Derek Wade Varner

Alexander Fratti is a CFA charterholder and principal of Fratti Investment Management in State College, PA, with four years of industry experience. He has held roles at firms including RKL, Boyer & Ritter, Alvarez & Marsal, VRC, and Wells Fargo Clearing. In addition to his advisory work, he provides management consulting services to private businesses through a separate consulting activity. Fratti Investment Management offers discretionary investment supervisory services to private accounts such as individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, banks, and small businesses. The firm employs a bottom-up, fundamentals-driven investment approach focused on U.S. exchange-listed equities, emphasizing a contrarian, concentrated core strategy with an emphasis on small- and micro-cap securities.

Nicholas Phelps is a CFP® professional and the sole advisor at Phelps Financial Advisors in State College, PA, with 15 years of experience. He has solely operated his independent practice since 2011. Phelps Financial Advisors offers fee-only financial planning and investment advice to individuals, families, and small business owners. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation with a long-term, buy-and-hold approach, providing comprehensive planning services without discretionary portfolio management or asset-based fees.

Curtis Borden is the sole advisor at Borden Portfolio Management in Bellefonte, PA. He holds the Series 66 designation and has 27 years of experience managing his independent advisory firm. Borden Portfolio Management provides discretionary asset management and related services primarily to individual investors with portfolios generally exceeding $50,000. The firm employs an asset-allocation approach focused on diversified portfolios using ETFs and individual securities, with attention to personalized investment policies and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Mary Chuhinka Kurtz is a financial advisor with TLC Group Investment Advisors, LLC in State College, PA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. She has worked at Leigh Baldwin & Co., LLC and TLC Group Investment Advisors since 2006. Outside of advising, she is the sole owner of Leeward Wealth Inc., a fixed insurance and annuities business. TLC Group Investment Advisors provides investment management and consulting services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis along with due diligence of third-party managers to manage client portfolios across various asset classes.

Geoffrey Caber is a financial advisor with Avail Investment Partners, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 30 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Abundance Wealth Counselors, Investment Research Partners, Compass Investments, Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, and Abundance Wealth. Avail Investment Partners provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, foundations, businesses, and pension plans. The firm uses a predominantly top-down, evidence-based investment approach that includes fundamental analysis and allocation across various strategies, including affiliated private funds, while managing disclosed conflicts of interest through formal policies.

Kristen Coombs is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Invested Advisors. She previously worked at H. Beck, Inc. for seven years before founding Kristen Coombs Financial Advisors. Outside of her advisory role, she oversees an investment trust account as a trustee and is involved in insurance sales, including non-variable insurance and fixed annuities. Invested Advisors provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm emphasizes goal-driven portfolio construction tailored to each client’s objectives and time horizon, often utilizing independent third-party managers and specialist strategies.