Our Leadership Team
Steve James is the president and owner of PJ Advisor Group. He works diligently to ensure our OSJ fosters an environment of independence and provides the resources financial professionals need to succeed in an ever-changing business landscape. As Steve runs his own successful practice, he understands the needs of independent financial professionals from firsthand experience.
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Steve has been in the financial services industry for over 22 years. He holds his Series 7, 24, and 66 licenses as well as a degree from Arizona State. The cornerstone of Steve’s wealth management practice is working with school district, university and small business retirement plans and their participants and individuals and families.
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Steve and his family reside in Chandler, Arizona. In free time, Steve enjoys skiing, hiking, spending time with his family, and any other outdoor activity.
With a robust background in both public administration and the financial industry, Hannah brings a wealth of experience to her role as Operations Manager. In this position, she oversees daily operations, logistics, and administrative tasks, ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of our team. Her meticulous organizational skills and passion for planning—evident in her multiple planners—help drive our firm’s operational excellence.
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Hannah holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Arizona State University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science. Her career trajectory includes roles in state and federal government, with six years of experience in financial services, and a tenure as Director of Operations at a small lobbying firm on Capitol Hill.
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Outside of work, Hannah is a dedicated wife and mom of two. You will often find her planning a birthday party, organizing her daughter's sporting events, or planning her next Disney trip. She manages to juggle her career and family with an equal commitment and passion for both.
Melissa Tapken brings 24 years of industry knowledge and is the Compliance Officer at PJ Advisor Group, where she provides compliance support for our Financial Professionals, supervises daily trading activities, and conducts supervisory reviews.
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Melissa holds her Series 7 and 24, as well as a Bachelor of Art in Business Administration from Wartburg College. Before her career with PJ Advisor Group, Melissa worked for many years at CUNA Mutual Group gaining securities knowledge while working for the broker dealer through servicing advisors and managing an advisor support team. After CUNA, Melissa worked for Cambridge Investment Research on the Direct Business Team.
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In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, many outdoor activities, walking, making quilts and intermural sports.
Brenda Garcia is a Compliance Supervisor at PJ Advisor Group where she provides compliance support, supervises daily trade activities, reviews Smarsh and conducts supervisory reviews.
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Brenda holds an Applied Associates in Accounting from Hamilton College. She comes to us having worked at Cuna Mutual Group for 18 years. Beginning on the insurance side for 7 years and then working in brokerage her remaining years. Most recently, Brenda worked as a compliance analyst. She currently holds her Series 7 and Series 24 licenses.
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Outside of work Brenda enjoys spending time with her family, sewing, machine embroidering and attending plays.
Caroline is currently a Senior studying Graphic Information Technology at Arizona State University and expects to graduate May 2025.
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At ASU, Caroline has embraced digital art, developing strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite. As a member of Adworks, a student-run advertising agency, she has excelled as an Art Director, applying her design skills to real-world marketing campaigns. In her role as Creative Director on the executive board, she continues to refine her leadership and creative vision.
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At PJ Advisor Group, Caroline serves as the Executive Assistant where she is able to integrate her creative skills with operational support.
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In her free time, Caroline enjoys painting, drawing, and experimenting with various artistic mediums. She values time spent with friends and family and enjoys skating and weightlifting.
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Taylor James joined the team in May 2023, she supports the office by completing special projects and general administrative tasks. Taylor is currently studying Musical Theatre at Loyola University in New Orleans.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, swimming, and spending time with her family and friends.
