Ryan Newman | Managing Director & Founder
Growing up in the manufacturing hub of Wichita, Kansas, Ryan saw a recurring theme: hardworking people earning good livings, but relying on financial rumors passed down the line rather than actual wealth strategies. Later, while working in the oil fields, he stood alongside men who were risking their lives every day just to provide for their families. They were constantly searching for ways to prepare for the next industry downturn, desperately wanting financial security but lacking the roadmap to get there. Those experiences forged Ryan's core belief: every family deserves the factual knowledge and the power to control their own financial trajectory.
When Ryan discovered how modern life insurance and living benefits could be leveraged to build real, generational wealth, everything clicked. He realized the traditional financial industry was broken, too often focused on high-pressure pitches rather than genuine consulting. He founded Tupelo Financial Group on a completely different standard: education over pressure. He built a culture where the agency succeeds only by treating clients like people, empowering his associates to focus entirely on diagnosing problems and solving them, completely free from the anxiety of making the next sale.
Drawing on his background as a corporate sales trainer and his rigorous Accounting and Finance studies at East Central University, Ryan approaches financial planning with both analytical precision and the heart of an educator. Whether he is dissecting complex tax codes or mapping out a family's safety net, his ultimate reward is simple: when a client finally feels confident and secure in their future, he knows the job is done right.
Outside of his RV office, Ryan runs the agency alongside his wife, Amanda. They live on a property near Ada, Oklahoma, where he spends his downtime managing their fish-stocked ponds and a menagerie of dogs, cats, and free-range chickens. A lifelong strategist and competitor, Ryan is an active father to his four boys, practices jiu-jitsu, and has been designing and running complex Dungeons & Dragons campaigns as a Game Master since the 1990s.
Amelia | Agent
Amelia approaches financial services with a simple, powerful philosophy: it is always about the client, never the agent. Her deep commitment to protecting families is rooted in a recent, profoundly personal experience. Following the passing of her Nanna—whom she lived with and was incredibly close to—Amelia witnessed firsthand the heavy toll that a lack of life insurance can take. Because there was no policy in place, a single family member had to shoulder the final expenses, creating unnecessary financial friction and stress during an already heartbreaking time.
Seeing how the absence of protection fractured her own family became the driving force behind Amelia’s career. She is fiercely motivated to ensure no other family has to endure that same preventable hardship. She understands that people want help but often feel wary, which is why her process focuses on showing genuine compassion and providing transparent education. She sits down with clients to listen to what truly matters to them, finding options that fit their budget and specific goals. For Amelia, the absolute most rewarding part of her work is the exact moment a client realizes their burden has been lifted and tells her she has truly solved their problem.
Outside of the office, Amelia’s heart for serving others translates into cooking for her friends and family. On an ideal unplugged weekend, she is most comfortable relaxing at home, enjoying dinner and tacos with Alysia, playing Animal Crossing, or watching her favorite shows and movies.
Chris | Agent
For Chris, the foundation of financial planning starts and ends with family. His ultimate drive is his wife, Lindsay, and their four children. While he takes his role as a provider incredibly seriously, Chris understands that true security isn’t just about generating an income—it’s about creating a life that allows him to be a fully present, active husband and father. His mission at Tupelo Financial Group is to help other families achieve that exact same balance and peace of mind.
Chris has seen firsthand the crushing weight of unexpected loss. He has witnessed the profound difference between families who had a financial safety net to lean on, and those whose grief was compounded by sudden financial devastation. Because of those experiences, he is relentlessly dedicated to educating his clients so they never have to face a tragedy unprepared.
Rather than pitching traditional products, Chris shows families how modern life insurance actually works. He educates clients on how to leverage living benefits—using the tools of a policy to build security, access critical support, and protect their lifestyle long before a death benefit is ever needed. For Chris, the ultimate reward in this business isn't closing a policy; it is the quiet moment at the end of the day when he can rest easy knowing that another family finally has permanent financial security. It is about empowering people with the knowledge to protect their loved ones and change their family's trajectory for the better.
Derrick | Agent
For Derrick, the transition into financial services was driven by a genuine desire to help people who need guidance but do not know who to trust. Drawing from his background as a mechanic, Derrick applies that same analytical, "go the extra mile" work ethic to diagnosing financial problems.
He is especially passionate about helping fellow tradesmen learn how to truly protect their families. While working in the shop, Derrick experienced what most workers do: he simply filled out his benefit paperwork, watched the premiums come out of his paycheck, and assumed he was completely covered. He didn't realize that he didn't actually own that employer-provided coverage, meaning that leaving the job would require a massive increase in payments just to keep his protection in place. Today, his goal is to demystify these policies, ensuring hardworking people understand exactly what they have and own their coverage so they can rely on it when it matters most.
Because he knows financial conversations can feel overwhelming, Derrick focuses on making people feel completely comfortable and heard. He replaces the typical high-pressure pitch with genuine, human connection—which sometimes means talking about racecars before ever looking at the numbers. Derrick believes in answering questions, educating families, providing fair advice, and simply letting the client decide what is best for their future.
Outside of the office, Derrick lives in La Plata, New Mexico, with his wife, Sam. They run a ranch full of horses, turkeys, dogs, and goats—including a special indoor goat named Popcorn, who was orphaned by the herd and now enjoys the VIP treatment inside the house. When he isn't helping clients, Derrick can usually be found out in his shop or around the property, fixing everything that naturally goes wrong on a working ranch.