Your Local Medicare Insurance Team
Meet The Team
Proudly Serving The Kansas City Metro Area
Meet Mark A Squires and The Team
Mark A Squires
Owner and President at Wise Choices Financial, LLC
As the owner and president of Wise Choices Financial, LLC, Mark is focused on helping clients work toward their financial dreams through a well-thought-out strategy designed with their best interest in mind. Since 2002, his main focus has been helping families with life insurance, final expense insurance, long-term care insurance, identity restoration plans and other basic financial advisory services.
In addition to financial planning, Mark also specializes in helping individuals age 65+ learn all about the types of Medicare-related health and drug plans. Mark believes in taking the time to research and thoroughly identifying the needs of his clients and developing a customized strategy to fit each person’s individual circumstances and needs.
He has passed the Series 66 Securities exam and holds licenses in life and health insurance as well as variable contracts in Missouri, Kansas and several other states. He is registered as an Investment Adviser Representative and regularly appears on “Moneyline with Peter Newman” on Saturday afternoons on 98.1 KMBZ FM.
Mark has two grown children and a new granddaughter. He and his wife, Tina, live in Independence, Missouri. In his free time, Mark enjoys gardening, roller skating, family time, home remodeling and talking about tools.
Steve Ford
Vice President of Medicare Insurance Sales
Steve has mastered the Medicare program and takes pride in support he provides Medicare beneficiaries through a people-first approach. He is your man for all things Medicare in the office.
Steve grew up on a sheep and goat farm in Wilson, Kansas, with his parents and his older brother and sister. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University in 2012, Steve spent the next seven years as a General Manager for the largest coffee retailer in the United States. Steve currently holds licenses in life and health insurance in Kansas and Missouri.
Steve married the love of his life, Amanda, in May of 2015. They relocated to Kansas City in October of 2015, where he now lives his wife, his dad, Big Steve, a toddler, and a new baby boy.
In an effort to give back to his community, Steve has taught job readiness courses at Kansas City Public Schools and volunteered his time with Harvesters, the Alzheimer’s Association and Midwest Animal ResQ. When he’s not helping clients, Steve most enjoys spending time with Amanda, his new son and their dogs. He also enjoys Kansas State sports (EMAW!), KC sports, and playing guitar and piano.
Pat Clark
Licensed Medicare Agent
Pat has worked in the Medicare industry for a several years and knows the Medicare program like the back of her hand.
She was born on July 4th and our country celebrates her birthday every year with big displays of fireworks and good food. Pat grew up in Jasonville, Indiana, with her brother, where her father was pastor of a nearby country church. Life wasn’t always easy, as she still remembers the outhouse and wash tub baths.
It was while attending Central Bible College, in Springfield, MO that she met her future husband, Ron. They were married in 1966. After two children and several moves, she returned to CBC to complete her B.A. degree in Christian Education in 1976.
Pat helped Ron with various types of church leadership activities in a number of different parts of the country until 1991, when they moved to Kansas City. When Chick-fil-A came to the area, Pat worked as an opening manager for her son-in-law’s store in Independence in 2008.
Ron and Pat have three children—Chrystal, Ron Jr, and Andy. They also have six grandchildren and one dog named Lady Bug.
When Pat is not helping Seniors with their Insurance needs, she enjoys volunteering at her church working with preschool children.
Stacy Cole
Licensed Medicare Agent/Customer Service Representative
Patricia Engelage
Licensed Medicare Agent - Northland
Patricia is our Medicare Lady in the Northland. Her priority is helping people understand Medicare options, not selling insurance.
Patricia was born in Henrietta, Missouri and grew up with her two siblings and mom and dad (a Korea Marine veteran). The family moved to Excelsior Springs in grade school to be closer to dad’s work in the Northland painting houses. After a freshmen year at William Jewell College, she began a nearly 40-year banking career in an entry level position with UMB Bank, eventually becoming the Director of Treasury Management Sales and making lifelong friendships. After 21 years with UMB, Patricia entered Community Banking, managing bank operations and spent the last 7 years in marketing and Web-based services.
God had other plans for her and closed the banking door in 2017. Feeling the need to find a second career in which she could truly help people, Patricia was led to the Medicare industry.
She believes that health insurance and financial protection are two of the most important things for us as we age. Giving people comfort and confidence, through an understanding of Medicare, to choose the coverage that fits each individual’s health and financial needs has been the most rewarding job she has ever had.
Patricia’s love of sports led her to compete in a triathlon at age 40 and took her all over the metro area playing fast and slow pitch softball where she met the father of their two children with beautiful souls – Christian and Ashley. She has a soft spot in her heart for strays and is a long-time supporter of the City Union Mission, KC area pet shelters, and Harvesters. Patricia volunteers at area food pantries and enjoys listening to all types of music, reading and family.
Emily Hanes
Accounting Associate
Jeb Jenkins
Licensed Medicare Agent
Kathy Pointer
Licensed Medicare Agent
Duaine Owings
Licensed Medicare Agent
The History of
The Medicare Whisperer®
Several years ago, a woman was referred to me seeking help with her Medicare choices.
She was recently and suddenly widowed and subsequently dropped from the group health insurance through her husband’s business partnership.
When she walked into my office her body language was tense. She was understandably frightened and distrusting. She had been through a lot. I took extra time education her about how Medicare works and how it would work for her, specifically.
As I went through the education process, I watched her body language soften and heard a bit of calm enter her voice.
Over the period of about 90 minutes we went over everything from the basics of Medicare to her lifestyle, health, and budget. I helped her make an informed and educated decision about what was right for her, while keeping flexibility in her plan…just in case.
When the meeting was over, she offered to pay me, (I never charge for Medicare consultations), and I told her that was not necessary because the insurance company was going to pay me a commission. She asked if she could give me a hug. I said “yes”. As she gave me the gentlest of hugs, she said “Do you know what you are?” Perplexed, I asked what she meant.
She said you’re “The Medicare Whisperer”®.
I trade marked the term that day and have proudly used that name ever since. It’s not just a made-up marketing term, it was a name given to me by a client…a widow. What could be better than that?
Now I have an entire team who make up “The Medicare Whisperer”® team. We don’t work for Medicare. We’re insurance brokers. When people have Medicare questions, we have Medicare answers.
The History of
Wise Choices Financial LLC
I went through a several year period during which I lost every family member I had except for my children. As the youngest in the family I was the one who had to deal with everything. From VA benefits to Medicare to Medicaid to Pension Plan Payment Elections to 401(k) allocations to estate planning not done at all and Estate Planning done horribly wrong. I had to leave my job as a Parts Manager for the Great Dane Trailer Dealership to take care of my dad’s estate.
That time was like living life in front of a fire hose, but God wired my brain to understand it.
The one thing each of them had in common is that none of them was prepared, at least in the “affairs” department.
When that time had ended, and it was time to go back to regular work it occurred to me that perhaps God had allowed me to go through that time to prepare me for a higher calling. On December 16, 2002 I started a business through which I could help others prepare for or navigate the path I had walked alone.
That lends itself to the insurance and financial planning business. I chose to open this company independently of any insurance company because I wanted to be able to help people without a sales manager in another state telling me to “SELL, SELL, SELL”. It was tough in the beginning and I worked a lot of extra jobs to stay true to my mission.
After a few name iterations I finally chose “Wise Choices Financial” when the phrase “Wise Choices Today Means No Regrets Tomorrow” came to me. Today we occupy a 2600+ sq. ft. professional office and have a team of 5 and are growing
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