Our History

After selling a large insurance brokerage business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1982, Don Westerhoff moved to the “sunshine” state to relax a bit and get away from the demands of running a business. Friends and referrals from friends continued to come to Don for guidance and so Insurance Services of Bradenton was created, and later became Financial Services of Bradenton.

In time, it was necessary to find some high quality help with the office administration. Sharyl Pierce has worked for her father, Don Westerhoff, off and on since she was in junior high school. In 1989 she joined the company as an administrative assistant.

As the firm continued to grow, it was time to take another growth step. In 1995 Darin Pierce, Sharyl’s husband and Don’s son-in-law, joined Financial Services of Bradenton as a financial partner and president. Darin has a degree in business administration, with minors in math and economics. He also has more than 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. In 2000 he earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification.

At the end of 2024 Don officially retired after decades of service to his clients leaving the company in the capable hands of Darin and Sharyl. We continue to be family-owned and operated, and we are committed to providing the very highest levels of service to our clients.