Insight Partners Karlton Kleis, Scott Manhart, Andrew Dorr and Andrew Kleis.
By Rich Wicks | Panora Times, May 2025
The building at 134 W. Main St. in Panora has seen a lot of changes over the decades. Now, the building is home to Insight Wealth Group. A grand opening is set for Tuesday, June 3 from 4-7 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy refreshments, meet the Insight staff, and ask any questions. Attendees will also be able to see the renovations that have been made to the historic building.
Karlton Kleis and Allison Kleis.
Andrew Dorr explained the history and growth of Insight.
“We started the firm in 2012, and, at the time, we wanted to create a really high-quality wealth management firm,” Dorr said. “Over time, we started to see a lot of other holes that we needed to fill.”
Dorr explained that Insight realized many clients needed the help of a tax professional, so Scott Manhart joined the team eight years ago.
“We have seven CPAs now, and a total of close to 20 employees,” Dorr said.
In addition to the original location in West Des Moines, Insight opened an office in Adel in 2018.
“Opening a location in Panora feels like coming home,” Karlton Kleis said. “As a family-owned business whose partners grew up in an Iowa town of similar size, we’re excited to serve the people of this area and be part of its continued growth.”
Regarding the precise location of the business, Karlton said the historic building just felt right.
“It was originally a bank, a doctor’s office, and most recently a mercantile,” Karlton said. “We could have rented an office space, but we fell in love with this building.”
The Panora office is led by local resident Kristen Crouthamel, who serves as lead Financial Advisor. Scott Manhart, Partner, leads the CPA practice at the Panora location, offering expert tax planning and accounting services.
Financial Advisor Kristen Crouthamel.
Manhart shared that, as a tax planner, he helps clients be proactive by not only dealing with current tax returns and issues but by planning ahead to best position clients for the tax returns that will be filed next year or in the coming years.
“One of the things that makes our firm different from other firms our size is that we do a lot of tax planning,” Manhart said. “And that’s a service we’re very good at.”
Asked what Insight Wealth Group hopes to see in the coming years, Andrew Dorr explained that it is much more than just a business plan.
“I would say, No. 1, I hope we’re an integral part of the community. We really want to be part of the community, and that’s a two-way street,” he said.
“And I think that’s part of our commitment to Panora, when we fell in love with this building,” Crouthamel said. “Let’s show the community that we’re invested.”
Besides the tax-planning services, Crouthamel said one of the things that makes Insight unique relates to the wealth management services.
“We’re truly independent financial advisors,” Crouthamel. “That gives us a breadth of investment options.”
Insight focuses on customer service.
“Old fashioned customer service,” Manhart said. “When the phone rings, it’s answered by a human.”
“The No. 1 thing we have going for us is our people,” Dorr added. n