In recognition of Military Appreciation Month, the OpenArc Veterans Alliance invites you to a special panel discussion:

Life After Service

Veterans reflect on money, benefits and planning

Monday, May 18^th at 1 p.m. ET

Please join us for a moderated panel discussion featuring OpenArc veterans who will share personal perspectives and practical insights shaped by their military service and professional experiences. The conversation will explore:

Personal experiences and perspectives shaped by military service
Financial lessons learned over the course of veterans’ careers
Experiences navigating benefits and available programs
Veteran-focused financial resources and services
Practical advice veterans would share with peers and future generations

Featuring

Mark Adkins

Assistant Vice President

Financial Advisor

Mark Adkins served two years in the United States Army. Since entering the financial services industry in 2010, Mark has focused on helping clients build and preserve wealth through tailored strategies that reflect their individual goals and financial circumstances. His areas of expertise include asset allocation guidance, tax-efficient investing, cash flow management, retirement income strategies, and wealth transfer planning.

Before joining OpenArc, Mark worked at Merrill Lynch and Vanguard, where he gained valuable experience serving a wide range of clients. He is a graduate of Old Dominion University, where he earned a degree in Finance.

Mark lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Anna and their three playful dogs. Outside of work, he enjoys sports, cooking, and traveling. He also volunteers throughout the year with several local and regional charities, including Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, Boys and Girls Club, and St. Jude.

Robert "Bob" Heightchew, CFP®, CIMA®, CRPC™

Senior Vice President

Senior Wealth Management Advisor

Robert Heightchew works with corporate executives and families to help align their financial resources with their life goals. Bob applies a disciplined planning approach shaped by his military background to help clients build situational awareness, clarify priorities, and implement strategies that support long-term success. His team focuses on investment management, retirement planning, tax efficiency, and overall financial wellness so clients can stay focused on what matters most.

Before joining OpenArc, Bob spent more than a decade at Merrill Lynch. He transitioned into wealth management after serving nine years as an active-duty infantry officer in the United States Army. His military career included command and operational planning roles in both training and combat environments. Bob graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds the CFP® and CIMA® designations. He also earned his MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Originally from Atlanta, Bob returned home after his military service and now enjoys life as a husband and father of four. He is a fan of Atlanta sports teams and actively volunteers with his local church congregation.

Kevin Higginbotham

Managing Partner

Senior Wealth Management Advisor

Kevin Higginbotham is Managing Partner and Senior Wealth Management Advisor at OpenArc Corporate Advisory, where he also serves as a Board Member. With decades of experience in wealth management, Kevin brings strategic insight and a client-first approach to helping individuals, families, and institutions navigate complex financial landscapes.

A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Kevin served on active duty during the Gulf War and is a recipient of the Navy Achievement Medal. His leadership and discipline continue to shape his professional philosophy and commitment to excellence.

Kevin has earned national recognition for his work, including being named to Barron’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors list in 2023 and 2024. His team was also honored on Forbe’s’s Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams list (2025), Forbes’s America’s Top Wealth Management Teams – High Networth (2024), Top 100 Institutional Consulting Teams list (2023), and Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams list (2024, 2025).

Since 1999, Kevin has lived in the Atlanta area and currently resides in Johns Creek, Georgia, with his wife Cherice and their daughter Sophia. He and Cherice are active supporters of the Atlanta Children’s Shelter, March of Dimes, and the Boys & Girls Club. Outside of work, Kevin enjoys golf, tennis, cycling, and traveling.

Chad Pigg Fife, MBA, CIMA®, CEP®, C(k)P®, CPFA®, CRPS™

Principal Partner

Institutional Consulting and Corporate Business Development

Chad Pigg Fife is a Principal Partner and one of the founding partners at OpenArc Corporate Advisory, where he leads the firm’s Institutional Consulting practice and Corporate Business Development. With a strong background in investment consulting and corporate benefits strategy, Chad works with organizations and their leadership teams to deliver tailored solutions that help support institutional success and long-term financial wellness for their employees.

Chad was a Managing Director and Partner at Merrill Lynch’s GCIAS team for 20 years where he led the team’s Institutional Consulting practice earning the #1 spot on Barron’s annual Institutional Consulting list 3 years in a row (2023, 2024, and 2025).* Chad served six years on active duty in the United States Army and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, among other honors. Following his military service, he began his professional career as an auditor with KPMG. He holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Business Administration in Accounting, graduating with honors from Troy University.

Chad is actively involved in his community, serving on the Advisory Board for Make-A-Wish Georgia and the Executive Advisory Board for Troy University. Outside of work, Chad enjoys skiing, scuba diving, and traveling. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Sharlene, and their son, Beckam, where they attend East Cobb Church.

