Axiom Wealth Management Enhances Advisory Depth with Key Leadership Promotion and New Hire

Firm invests in leadership and experience to elevate its private client service model

– Building on a steady trajectory of growth and working to further elevate their service model, Axiom Wealth Management, a private client group at Northwestern Mutual, has promoted partner Chris Cates, CFA® to partner and chief investment officer – recognizing his exceptional service and leadership – and hired industry veteran Sara Hendrix, CFP® as a private wealth advisor.

These shifts to the team mark a key milestone in Axiom’s broader growth strategy—enhancing advisory capacity and aligning the firm’s capabilities with the evolving and increasingly complex needs of its clients. By bringing in seasoned talent like Hendrix and promoting standout leadership at the firm, Axiom continues to invest in sophisticated planning, elevated client experiences and long‑term relationship growth.

In his position, Cates, a Chartered Financial Analyst®, will serve as the strategic leader of Axiom’s investment philosophy, portfolio design and research capabilities and in her new role, Hendrix will assist Axiom’s clients with financial planning, investment guidance and tax and estate strategies, as well as implementing risk management tools.

“It’s an honor to take on the role of chief investment officer at Axiom. I’m excited to continue advancing our investment philosophy and platform in a way that reflects our commitment to excellence, servant leadership and meaningful client impact,” said Cates.

A Tennessee native, Cates has been with Northwestern Mutual since 2012, joined Axiom in 2020, and became a partner at Axiom in 2023. He broad professional experience and extensive knowledge of all aspects of investment business processing to the firm.

“Joining Axiom Wealth Management allows me to do what I love most, which is building deep relationships and guiding clients through life’s most important financial decisions. I’m honored to be part of a team that prioritizes care, expertise and longterm partnership,” said Hendrix.

As an Illinois native, Hendrix, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, has worked in the financial industry for 12 years. Before joining Axiom, her previous roles include serving as a financial consultant at Fidelity, associate advisor at Signature Estate & Investment Advisors and director of investor relations at Beach Point Capital Management.

Both Hendrix and Cates bring deep industry knowledge, a client-first mindset, and a proven track record to the Axiom team, further strengthening the firm’s commitment to delivering thoughtful, personalized wealth management solutions.

About Axiom Wealth Management

Axiom’s mission is to seamlessly serve clients with excellence, empowering them to achieve their financial goals and dreams across generations. Members of Axiom Wealth Management use Axiom Wealth Management as a marketing name for doing business as representatives of Northwestern Mutual.  Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group is a select group of NM advisors and representatives. Axiom Wealth Management and Northwestern Mutual Private Client Group are not registered investment advisers, broker-dealer, insurance agency, federal savings bank or other legal entity. To view detailed disclosures regarding individual representatives, view their information at http://axiom.nm.com/

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what’s most important. With nearly $700 billion of total assets¹ being managed across the company’s institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, more than $38 billion in revenues, and $2.4 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 109 on the 2025 FORTUNE 500 and was recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the “World’s Most Admired” life insurance companies in 2026.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with “Advisor” in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services. 

¹ Includes investments and separate account assets of Northwestern Mutual as well as retail investment client assets held or managed by Northwestern Mutual.