Our People

James C. Baird | Founder

Jim established the firm now known as Compass Ion Advisors, LLC in 1994. Previously, he was a branch manager & registered investment advisor with Prudential Securities for nine years, overseeing an office that managed $1.3 billion in assets for 12,000 clients and employed 55 people. He has over thirty five years of experience in the industry including positions with Merrill Lynch, Drexel Burnham, and Salomon Brothers. Jim was a former member of SEI’s Select Advisor Council which is composed of the top advisory practices from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. In annual polls of over 100,000 high net worth households and more than 9,000 registered financial service professionals, Jim has been named a “Five Star Wealth Manager,” in the 2012-2018 issues of Philadelphia Magazine. The final list of recipients represents about 5% of the licensed wealth managers in the metropolitan area. Jim graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown University and also attended the Wharton Graduate School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He is an elder at New Life Presbyterian Church in Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania, and he and his wife Pam are actively involved in volunteer work with a number of non-profit organizations. They have been blessed with four grown children and two grandchildren.

Find out more about Jim on LinkedIn.
Check Jim’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Matthew D. Kane, President | Principal

Matt joined the firm in 2006 and is one of the founding members of Compass Ion Advisors. In addition to working directly with the families we serve, Matt serves as the firm’s President, a role he began in 2010. He is responsible for leading our firm as it relates to protecting and growing the mission our team of partners have constructed together over the last several years. In the past, Matt held various sales and support positions with SEI and Merrill Lynch. Matt also served for ten years as an Area Director for Young Life. Young Life is a non-profit organization that cares for young people in hundreds of communities in the US and overseas. During his time there Matt developed the character and leadership ability which Compass Ion has come to value. Our firm and our clients are now the beneficiaries of his growing capacity to create and follow through on the often complex issues our clients regularly face. Matt has completed the NASD’s Series 7, 65 and 63 licenses. He earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Eastern University where he now serves on the board along with The Philadelphia Commons Institute. Matt and his wife Kim live in Villanova, Pennsylvania with their five very active sons.

Find out more about Matt on LinkedIn.
Check Matt’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

George J. Limbach, Senior Vice President | Principal

George joined our former entity PMG Asset Management in January 1999, and also helped establish Compass Ion Advisors, LLC in December of 2008. He is involved with client education and communication, investment research and ongoing portfolio oversight. Prior to this, George spent 21 years with The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, where he was responsible for the selection, evaluation and ongoing monitoring of the firm’s outside money managers. As an officer of Penn Mutual he was also instrumental in developing and supporting their 401K capability as well as helping to build their variable annuity program to over $1 Billion in client assets. He graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and has an MBA degree from Temple University. In addition, he has attended executive programs in business management at Columbia University’s School of Business and the Wharton Graduate School. He and his wife Mimi are active in youth sports programs and have organized a movement for responsible media. They live with their six children in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.

Find out more about George on LinkedIn.
Check George’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Josh Manifold, Senior Vice President | Principal

Josh joined the firm in early 2012, bringing with him over ten years of investment management experience. He started his career with Benkovich & Associates, a private wealth management firm in central Pennsylvania, and spent the next eight years with Wells Fargo Advisors (formerly Wachovia Securities). During this time he focused on active portfolio management and retirement income for individuals and families in Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. By focusing so well on client’s needs, Josh was selected to be a member of the Executive Council, an award based on client service, best practices, and overall productivity. He was also recognized as a Premier Advisor, a designation held by a very select group of Financial Advisors within the firm. He is licensed to work with clients in over twenty states and holds NASD’s Series 7 and 66, along with the Life, Health, and Accident Insurance designation. Josh graduated with honors from Messiah College where he now serves on the Alumni Board. Josh is actively involved in the community and serves on the local board for Young Life. His interest in hiking has taken him around the world and he has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the NaPali Coast in Kauai, and many other peaks. Josh and his wife, Heather, have two sons and two daughters.

Find out more about Josh on LinkedIn.
Check Josh’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Daniel H. Soderberg | Vice President

Dan became a member of Compass Ion Advisors, LLC in April, 2010 bringing with him more than 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining our firm, Dan was the founding partner of Innovative Planning Group, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a firm dedicated to providing comprehensive financial planning services directly to individuals and families. Dan also had a successful 25-year career in human resources, sales and marketing with The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, Horsham, Pennsylvania. During his tenure in sales and marketing, Dan made significant contributions in the areas of product development, retirement planning, pension management, and wholesale distribution. Dan started his career with Pension Service Corporation, Horsham, Pennsylvania, where he rose to become president of the company. Dan’s extensive knowledge of the industry, coupled with his consultative style and true passion for helping people, make him an outstanding fit for our firm. Dan graduated from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, where he majored in accounting. He received his Masters of Science degree in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania. He holds Life, Health and Accident Insurance Licenses and FINRA Series 7, 63 and 66. Dan and his wife, Betsy, live in Ambler, Pennsylvania. They have two grown daughters.

