Chris Goeglein, MBA | Managing Principal and Founder
Chris Goeglein is the founder and Managing Principal of True North. Under his leadership, True North has become one of the most active investment banking firms in Indiana. In addition, under Chris’s leadership True North formed a separate practice dedicated to providing local nonprofit organizations with strategic, financial, and governance advice.
Chris is an experienced strategist, advisor to senior executives, and change agent. During almost a decade of leading corporate transactions for Lincoln Financial Group, he evaluated transactions worldwide and completed numerous acquisitions, divestitures, initial public offerings, and startups with a combined deal volume in excess of $7 billion.
As an expert in corporate strategy, valuation, and corporate finance, Chris has become a trusted advisor to business owners and managers. He has advised business owners in diverse sectors, such as insurance, investments, automotive, distribution, manufacturing, and e-commerce.
A Registered Representative with Burch & Company, Inc., a member of FINRA and SiPC, Chris holds FINRA Series 62, 63 and 79 securities licenses. He holds an MBA from Ball State University and a bachelor’s degree in computer science and political science from Taylor University.
In addition to his work in the for-profit sector, Chris is personally active in nonprofit leadership, currently serving on the Taylor University Board of Trustees. Prior board service has included Taylor University Broadcasting Inc. (WBCL) , Concordia Education Foundation, The Lutheran Scholarship Granting Organization of Indiana, and Fort Wayne Area Youth for Christ. Chris also serves as an outside director of Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company.
Chris and his wife, Deb, have three children and four grandchildren. Outside of his professional and nonprofit activities, Chris enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and playing tennis.
Monte Lightner, JD, CPA (inactive) | Principal
Since the late 1980’s, Monte has managed and directed the tax functions of several multi-national corporations, including Lincoln Re, Central Soya and Borden. His planning, research and administrative skills have created sophisticated acquisition and disposition structures, resulting in increased shareholder value. Monte has extensive experience in U.S. and international taxation as well as experience in other treasury matters, including debt placement and risk management. Monte has participated in large transactions worldwide, focusing on strategic financial and tax planning to ensure advantageous legal, tax and accounting treatment for shareholders.
Monte earned his juris doctor from Indiana University School of Law and bachelor’s degree in accounting from Ball State University. He’s also a CPA (inactive) and member of the Indiana bar. He is a Registered Representative with Burch & Company, Inc., a member of FINRA and SiPC, and holds FINRA Series 62, 63 and 79 securities licenses. He is chair of the Huntington University Board of Trustees.
Monte and his wife, Beth, are parents of three, grandparents of six, and are active in their church.
Ken Sipe, FSA, MAAA | Principal
Ken is a Principal of True North and is involved in all aspects of the Company’s corporate finance, business strategy and merger/acquisition advisory services. Prior to joining True North in 2005, Ken worked more than 20 years in the financial services industry, mainly in a variety of leadership and management positions with large publicly held corporations. In reinsurance deal-making roles with Lincoln Financial Group and ING Group, his teams were responsible for designing, pricing, negotiating, and executing complex reinsurance transactions.
Actively involved in nonprofit board leadership and executive mentoring, Ken serves as an advisor to nonprofit leaders and boards in areas of strategy, governance, and finance. Personally, he has served as a member of various nonprofit boards and advisory teams and currently serves on the board of Colorado-based Forge – Kingdom Building Ministries.
An actuary by professional training, Ken is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He is a Registered Representative with Burch & Company, Inc., a member of FINRA and SiPC, and holds FINRA Series 62, 63 and 79 securities licenses. Ken earned a master’s degree in actuarial science from Ball State University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and business from Grace College.
A native of Berne, Ken and his wife, Tammy, live in Fort Wayne where they enjoy active involvement in the community and serving as mentors to engaged and young-married couples. They have three children and eight grandchildren. Ken enjoys time with family, reading, playing tennis, and traveling.
Scott Metzger, MBA | Principal
Scott is an experienced finance and transaction professional who has applied these skills in a variety of business development activities. He is a strategic thinker experienced in strategic planning, deal structures, due diligence, and contract negotiations.
