Gary James Merge

Jonathan Dane is a CFP® and CFA® with over 18 years of industry experience. He founded Defiant Capital Group in 2020 after previously working at a family office and on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs and Jefferies. Defiant Capital Group provides entrepreneurs, founders and highly compensated executives with optimized tax planning and financial guidance. We offer both flat-fee and AUM models depending on the client engagement and need. We specialize in comprehensive planning pre- and post-liquidity, and our advanced planning work spans equity compensation, QSBS, capital gains, estate strategy, and multi-generational family businesses. Our team works together on every client, and no two engagements look the same - we structure each one around what the client actually needs.

Christopher Conrad is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at PNC Investments since 2019, following four years at Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory role, he owns Conrad Data Consulting LLC, a non-investment related business. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital offering for employees that uses algorithm-driven risk assessment to select investment models implemented via mutual funds and ETFs.

Grady Wirth is a Private Wealth Advisor with The Bahnsen Group, serving high-net-worth individuals, executives, pre-retirees, and retirees who want a clearer, more disciplined plan for turning wealth into lasting income. Grady works best with households who have accumulated meaningful assets and are now asking bigger questions: Can my portfolio support my lifestyle? How do I create income that can rise over time? How do I manage taxes in retirement? How do I coordinate investment decisions, estate planning, insurance, cash flow, and legacy goals into one understandable strategy? His approach is especially valuable for clients between ages 55 and 70 who are preparing for retirement or already living from their portfolio. Rather than relying on generic allocation models or annuity-first solutions, Grady helps clients build tax-aware, income-focused portfolios rooted in The Bahnsen Group’s core dividend growth investment philosophy. Clients often come to Grady because they want someone who can make complex financial decisions feel simple. His style is straightforward, educational, and calm. He takes time to explain not just what the plan is, but why it works, how each piece fits together, and what clients should expect along the way. As a CFP® and CIMA® professional with 12 years of industry experience, Grady focuses on retirement income planning, tax planning, investment management, estate and legacy planning coordination, Social Security strategy, Roth conversion planning, risk management, insurance planning, cash-flow planning, and multi-generational wealth planning. Grady leads The Bahnsen Group’s Pittsburgh presence and is supported by a three-person team. The Bahnsen Group is a nationally recognized private wealth management firm known for its dividend growth investment philosophy and comprehensive approach to wealth management. Grady is a strong fit for clients who want a long-term advisory relationship, value thoughtful guidance, and are looking for a clear plan they can understand and follow. He is generally not the right fit for do-it-yourself investors who prefer to manage every decision independently. To explore whether there may be a mutual fit, schedule a 15-minute introductory call with Grady.

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Arlene Neff is the principal and sole proprietor of A. Neff Associates LLC in Pittsburgh, PA, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 43 years of industry experience. She has operated her independent advisory firm since 1987 and previously worked at Elish & Elish, Inc. from 2014 to 2017. A. Neff Associates LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, businesses, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm manages assets on a non-discretionary basis, combining fundamental and technical analysis with asset-allocation considerations, and offers retirement-plan consulting including participant education and plan-sponsor liaison support.

Todd Delligatti is the president of Expert Financial Services, LLC in Wexford, PA, with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and has worked at Leigh Baldwin & CO., LLC for 12 years. Outside of financial advising, he is involved in restaurant management through M&J Management Corp, where he handles accounting, bill paying, and tax preparation. Expert Financial Services, LLC primarily serves individual investors along with pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, businesses, and trusts. The firm provides managed account services on a primarily non-discretionary basis, using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to support both long- and short-term investment strategies.