Meet Our Team

Jeremy F. Lewis is the CEO of Fortitude Financial and serves as a wealth advisor for the firm. In his current position, Jeremy is responsible for determining the direction of the firm, managing employees and, most importantly, helping clients work towards their financial goals. Jeremy’s areas of experience include investment management and strategy, financial planning, and serving as the head of economy research for the firm; however, he largely focuses on ensuring an outstanding client experience.

Jeremy has more than 21 years of experience in the financial services industry. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on International Business and Finance, and a minor in Spanish; Jeremy immediately became a financial advisor. Jeremy also holds his Certified Mutual Fund Counselor certification.

In addition to his professional work, Jeremy is extremely involved in giving back to the local community. Jeremy is a proud member of the Lions Club and donates to a number of local charities. Additionally, Jeremy established a unique “Giving Back” program at Fortitude, through which each employee has a charity budget, allowing them to give to the organizations that mean the most to them. Check out the Giving Back page to learn about the organizations the team has supported over the years.

Ben Chase is a Wealth Advisor at Fortitude Financial and became a partner in the firm in November 2022. Since joining the firm in January 2013, Ben has been responsible for conducting client review and service appointments, making trades in accounts, and analyzing security and investment options. Ben works to build, implement, and monitor comprehensive financial plans to help our clients work towards their goals. Ben truly enjoys helping clients translate their financial assets into their desired lifestyle.

Ben graduated Summa Cum Laude from Eastern Washington University in 2011, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing and an emphasis in Finance. He earned the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) designation in 2016, and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 2017.

Outside the office, Ben spends most of his time with his wife, their three kids and their dog, Grace. He also enjoys running, golfing, and snowboarding.

Noelle joined the team in 2010 as an unlicensed Administrative Assistant. In over a decade with the team, her role has grown tremendously, as well as her knowledge base and duties. Noelle became a LPL Registered Administrative Assistant in 2013 at which time she expanded her role to include office operations and practice management. She is responsible for keeping the ship afloat and running the internal operations of the practice. She also oversees the responsibilities of the front office staff which include marketing campaigns, event planning, compliance, and the overall client experience. She is involved in some way, big or small, in all areas of the firm.

Outside of the office, Noelle enjoys being at home with her husband and three young children and being in the company of her large extended family. You can find them hiking or enjoying the area surrounding their property by the Pend Oreille River, exploring local parks and trails, gardening, and DIY home projects. 

Catherine joined the team in 2021 as a Tax Professional. She is an accredited Enrolled Agent, which the highest credential awarded by the Internal Revenue Service. She has 15 years of tax seasons under her belt, as well as advanced training and knowledge of tax accounting and tax law, with extensive experience in payroll and sales tax.
Prior to joining Fortitude, Catherine worked with a variety of clients and accounts, including farms, retail, manufacturing, business owners, individuals with income producing properties, trusts and estates.

In the off season, Catherine is meeting with clients regarding their individual tax planning needs as well as managing Fortitude’s day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping.

Catherine is actively involved in the community where she was born and raised. Currently she holds the Chairman’s position on the local School Board, she is the Fire District Secretary for the third largest district in Washington State, and the unofficial leader of the Community Swimming Pool Foundation.

Catherine’s personal interest outside of the office include CrossFit, spoiling her Yorkie Lyla, and visiting her son who is attending Spokane Community College. On the weekends when the weather is nice you can find her on the golf course!

Joni is not only one of the friendly voices you will hear on the phone, but more importantly, a big part of her job is to monitor our compliance regulations and ensure our firm stays on top of our fiduciary standards and requirements. Among her many responsibilities as our CCO, she is also responsible for many other important tasks behind the scenes to help keep the office running smoothly. She has become an integral part of our team and we are happy to work alongside her.

With a background in customer service, trust administration, and her degrees in Economics and Political Science, Joni joined our team in May 2019 and is continuously expanding her knowledge of the wealth management industry. She is also constant in her continued improvement and growth in her essential role in advisory compliance. Since becoming our CCO, she has successfully received the certification of a Compliance Professional in November 2021.

Away from the office, Joni enjoys spending time with her family, husband James, son Connor and daughter Danica, along with her close friends and goofy but loveable pets. Her favorite hobbies include playing her guitar, listening to music, watching sports, playing games, cooking, and baking, gardening and road trips.

“I love that I work somewhere with people who are like another close family, including the clients – It makes me look forward to coming into the office every day. I really love what I do.”

Matthew Greve is a Junior Analyst and Paraplanner with Fortitude Financial. In this role he is responsible for helping to manage our financial planning process. Additionally, he does research and analysis on the various products we currently offer and helps to identify new opportunities for improvement in our lineup.

Since Joining the firm in 2019 Matthew has completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University and has also passed both the series 7 and series 66 exams offered by FINRA and NASAA with registrations held through LPL Financial.

Outside the office, Matthew has enjoyed volunteering at Tools 2 Schools preparing backpacks for children in the Spokane area and sorting food at Second Harvest food bank. When not in the office Matthew enjoys spending time outdoors kayaking, hiking, off roading, golfing and snowboarding.