INDIANAPOLIS (March 5, 2024) – The MJ Companies, a leading financial services firm for nearly 60 years, is pleased to welcome Brian Stoll as Chief Financial Officer. In his new role, Stoll will oversee management and accountability, financial compliance and communication, and long-term planning, while focusing on leading a high-performance team to accommodate the rapid growth and continued innovation at MJ. Stoll will also join The MJ Companies Executive Leadership Team.

Stoll will take the reins from Brian P. Friend, who is transitioning to retirement after nearly 24 years of leadership at The MJ Companies. He will stay on to assist Stoll and support an orderly transition of responsibilities through the end of the company’s fiscal year, and then provide expertise as a financial consultant. Friend is pleased to start his transition toward retirement and looks forward to spending more time with his family, traveling, and exploring new ways to serve his community.

During his time as a Board Member and CFO, Friend helped the company grow to become one of today’s leading agencies. However, his impact and legacy extend beyond business. He is a founding member of the Indianapolis chapter of Conscious Capitalism, a movement that combines education and inspiration to promote responsible business practices with civic involvement, and, alongside his wife, is responsible for the endowment of a scholarship for first-generation college students—the “Friend Family Pursue Your Passion” scholarship.

“Serving on the Executive Leadership Team for two decades and being part of the organization’s exponential growth of services, locations, and people has been rewarding,” said Friend. “The future of The MJ Companies is bright, and I have every confidence in Brian Stoll and know he will continue to lead MJ with passion and integrity.”

Friend added, “Brian is a highly respected business leader in Phoenix and beyond. His experience building Fox Restaurant Concepts from a start-up to a multi-brand large restaurant group with locations across the United States, is a feat indicative of his ingenuity, persistence, and adaptability. These values make him the right leader to help MJ evolve and reach its long-term vision.”

In his previous role as CFO at Fox Restaurant Concepts, Stoll oversaw treasury, forecasting, asset management, and investor and institutional relations. As the first CFO of Fox Restaurant Concepts, Stoll was integral in the development and implementation of strategic plans to grow the business and maximize shareholder value. Stoll served in this position for 20 years.

“As CFO at Fox Restaurants Concepts I became uniquely familiar with MJ’s passion toward offering high value products and services while maintaining a culture of genuine care and commitment to its associates and clients,” said Stoll. “I hope to continue to foster these great company values, as well as bring my experience working at a high-growth, large company since its infancy to help MJ continue its history of success. MJ is highly respected in the industry, and I look forward to growing with this team of compassionate professionals.”

Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Stoll grew up in Phoenix and graduated from Northern Arizona University with degrees in accounting and Spanish. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), an active member of the Thunderbirds, and a former Arizona Humane Society Board member.

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Indianapolis-based The MJ Companies, one of the largest privately held agencies in America, exists to inspire the success, fulfillment, and wellbeing of each person it serves—associates and their families, business partners, clients, and the community. MJ’s client base includes local, regional, and national companies in more than 54 countries and in every U.S. state. With offices in Denver, Indianapolis, and Phoenix, MJ specializes in a diverse selection of client services including commercial and personal insurance, risk management, employee benefits, retirement, compensation, and total rewards consulting. Additional information may be found at www.themjcos.com.