James Arthur Bales

As a military spouse, Lauren has pursued her interest in personal finance around the globe. Lauren joined Illuminate Wealth Management in 2021 and works primarily with clients through the firm's Retirement Readiness and Financial Foundations planning projects. She enjoys getting to know each client's unique situation and helping them think through important financial decisions. For clients approaching retirement, Lauren helps evaluate retirement income needs, Social Security claiming options, Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), Roth conversion opportunities, and withdrawal strategies. Through the Financial Foundations projects, she works with individuals and families who want to build strong financial habits, organize their finances, and create a plan for future goals. In her free time, Lauren wrangles her three wild children (four if you include her husband) and is in constant pursuit of the perfect breakfast taco outside of Texas, which has yet to be found…

Lars Lassen is a CFP® with 15 years of experience and is the sole advisor at Magnolia Lane Capital, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2015. He serves as a trustee of the Lassen Irrevocable Family Trust and is involved in community activities as a board member of the Hampton Roads Academy Alumni Council and a volunteer mentor with the Oyster Point Rotary Club. Magnolia Lane Capital provides discretionary investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a value-oriented, fundamental stock-picking approach focused on selecting securities trading below intrinsic value, with portfolios tailored to clients’ risk tolerance and income needs.

Jonathan West is a financial advisor at Montgomery Capital Management, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Montgomery Capital Management since 2003. West is also the director of College Funding Group, LLC, where he provides advice on college funding, financial aid opportunities, and scholarship sources. Montgomery Capital Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management combined with college-funding consulting, employing an actively managed, top-down investment approach that adjusts portfolios based on a range of economic and market factors.

Zachary Bond is the principal advisor at Bond Financial Planning, LLC in Hampton, VA. He holds a Series 65 designation and has experience working as an engineer at Newport News Shipbuilding. Bond founded Bond Financial Planning, an independent registered investment adviser that provides discretionary investment management and financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes a long-term, fundamental-analysis approach and constructs portfolios primarily using ETFs and mutual funds, with occasional use of individual securities.

Cheryl Nester is the principal advisor at Histor Investing, LLC in Williamsburg, VA, with 13 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Histor Companies since 2008. In addition to her advisory role, she is president and principal consultant of HistorConsulting, a firm providing financial and management consulting services to nonprofit organizations. HistorInvesting is a fee-only, fiduciary advisory firm serving individuals, small businesses, nonprofits, and institutional clients. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside educational services such as workshops, seminars, a video series, and a monthly newsletter. Its investment approach emphasizes macroeconomic analysis, life-cycle planning, and a buy-and-hold strategy with limited trading.

Marco Johnson is the sole advisor at Intentional-Growth Advisors LLC in Newport News, VA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 14 years of experience in financial services. He previously worked with Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services for over a decade and concurrently serves as a systems analyst at the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic since 2003. Additionally, Mr. Johnson creates financial education content under his personal brand H.I.M.E. through various digital platforms. Intentional-Growth Advisors LLC serves individuals, families, trusts, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement accounts, offering portfolio management and wealth planning through various fee structures. The firm combines passive and active investment strategies using both fundamental and technical analysis and integrates behavioral finance and client education via the proprietary H.I.M.E. framework as an educational tool alongside advisory services delivered under a fiduciary standard.