Margaret Helen Bartelt

Adam Van Ness is a financial advisor at NW Straits Financial Services with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has managed his current firm since 2021. Outside of advisory work, he teaches community-based continuing education classes on personal finance topics and serves as a board member for the local nonprofit healthcare provider Unity Care Northwest. NW Straits Financial Services provides discretionary investment management and project-based financial consulting primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes passive, index-based portfolios tailored to client-specific asset allocations and uses a defined risk management approach aligned with clients’ time horizons.

Demetrio Munoz is a financial advisor with Stirlingshire Investment. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 28 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Bank of America, Merrill, and MassMutual. He is also involved in non-variable insurance sales, including fixed life and fixed annuities. Stirlingshire Investment provides investment advisory and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, businesses, and corporate pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, delivering advice through a nationwide network of Investment Advisor Representatives who work with third-party account managers and provide supervisory oversight.

Meet Eric Smith, CFP®, MEd, MBA I started Ridge Falls Financial Planning because I love helping people gain clarity and confidence in their financial lives. While I have a background in supporting service-oriented professionals, my practice is specifically designed for aspiring DIY Investors and Validators—those who manage their own finances but want a professional "second set of eyes" to ensure they are on track for retirement. A Collaborative, Advice-Only Approach: The inspiration for my firm came from my own life. At various points in our careers, my wife and I wanted to meet with a financial planner on an hourly basis to ensure we were on the right path. We wanted a fiduciary to take a comprehensive look at everything—from long-range cash flow and insurance to investments and estate planning. However, we wanted that advice without the requirement of asset management. Today, I provide that exact service: holistic, pre-retirement financial reviews on an hourly, Advice-Only basis. Financial Expertise: I spent 12 years in the financial services industry, serving as a branch manager, community banker, and business lender. I also served as a SCORE Business Mentor, helping entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. An Educator’s Perspective: I have over 15 years of experience as an educator. My background includes teaching at Western Washington University (WWU) and serving in the U.S. Peace Corps in Mongolia. I use this experience to make complex financial concepts easy to understand. Academic Foundation: I hold a degree in Cultural Anthropology (Psychology emphasis), a Master of Education, and a Master of Business Administration, all from WWU. Life in the Pacific Northwest: I have called Bellingham, WA home for over 25 years and am an active member of our outdoor community. A great day includes mountain biking the Ridge Trail on Galbraith and a family walk in Whatcom Falls Park with our dog, Zuzu. These two local trail systems inspired the name of my business: Ridge Falls Financial Planning.

Timothy Brockman is a financial advisor at Stock Pro (Brockman Capital Management, LLC) with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones and the Independent Financial Group. Outside of advisory work, he teaches business courses at Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Technical College. Stock Pro provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, and certain retirement plans, and offers a public subscription research service. The firm uses model portfolios and a tiered service approach, including machine-learning models and options strategies, and allows direct digital asset holdings through separate trust arrangements.

Richard Joines is a financial advisor at FSR Wealth Management, LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with FSR Wealth Management since 2014. Joines is licensed to sell life, disability, and variable insurance products in Washington State. FSR Wealth Management is an independent registered investment adviser that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, business owners, and pension/profit-sharing plans. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and insurance-related advice, often managing accounts on a discretionary basis using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis with a long-term orientation.

Howard Eriksen is the principal of Eriksen Capital Management with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has served as CEO of Solitron Devices Inc., a semiconductor and electronics company, on a part-time basis for the past 10 years. Eriksen Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to individual clients through separately managed accounts and operates a private pooled vehicle, Cedar Creek Partners LLC. The firm employs a bottom-up fundamental value investment approach and manages approximately $43.8 million in assets with a limited client roster.