Meet Our Team

Bob Erkel has been with Northwestern Mutual since 1983. He started as a college representative while he attended Minnesota State University, Mankato. In 1985 he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management. He currently holds his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®), and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional designations. He is a Wealth Management Advisor with the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company.

Erkel & Erkel has a team of seven people to serve clients. Bob has been an annual qualifier of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT®) every year since 1989. He lives in Spring Lake Township, MN with his wife, Kathy. They have three grown children, Tony, Steven and Julianne, and seven grandchildren, Dylan, Bethany, Arielle, Elysia, Trinity, Kylie, and Isaiah.

In his free time, he enjoys boating, water skiing, fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities.

Kathy Erkel joined Northwestern Mutual as a Financial Representative in 1985 And then became the first member of the practice's administrative team when she changed roles in 1986 to become a business partner and increase the administrative efficiencies of the growing insurance business. She expanded her role to advisory and brokerage account administration in 2008 but now uses her experience in both insurance and investments to oversee the daily operations of Erkel & Erkel.

Kathy has been married to her husband, Bob since 1983 and they have raised their 3 children on Spring Lake in southwestern suburbs of the Twin Cities. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing, Management and Sociology from Minnesota State University in Mankato. She is a Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) and is Series 7 & 63 licensed. She now has three grown children, Tony, Steven and Julianne, and seven grandchildren, Dylan, Bethany, Arielle, Elysia, Trinity, Kylie, and Isaiah.

Ethan Ruesink has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2011 and joined the Erkel & Erkel team in 2013. He attended the University of Northwestern, St. Paul and has multiple state insurance licenses as well as being securities licensed in series 7 and 66. Ethan has a passion for understanding his clients’ full financial picture and helping them implement a strategic, specifically-tailored plan.

When he’s not in a suit and tie, Ethan is enjoying time in the great outdoors, hunting, fishing, and spending time with his wife and kids. He’s an active member of his local church and continues to be involved with medical and service-oriented mission trips to Haiti.

Jean Raduenz has been with us since 1999 and is licensed for both insurance and investments. She has a high level of experience and expertise in all areas of our practice, but she currently handles all new account paperwork, transfer paperwork and brokerage trading and account questions.

Jean has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from St. Olaf College, is Series 7 & 63 licensed as well as having a MN Insurance License. She lives with her husband and 3 children on their local family farm where she grew up, with many extended family members nearby. She is actively involved in her church community in addition to caring for the fruits, vegetables and flowers in her garden. You might also run into her family while enjoying a local threshing bee, classic car or historical event.

Robyn Erkel joined the Erkel family as Bob and Kathy’s daughter-in-law in 2002 and in 2008 also joined our Investment Operations team, primarily servicing the Advisory accounts. Today she continues to assist with building wealth management portfolios, including trading, transfer of funds and new investments.

Robyn has a Bachelor of Arts in Math and Economics from the College of St. Benedict and is Series 7 & 63 licensed. She enjoys traveling to the Caribbean to visit family and friends (and eat lots of tasty food). She currently volunteers at Ballet Royale and Twin Cities Ballet where her daughter Bethany spends much of her time. In the summer she likes paddle boarding on Spring Lake with her children Dylan and Bethany.

Char Lent has been a member of the Erkel & Erkel team since 2003 as the primary coordinator for Bob and Ethan’s appointment scheduling. More recently, she has also been leading the hospitality to the guests at our Prior Lake office as well. She provides additional administrative support to prepare client data both before and after appointments.

Char has been married to Jim, since 1983 and they have raised their 3 sons in the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities. She enjoys camping in Cannon Falls, MN in the summer with her friends and family. She continues to be actively involved in sewing and crocheting for Bundles of Love, missions in Haiti and Bible Study Fellowship. However, the role that she most enjoys is loving on her grandbabies!

Kevin Milton, a Virginia native, joined the Erkel & Erkel team in 2015 shortly after moving to Minnesota. He currently manages our insurance underwriting, policyowner services, college funds, and donor advised funds for our clients. He is the expert who skillfully takes on the projects that require patience and technical know-how.

Kevin has a Master of Business Administration from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and is Series 7 & 66 licensed. He and his wife live in her home town of Prior Lake with their 2 daughters.

Steven Erkel joined our team in June 2012 and is currently the primary coordinator for full financial plan documents. He also assists with investment trading, planning analysis, and creating reports for annual review appointments.

Steven has a Business Management degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he lived for several years. He has a MN insurance license as well as Series 7 & 63 licenses. Now that he is back in Minnesota, he enjoys spending time with friends and family golfing and playing sports. He is well known for his flawless vocal impersonations of Bob.

Molly Kern joined the Erkel & Erkel team in 2022 and has both a Management Certificate and a Small Business Management Certificate from Normandale Community College. She brings administrative experience to the team and manages the hospitality for our guests at the Prior Lake office. 

Molly grew up in Shakopee, MN and now lives in a smaller town south of the Twin Cities with her significant other, along with their dog and cat. She enjoys using her free time for creative projects including crafting and painting but also loves spending time outdoors deer hunting with her family in the fall.