Brandi J Ames

Kelsey Swing is a financial advisor with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. and holds a Series 65 designation. She has six years of industry experience and also serves as a partner and accountant at Gilbert, Metzger & Madigan, LLP, a CPA firm where she has worked since 2002. Additionally, Swing is a board member and treasurer for two nonprofit organizations, Eastern Dominican Christian Mission and Sexual Assault Counseling & Information Service. Avantax Planning Partners provides investment advice and planning primarily to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses, often through collaborative referral arrangements with independent CPA firms. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management using model-based style allocation strategies, retirement plan management, and tax-intelligent overlays, managing client accounts on a discretionary basis with centralized trading and reporting.

Thomas Gilbert is a financial advisor with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc., holding a Series 66 credential and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Avantax Planning Partners since 2000 and previously at Honkamp Krueger Financial Services and Gilbert, Metzger & Madigan. Gilbert is also a shareholder and advisor at Thomas L. Gilbert Financial Services, a financial services firm affiliated with HK Financial Services. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. provides portfolio management, financial planning, and a managed retirement plan platform primarily through a network of CPA firms and registered Advisor Representatives. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses, managing approximately $7.57 billion in assets as of December 2025.

Chad Altadonna is a financial advisor with United Planners Financial Services of America, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, Raymond James Financial Services, and his own Altadonna Wealth Management. He is also involved in property and casualty insurance referrals through a separate business, Bob Oetting & Associates, LLC. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm delivers advisory and brokerage services through independent representatives using various custodians and third-party managers, with most assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Kendra Hughes is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with nine years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. since 2016. In addition to her advisory role, Hughes is an associate and operations manager at First Mid Wealth Management, where she supports the brokerage department and assists advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and supports municipal and public finance work through a unique affiliation with a municipal advisor.

Ryan Mefford is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. He has worked with First Mid Wealth Management and First Mid Bank and Trust since 2021. Prior to entering the financial industry, he was employed at Pilson Auto Center from 2015 to 2020. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and organizations. The firm employs tailored, non-discretionary consulting tools and supports various advisory programs, with a notable affiliation to a municipal advisor and specialized employer advisory services.

Shane Todd is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Greenup, IL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2019, he worked at Casey State Bank and Midwestern Securities Trading Co., LLC, and earlier at Ervin Equipment. He serves as a board member for Casey-Westfield School District and is involved with Casey Industries Inc., promoting economic development in Casey, IL. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment strategies, operates under a fiduciary standard, and is notable for its extensive advisor network and affiliated financial services.