011, and throughout her tenure, she has donned a myriad of hats, each time unveiling her exceptional talents in diverse roles. Following a brief hiatus in 2021, Kim has returned to Helmstar, now leading the charge in our marketing endeavors.

A cum laude graduate from Boise State University with a B.A. in Communication, Kim brings a wealth of knowledge and academic prowess to her role. Her enthusiasm to rejoin Helmstar stems from a desire to contribute to an outstanding team and collaborate with the best clients in the industry.

Beyond the professional realm, Kim, alongside her husband Eric, finds joy in traversing the globe, always seeking their next adventure. Together, they embody a spirit of exploration and discovery that mirrors Kim's dynamic approach to her career.

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Education

Bachelor of Arts in Communication – Boise State University Cum Laude