Yaniv Rubina, CPFA®, CRPS™

Senior Vice President

Executive Relationship Manager

Yaniv Rubina serves as Senior Vice President, Executive Relationship Manager at OpenArc, where he leads strategic initiatives focused on executive services, participant education, and human capital solutions. With over 15 years of experience in financial services, Yaniv has built a career centered on enhancing the executive and participant experience across retirement, equity compensation, and financial wellness programs.

Throughout his career, Yaniv has held leadership roles in operations, compliance, and relationship management, consistently driving innovation and service excellence. His expertise spans full outsourcing strategies for Equity Compensation Plans, 401(k), Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC), Defined Benefit (DB), Corporate 529, Healthcare Savings, and 10b5-1 trading plans.

Yaniv is a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor and Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist. He holds FINRA Series 7, 66, 24, 9 & 10 registrations, is Six Sigma Green Belt certified, and earned a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University and an MBA from Jacksonville University with a concentration in Leadership.

Outside of work, Yaniv enjoys spending time with his three children (two daughters and a son), playing guitar and piano, and cooking for his family.

OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission nor does it indicate that the adviser has attained a particular level of skill or ability. This e-mail message, including any attachments, is intended only for the individual to whom it is addressed. This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient (or the agent or employee responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient), you are hereby notified that any disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail along with any attachments from your system.

Barron’s rankings included #1 ranked in the 2025 Top Institutional Consulting Teams and #3 in the 2025 top 250 Private Wealth Management Team. Barron’s rankings were based on data as of 12/31/2024. The rankings were issued in May, 2025 by Barron’s, a publication of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. There was no fee paid to be considered for or to use the Barron’s ranking. The rankings were based on a variety of factors, including their size and shape, their regulatory records and credentials of their members, and the resources they have at their disposal to serve their client bases as well as assets, revenue and quality of practice. Barron’s recognized the team having $129 bn in client assets as of December 31, 2024. Barron’s is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. This should not be construed as an endorsement of the adviser by any client or third party.

The Barron’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors list, developed by Barron’s (a publication of Dow Jones & Company, L.P.), covers the period from September 30, 2021 to September 30, 2022 and was released on March 10, 2023 for the year 2023. For the year 2024, it covers the period from September 30, 2022 to September 30, 2023 and was released on March 11, 2024. Neither OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC nor any of its advisors pay a fee in exchange for this recognition. For more information, please visit https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/1000/2024.

The 2025 Forbes’s Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams list, developed by Shook Research, covers the period from March 31, 2023 to March 31, 2024 and was released on January 09, 2025. The team name was Global Corporate and Institutional Advisory Services from Merrill Wealth Management. Neither OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC nor any of its advisors pay a fee in exchange for this recognition. For more information, please visit https://www.forbes.com/lists/wealth-management-teams-best-in-state/?sh=4cdcfa3076f2

The 2024 Forbes’s America’s Top Wealth Management Teams – High Net Worth was developed by Shook Research, covers the period of March 2024 for nomination of advisors and teams and was released in November 2024. The team name was Global Corporate and Institutional Advisory Services from Merrill Wealth Management. Neither OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC nor any of its advisors pay a fee in exchange for this recognition. For more information, please visit https://www.forbes.com/lists/top-wealth-management-teams-high-net-worth/

The 2024 and 2025 Barron’s Top 250 Private Wealth Management Teams Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams list, developed by Barron’s (a publication of Dow Jones & Company, L.P.), covers the period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 and January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 and was released in May of each year. The team recognized was Global Corporate and Institutional Advisory Services. Neither OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC nor any of its advisors pay a fee in exchange for this recognition. https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/private-wealth/2025?page=1&mod=faranking_2025

The Barron’s Top 100 Institutional Consulting Teams list, developed by Barron’s (a publication of Dow Jones & Company, L.P.), covers the period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 and was released on May 11, 2023. The team recognized was Global Corporate and Institutional Advisory Services, Global Institutional Consulting. Neither OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC nor any of its advisors pay a fee in exchange for this recognition. For more information, please visit https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/institutional/2023?page=1.

The Barron’s Top 100 Institutional Consulting Teams list, developed by Barron’s (a publication of Dow Jones & Company, L.P.), covers the period from January 1 to December 31 of each year and was released in May the following year. Neither OpenArc Corporate Advisory, LLC nor any of its advisors pay a fee in exchange for this recognition. The team name was Global Corporate & Institutional Advisory Services, Merrill Institutional Consulting and was recognized from 2022 – 2025. For more information, please visit https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/institutional/2025.