Find out more about Dan on LinkedIn.
Check Dan’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Dick Liburdi, CLU, ChFC® | Vice President

Dick joined the firm in March of 2006. He is focused on the 55+ market, specializing in retirement and investment planning. Prior to this, Dick spent eight years at Creative Financial Group. In addition to his investment management clients, Dick headed up CFG’s fee planning practice. Prior to CFG, Dick spent twelve years with The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. He was Senior Vice President with overall responsibility for the Insurance Business Unit and for all elements of field sales including career agency and independent broker distribution. Prior to Penn Mutual, Dick was Vice President of marketing and Product Development for the Institutional Mutual Funds unit of SEI. This followed a career as a stockbroker with E.F. Hutton and a fifteen year stint in operations with Allstate Insurance Company. Dick is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a B.S. in Economics and has attended executive programs in business management at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. Dick resides in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Check Dick’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Luke Porter | Financial Advisor

Luke joined Compass Ion Advisors in 2017, after spending over five years as a financial advisor for both Karr Barth Associates and Rubin Goldman and Associates.  He works directly with families and institutions, providing comprehensive financial planning and investment management services.  He graduated as a finance and marketing double major from Lehigh University where he was also a pitcher on the baseball team.  Luke holds the Series 7, Series 66, and Life and Health Insurance licenses.  Additionally, he is in the process of obtaining his Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation.  Luke lives in Philadelphia and is an avid Philadelphia sports fan, golfer, outdoorsman, and an active member of the Associate Board for the Anti-Defamation League.

Check Luke’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Carol Gangewer | Administrative Manager

Carol has been with the firm since its inception in 1993-94 and served a critical role in building the operations and administrative systems that have led to our growth over the last two decades. She is strong in both organizational skills as well as client service, and brings her service-minded attitude to every client interaction. Carol has more than 30 years experience in the securities industry, and holds the FINRA’s Series 65, 63 and 7 licenses and as well as her Life, Health and Accident insurance designation. Prior to working with our firm, she was branch operations manager with Drexel Burnham Lambert and Prudential Securities. Her previous experience included seven years as a sales assistant with Smith Barney in their Philadelphia office. She and her husband Glen have a daughter, Hope who is currently attending Grove City College. They are active members in their church and enjoy family time.

Check Carol’s background on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Glen Gangewer, FPQP™ | Associate Advisor

Glen joined the firm in 2006 to serves as a financial planner. He brings with him a client centric approach from a broad background of the retail, manufacturing and healthcare industries. Prior to this, he worked in Aetna’s small group renewals team where he explained and applied underwriting guidelines, pricing of renewals, health policies and sold additional lines of coverage. Glen is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College with a B.A. in Business Management. He also holds Life, Health & Accident Insurance Licenses and the Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional™ (FPQP™) designation. He and his wife Carol reside in Harleysville with their daughter. They are active members in their church and enjoy family time, cycling, and skiing.

Steve Elliker | Associate Advisor

Steve joined Compass Ion Advisors in 2019 as an Associate Financial Advisor. He spent the last 16 years as an investment analyst, which included interviewing CEOs and CFOs of companies, both large and small, to find the best investments for client portfolios and funds. Steve has a passion for helping people and felt led to make a career switch to financial advising—helping clients individually and walking with them on their financial journey. He has an MBA from Drexel University and is working on his CFP. Steve comes from a large family and is blessed to have a wife and four children. He is the volunteer Race Director of a non-profit called OneRunTogether, which benefits local cancer patients financially and spiritually. Steve enjoys spending time with his family and going on adventures. (One of his favorites was an RV trip to Michigan in 2018.)

Kaitlin Salwach | Client Services

Kaitlin, or Katie as she is known to most, joined the firm in the spring of 2013 in a Client Services role. Prior to joining Compass Ion Advisors, Katie worked for over 3 years in client services for USM Services, Inc., and played a key part in developing and executing a new training program for new hire employees. Katie attended the University of Delaware, where she studied Pre-Veterinary Science and English before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in the multi-disciplinary major of Women’s Studies. She has found this unique major has been instrumental for her success in customer service. Katie grew up in Plymouth Meeting, PA and currently lives in Lansdale, PA with her husband Dennis, son Max, daughter Lexi and their cat Charlie. Katie is an enthusiastic animal lover and enjoys reading, watching TV and movies, and spending time with her family and friends.

Jody Voce | Client Services

Jody joined the firm as an administrative assistant in 2005, and is now an integral part of Compass Ion Advisors. Her interpersonal and organizational skills, teamed with her “can-do” attitude, has made her a valued member of the team. Jody resides with her husband and two daughters in Northeast Philadelphia. Jody’s oldest daughter is a graduate of LaSalle University. Jody splits her time between work and being a “Team Mom” for her youngest daughter’s swim team.

Emily Golden | Client Services

Emily joined Compass Ion Advisors in 2018. She interned with the firm during her last semester at the Templeton Honors College and graduated in May 2018 with a B.A. in History. Emily grew up heavily involved in the nonprofit world and, during her time in school, developed an interest in personal finance as a means of equipping people to give generously. She is a major proponent of liberal arts education and is excited to be learning about the finance industry while working as a Client Service Representative. Emily grew up in Baltimore with her two sisters and currently resides in Drexel Hill, PA.

Evan Hewitt | Operations & Brand Manager

Evan Hewitt joined the firm in 2018, serving as the Operations and Brand Manager. Day to day, he improves internal procedures, finds smarter ways to do things, and expands the firm’s capacity to serve clients. Before coming to Compass Ion Advisors, Evan served in the non-profit sector, specifically in higher education. For four years he assisted the development of the Templeton Honors College, building new programs and marketing, followed by another two years directing all marketing and communications for Eastern University’s undergraduate colleges. In 2011, Evan founded a non-profit initiative which established the first public library in Rwanda. Presently, he serves as chairman of the advisory council for the Templeton Honors College, enjoys biking, reading, writing, drawing, and conversation. He lives in Conshohocken, PA with his wife and two children.