Michael “Mike” J. B. Schaff

Mike grew up in Mandan with his two younger brothers, and from an early age, he possessed a strong sense of integrity and a remarkable work ethic. In 1992, he graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in International Relations. He married the love of his life, Kim, and he moved with her to Virginia where, in 1996, he graduated from Washington and Lee University with his Juris Doctorate (JD).

Mike held a one year clerkship underneath Justice Herbert L. Meschke of the North Dakota Supreme Court before working for four years at a law firm in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.

Neither Mike nor Kim enjoyed city living and did not want their children to grow up so far away from family, so when Mike received an offer from his father to join his financial services firm, the couple decided to take a risk and moved back to North Dakota. They lived with Mike’s parents for a year while he and Jerry worked on expanding the business so that it could provide income for both families.

Mike and Jerry enjoyed a fruitful partnership for twenty years, benefiting greatly both as business partners and as father and son. It was a tragic loss when Jerry passed away from cancer in 2022, and Mike works hard to honor his memory by faithfully and attentively serving the business and the people that his father left in his care.

Today, Mike is the proud father of six children, and family is understandably very important to him. He excels at connecting with his clients on a personal level, and it is clear that he thinks carefully about how best to help not only his clients, but also their children and their grandchildren and anyone else who will be influenced directly or indirectly by the services and the advice that he provides.

When Mike isn’t at the office, he enjoys playing board games and card games with his family, reading books on his balcony, putting together puzzles while listening to audiobooks, and watching movies. He is also an active member of the community and has served on the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library Board and currently serves on the Dakota Zoo Board.