Matt Curley
CO-CEOMatt brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, having worked with firms such as Baird Private Wealth Management and Smith Barney. During his impressive 21-year tenure at Baird, he served as a valued member of the Senior Leadership team, overseeing the growth and management of national territories and playing a pivotal role in shaping the Private Wealth Management Strategy.
Matt focused on identifying and nurturing emerging leaders, with an emphasis on promoting top talent within the organization. His passion lies in making a positive impact on individual’s lives and helping them realize their unique financial and professional goals.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Matt is a volunteer for the University of Iowa’s Gateway and BizEdge programs, providing opportunities for underrepresented college students pursuing business degrees. He enjoys indulging in his culinary skills (complete with a closely guarded cannoli family recipe), tackling marathons, and spending quality time with his large family. Matt currently resides in Colorado but maintains strong ties to his Chicago roots.
Mark Peterson
CO-CEOWith over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, Mark Peterson has built a reputation as a collaborative leader and trusted business partner. His career began as a Financial Advisor with American Express and Piper Jaffray, giving him a firsthand understanding of the challenges and opportunities advisors face every day. After time in a corporate leadership role and nearly a decade working as a key member of a high-producing advisory team, he transitioned into senior leadership.
As Branch Manager and later Market Director at Baird for more than 20 years, he built a thriving network of five offices, nearly 100 associates, over 50 million in revenue, and over $8 billion in assets under management. From recruiting top-tier financial advisors to mentoring teams, he has been deeply involved in every part of growing a successful advisory business. What sets Mark apart is his commitment to true partnership with his colleagues.
Originally from Minnesota, Mark has lived in Arizona for over 20 years with his wife and 4 children- 3 boys and 1 girl. He has volunteered and been involved with Children’s Hospitals in both Arizona and Minnesota, and is a former board member for Open Arms Orphanage. As an avid sports fan, he founded and coached a nationally recognized youth baseball club organization and cheers on the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins/ Vikings/Wild, and NCAA basketball. He enjoys playing golf and pickleball with friends and family while maintaining his faith in God.
Gene Pucci
National Director of OperationsGene began his financial services career over 30 years ago and is excited about his current role at Excelsior as the National Director of Operations. Most recently, Gene held the position of Branch Manager for the Arizona Market at Baird. His commitment to continuous improvement and staying abreast of the industry’s best practices has not only kept the organizations he has worked for at the forefront of operational excellence but has earned him a reputation as a forward thinking and results-driven leader.
Gene is passionate about developing strong relationships with associates and industry partners to best serve those he works with. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Gene has an MBA from Cleveland State University and holds a Series 7, 66, 9, 10, and 24 securities registrations.
Max Rathman
National Director of Branch DevelopmentMax brings 25+ years of experience in the financial services industry, having worked with such firms as Oak Ridge Financial, Ameriprise, RBC and USBank/Piper Jaffray. During his career, he served as a valued member of the senior management team, overseeing advisor recruiting and the business development strategy for the Private Client Group.
He thrives on creating unique strategies to help advisors and client service associates to grow and accomplish their ultimate dreams of success. Before making the shift into the financial world, Max worked as an architect in Nebraska following his graduation from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Architecture. His passions are wood art and golfing.
Matt Toelke
WEALTH Advisor / VP OF BRANCH DEVELOPMENTMatt Toelke has over 12 years of experience in financial services, focusing on helping advisors make smooth transitions between firms. He has worked with top companies like Charles Schwab and Fidelity, guiding advisors through important changes and making sure they have the tools they need to grow their businesses. Matt’s expertise is in making transitions easier and offering support that fits each advisor’s unique needs.
Matt is dedicated to building strong relationships with advisors, giving them personalized strategies and operational guidance. He helps them succeed by connecting them with Excelsior’s tools and resources.
Outside of work, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, snowboarding, golfing, and cheering for Chicago sports teams. Originally from Florida, Matt has lived in Denver since 2016, enjoying the mountains and his ties to the Midwest.
Calum Bashford
WEALTH AdvisorCalum brings over three years of valuable experience in the financial services industry to Excelsior. Prior to joining Excelsior, he thrived at Fidelity Investments, where he held multiple roles focused on delivering exceptional client service and supporting individuals in reaching their financial goals.
Outside the office, Calum enjoys golfing, hiking with his family, and exploring new places through travel. Originally from Chicago, he now proudly calls Denver, Colorado home.
Matteo Curley
Client Service AssociateMatteo is an emerging Client Service Associate currently working out of Cleveland, Ohio. He has previous financial experience working at both Fidelity Investments as a Financial Representative and at Robert W. Baird as a Private Wealth Management intern. He also has experience working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car with awards for being one of the top performers in his region. At Excelsior, Matteo is primarily focused on ensuring a positive client experience and performing administrative operations. He majored in economics and English writing at DePauw University while also playing college football.
Matteo prides himself on thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, which stretches 2200 miles from Georgia to Maine and took him over five months to complete. It is no surprise that he is interested in all things outdoors, including camping and rock climbing, but Matteo also has a passion for his hometown of Chicago and everything that makes that place special. Matteo looks up to his father and hopes to have a positive impact on many people’s lives just as his dad has. He prides himself on his work ethic and positive attitude, especially in tough situations.
Sheri L. Rhyan
DIRECTOR OF ADVISOR TRANSITIONSSheri Rhyan is a seasoned financial services professional with over 29 years of experience in client relationship management, compliance, and operational leadership, making her an ideal Director of Transitions for financial advisors. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sheri excels at guiding advisors through seamless firm transitions, ensuring compliance, operational efficiency, and uninterrupted client service during periods of change. Her unique blend of industry expertise and entrepreneurial insight—honed as the owner of Restoration4U! founded in 2008, where she provides expert organizational services for “Moving In, Moving Out & Moving On”—equips her to handle the complexities of advisor moves with precision, experience, understanding and empathy.
Sheri holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in English from the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Her career trajectory demonstrates a proven track record in supporting advisor teams across multiple firms, including Piper Jaffray, Raymond James & Associates and Wells Fargo Advisors.
Sheri’s deep knowledge of regulatory requirements, client-centric operations, and transition management has enabled her to support advisors in navigating brokerage changes, team restructurings, and client retention strategies. Her commitment to excellence is evident in her ability to build strong, long-term relationships and deliver results in dynamic environments.
Sheri resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota and holds Series 7, 63 and 65 securities registrations.