Christine Thomas

I'm the founder of SCM Investment Services in Lake Elmo, MN — a fee-only, fiduciary advisory firm built on one belief: everyone deserves honest financial advice from someone legally required to put their interests first. My path here started on the trading floor at the Chicago Board of Trade, where I transacted over $1 billion in US Treasury Notes daily and later served as VP and Director of Discretionary Trading Operations. With degrees in Computer Science and Chemistry, I've always approached investing as a hard science — not a sales pitch. I earned my MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the epicenter of evidence-based investing. No commissions. No exceptions. I've been quoted as a financial expert in CNN Money, Fortune, the Chicago Tribune, US News, and Investment News.

Sam Schuette is a seasoned wealth advisor with over two decades of experience helping individuals and families plan for financial security and life milestones. As Vice President and Wealth Advisor at GreenUp Wealth Management, Sam works with clients to develop financial strategies tailored to their goals — including retirement planning, investment guidance, and overall wealth management.  Before joining GreenUp, Sam spent more than a decade at Scottrade, Inc., where he built strong client relationships and led teams of investment professionals. He also served in financial advisory and wealth planning roles at several other firms, bringing a depth of practical experience across markets, financial planning disciplines, and client service.  Sam holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture & Food Business Management with a focus in Finance from the University of Minnesota. Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, outdoor activities, and community engagement.

Peter O'Brien is a financial advisor with MPM Financial Corporation in Maplewood, MN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has worked at MPM Financial Corporation since 2005 and previously held roles at Voya Financial Advisors and Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed agent involved in the sale of fixed insurance products. MPM Financial Corporation provides discretionary asset management and advisory services to individual clients and qualified retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios to clients’ goals, time horizons, and risk tolerances, and offers financial consulting on retirement, insurance, budgeting, and legacy planning at no additional cost.

Justin Munger is a financial advisor at VIP Financial Associates with 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Premier Capital Management, LLC dba VIP Financial Associates since 2016 and previously at Sawtooth Solutions LLC. In addition to his advisory role, Munger is an independent life and health insurance agent licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin and owns a pet sitting and cleanup services business. VIP Financial Associates provides financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm’s investment process focuses on individualized asset allocation and uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, relying on third-party model managers and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Mark Austin is a financial advisor at Liniam Capital, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at North Sky Capital for eight years before joining Liniam Capital in 2018. Liniam Capital provides investment management and financial consulting to individual and institutional clients, including trusts, retirement plans, public funds, and Taft-Hartley accounts. The firm combines portfolio management with tax, estate, and insurance advice, often using ETFs, individual securities, and option strategies to generate income and manage risk, and integrates accounting services through an affiliated CPA.

Paula Lilly is a financial advisor at Ramsey Hill Asset Management LLC with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Ramsey Hill since 2011. Outside of her advisory role, she is a non-voting member of Mojave Color, LLC, a technology and software development company. Ramsey Hill Asset Management provides discretionary investment supervisory and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs both fundamental and technical analysis and uses long- and short-term trading strategies to build individualized portfolios aligned with clients’ objectives.