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We help individuals and families work toward achieving their ideal retirements.

Meet The NuVenture Financial Group Team

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Advisory Team

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Bob Horne, RICP® CEO / President / Financial Advisor

Bob Horne, RICP®

CEO / President / Financial Advisor

Bob’s goal is to empower clients to make informed decisions and help accomplish their retirement income goals.

When entering the financial services industry, Bob served as an assistant vice president and branch manager for HSBC Bank. In an effort to find a professional atmosphere that matched his own commitment to building client relationships, Bob made a career change to specifically focus on retirement strategies. After working as an advisor with two local Jacksonville firms for 7 years, he decided to pursue his entrepreneurial vision and launched NuVenture Financial Group in 2019. As the CEO of NuVenture, Bob uses his passion for problem solving to help individuals and families with their long-term retirement strategies.

Bob has passed the Series 6, 63, and 65 securities exams and carries a life, health, and annuity license in Florida. He has also obtained the industry leading Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) designation.

Bob resides in Mandarin, Florida, with his wife and four daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family. Additionally, Bob is actively involved with his church and currently serves as the treasurer on the board of directors with the local nonprofit organization Hart Felt Ministries. He is a founding member and past president of both the Capital Gain Chapter of Business Networking International (BNI) and Core Network Referral Group (CNRG).

Insurance products are offered through the insurance business Nuventure Financial Group. NuVenture Financial Group is also an Investment Advisory practice that offers products and services through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Advisor. AEWM does not offer insurance products. The insurance products offered by NuVenture Financial Group are not subject to Investment Advisor requirements. 
 

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Kiplinger

Read Hidden Obstacles May Snag Your Retirement? 5 Key Points to Consider

The appearances in Kiplinger were obtained through a PR program. The columnist received assistance from a public relations firm in preparing this piece for submission to Kiplinger.com. Kiplinger was not compensated in any way.

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Julian Arndt, FPQP® Financial Advisor

Julian Arndt, FPQP®

Financial Advisor

Julian joined the NuVenture family as its latest insurance professional in 2023 after moving to Jacksonville from Arizona. He earned his Bachelor of Science in public service and public policy from Arizona State University in 2018.

After working in the public sector for several years, Julian wanted to follow his passion for finance, so he worked to earn the Financial Paraplanner Qualified ProfessionalTM (FPQP®) designation. This designation program is for new professionals entering the financial services industry looking to deepen their foundational knowledge in financial planning.

He has passed the Series 65 exam, and obtained his life, health and fixed annuity license with the State of Florida in 2023.

In his free time, Julian likes to spend time with his partner, Samantha, and their dog, Theo. They enjoy biking, exercising, going to the beach and exploring Jacksonville.

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Jenna Simpson, CFP® VP of Operations / Financial Advisor

Jenna Simpson, CFP®

VP of Operations / Financial Advisor

Jenna was raised in Southwest Florida and moved to Jacksonville to attend The University of North Florida in 2012. At UNF she dual majored and graduated in 2016 with a Bachelors in Finance and a Bachelors in Financial Services from one of the top 5 programs in the country. During her senior year she entered the financial services industry, working for New York Life in a commissions-only role. Realizing that “salesperson” was not the role for her, she transferred to the other extreme and worked for a fee-only boutique firm in Jacksonville.

Limited in her growth and learning opportunities, Jenna joined NuVenture’s independent firm. NuVenture offered her freedom to explore many financial needs her clients may face, and they have continuously encouraged her to continue her education. After many years of study, dedication, and the support of her team, she obtained her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ mark.

Working under the independent umbrella of NuVenture, she has the ability to advise others and develop strong relationships with the clients she works with. Jenna is an Investment Adviser Representative and aims to help assist the families she works with in their financial goals through decade’s long relationships. She enjoys engaging with these families and helping them with their retirement. Her goal is to increase the financial literacy for all she works with and within the community.

Outside of work, Jenna and her husband Michael enjoy travelling to and camping in National Parks, watching their favorite sci-fi shows, and enjoying crafts. However, continuing education, advancement in her field, and the continuing growth and development of NuVenture Financial Group is always at the top of her mind.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S., which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
 

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Kiplinger

Read Avoid Retirement Regrets: Five Facts to Learn Now, Not Later

The appearances in Kiplinger were obtained through a PR program. The columnist received assistance from a public relations firm in preparing this piece for submission to Kiplinger.com. Kiplinger was not compensated in any way.

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Jacob McLeod Advisor Assistant

Jacob McLeod

Advisor Assistant

Jacob joined the NuVenture family full time in June of 2024 after interning with us in the summer of 2023. He was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL and comes from a big family with five siblings who all live locally.

Following his high school graduation, Jacob's career ambitions led him to Boston, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in finance from one of the top business schools in the country, the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. Jacob hopes to make an immediate impact on the advisory team at NuVenture, and is currently studying for his life, health and fixed annuity license as well as his Series 65 exam.

Outside of his passion for finance, Jacob enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and his girlfriend Madison. His hobbies include golfing, fishing, watching football, and cooking.

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Blake Dixon Financial Advisor

Blake Dixon

Financial Advisor

Blake Joined the NuVenture family as its latest financial advisor in 2024 after 2 years of living in Jacksonville and working in the financial industry. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus on international business and marketing from Valdosta State University in 2021. After working for a fortune 500 company in Atlanta, Blake wanted to follow his passion for people & finance in Jacksonville, FL.

