Our story

Ron is a proven leader, recognized visionary and innovator within the financial services industry.

In addition to co-founding Amplify, he is also CEO & Co-Founder of Annexus, the nation’s leading independent retirement planning product design and distribution company. Annexus has won multiple awards for innovation. In March of 2024, Ron rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange in celebration with his partners in bringing some of the financial service industry’s most innovative products to market.

Shurts is an entrepreneur at heart and has launched and grown multiple successful companies in his 30 years in the financial services industry.

Besides building powerhouse businesses, Ron is an enthusiastic sports fan, he has passionately supported the Arizona Rattlers as a season ticket holder since their very first game in 1992. In 2011, he took on the role of majority owner and CEO of the Rattlers, leading to remarkable achievements for the team. Under Ron’s leadership, the Rattlers have celebrated numerous victories, including five National Championships in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2024 and nine Western Conference Championships. Most notably, the Rattlers brought home the coveted 2024 Indoor Football League National Championship, further solidifying their legacy in the sport.

In July of 2024, Ron became an investor in Venezia FC, purchasing part of the soccer team which won a playoff game that led to the club’s promotion to the biggest soccer league in Italy, Lega Serie A.

Ron is deeply committed to his community and is actively involved with the Phoenix Suns Charities, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the Patrick Peterson Foundation for Success and the Arians Family Foundation.

He and his wife, Mia, enjoy spending time with their two sons, AJ and Jaxon.

Aaron is the Co-Founder and CEO of Amplify Technology.

Under his leadership, Amplify has gained repeated industry recognition* and is emerging as a leader in the wealth management technology platform space. Aaron is passionate about delivering streamlined solutions to the advisory enterprise which improve efficiency and scale, allowing wealth advisors to focus on what they do best, meeting and exceeding client expectations.

Prior to founding Amplify, Aaron was a financial advisor and portfolio manager for a multifamily office. He began his career as an oil trader for Tosco, now part of ConocoPhillips. Aaron is a graduate of New Mexico State University, where he played NCAA collegiate basketball for the Aggies.

He obtained the designation of Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®), administered by Investments & Wealth Institute® and taught in conjunction with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Aaron is also Founder and CEO of RIA firm Ashton Thomas Private Wealth, which serves foundations, business entities and affluent individuals and families through fee-based financial planning and investment portfolio management, retirement plan consulting and related financial education programs.

Aaron and Heidi Brodt and their two sons reside in Scottsdale, Arizona. He enjoys coaching his boys in basketball, spending time with family, and giving back to the community.

* References: WealthManagement.com 2023 Industry Awards Finalists/Honorees ALM/ThinkAdvisor LUMINARIES Class of 2023 WealthManagement.com 2022 Industry Awards Finalists/Honorees

David Hatfield serves as Chief Technology Officer for Amplify. David drives platform architecture and directs the development team, providing fresh and innovative ideas to deliver an exceptional advisor experience through Amplify.

For over a decade, David has deployed solutions to meet the needs of enterprise information management platforms, compliance programs, business intelligence and analytics solutions, as well as targeted application systems. These successful implementations have improved overall business productivity through streamlined processes and delivery of key metrics for enterprise stakeholders.

David graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science and Engineering in Computer Systems Engineering from the Ira A Fulton School of Engineering at Arizona State University and a Master of Science in Information Management from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

As Chief Growth Officer, Vickie leads Amplify’s sales and marketing team, driving strategic direction, business development, and market positioning. She is responsible for articulating and amplifying the competitive advantages of Amplify’s unified wealth management platform, ensuring alignment between product development and market needs. Vickie also plays a key role in shaping product and market development strategies and is an integral member of the leadership team.

Prior to joining Amplify, Vickie was Senior Vice President and Chief Success Officer at AssetMark from 2021 to 2024. She joined AssetMark in 2001 when it was a $1 billion TAMP provider and was instrumental in its growth to a $100+ billion industry leader. Her leadership spanned multiple roles, including SVP – Central Division and Internal Sales Development, SVP – Eastern Divisional Sales Manager, and New England Regional Consultant. Vickie played a pivotal role in guiding AssetMark through acquisitions and spearheaded marketing efforts, including overseeing 80+ industry events annually. She previously held roles at FundQuest (now part of Envestnet), Investment Advisory Network (now SS&C Technologies), and Nuveen.

