Alisha Merkel

Michael Muth is a financial advisor at QCFO, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has previously worked at Osborne Williams and Formidable Asset Management. Outside of finance, he serves as COO of Seven Hills Foods, an organic food company where he oversees sales, production, logistics, and inventory. QCFO, LLC is a fee-only investment adviser offering discretionary portfolio management and wealth management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable foundations, and qualified plans. The firm employs a disciplined, scientifically engineered investment approach focused on global diversification and risk control, integrating tax management and wealth-transfer planning into its services.

Bruce Russo is the principal of Russo Investment Management in Cincinnati, OH, with 19 years of experience in financial advising. He holds the PFS™ designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Russo has a long tenure at The Kroger Co., where he has worked since 1995. Russo Investment Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing asset management, financial planning, and integrated tax preparation services. The firm follows a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach, emphasizing long-term asset allocation using primarily no-load and index mutual funds, and operates as a CPA practice that combines tax planning directly with its advisory services.

Justin Wolterman is a financial advisor at J1 Capital LLC in Cincinnati, OH, holding a Series 65 designation with five years of industry experience. He previously worked for American Mortgage Service Company from 2008 to 2020 before founding J1 Capital LLC in 2020. J1 Capital LLC provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a macro-oriented, asset-allocation strategy that incorporates fundamental and technical analysis, routinely using options and other derivatives for income generation and hedging tailored to each client’s objectives and risk tolerance.

Shawn Hannegan is a CFP® professional with six years of experience as a financial advisor at Hannegan Wealth Management, LLC. He also owns and operates an accounting firm, Shawn P. Hannegan CPA, LLC DBA Hannegan & Associates, which he has managed since 2013. Prior to his advisory role, he worked at First Financial Bancorp for three years. Hannegan Wealth Management is an independent, single-advisor firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and business clients. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach focused on low turnover and tax efficiency, combining fundamental analysis with modern portfolio theory and utilizing third-party sub-advisors for portfolio management.

Brendan Koors is a financial advisor at Athyra Financial Partners based in Cincinnati, OH. He holds a Series 65 designation and has over four years of professional experience, including roles at Saint-Gobain and International Paper. He was a full-time student from 2015 to 2020. Athyra Financial Partners, LLC is a fee-only investment adviser offering investment management and comprehensive financial planning primarily to individuals and families, with occasional services for business owners. The firm follows a strategy centered on simplicity, cost efficiency, diversification, and a buy-and-hold approach using low-cost ETFs and mutual funds, with an emphasis on tax-aware portfolio management.

Robert Maher is a CFA® charterholder and financial advisor at Virgil Wealth Advisory with seven years of industry experience. He has previously worked at J.P. Morgan and First Data. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Head of Ventures at National Veterinary Associates, where he focuses on developing innovative partnerships. Virgil Wealth Advisory provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach using index mutual funds and ETFs, supplemented by fundamental analysis, and offers tailored portfolio management along with comprehensive financial planning and estate-planning assistance.