Chad Wilkinson
President
Chad Wilkinson started Valiant Retire out of a passion for perfection for his clients. He has over 25 years’ experience of specializing in qualified plans and is proud of his roots. While his first job out of college was working as a sales assistant at a brokerage house, he quickly migrated toward qualified plans and worked for an industry-leading mutual fund provider, top five retirement plan record keeper, and a third-party administration/recordkeeping firm. Each firm gave him a better perspective of what clients need. He has designed Valiant to function as an extension of the clients they work for.
Chad received national recognition from 401kWire and NAPA (National Association of Plan Advisors) for his work in plan consulting, fiduciary management, and educational services. He holds the Certified Fund Specialist™ (CFS™) professional designation from the Institute of Business & Finance.
In Chad’s free time, you will find him working on his family farm. Wilkholm Farm, located just outside Parish, New York, has been in Chad Wilkinson’s family for generations. Growing up on a dairy farm has instilled in Chad hard work, an appreciation of the spectrum of responsibilities business owners face, and the importance taking care of the employees that take care of your business. Chad has fostered an atmosphere of collaboration and teamwork at Valiant Retire so clients can expect comprehensive solutions that benefit business owners, employees, and investors with seamless implementation and servicing.
Melissa Booth
Partner - Accounting & Operations
Valiant Retire, Inc.
Melissa Booth brings a strong financial and operational background to Valiant Retire, where she focuses on accounting and internal processes to ensure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. A 1991 graduate of the State University of New York at Potsdam with a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics and a minor in Accounting, Melissa began her career at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she developed a keen eye for detail, problem-solving, and project management.
After leaving government service, Melissa built a successful career as an entrepreneur, managing the financial and operational aspects of multiple businesses across aviation and advanced agriculture. Her expertise in accounting, budgeting, and financial organization makes her an invaluable asset to Valiant Retire, where she helps maintain efficiency and accuracy in financial operations. While her work is primarily focused on internal processes, Melissa’s contributions play a key role in ensuring Valiant Retire strives to provide top-tier service with a strong foundation of financial stability.
*Melissa is not an associated person of Commonwealth.
Nicole Griffo
Client Relationship Manager
Valiant Retire Advisors, LLC.
Chad asked Nicole Griffo to join Valiant Retire after just 25 minutes of conversation. It wasn’t about résumés, titles, or numbers—it was immediately clear she was the kind of person every organization hopes to find. Nicole’s approach, integrity, and genuine interest in people made her a natural fit in the fabric of Valiant Retire, and we’re confident that after a short conversation, our clients will feel the same.
Before joining Valiant Retire, Nicole built her experience in sales and relationship-driven roles, most recently as an Account Executive in broadcast and cross-platform advertising. Working closely with business owners across industries helped her develop strong communication skills, an appreciation for customized solutions, and a deep respect for earning trust through follow-through and transparency.
Outside of work, Nicole spent years competing at the highest levels of the American Quarter Horse Association show circuit, traveling throughout the East Coast. Performing in a demanding, competitive environment taught her discipline, preparation, and the importance of continuous improvement—lessons that shape her perspective today and reinforce her desire to educate, motivate, and help others pursue their goals.
Lindsey Richards
Director of Client Services
Valiant Retire, Inc.
Lindsey joined the Valiant team as Director of Client Services with over 16 years’ experience in retirement plan onboarding and on-going administration. Lindsey’s remarkable organizational skills and great personality are leveraged to make Valiant’s clients feel very welcome and at ease that all details are being executed. She wants clients to appreciate her knowledge and her ability to keep them within the confines of ERISA.
Lindsey is a native of Western New York. After graduating from Niagara Community College, she began working in the retirement plan industry. With her superb learning skills, hard work and determination, she quickly took on more challenging roles. These roles have strengthened her ability to work with various organizations and vendors related to plan administration. This makes her a perfect fit for Valiant’s Director of Client Services.
She is currently studying for her QKA® designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries.
*Lindsey is not an associated person of Commonwealth.
Nicole Schneider
Benefit Consultant
Valiant Retire, Inc.
Nicole joined the Valiant team with over 20 years of experience in plan design, consulting, and administration. Clients quickly embrace her deep understanding of ERISA and her ability to design and implement a program to meet both their immediate and future needs. Most of all, clients appreciate her ability to break down challenging discussions under ERISA and translate them into meaningful changes that benefit their organization.
You will often hear our clients tell their plan auditors, “Ask Nicole,” and that is why Valiant is fortunate to employ such a talented professional. The team lovingly refers to her as “The Professor.” She graduated Hamburg Senior High School as Valedictorian and went on to receive a B.A. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Genetics from Cornell University in 1995. We also lovingly ask her how she ended up in plan administration with that impressive background.
Nicole holds a QKA® designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries.
*Nicole is not an associated person of Commonwealth.
Amy Simonsen
Client Relationship Manager
Valiant Retire, Inc.
Amy joined the Valiant team as Client Relationship Manager. Her 15+ year career has given her extensive experience in retirement plan administration, covering a wide variety of plan types. She also has considerable experience in individual tax preparation. Clients appreciate her responsiveness and thoroughness, even in answering the smallest questions. When Chad is conducting plan reviews with clients and mentions Amy, just hearing her name puts an immediate smile on their faces.
Amy has held various roles throughout her dual careers of plan administration and tax preparation. Her favorite roles have always been those centered around training and sharing her knowledge with her colleagues. This desire to help others extends to her clients as well.
In 1997, Amy graduated with an Associates of Applied Science in Natural Resource Conservation from Finger Lakes Community College. Whether in terms of natural environment or business environment, she works to make things better for all.
She is currently studying for her QKA® designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries.
*Amy is not an associated person of Commonwealth.
Ashley Richards
Client Relationship Manager
Valiant Retire, Inc.
Ashley Richards brings over 15 years of experience in employee benefits, making her a valuable addition to the Valiant Retire team. A graduate of Niagara County Community College with a degree in Liberal Arts, Ashley has built a career focused on delivering exceptional service and support to businesses and their employees. In her previous role, she worked with flagship clients employing thousands of people, earning a reputation for her attention to detail, personable approach, and commitment to excellence. While those clients were sad to see her go, Valiant Retire was honored that she chose to bring her experience to our team.
As a Client Relationship Manager, Ashley plays a key role in ensuring Valiant Retire’s clients receive the highest level of service. Her ability to navigate complex benefits administration and build strong relationships aligns perfectly with our mission of providing a personal touch in retirement plan services. She also happens to be the twin sister of our very own Lindsey Richards—something that often leads to Chad joking, “If there were another sibling, we’d hire them too!” With her meticulous attention to detail and genuine care for clients, Ashley is a perfect fit for Valiant Retire, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her on board.
*Ashley is not an associated person of Commonwealth.
