Nicolas began his career in the financial services industry nearly 20 years ago. He has a very diverse and accomplished background, having held senior positions within some of the largest and fastest growing companies in the nation. His extensive experience includes regional and Fortune 500 wirehouses, national banks, discount brokerage firms, and two of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing RIAs. Nicolas was Regional Vice President of the East Region for Mercer Advisors overseeing three important channels: Charles Schwab Institutional, TD Ameritrade Institutional, and Scottrade Institutional. Prior to Mercer, Nicolas was a Regional Managing Partner and Chief Compliance Officer with TMFS supervising several locations in Texas, served as a Senior Vice President of the Private Client Division at Charles Schwab, and began his career as a Financial Consultant at Morgan Stanley. Nicolas currently sits on several boards and is a co-owner of a registered investment advisor as well as a private equity and venture firm. He obtained an MBA in Finance and Business Administration from Western New England University, holds the FINRA Series 65 license, and is currently enrolled in the Executive Quantitative Modeling and Business Evaluation Program at the Wharton School of Business. Nicolas’ deep understanding of the financial services space guides BKLM’s strategic approach to the challenges firms and professionals face in an ever-changing and turbulent industry. 
President
Email: nicolas.knapik@bklmconsulting.com
Matthew’s strong background in creating operational workflows and managerial procedures for investment teams started goes back over 15 years. Matthew was very successful with the Wealth Management Division of Merrill Lynch and became what is now known as a “breakaway” broker. He pursued his passion by developing his own fee-only based RIA practice that is now thriving as a complete wealth management solution for high net worth clients. Prior to starting his current practice, Matthew worked closely with institutional clients and university retirement plans for Arrowhead Asset Management and oversaw several locations for TMFS, one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing RIAs. He earned a BBA in Finance from Texas State University, holds the FINRA Series 65 license and is currently enrolled in the Executive Financial Markets Program at Yale University. Matthew’s robust finance and broker-dealer transition greatly benefits the clients we represent that are within the wirehouse or hybrid registration arena. 
Partner – Liaison Broker-Dealer Channel
Email: matthew.lankford@bklmconsulting.com
Andy’s career in financial services began over 15 years ago and he has been an instrumental part of RIA formations, growth initiatives, exits, and acquisitions. As a successful entrepreneur and investor, Andy’s expertise lies in company valuation and strategic financial partnerships. Andy now leads JARA Ventures, LLC, a venture capital firm that invests and operates in a variety of industries including financial services, recruiting, digital media, and technology. Prior to forming his current firm, he headed the franchise growth of Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and national RIA, TMFS, in the greater Houston area. Andy began his career as a financial advisor at Financial Synergies, an independent financial services firm. He earned a BBA in Finance with Honors from the University of Houston and an MBA with an emphasis in Finance and Entrepreneurship from UCLA Anderson School of Management. 
Partner – Valuation, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Private Equity
Email: andy.brantner@bklmconsulting.com
Melanie started her career in financial recruiting nearly 15 years ago. She founded Direct Hire of Houston and has been leading the business growth for over a decade. Direct Hire of Houston is a full service, direct placement firm specializing in the accounting and finance industry. Having previous experience in the retail and commercial banking industry, Melanie understands how to identify and guide the best job candidates. Her greatest strength is being at the forefront of leveraging technology social media, and her vast network for successful talent acquisition. Her very substantial network of millions of contacts, allows Melanie to have a competitive advantage sourcing top talent. She truly cares about finding the right position for each candidate, which is an excellent skill set to bring to her Human Resources counterparts. Melanie possesses an MBA in Business Administration from Western New England University, held her HRCI PHR, and has qualified to sit for the esteemed SPHR exam in summer of 2016. Melanie brings to BKLM’s clients extensive human resource knowledge and experience, as well as a recruiting network that has a vast national reach within the financial services industry. 
Partner – Human Resources and Talent Acquisition
Email: melanie.knapik@bklmconsulting.com
Andrew is a natural born problem-solver who thrives on using his “out-of-the-box” thinking to bring creative solutions to complex and difficult problems. He has combined his problem-solving passion with his impressive education to become a multi-faceted and successful entrepreneur. Andrew currently leads a variety of strategic projects within several companies including social media integration, SEO maximization, and public relation and perception modeling. Andrew is currently a partner at Direct Hire of Houston, a co-owner in an assortment of media and internet companies, and serves on several boards of directors. His previous experience includes corporate sales, owning and expanding the Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt franchise into 11 Houston locations. Andrew’s education includes a BS from Pepperdine University and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management
Partner – Technology Networking, Marketing, and Public Relations
Email: andrew.martin@bklmconsulting.com