So, he began working on receiving his Series 65, S.I.E., and Florida 2-14 licenses. After obtaining these licenses, he was off to the races serving others and making an impact in people’s lives. While working to serve others and make a deeper impact, he wanted to strengthen his foundation of knowledge and opportunities. Likewise, he has passed the Securities Industry Essentials exam, the Series 65 exam, and the Life Insurance exam for the State of Florida.

Blake found his new family at NuVenture, where he is excited to help others who are in or nearing retirement. Because his faith is particularly important to him, Blake believes that our Lord and Savior helped guide him to where he is today. In his free time, He and his wife, Faith, enjoy spending time with their two dogs, Bandit & Georgia. As an avid outdoors person, Blake enjoys fishing, golfing, or simply going to the beach and exploring all of Florida.

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Client Experience Department

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Cheryl Westbrook Client Experience Coordinator

Cheryl Westbrook

Client Experience Coordinator

Cheryl joined the NuVenture Financial Group in December of 2023. After spending the past 10 years in Salt Lake City, Utah, Cheryl is excited to be back in her hometown, Jacksonville, Florida. She lives in the Avondale area with her children and dog, Ozzie.

With a background in Journalism- she is a former reporter for the Florida Times-Union- and time spent in the hospitality and mortgage industry, Cheryl is thrilled to bring her experience to her new role as a Client Experience Coordinator at NuVenture.

Although she loved the mountains, Cheryl is happy to be back in the Sunshine State and out of the cold, dry winters of Utah. She spends her time outside of work taking care of her five children, playing piano, reading, writing poetry and enjoys anything music related.

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April McLain Office Manager

April McLain

Office Manager

April started at NuVenture Financial Group March 2023. The past 20 years she’s lived in St Augustine and happily spends a lot of free time exploring downtown. Her weekends are dedicated for the beach, trail riding in her jeep and camping. She also enjoys chasing sunsets and spending time with family and friends whenever she can. She keeps busy around the house with gardening, redecorating and doing woodworking projects. April has a beautiful daughter, 2 handsome sons and a new addition to the family her grandson who she loves to snuggle with.

In her free time, she volunteers helping those less fortunate which is a passion that led her to starting Socks for the Soul – St Augustine FL in 2011 To provide new socks to comfort your feet and soul to the homeless community and local shelters. Her charity show kindness to all people, love for all things and a genuine reminder to be the good in the world.

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Sadie Walsh Administrative Assistant

Sadie Walsh

Administrative Assistant

Sadie joined the NuVenture team in January 2023 as an administrative assistant. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and minor in Leadership from the University of North Florida. When she is not working, she enjoys walking on the beach with her husband or having coffee with friends. Her passions are spending quality time with others, singing, and loves Jesus. Sadie is grateful to be on the NuVenture team and is excited to see what the future holds.

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Operations Department

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Dawn Ackerman Operations Manager

Dawn Ackerman

Operations Manager

Dawn was raised in Jacksonville, Florida for most of her life. She previously worked in the mortgage industry for over 25 years before deciding to transition into working with the amazing team at NuVenture Financial Group. Dawn's precise work ethic and tenacity are just some of the motivating factors she keeps in mind as she continues to grow. Outside of NuVenture, you can find Dawn spending quality time with family, friends, traveling and loving on her two furbabies, Dunkin' and Darla.

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Gretchen Barker Operations Specialist

Gretchen Barker

Operations Specialist

Gretchen was born and raised in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. She joined our family in December of 2023 as an Operations Specialist.  She has had 15 years of experience in the mortgage industry and will be using her expertise from that field to excel in her new position with us. She enjoys a fun filled lifestyle with her husband and two children. Her children keep her busy with travel baseball, volleyball or just spending time together. In her spare time, you can find her at the beach, volunteering at a local farm, catching up with friends, or enjoying date nights with her husband.

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Sylvia Lara Operations Coordinator

Sylvia Lara

Operations Coordinator

Sylvia joined the NuVenture family in late September 2022 as an Operations Coordinator. She earned her Bachelor in Business Administration with a major in finance and minor in psychology. She has worked in finance since 1992 in various financial institutions and has had great rapport with clients. She finally made the move to Jacksonville, Florida 5 years ago and felt like this has always been home, never looking back. She loves to exercise and trying out new restaurants. She has 2 furry, very active babies – Hans and Charlotte who also love getting their exercise, especially at the beach.

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Marketing Department

Desiree McMillan Digital Marketing Specialist

Desiree McMillan

Digital Marketing Specialist

Desiree started at NuVenture Financial Group December 2023. She graduated from UNF in 2020 with her Bachelors in Business Management with a Minor in Marketing. She was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL and spent a summer travelling across the country in her camper. She enjoys spending time at the beach, hiking, and exploring new places. In her free time, she is fond of taking photos of any wildlife she can find. Family is most important to her, as she is the only child and grandchild in her immediate family.

She also spends time volunteering at a local wildlife rehabilitation facility where she cares for injured and ill animals until they are ready to be released back into the wild. Because of her love for animals, she has rescued three cats that are now her forever fur children. She hopes to continue aiding in animal rehabilitation and spreading awareness of the importance of protecting our local wildlife.

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