Leadership

Leadership

Meet the FA Solutions leadership team.

Brenda Wright

Brenda Wright

Chief Operating Officer


Brenda is the Founder and Chief Operating Officer at FA Solutions LLC. She is a well-respected industry expert in financial aid operations who has more than 20 years of experience in executive roles at major colleges and universities. Brenda is responsible for leading the overall operations strategy and oversight of Financial Aid Processing, Technology, Consulting, Audit, and the Student Experience Center.


Just prior to forming FA Solutions LLC, Brenda was COO at University Financial Aid Solutions. She also served as the Assistant Vice President of Student Financial Services at Saint Leo University, and the Director of Student Financial Services at the State University of New York at Albany. Brenda’s core strengths in Financial Aid include compliance, process automation, and leadership.


Brenda holds bachelor’s degree in both Accounting as well as Economics from Mansfield University (NY) and a master’s degree in Management from St. John Fisher College (NY).



Brenda loves training for and running marathons. She is also a foodie at heart and enjoys both cooking in and dining out. Brenda loves to vacation including cruising, the beach, and Napa Valley.

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Bridget McGuire

Bridget McGuire

Chief Operating Officer


Bridget is the Chief Operating Officer at FA Solutions LLC. In her role, Bridget ensures the teams deliver a quality, accurate financial aid solution including processing and customer service. She works with the internal and external teams to determine and document efficient solutions.


Previously, Bridget served as VP of Financial Aid at 3 large institutions for 20 years, managing the day to day financial processes for multi-site/state locations. Bridget had worked in financial aid since graduating from college. She is versed in a variety of financial aid delivery systems along with various funding sources and structures for awarding. “I enjoy taking the complicated financial aid process and making it easy to understand for schools and students.” says, Bridget


Bridget holds the master’s degree in Enrolment Management from Capella University.


Bridget enjoys spending time with family, binge watching Netflix and occasionally reading a good mystery/ thriller book.

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Bridget McGuire

Michael Holmes

Vice President – Technology & Compliance


Michael is Vice President, Technology and Compliance. He is responsible for creating and leading the company’s technology vision and strategy; for the research and development, innovation, product design and rollout of solutions that deliver exceptional internal and external customer experiences; Title IV compliance; and business security.


Michael held varying executive roles in both campus and corporate capacities in the 27 years prior to joining FA Solutions. Over the years he has worked in every aspect of Financial Aid. Most recently, he oversaw the Operations, Title IV accounting, SFA compliance, Regulatory Reporting, FA Technologies, Training, and Support divisions while consistently developing and implementing on-going business process improvements in support of cross-functional initiatives. “I started out in Financial Aid as a work study in college and have loved it ever since.” says, Michael.


Michael has a BS in Business Administration from National American University and an MBA from Regis University.


Michael enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, riding his motorcycle, and binge watching an array of series across multiple streaming services.

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Bridget McGuire

Rob Wright

Co-Founder and Managing Member


Rob is the Co-Founder and Managing Member of FA Solutions. As a well-respected industry expert with nearly three decades of experience in finance and small business leadership, Rob is responsible for leading the company’s financial operations and growth strategy.


A passionate and enthusiastic entrepreneur, Rob has been a successful business owner and financial services professional, providing financial servicing to families, small businesses and educational institutions nationwide.


Rob loves boating and fishing, camping, cooking and grilling, traveling and sight-seeing. He particularly enjoys EXCELLENT restaurant experiences.

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Frequently Asked Questions

If your questions are not answered here, please contact us.

  • Can you provide services on-site or remote?

    Yes. We are available for both on-site and remote assistance on a short or long-term basis. When FA Solutions was first established one of our goals was to offer complete redundancy of coverage in the event of a natural disaster. To do this, we invested heavily in cloud based technology to allow for remote staffing, while also allowing our employees to travel to unaffected areas so that work could be performed and service to students could continue with limited, or no interruption. Over the years this set-up has been heavily tested and fully operational, and we continue to provide uninterrupted service through the COVID-19 crisis.

  • Is FA Solutions competitive with pricing compared to competitors?

    Absolutely. Everyone deserves the right to be cost-sensitive and receive good value for resources spent, and we keep this in mind as we customize our servicing solutions to fit the needs of each school that we work with. FA Solutions’ goal is to provide high level, quality services that add value to your institution. Our entire team is fully committed to delivering excellent service with superior results.


    Our service costs are assessed monthly and are based upon the number of students served. We can provide a detailed and customized proposal based upon the projected programs in which your institution participates and the number of projected students to be processed can be supplied.

  • What are your onboarding timelines?

    Most services can be on boarded within 15 to 30 business days and some as little as 10 depending upon the services needed.

  • What levels of financial aid staffing do you provide?

    FA Solutions’ provides interim staffing from counselor to director level during busy processing and enrollment periods, for replacement staffing, and to fill vacancies resulting from staff turnover or medical or maternity leaves. Our experienced financial aid professionals provide support remotely for certain functions, processes, or full positions. Remote staffing saves institutions a significant amount of financial resources by not having to charge for travel, lodging, meals, and other miscellaneous expenses normally incurred when interim staffing is required to be done on site at the institution itself. However, on-site interim staffing solutions are also available.


    Our staffing solutions are offered at a cost that is typically more favorable than hiring equally qualified and talented employees in-house or outsourcing to other third-party consulting firms.

  • Do you provide a verification service?

    Yes. FA Solutions offers a customizable remote verification service that follows all Department of Education policies and procedures and ensures that the school’s methods, policies and procedures align with federal regulations. Our Verification Specialists can handle part or all of the verification process and will make updates in your school-base system. They review documents for completion and 100% accuracy, and our internal audit team adds assists by conducting secondary reviews of a percentage of verifications. Our Verification Specialists also provide real time support by phone and live chat for any questions that your staff may have.


    Our Student Experience Center (SEC) team of professional Financial Aid Advisers and Enrollment Specialists can advise your students on how to complete the verification process. They can also provide extra support by reaching out to students to remind them to submit missing documents. The SEC is available as an added service.

  • Can you do a compliance audit?

    Yes. FA Solutions offers a comprehensive Financial Aid Department Regulatory and Operational Assessment; this proactive evaluation identifies potential regulatory liabilities and the cause(s) of processing inefficiencies. Our team of compliance professionals will conduct an in-depth review of financial aid files, policies and procedures, reports and records, identifying possible issues of noncompliance in all areas, such as budgets, file verification, awards, return of Title IV funds, disbursements, consumer information requirements, dependency overrides and other professional judgment decisions.


    Following this review, we will provide a written improvement plan that includes recommendations for specific corrective actions based on best practices to reduce compliance risks, improve file processing and workflow, as well as streamline operational efficiencies. We can also be engaged to assist with implementing the plan.


    We recommend that institutions request the assessment well in advance of any serious concerns to allow ample time to make any adjustments or corrections needed prior to a request from the Department of Education for an official audit.

Get In Touch With Us Today!

Have any questions? Give us a call.

1-727-300-6336

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