Our Team

John C. Keene

Founder, President, CEO

Since 2018, John has been walking with clients during their greatest moments of need.  He helps others protect what matters most to them while leading them toward their most important goals and dreams. He focuses on providing guidance to his  clients, listening intently to their needs and offering thoughtful, intentional guidance so they can make confident financial decisions.

John holds his FINRA Series 7, 6, and 63 securities licenses. In 2019 and 2020, he was named to New York Life’s Executive Council*, and in 2021 and 2022, he was named to President’s Council*. He was a recipient of several sales award including, the 2018 Rookie of the Year sales award as well as the 2019, 2020, and 2021 New Organization Agent of the Year award from the Hawaii General Office. John is a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®, is recognized globally as the standard of excellence for life insurance sales performance in the insurance and financial services industry

Prior to his career in financial services, John was a speech-language pathologist and later became the Vice President of Development at Shriners Hospitals for Children® in Honolulu. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Valparaiso University in Indiana and later attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine, where he earned his Master of Science. He then completed his clinical fellowship on the Big Island of Hawaii.

John is on the board of Family Programs Hawaii and is a member of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, the Kailua Chamber of Commerce, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. He and his beautiful wife have three amazing children and are also “parents” to the world’s cutest dog!

*Council is an annual company recognition program based on agent production from July 1- June 30.

Mike Takazono

Vice President

Mike has been in the financial services industry since 2003.  He began his career with New York Life as a Financial Services Professional in 2009, was promoted to Development Manager in the Las Vegas General Office in 2011 and was the Senior Development Manager in the Michigan General Office from 2013 through 2017.  After moving back home to Hawaii, Mike was a Partner where he built a successful team of advisors.

Before his career in financial services, Mike taught high school music in Ventura, California from 1997 through 2003.  During this time he concurrently held the position of District Music Specialist in charge of curriculum development, implementation and educator training for the teachers of the Ventura Unified School District, grades K through 12.  Prior to teaching music, he worked for the Department of Defense as an Electronics Engineer for the United States Navy in Port Hueneme, California.

Mike is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Engineering and studied at California Lutheran University, School of Education and California State University, Northridge, Department of Music.  He has held a California Single Subject Teaching Credential and Nevada Mortgage Agent License.  He’s currently licensed in Life, Health, Property/Casualty and holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 24, 26, 63, 66 registrations. Mike is a proud member of NAIFA since 2008 and FPA since 2022.

Outside of work, Mike continues to foster a passion for music and golf.

Drew Schnelker

Financial Professional

Drew Schnelker believes that financial planning is deeply personal — it is more than charts and numbers, but about people, families, and the futures they wish to embrace.  Guided by integrity, honesty, and a heart for service, Drew brings a relationship-first approach to every client he serves.

Originally from Michigan, Drew moved to O‘ahu in 2018 with a plan to return home after two years. However, Hawai‘i had far greater plans.  He quickly fell in love with the island’s strong sense of community, married his incredible wife, and became a proud father to two young daughters. Today, Hawai‘i is home — and the foundation of the life he cherishes most.

Before entering financial services, Drew invested numerous years working closely with high-net-worth individuals in the private club industry. That experience shaped his belief that true service means anticipating needs, earning trust, and showing-up consistently — values he now brings to each client relationship.

Drew approaches every relationship as if he were helping a friend — because that’s how he sees his clients. “When that first conversation feels more like catching-up than a consultation,” he says, “That’s when I know we’re a good fit.” From there, he works to understand what matters most — family, travel, legacy, retirement — and builds a customized and holistic plan to help make those dreams a reality.

Whether he’s helping a young family protect what matters most or guiding a retiree toward lifetime income and long-term care solutions, Drew considers the trust of his clients his greatest honor. Building financial security and lasting legacies is more than a career for Drew — it is his passion and his promise to every client he serves.