Vickie holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and communications from The Ohio State University, where she was a varsity tennis player and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

Outside of work, Vickie and her husband, Oren, enjoy a lively family life with their five adult children. She loves traveling, golfing, and sharing great wine with family and friends. She is also passionate about increasing the representation of women in financial services and mentoring the next generation of female industry leaders.

Jason C. Rowley, Amplify’s Chief of Staff & General Counsel, is a results-driven Attorney and accomplished Board Member with a distinguished career marked by visionary leadership, value creation, brand management, and stakeholder engagement.

Over the course of 15+ years with Suns Legacy Partner, the holding Company for the Phoenix Suns NBA franchise, Jason was instrumental in driving exponential growth and operational excellence. Jason’s tenure at the Suns was marked by significant operational successes and franchise growth. He built and led a team of executives and staff of 1500, propelling the NBA franchise from the bottom third in revenue to a commanding #5 position. As President & Chief Executive Officer, he steered the ship to a period of remarkable financial success, achieving a tenfold increase in franchise value, culminating in a historic $4 billion market valuation and franchise sale in 2023. He is especially proud of orchestrating the revitalization of the Sun’s organizational culture, fostering a commitment to excellence through the integration of five core values: integrity, accountability, excellence, resiliency, and teamwork.

His professional journey has also encompassed diverse legal roles, from Corporate Counsel at Van Tuyl Group to serving as a Corporate & Real Estate Transactional Attorney at Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. in Phoenix, Arizona.

• Named a Top 21 Leader of 2022 – InBusiness Magazine
• Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy – Past Board Member
• Downtown Phoenix Inc. – Past Board Member
• Phoenix Suns Charities – Past Board Member
• Greater Phoenix Leadership – Past Board Member
• Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association – Past Board Member
• Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Past Board Member
• Frequent Panelist/Keynote Speaker
• 2015 American Heart Association Phoenix Heart Walk Chairman
• 2011 Father’s Day Council Father of the Year Award Recipient
• The Thunderbirds – Life Member
• Special Olympics Arizona – Past Board Member
• Arizona Bar – Current Member
• NAIOP – Current Member

Rowley grew up on a legacy working cattle ranch in southern Arizona, which his family still owns and operates. He received his bachelors degree and JD from the University of Arizona, and prior to entering law school served four years in the US Navy as an Intelligence Specialist.

He and his wife Kristin have three daughters – Abigail, Lucy and Grace.

Churni Bhattacharya is the Chief Product Officer at Amplify, where she leads the overall product strategy, roadmap, and execution of the Amplify platform. With her extensive background in digital transformation, Churni drives the development of innovative products and the creation of a high-performing product team. She ensures that Amplify’s products are not only aligned with customer needs but also positioned for long-term success in a rapidly evolving market.

Churni brings a wealth of experience in transforming legacy systems into next-generation platforms, particularly within the financial services industry. Prior to joining Amplify, she served as Chief Application Officer at AssetMark Inc., where she played a pivotal role in the company’s largest transformational initiatives. Churni was responsible for more than 75% of AssetMark’s capital budget, overseeing a portfolio of strategic initiatives including the replacement of the custodial system, the implementation of a new tax management system, and the development of a new billing system. She also led the company’s productization and agile transformation efforts, helping to position AssetMark for continued growth and success in the competitive wealth management space.

Before her time at AssetMark, Churni held several key roles in the financial services sector, including as the VP of Business Technology Partner for Deposits at First Republic Bank, where she served as the Divisional CIO, overseeing end-to-end technology services for the bank’s largest business division. She has also led technology and project management efforts at Intuit, Accenture, and Ernst & Young, where she provided strategic guidance for technology initiatives at a number of Fortune 500 companies.

In addition to her corporate leadership experience, Churni is a best-selling author and a respected public speaker. She is the founder and president of ChurniSpeaks LLC, a consulting firm focused on digital transformation, technology and data strategy, and AI.

