Executive Management
A company’s success is contingent upon its management team's level of experience, personal values, and dedication to the company’s vision. With over a century of combined experience in all areas of the financial services business, our management team is committed to providing uncompromising standards of service to our clients.
Kenneth R. Hyman
President and Chief Executive Officer
Kenneth R. Hyman, founder and visionary of Partnervest Financial Group, is responsible for the direction and oversight of its business, financial, and operational affairs.
Prior to establishing Partnervest, he was the Senior Executive and Financial Officer for Integral Securities, Inc. (Predecessor of Partnervest Securities Inc.) and Integral Securities Europe Ltd. the regulated entities of software developer Integral Development Corp. (IDC). He was also the President and Sole-Proprietor of Partnervest, a financial services consulting firm specializing in operations, e-commerce, financial operations, compliance and regulatory issues, product and service development, and business strategies.
Prior to Partnervest and Integral, Mr. Hyman was the Managing Principal and Chief Operating Officer of Mercer Global Securities and the Director of Operations for Mercer Global Advisors, one of the nation's largest fee-only financial planning and investment management firms. He was also the Vice-President of Trading for Associated Financial Group, a financial services company providing support to more than 328 representatives in over 179 branch and satellite offices.
Mr. Hyman received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics/ Business Administration from the University of Arizona in 1984, is an FINRA District 2 Committee Member, and serves as a member of the FINRA Board of Arbitrators. He is a member of the CEO Founders Leadership Group, Santa Barbara Executive Roundtable and Business Alliance, and Santa Barbara Business Leaders. He is licensed as a Financial Operations Principal, a General Securities Principal, a Municipal Securities Principal, an Options Principal, and a General Securities Representative.
Timothy J. Mahota
Chief Compliance Officer
Timothy J. Mahota is responsible for compliance of Partnervest.
He was General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Integral Securities, Inc. (Predecessor of Partnervest Securities Inc.) and Integral Securities Europe Ltd., and currently serves as General Counsel to software developer Integral Development Corp. (IDC). Mr. Mahota provides comprehensive legal advice concerning contract, compliance, intellectual property, employment, corporate governance, ERISA, and sales and marketing issues.
Prior to joining Integral and Partnervest, he was General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Mercer Global Advisors and Mercer Global Securities, one of the nations largest fee-only financial planning and investment management firms, and he was an Enforcement Attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mr. Mahota holds a bachelors degree in economics and philosophy from John Carroll University, earned his Juris Doctor from Ohio State University College of Law, and obtained a Masters of Law from Georgetown University specializing in investment regulation. He is a member of the bar in California, Ohio and the District of Columbia, chairman of the National ERISA subcommittee for the American Corporate Counsel Association, and serves on the ERISA Advisory Council to the U.S. Department of Labor. He is licensed as a General Securities Principal, a Municipal Securities Principal, an Options Principal, and a General Securities Representative.
Marcy Burton
Chief Marketing Officer
Marcy Burton is responsible for all Sales, Marketing, and Business Development activities of Partnervest Financial Group and its affiliated companies. Marcy is a recognized expert in new product development, marketing and distribution through the independent financial planner network. She has over twenty years of executive experience building and managing effective sales teams with growing companies.
As an accomplished public speaker, she has extensive experience in designing, and delivering effective seminars and workshops for the individual planner and their clients. A graduate from University of Texas, with a Masters in Business and Organizational Psychology, she began her career at Merrill Lynch and has served as Director of Sales and Sr. Regional Vice President for Axa Financial, LLC , Fred Alger Management, Van Eck Global Inc. and Cigna Financial Services.
Sasan Faiz
Chief Investment Officer
Sasan Faiz is the Chief Investment Officer at Partnervest Advisory Services LLC. He has developed and manages Partnervest's STAR™ Asset Management Program; an asset allocation investment strategy based on Modern Portfolio Theory. He also leads the efforts in portfolio management and re-balancing for the firm's sub-advisory outsource unit.
Prior to joining Partnervest, he was the Portfolio Manager for a high technology hedge fund in Santa Barbara. In that capacity, he used a theme-dominated approach to identify leaders within the technology sector. For the 1 year prior to that, he was the General Partner for Doji Capital Partners LP, a limited partnership formed for the purpose of investing in the small to medium capitalization technology issues.
From May 1989 to July 1997, he was a Financial Consultant with the Middle Markets Group at Merrill Lynch in Los Angeles. He identified opportunities in debt markets through asset swaps and floating rate note structures, and marketed and implemented credit derivative strategies for a customer base made up of European and Asian banks.
Through a combination of his educational background and 15 years of experience in institutional sales and asset management, he has developed a proprietary quantitative approach to identify market sectors or securities that exhibit directional or trending behavior.
Mr. Faiz graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 with a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Gunnar Sundstrom
Chief Financial Officer
Gunnar Sundstrom is the Chief Financial Officer of Partnervest Financial Group and its affiliated companies. He is responsible for the day-to-day accounting and financial activities of the firm. He also provides direct support for the Business Operations and Compliance groups at Partnervest.
Prior to joining Partnervest, he was Vice President Controller at Mentor Corporation, where he spearheaded efforts to develop sales & financial analysis systems and implement manufacturing control systems. Other prior experiences include positions of VP Operations & Controller at Gold Crest, Inc., Chief Financial Officer at The Plastic Surgery Company, a Senior Manager position at Ernst & Young and a Manager position at Deloitte & Touche.
Mr. Sundstrom graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a BS and an MBA in Accounting.
Ellen Coyne
Director of Client Services
Ms. Coyne is responsible for overseeing corporate back-office operations.
Prior to joining Partnervest, Ellen was Vice President, Branch Operations Manager with Morgan Stanley. With over 13 years of industry experience, she began her career as a Financial Advisor, then for 7 years Ellen represented Southern California as a Marketing Representative conducting client seminars and working with Financial Advisors throughout Southern California.
Ellen holds a Series 7, 24, 63, 65, 10, and Insurance licenses and has a BS in Management from Golden Gate University.
HomeOffice Directors
The HomeOffice Directors are responsible for the mission-critical day-to-day operations of the company. Partnervest relies on their experience and expertise keep the company running smoothly.
Carolyn S. Bishop
Director of Financial Planning
Carolyn S. Bishop is responsible for Advanced Advice and Financial Planning and Life Planning Programs of Partnervest Financial Group and its affiliated companies. Prior to joining Partnervest, Ms. Bishop was owner of Omni Financial Advisory Services, a full-service, fee-based financial planning and consulting firm. With 20 years in the practice, her expertise includes portfolio development and design, retirement planning, insurance, estate planning, cash management, charitable trusts and foundations, business continuation, fringe benefits and income tax planning.
Ms. Bishop has served as an advisor for the USA Today Personal Finance Hotline, speaker for local and national organizations and is former president of the Ventura County chapter of the Financial Planning Association. She has also served on the Board of Directors of two international non-profit organizations and currently is on the Board of Directors of the New West Symphony of Ventura County, CA. As a top ranked international basketball referee, Ms. Bishop has officiated the United States Olympic try-outs and the World University Games in Japan and Croatia. She has also lectured on sportsmanship and ethics for the National Collegiate Athletic Association at Pepperdine University.
Ms. Bishop has earned undergraduate and master degrees from Michigan State University and achieved the Certified Financial Planner designation. She is licensed as a life and health insurance agent, General Securities Representative and Uniform Investment Advisor.
