James Ahern

Brian Amato is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Lebenthal Global Advisors LLC, Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., and American Investment Planners LLC. He is also involved in tax preparation and accounting through American Taxes Inc. LPL Financial provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm offers a range of investment solutions supported by an in-house research team and accommodates both advisory and brokerage needs through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

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.

Phillip Defranco is the Managing Member and Chief Compliance Officer of Heartland Northeast LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. He has prior experience at Kornett, Inc. and is the owner of Northeast Advocacy Network, Inc., where he also serves as a licensed insurance agent. Heartland Northeast LLC provides investment advisory and portfolio management services to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing a combination of analytical methods focused on long-term trading and tailored model allocations. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management and sponsors a wrap fee program.

Matthew Wright is the principal and sole advisor at WRIGHT Investment Partners LLC, with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked as a private investor for five years before founding his firm in 2016. Outside of advisory work, he is a principal in a business that owns a small Class C office building. WRIGHT Investment Partners LLC provides portfolio management services to individual and high net worth clients, focusing on personalized Investment Policy Statements and discretionary management. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and quantitative analysis with a long-term trading approach, offering a range of investment products and conducting at least monthly account reviews.

Michael Godeanu is a financial advisor at Luxe Capital Management Inc. with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Singer Wealth Advisors LLC, Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, LLC, Mass Mutual Investors Services, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, and AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of finance, he is the owner of Berzerk Fitness LLC, an e-commerce retail business, and has served as an on-ice hockey official for USA Hockey since 2004. Luxe Capital Management, founded in 2024, provides portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and adviser selection services to individual and institutional clients. The firm employs a multi-method investment approach combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and manages accounts using long-term, short-term, and trading strategies, typically on a discretionary basis.

Stephen Hanley is the sole advisor at Hanley Capital Management, LLC in Madison, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 16 years of industry experience. He has led Hanley Capital Management since 2009. Hanley Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management primarily for high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients, including banks, pension plans, and charitable institutions. The firm specializes in fixed income investments, focusing on municipal and Treasury bonds, and employs a combination of fundamental analysis and technical tools alongside proprietary software to manage portfolios.