In Churni’s free time, you can find her singing Indian classical music, spending time with her pets, or reading a great book.

Amplify’s CFO, Kim Hill, is an accomplished CPA and PMP with over 25 years of experience spanning start-ups, mid-size companies, and Fortune 100 firms. As a strategic and operational CFO, Kim has built a reputation for her exceptional ability to guide organizations through complex financial landscapes, particularly in VC/PE-backed entrepreneurial environments. Her expertise covers a broad range of areas including finance, strategy, debt management, mergers and acquisitions, integrations, and organizational development, making her an invaluable asset to any leadership team.

Kim is passionate about driving growth and efficiency while fostering a culture of collaboration and high performance. She has a proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams across finance, accounting, treasury, compliance, legal, HR, and IT functions. Her leadership style is characterized by a combination of high expectations and emotional intelligence, ensuring results while cultivating a positive and engaged work environment. Kim’s ability to connect cross-functionally and engage with Boards of Directors and investors has played a pivotal role in her success.

A fun fact about Kim is that she spent five years working globally with a Fortune 100 company, traveling to over 60 countries in the process. This international experience has enriched her perspective on business, making her a strategic thinker with the ability to navigate diverse markets. Kim continues to thrive in her role at Amplify Platform, where her leadership and financial expertise are instrumental in propelling the company’s success.

In Kim’s free time, she is an avid traveler and is constantly planning her next adventure. When she is not planning her next getaway, you can find her hosting a lavish themed party or cheering on all sports teams of her alma mater Indiana University. Go Hoosiers!

Christine serves as Senior Director, Head of Operations and Client Service. She is focused on managing a team of professionals who provide exceptional service and support. In addition, Christine oversees the team members and functions responsible for onboarding client firms to the Amplify platform.

Previously, Christine was Senior Vice President, Client Onboarding, for Pershing X, where she led a team of implementation and onboarding consultants. She was also an integral part of the Wove platform team. Prior to that, she was Vice President, Client Transition Manager, at Pershing LLC, where she focused primarily on the custodian’s large, multifaceted broker-dealer relationships. Earlier in her career, she held roles with Pershing Advisor Solutions (PAS), where she led the onboarding team in growing the platform to $100 billion under management.

Christine thrives on building collaborative relationships among team members and across functions. She is also passionate about helping advisory firms deliver exceptional service and solutions to their wealth management clients.

Originally from Ohio, Christine is a graduate of Ohio University in Athens, from which she received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband and children. In her personal time, Christine enjoys cooking and attending country music concerts.

Jolen has more than two decades of wealth management industry experience. She has served as CCO of a management firm and she brings that perspective to her role at Amplify.

As our Chief Compliance Officer, Jolen oversees compliance considerations within the Amplify platform. This includes ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements, and monitoring of policies and procedures. She also contributes to the continuous improvement of processes and procedures that help reduce operational risks for firms using the platform. Jolen serves as a consultative resource to each client firm using Amplify, often interfacing directly with a firm’s internal or outsourced compliance staff.

Prior to joining Amplify, Jolen was with GenSpring Family Offices, where she served as a Senior Portfolio Associate, developing and maintaining relationships with private and institutional clients of the firm. Jolen resides in Arizona with her husband, who is a dental professional.

Murray serves as the Senior Director, Head of Advisor Solutions and Planning at Amplify. Bringing several decades of financial and strategic expertise to our team, his focus is on advancing the platform’s capabilities, ensuring efficient integration across financial planning, tax strategy, and compliance solutions.

Prior to this role, Murray served as Director of Financial Planning at Ashton Thomas, where he oversaw the financial planning process for the firm, collaborated closely with the Ashton Thomas Tax Advisory team, and coordinated third-party service providers.

Murray was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. After graduating from the University of Calgary with a degree in economics, he decided to immediately pursue his Master of Arts in economics at the University of Alberta, graduating in 1995.

