Eric Birnbaum

Damian Mbadugha is the sole advisor at Hillgate Financial, LLC, a New Jersey-registered investment adviser. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory role, he is registered as a commodities trading advisor, and works as an insurance agent and tax preparer, focusing on research during weekends. Hillgate Financial provides discretionary investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, and estates, applying modern portfolio theory to build diversified portfolios primarily using passively managed funds and ETFs. The firm emphasizes tax-aware strategies and manages a historically significant asset base with a focus on individualized client portfolios.

Jerrold Trub is a financial advisor at Parkview Capital Management with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority since 1993, where he serves as a Director of a business unit conducting operational reviews. Parkview Capital Management primarily serves individual clients, offering discretionary investment advisory services along with financial planning and consulting. The firm’s investment approach centers on fundamental equity analysis supplemented by option-based overlays, including the use of LEAPS and covered-call writing, which is a distinguishing feature of their portfolio management.

Nitin Apte is a financial advisor at GA Advisors LLC in Bridgewater, NJ, with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Azul Systems Inc and Credit Carbon Inc for seven years each. He serves as Chair of the Investment Committee for the nonprofit organization Marathi Vishwa of New Jersey. GA Advisors LLC provides personalized investment advice and discretionary portfolio management to individual clients, focusing on global equity and fixed income markets. The firm employs an asset-allocation model adjusted for market conditions, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and occasionally individual securities, along with options trading, supported by regular research and account monitoring.

Bryan Zegar is a CFP® professional with six years of experience in the financial services industry. He is the principal advisor at Hearthstead Financial, LLC, where he has worked since 2025. Prior to this, he spent seven years at Ameriprise and AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES, Inc. Outside of finance, he is involved with Allshapes Bonsai Nursery, where he assists with inventory management, customer support, and technology. Hearthstead Financial is a registered investment adviser that provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm employs a mixed-methods investment approach combining fundamental and charting analysis with mutual fund and ETF evaluation, focusing on both passive and active strategies implemented on a non-discretionary basis.

Claudia Mott is a CFP® certificant and Series 63 license holder with 13 years of industry experience. She has been the principal advisor at Epona Financial Solutions since 2010. Epona Financial Solutions is an independent, fee-only firm serving individuals and couples with financial planning, investment management, and divorce settlement analysis. The firm applies Modern Portfolio Theory to create diversified portfolios and specializes in divorce financial planning, providing detailed cash-flow and net-worth projections as part of its services.

John Macmillan is the sole advisor at Macmillan Financial LLC in Annandale, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations with 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at Macmillan Agencies since 2006. Macmillan Financial provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and institutional clients, including pension plans, businesses, charities, and trusts. The firm follows a fundamental, research-driven approach that emphasizes long-term investing while allowing short-term trades when appropriate, managing client accounts with limited discretionary authority.