Laura Gates

I’m Delaware’s only professional futurist and the founder of StratFI, a boutique investment advisory firm built around a simple question: “What happens next?” Before launching StratFI, I served as lead portfolio manager for a multi-family office working with inherited wealth families. At the start of my career, I worked as a financial planner for what is now Ameriprise. Today, StratFI provides active investment management for active people — particularly professionals and retirees focused on building, preserving, and navigating long-term wealth. I intentionally work with a limited number of clients to maintain meaningful relationships and deliver a highly personalized experience. Clients receive direct access to their portfolio manager, customized investment strategies, and thoughtful guidance grounded in experience. All client assets are custodied with Charles Schwab. StratFI operates as a fee-only fiduciary, meaning no commissions and no conflicts of interest. To maintain a high standard of service and customization, we typically work with clients who have $500,000 or more in investable assets.

Beth Dandrea is a Certified Financial Planner® with 12 years of industry experience. She is the sole advisor at Plumtree Financial Planning and has operated her own financial planning practice since 2007. Plumtree Financial Planning provides comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals and families, focusing on long-term, tailored strategies that incorporate budgeting, tax planning, life insurance, and estate planning. The firm offers both ongoing and project-based advice, maintaining a fee-only model without custody of client assets.

Li Ma is a financial advisor at Annova LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Annova since 2020. Prior to that, he was employed at Axalta Coating Systems LLC for six years. Li is also a licensed independent life insurance agent in California, Delaware, Florida, and Pennsylvania and may recommend annuities or life insurance as part of financial planning. Annova LLC provides discretionary portfolio management to individual, institutional, and corporate clients through its Portfolio Management Account wrap-fee program. The firm uses risk-based and outcomes-based asset-allocation models and delegates trading and model implementation to selected investment managers, offering quarterly performance reporting and employing strategies that may include derivatives and alternative investments.

John Neal is a financial advisor at Stone Loft Wealth Management LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at The Vanguard Group and UBS Financial Services. Stone Loft Wealth Management is an independent advisory firm serving high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm offers discretionary wealth management and financial planning, focusing on portfolio construction with low-cost mutual funds and ETFs, combining fundamental and technical analysis within a long-term investment framework.

Ben is the founder of Ketwich Capital LLC ("Ket-Cap") which serves the financial and investment needs of professionals and families. Ben is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and a Certified Kingdom Advisor®. Prior to founding Ket-Cap in 2017, Ben spent a decade working on Wall Street at UBS and Neuberger Berman. As an equity analyst in 2008, he had a front-row seat to the housing bubble burst and the collapse of the global economy. This experience taught him the dangers of financial salesmanship (mortgages in this case) and the pitfall wealth can bring when there is no plan or purpose. Ben is passionate about helping others become secure, content, and generous in their wealth. Ben has facilitated financial courses including Financial Peace University, Charting Your Legacy, and the Journey of Generosity (Generous Giving). In his personal time, Ben can be found either outside with his wife and two young children or building something around the house. He is an avid reader of books related to money, history, and theology.

Albert Dalby is a financial advisor with Vantage Advisors, LLC in Wayne, PA, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 33 years of industry experience, including 23 years at Vanguard before joining Vantage Advisors in 2019. Vantage Advisors provides financial planning and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, small business owners, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and nonprofit foundations. The firm utilizes fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and quantitative techniques to develop long-term investment strategies and offers advising on an hourly basis without discretionary trading authority or performance-based fees.