Scott has an in-depth understanding of the capital markets with experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and initial public offerings. He has led the establishment of a new business start-up and structured joint venture arrangements. Having worked for companies in the Fortune 500 as well as a closely held private company, he understands many of the issues present in today’s increasingly competitive business landscape.
As a Registered Representative with Burch & Company, Inc., a member of FINRA and SiPC, Scott holds FINRA Series 62, 63 and 79 securities licenses. Scott graduated cum laude from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, majoring in Business and Economics. He received an MBA from The University of Chicago.
Scott and his wife, Athena, have three children.
Josh Sipe, CFA, MBA | Principal
Josh joined True North in 2016 and is involved in the firm’s mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance practice areas. He enjoys developing an in-depth understanding of each client’s business model, strategic positioning, and marketplace dynamics. Every deal is uniquely complex, and Josh appreciates the challenge of reacting to new information and working to ensure optimal outcomes for stakeholders.
Before True North, Josh spent 10 years in the banking and financial services industry where he led financial analysis and risk management functions as well as provided investment advisory and portfolio management services for private clients.
Josh is a Registered Representative with Burch & Company, Inc., a member of FINRA and SiPC, and holds FINRA Series 63 and 79 securities licenses. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Ball State University, an MBA from Taylor University, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Josh and his wife, Lauren, have three children. Outside of the office, Josh serves as an elder at his church, enjoys playing golf and hockey, and spending time outdoors.
Kayla Luithly, MBA | Associate
Kayla is experienced in project management, research, and financial analysis. She works with both corporate and nonprofit clients and enjoys the diversity of each project. Driven by a strong interest in analytics and keen attention to detail, Kayla takes pride in creating high quality presentations and deliverables for clients. In addition to her primary functions, Kayla is skilled in tech and database management.
Kayla triple majored at Indiana Wesleyan University, earning bachelor’s degrees in leadership studies, intercultural studies, and teaching English to speakers of other languages. Additionally, she earned an MBA with a finance concentration from Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Kayla and her husband, Kurt, have one daughter born in 2022. Kayla enjoys going on date nights, doing yoga, singing on her church worship team, and soaking up every second of down time with her baby girl. Kayla also has a skincare and color consulting side business and loves pampering and socializing with the women she gets to meet through it.
Jackson Wert | Analyst
Jackson joined True North as an Analyst upon graduating from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in May 2021. Within the firm, his primary responsibilities include market research, financial analysis, presentation development, and diligence support.
What attracted Jackson to True North was the opportunity to be mentored by experienced professionals and to develop his skills through a client-facing environment.
He earned bachelor’s degrees in Economic Consulting and Management and plans to begin an MBA after gaining industry experience in advisory services.
Outside the office, Jackson enjoys playing golf and all types of music and theatre inspired by heavy involvement in high school.
Amy Kramer | Office Coordinator
Amy serves as Executive Assistant at True North. Her responsibilities include scheduling, presentation preparation, and various administrative tasks. Her voice is likely to be the one that greets you when you call the office.
Amy has a bachelor’s degree in Education from Asbury University. Before joining True North in January 2018, she had been a teacher (both Elementary and GED) and then a stay-at-home mom for many years.
She and her husband, Brian, moved to Indiana from Pennsylvania in 2012. They have 2 daughters. Amy volunteers tutoring English through International House and mentoring high school girls through her church. She enjoys biking Fort Wayne’s trails, reading, sewing, and game nights with her family.
Sally Stitzer | Contractor
As a Contractor for True North, Sally Stitzer provides leadership and support for nonprofit projects. Skilled in strategic planning, relationship building, communication, facilitation, and organization, Sally keeps projects on track and focused on strategic objectives. She has a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Indiana University (IPFW), as well as over a decade of leadership experience in the corporate world.
Outside of True North, Sally is the founder of a leadership development and consulting company called Radix Advantage. Taken from the Latin word for root, radix, the company was built on the concept of getting to the root so that problems can truly be solved, growth can be ignited, and progress can be made. She especially loves working with her executive coaching clients and seeing them achieve their goals.
Sally lives in Fort Wayne with her husband and their two girls. Active in the community, Sally serves on the Board of Directors for Northeast Indiana Center for Faith & Work and attends Pathway Community Church with her family. In her free time, Sally enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, baking, and exercising off the calories from baking.