After graduating from the MA program, Murray took a position with the Alberta Treasury as an analyst for the $13.5 billion (Canadian) Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund. Over the next decade, he held a number of marketing positions with a major beverage company in Vancouver and then a management role at Telus, a major telecom player in Canada, back in his home city of Calgary. It was during his time at Telus that Murray met his future wife, Kristin.

After leaving Telus, Murray worked for a brief time in an ad agency run by one of the Lion’s Den – Canada’s equivalent of Shark Tank – personalities, where he learned a great deal. However, Murray’s passion was primarily still in the world of finance and economics, so he decided to dive back into the financial world. After a brief stint in real estate syndication, he joined a friend from college who was an established financial advisor to help with marketing, portfolio strategy and transformation of the wealth management practice. The position evolved into a comprehensive financial planning role and provided Murray with much of the material which fuels his passion for the profession today.

After Murray and Kristin’s son was born in 2013, they decided to follow her family and relocate to Arizona. While working as a cross-border consultant, Murray obtained his Canadian Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation through FP Canada. Shortly thereafter, he pursued and secured his US Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) Professional designation through the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. In 2017, he joined a cross-border financial advisory firm, Keats Connelly Associates, of Phoenix, Arizona.

“Education is at the core of sound financial planning, no matter one’s age or background,” says Murray. “You can’t tell anyone what to do. Give people well-thought-out, relevant options and make recommendations so they can make informed decisions. That’s the most sensible approach.”

Murray is very active in the Financial Planning Association®, the professional association for financial planners, and is currently a board member and president of the Greater Phoenix FPA chapter.

Murray, Kristin and their son reside in Mesa. They are avid gardeners, having developed over 400 square feet of food gardens and cultivated more than ten types of fruit trees. Murray also enjoys DIY home projects and computer programming, particularly where it helps make their home “smarter.” Additionally, Murray is a guitar player and past band member in Alberta.

Ron joined Amplify in 2023 as Director of Investment Research. In this role, he is focused on oversight of risk modeling, assessment of portfolio risk assessment, and investment manager due diligence.

Ron brings an extensive background in risk analytics, portfolio theory and model development, and quantitative research to Amplify. He studied the 1998 collapse of Long-Term Capital Management and subsequently wrote a graduate dissertation on heavy-tailed distributions using neural networks. Ron has applied the knowledge and experience gained through his quantitative research to risk management systems and processes at a number of well-known financial firms.

Before to joining Amplify, Ron was part of a portfolio management team that launched new ETFs to the advisory marketplace. Previously, he helped a national wealth management firm develop a program to assess structured notes as a tool for generating client conversations. He also built portfolio margin systems for TD Ameritrade and other firms. Ron was co-founder of a cloud-based risk analytics company which was subsequently acquired by a Covisum, a software entity which serves RIAs. He started his financial services career with First National Bank of Omaha, where he developed Economic Capital and Treasury risk models.

Ron received a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska and a Maîtrise (Master’s degree) from Strasbourg University in France.

In his free time, Ron enjoys golf, fencing, and scuba diving. He remains an avid student and researcher in the areas of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and the cognitive sciences.

Claudiu is Director of Investments and Trading at Amplify Technology. In this role, Claudiu leads the trade desk in support of Amplify clients. He also manages a team that delivers technical research, market commentary, and manager and investment due diligence solutions to advisors and investment professionals across the Amplify ecosystem.

Prior to joining Amplify, Claudiu was Senior Portfolio Trader with Voya Financial, where he covered multiple market sectors and contributed to the broker-dealer’s overall asset allocation strategy. Previously, he had an extensive career with Vanguard, primarily as a Senior Fixed Income Trader. He was an inaugural member of Vanguard’s Fixed Income Special Transactions team, where he focused on building customized fixed income solutions for high-visibility, ultra-high-net-worth clients of the firm. These portfolios often contained complex financial instruments, as well as tailored, sophisticated cash management strategies.

Born and raised in Romania, Claudiu and his family emigrated to the United States in 1983, settling in the North Shore of the Chicago metropolitan area. The family relocated to Indianapolis during his teenage years, where he attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. Claudiu moved to the desert southwest for college at Arizona State University, graduating in 1999 with a degree in Finance and a minor in Economics and has remained in Arizona since.

