Julie C Naji

Lara Smith is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with two years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and previously worked at Target and Starbucks before moving into financial services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, using an integrated model linked with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and client savings rates through point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

John Lynch is a financial advisor with United Planners Financial Services of America and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 20 years of industry experience, with prior roles at Questar Asset Management and Woodbury Financial Services. Lynch also operates as an independent non-variable insurance agent. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm supports independent advisors through a limited-partnership ownership structure and offers both advisory and brokerage services using a variety of custodians and third-party managers.

Robert White is a CFP® professional with 35 years of industry experience, currently serving at Money Concepts Capital Corp. He has been with Prairie Financial Group, LLC since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is an author of fiction and serves as Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Cass County Coalition of Chambers, as well as a board member of the Pleasant Hill Historical District. Money Concepts Advisory Service provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers a range of managed programs and employs model portfolios, third-party sub-advisers, and fundamental and technical analysis to manage assets for approximately 14,700 clients.

Terry Neace is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has been associated with Great West since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, he works part-time as a delivery driver for Amazon Flex and as a driver for Uber. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer‑sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to certain IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm utilizes an integrated model linked to Empower’s administrative platforms and offers financial plans focused on long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and savings rates.

Nicole Muenz is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Central Trust Bank, LPL Financial, and State Street Bank, as well as academic positions at the University of Missouri and Truman State University. Outside of finance, she serves as an Assistant Tournament Director for USA Softball of Kansas City, supporting local girls' softball tournaments. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on holistic, goal-based financial analyses without discretionary trading authority. Their planning integrates with managed-account programs under a consolidated billing system while maintaining separate service offerings.

Devin Ceperley is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Pleasant Hill, MO, holding a Series 66 designation and beginning his industry career in 2026. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he was involved with First Baptist Church Grain Valley, the Kansas City Chorale, and the Blue Springs R-IV School District. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including pension plans and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of advisors and branch offices, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard.