Childcare & Section 45F Commercial Real Estate
Thomas M. Riddle, CPA, CFP®
Founder & Chairman
Tom is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Financial Planner® professional, and the Founder & Chairman of Valley National Group. Tom has more than 35 years of financial experience including serving as Bank Examiner for the US Treasury Department, Senior Accountant at KPMG, Corporate Controller of Johnson March Corporation, VP Finance of Hospital Central Services, and as founder and President of Valley National Group (1985).
He holds a B.A. from Lafayette College in Mathematics and Economics and holds an MBA degree from Lehigh University. Tom received the Alexander E. Loeb Gold Medal award for the highest score on the CPA exam in Pennsylvania in 1977. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association and is past President and chairman of the NE Pennsylvania Society of Certified Financial Planners.
The ultimate goal is to make clients’ lives as convenient as possible.
When Tom started Valley National Financial Advisors in 1985 his mission was to build a one-stop business to handle as many of his clients problems and give them advice in as many areas as possible. Today, with the processes and people in place for the very long term, Tom’s time has shifted away from administrating and more on maintaining close contact with his clients. “I really, really like what I’m doing and I don’t have any plans to retire,” he says.
Tom is a self-proclaimed “City of Bethlehem Fan” and he believes strongly in keeping his company’s roots firmly planted here in the Lehigh Valley. “Bethlehem is destined to become one of the best cities to live in the U.S.” Tom first came to the area from Western Pennsylvania to play football for Lafayette College. After graduating, Tom went on to earn an MBA from Lehigh University and shortly after received the highest score in the state of Pennsylvania on his CPA exam.
“Each client is unique so I can’t focus exclusively on any area,” he says when asked about Valley National Financial Advisors suite of services. “We have to be able to address all those questions – everything from questions about inflation to how to purchase a car to inheritance questions. Clients can depend on their advisor not a referral to someone else.”
Professional Certifications*
- MBA – Lehigh University – Bethlehem, PA
- BA – Mathematics & Economics – Lafayette College, Easton, PA
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®)
- Investment Adviser Representative, Valley National Advisers, Inc.
- Registered Representative, Valley National Investments, Inc.
Affiliations* / Awards
- Financial Planning Association, Member
- Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, Board Member
- ArtsQuest Foundation, Board Member
- Minsi Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Board Member
- NE Pennsylvania Society of Certified Financial Planners, Past President & Chairman
- Alexander E. Loeb Gold Medal award, 1977**
- 2020 LVB ICON Honoree**
- 2025 Linny Awards Lifetime Achievement Recipient**
