Meet the Growing Fed-Options Team!
Fed-Options is expanding to better serve advisors and their federal clients. We’re excited to introduce several new team members who bring deep expertise in federal benefits, retirement planning, and advisor support. We encourage you to reach out and connect, our team is here to help you grow!
Cassie Graves,
Founder
Cassie Graves created Fed Options Consultants and Information Services, LLC to administer excellent back-office federal benefit support to seasoned financial professionals who are looking to optimize the service provided to their federal employee community. Cassie’s journey started as a captive insurance professional in 2008, where she did some sales with the federal benefits, without much training.
In 2014, she took a federal benefits course after becoming an independent insurance representative, focusing on retirement needs. Her goal was to better understand the federal benefits for a more coordinated planning approach with the federal benefits and insurance products with the federal employees in her community. As the spouse of a federal employee at the time, and with several other family and friends who are/were federal employees, this course taught Cassie how many federal benefits were misunderstood while in service and especially in retirement. That's when she made it her personal mission to help employees understand the consequences of their federal benefit choices.
With that mission, she transitioned from being the insurance representative to helping advisors understand the benefits by partnering with a company to empower their advisors to be rockstars of their meetings with the federal employees. She found that she has a knack for being able to simplify complicated situations. With the experience of learning what federal employees need, helping advisors seemed to be the no-brainer solution to continue her mission. In January of 2020, she decided to continue her mission and offer support to all advisors who work with federal employees.
Benjamin Derge,
Marketing and Operations Manager
Since taking a job at Credit Union for Federal Employees over thirteen years ago, Ben has been helping feds find the best financial solutions for their personal goals, from mortgages and debt management to investment advice and retirement planning. He strives to help those who work for the US government to retire comfortably, inspired by his grandfather, who was a Colonel in the Army, and his father, who also served in the Army.
Ben is a former Chartered Federal Employee Benefits Consultant (ChFEBC℠) and financial planner, but has found his passion in writing, editing, and making digital content for the federal workforce and advisors. In the federal benefit space, Ben has been writing articles and helping with digital marketing projects since 2014, and is a featured contributor on sites such as FedSmith.com.
Currently on the East Coast, Ben lives with his wife and high school sweetheart, Sarah (who is also on the Fed-Options team) with their two amazing kids."
Beth McDonnell,
Case Consultant (Lv. II)
Beth's journey with Cassie and Fed Options began earlier this year, and it quickly became apparent just how much vital retirement and benefits information remains largely uncommunicated to federal employees. Having been a federal employee and a teacher prior to that, Beth deeply understood the challenges and the critical need for clarity in this area.
Currently, Beth manages the FedRetireOnline software. Beyond that, she is actively involved in recreating and refining our training materials and presentations. Beth is motivated to be a part of a team dedicated to bridging this significant information gap, enabling federal employees to confidently plan their financial futures.
Rooted in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where Beth resides with her husband, who also shares the experience of having served as a federal employee and an Army veteran, and their three wonderful children. Outside of her professional endeavors, you'll often find Beth immersed in a good book or experimenting with sourdough recipes.
Sarah Finneyfrock,
Case Consultant (Lv. II)
Driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, from caring for pets and children to now playing a supportive role in helping individuals plan and secure their retirement, Sarah has always had a strong passion for serving others.
Until recently, Sarah had very limited experience in the federal benefits field, but both her older brother and mother worked for the government, prominently in cancer research. Ensuring the people who serve the public get the most out of their benefits is a very important issue for her.
Thanks to her husband and teammate, Benjamin, Sarah is excited for the opportunity to join the team. Currently managing the Retire Ready software and assisting with office operations, she helps to ensure a seamless experience for our clients. With Cassie’s expert mentorship and the support of amazing coworkers, Sarah is looking forward to continually learning, growing, and exceeding expectations.