Claudiu resides in a friendly north Scottsdale neighborhood where he has lived for some time. A former member of the Honeywell League (soccer), Claudiu enjoys watching and playing sports, as well as reading, swimming, and running.

As Director of Portfolio Solutions, Steve oversees due diligence, third-party asset manager relationships, and communication, policies, and procedures for investments available through the Amplify platform. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role, with a career spanning two decades in the investment world.

Steve began his career in financial services as a registered representative working with investment clients, eventually gravitating toward portfolio management and becoming a portfolio manager. In addition to interfacing directly with clients, Steve has assisted in building systems for identifying risk tolerance and financial objectives, evaluating investment vehicles, and designing tailored investment strategies.

In 2010, Steve RiskX Investments, formerly known as FolioMetrix, where he eventually ascended to the role of Chief Investment Officer and Head of Research. While there, he developed a comprehensive research platform and team, helped launch a series of mutual funds, and garnered attention from industry media, including InvestmentNews, US News, Bloomberg, and ThinkAdvisor.

In 2015, Steve and a business partner harnessed their network and knowledge to establish InvestBetter Consulting, providing outsourced investment solutions and insights to broker-dealers, RIAs, product sponsors, and financial advisors. It also was during this time that he gained valuable, hand-on experience in technology development as cofounder of a proprietary SaaS e-commerce platform tailored to the financial services sector. Steve helped successfully run both businesses until joining Amplify in 2022.

A native of Nebraska, Steve earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He subsequently completed the Master of Security Analysis and Portfolio Management degree program at Creighton University. Steve became a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) in 2012, and he maintains an active membership in the CFA Society of Nebraska.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Steve is an active member of his golf club community in Omaha, where he resides with his wife and two dogs. When not in Nebraska or spending time with the Amplify team in Scottsdale, Steve has developed a passion for exploring, fishing, and diving in the Florida Keys.

As Director of Product Marketplace at Amplify, Mark fosters strategic partnerships with money managers, financial experts, and product providers, ensuring advisors have access to a curated selection of solutions that support their clients’ evolving needs. At the same time, he ensures Amplify is a strong and valuable partner to the firms on its platform, helping them grow and succeed alongside the advisors we serve.

With nearly 20 years of experience in wealth management, portfolio construction, and investment consulting, Mark has worked closely with RIAs, broker-dealers, and institutions to develop tailored investment strategies. Throughout his career, he has led platform development efforts, spearheaded capital-raising initiatives, and helped financial advisors implement scalable investment and wealth planning solutions that give advisors more time to engage with their clients in ways that don’t scale. His expertise lies in bridging investment management and wealth planning with technology, helping advisors do the expected, and unexpected, things unexpectedly well.

Mark is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) and an Enrolled Agent (EA), bringing deep expertise in investment management and tax planning. He holds an MBA in Finance from Arizona State University and a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Minnesota. He also serves as a volunteer director on the Board of Directors for FPA Arizona, supporting the financial planning community.

Outside of work, Mark and his wife, Adriana, love road-tripping across Arizona and the western U.S. with their four dogs and he also enjoys playing golf, pickleball, and paddleboarding whenever he can.

Anthony “Tony” Avalos is the Head of Enterprise Relationships for Amplify.

Tony joined Amplify in 2017, bringing prior experience as Financial Controller for Shurwest Financial and the Arizona Rattlers. Prior to that, he was in financial and sales management with two major healthcare companies, today known as CVS Caremark and Meritus Healthcare.  Earlier, Tony was Regional Controller – Asia Pacific Region for The Dial Corporation and resided in Asia.  At the outset of his corporate finance career, he was a commercial banker with Wells Fargo. He has also served as an Investment Advisor Representative and has held life, health and accident insurance licenses.

Tony graduated with honors from Arizona State University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a minor in Business Information Systems.  He also successfully completed a post-graduate management program in Product Development from Harvard University, and another post-graduate program focused on Marketing at Arizona State University.

Tony is a native Arizonan who enjoys spending time with his two daughters who currently attend college.