Spotlight On: Tom Goes, Managing Partner, Northwestern Mutual – Central Florida

January 2026 — Invest: spoke with Tom Goes, managing partner of Northwestern Mutual – Central Florida, about how the firm is navigating rapid change across technology, regulation and client expectations. “The rate of change separates those who will last from those who will not,” Goes says, noting how AI, mobile tools and a growing, multilingual advisor force are strengthening comprehensive financial planning across Central Florida.

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How have the last few years reshaped your office and the way you serve clients in Central Florida?

Over the past few years, technology has fundamentally changed how we engage with clients and deliver value. New platforms and tools, including AI, let our advisors digest more information and provide more surgical, specific financial-planning solutions than ever before. At the same time, we’ve significantly expanded our advisor force locally and as a company so we can better serve our growing community.

Capital markets have presented both opportunities and challenges as growth has outpaced what many expected, but that environment has really highlighted our ability to deliver best-in-class, comprehensive financial planning to more people than ever. The rate of change separates those who will last from those who will not, though, and I’m confident in how Northwestern Mutual is adapting and leading through this change, both here in Central Florida and across the country.

What recent performance milestones best illustrate your momentum in the Orlando market?

We’ve seen double-digit growth in just about every key financial metric. Over the past three years, we’ve had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4% in new clients, which is virtually unheard of. Assets under management have grown 28.7%, and premium credit is up 11.7%. We do insurance and investments at a high level, and clients are noticing and seeking our advice.

On the talent side, we now have 137 advisors in Central Florida, compared with 78 in 2020. That is a record for us and an all-time high. We’ve been one of the fastest-growing offices in the company’s network for more than 10 years, and we are by far one of the most diverse, with more than 10 languages spoken at any given time. We’re very proud of that, because it reflects both our growth and the community we serve.

How are demographic and generational shifts shaping demand for advice and the way your team engages clients?

With more than 10 languages spoken in our office, you really see the range of cultural backgrounds, perspectives and expectations that clients bring to the table. That diversity has been one of the most exciting parts of our growth, but it also comes with new hurdles in terms of knowledge, understanding and education. We’ve had to build platforms and approaches that help prospects and clients navigate the generational transfer of wealth, which is a factor for everyone, everywhere.

Over the next 20 years, about $80 trillion will transfer from Baby Boomers to Gen X, Gen Y and Millennials. I have the second-youngest office in Northwestern Mutual’s system, with an average age of 42, so we are in a strong position to serve all generations as that wealth moves. Different generations consume information and view financial advice differently, so our job is to meet them where they are while providing truly comprehensive planning.

In what ways are technology and AI enhancing the quality of advice and the client experience?

The biggest change we’ve seen from technology and AI is that our advisors can now be completely present in client conversations. They no longer have to worry about taking detailed notes during meetings because AI-driven tools capture the discussion and feed it into an agenda that supports the financial-planning process. That allows advisors to listen more closely, understand what is really being said and not miss details we might have missed in the past.

Those details aren’t just about balance sheets; they’re about what people truly want in life, their goals and what drives them. When those qualitative and quantitative details are captured accurately, we can build a financial plan that is better than what we’ve had before. The technologies have also produced a planning tool that is the best I’ve ever seen, and when you pair that with advisor judgment, it meaningfully elevates the client experience.

What are the main challenges and opportunities you see in today’s regulatory and risk environment?

The regulatory environment will always represent both a challenge and an opportunity. It’s a challenge because those who wish to do clients harm are constantly evolving, and regulators, both internal and external, have to stay ahead of them. That can be difficult. At the same time, our recent growth has given us the resources to build up our supervisory capabilities. We’ve brought on more talent dedicated to keeping clients safe while allowing us to continue growing effectively and efficiently.

Northwestern Mutual’s brand is very strong in the marketplace when it comes to supervision and doing what is right for clients, and we want to protect that reputation. By investing in compliance and supervision, we turn a potential constraint into a competitive advantage and an added layer of trust for clients.

Looking ahead two to three years, what are your top priorities for the Orlando and Central Florida region?

As the CEO of our firm, I put a lot of effort into diversity, but just as much into leadership development. Central Florida is one of the fastest-growing corridors in North America, and I knew early on that we needed a deep leadership bench to serve the community across different pockets. Our territory includes 34 counties. I will never be able to personally serve every county in my tenure, but I want to tee up the next leaders so they can.

Our vision from 2014 through 2030 has been to have seven counties fully served, and right now we are at four. Over the next three years, we plan to reach three more counties and grow to 200 advisors, which we describe with the acronym AIM — Advisors Impacting the Market. At the same time, we are watching housing affordability closely, because rising costs are a real concern for residents. There will have to be a solution, and we want to be part of that broader conversation.

How does Northwestern Mutual’s national strength support your ambitions for clients and advisors in Orlando?

Nationally, we are now a top-five broker-dealer in North America based on assets under management. Being a mutual company, many people don’t realize the scale of our investment business. On the insurance side, we recently announced our largest expected dividend payout to policyowners: $9.2 billion in 2026, which is expected to surpass 2025 by $1 billion. We will remain the industry’s largest dividend payer by a significant margin, and we have never missed a dividend payment in 155 straight years.

Our financial strength ratings place us alongside companies like Microsoft as one of the most financially strong firms in the world. When you combine that financial strength and those resources with the growth of our local marketplace, our integrity and our fiduciary focus, the expectation is for Northwestern Mutual to be the first name you think of when you are needing, managing, protecting and growing your family’s finances.

Want more? Read the Invest: Greater Orlando report.