Chris Berkel is the President and Founder of AXIS Financial and brings over 27 years of experience in the financial industry. He specializes in financial planning, retirement planning, and portfolio management, and is committed to a client-first approach that focuses on building strategies around each person’s unique goals. His work has been featured in outlets like Forbes, Kiplinger, CBS News, GoBankingRates, and U.S. News & World Report.

Chris’s original path led him toward full-time ministry, driven by a passion for serving others. He later realized the financial industry offered another way to make a meaningful difference. For him, money is simply a tool. When used with purpose, it can protect families, unlock opportunities, and fund what matters most.

He founded AXIS Financial on two key values: acting as a true fiduciary and centering his work around each client’s values. The name "AXIS" reflects this philosophy. Just as everything in his personal life revolves around his faith, family, and service, every financial plan he builds is grounded in what matters most to his clients. A principle he often lives by is, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

One of the most pivotal moments in Chris’s life came when his son had to undergo two open heart surgeries. During that experience, Chris noticed how deeply the surgeon cared, even though he had many patients to see that day. The surgeon made it clear that Chris’s son was his priority in that moment, and that personal care left a lasting impact. It helped Chris realize how important it is to make people feel seen and valued, especially when they are entrusting you with something so significant. That moment became the foundation for how he serves his clients. Every person he works with deserves to feel like the most important person in the room.

Originally from St. Louis, Chris has lived in Oklahoma for the past 27 years. He’s been married to his best friend, Kacie, for 25 years, and they have three children: Haiden, Schafer, and Afton. Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time with family, golfing, movie nights, and making music. He’s a singer and plays piano and drums. He also gives back through nonprofit work, sponsoring children in Haiti and Colombia, leading church ministries, and teaching financial literacy in underserved communities.