John Paul Francis

Alec Derrig is a CFP® and Series 65 license holder based in Akron, Ohio, with one year of experience at Sand Run Wealth Management. His prior work includes roles at Kauig Companies Limited and Apple Growth Partners, as well as four years at Kent State University. Outside of advising, he is involved with a family office through his other business activities. Sand Run Wealth Management is an Ohio-registered investment adviser serving individuals and families with investment management and financial planning services. The firm employs a long-term, goals-based investment approach tailored to client objectives and emphasizes tax-aware strategies through diversified portfolios.

Peter Laakso is a financial advisor with Priority Investment Management LLC in Akron, OH. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 12 years of industry experience, including a decade at Meridian Capital Management Group, Inc. from 2014 to 2024 and prior self-employment from 2010 to 2016. Priority Investment Management LLC provides discretionary asset management services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm offers customized investment programs using a mix of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis, with an emphasis on managing accounts separately and allowing clients to vote their own proxies.

Larry Kline is a financial advisor at Gateway Wealth, Inc. in Stow, Ohio, with 38 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at FSC Securities Corporation and Osaic Wealth, Inc. In addition to his advisory role, Kline is a CPA involved in tax return preparation and tax planning. Gateway Wealth, Inc. provides comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management services to individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a long-term investment approach with discretionary management, emphasizing mutual funds and utilizing both fundamental and technical analysis.

George Dagnino is the sole advisor at Peter Dag & Associates, Inc. in Akron, OH, with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with the firm since 1993. Peter Dag & Associates serves a small number of individual clients, primarily managing conservative and retirement accounts through discretionary portfolio management and investment advice. The firm also publishes a subscription-based investment report, The Peter Dag Portfolio, with an investment approach focused on economic trend analysis, sector-specific security selection, and a conservative bias to limit downside risk.

Jennifer Sokira is the sole advisor at WALT ST WSIM Ltd, an independent advisory firm located in Seville, Ohio. She holds 25 years of industry experience and has been with Walt St Investment Management, Ltd. since 1998. WALT ST Investment Management, Ltd. provides discretionary private portfolio management and ongoing investment supervisory services to individual clients, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth households. The firm employs an individualized investment approach that blends fundamental and technical analysis to construct multi-year portfolios across various strategies.

Michael Andrews is a CFP® and Series 66 accredited financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience. He has been the president of Andrews Advisors Inc., a tax, accounting, and wealth management firm, since 1999 and has led Andrews Wealth Management, LLC since 2010. Outside of his advisory work, Andrews serves as the head coach for a Little League travel baseball team in Wadsworth, Ohio. Andrews Wealth Management is a fee-only advisory firm serving individuals, families, and trusts, typically with net worth above $500,000. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis to create customized investment policy statements and monitors portfolios regularly, tailoring strategies to clients’ goals and risk tolerance.