Michael John Poor

I'm the founder of SCM Investment Services in Lake Elmo, MN — a fee-only, fiduciary advisory firm built on one belief: everyone deserves honest financial advice from someone legally required to put their interests first. My path here started on the trading floor at the Chicago Board of Trade, where I transacted over $1 billion in US Treasury Notes daily and later served as VP and Director of Discretionary Trading Operations. With degrees in Computer Science and Chemistry, I've always approached investing as a hard science — not a sales pitch. I earned my MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the epicenter of evidence-based investing. No commissions. No exceptions. I've been quoted as a financial expert in CNN Money, Fortune, the Chicago Tribune, US News, and Investment News.

Peter O'Brien is the owner and sole advisor of MPM Financial Corporation, an independent firm based in Maplewood, MN. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 36 years of industry experience. Prior to his current role at MPM Financial Corporation since 2020, he worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Voya Financial Advisors. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed agent for fixed and traditional insurance products. MPM Financial Corporation provides discretionary asset management primarily for individual investors and qualified retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios to client objectives and offers services including ongoing portfolio monitoring and financial consulting.

Justin Munger is a financial advisor at VIP Financial Associates with 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Premier Capital Management, LLC dba VIP Financial Associates since 2016 and previously at Sawtooth Solutions LLC. In addition to his advisory role, Munger is an independent life and health insurance agent licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin and owns a pet sitting and cleanup services business. VIP Financial Associates provides financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm’s investment process focuses on individualized asset allocation and uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, relying on third-party model managers and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Paula Lilly is a financial advisor at Ramsey Hill Asset Management LLC with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Ramsey Hill since 2011. Outside of her advisory role, she is a non-voting member of Mojave Color, LLC, a technology and software development company. Ramsey Hill Asset Management provides discretionary investment supervisory and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs both fundamental and technical analysis and uses long- and short-term trading strategies to build individualized portfolios aligned with clients’ objectives.

Britt Clanton is the principal of Clanton Financial Partners, LLC in Saint Paul, MN, with 21 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at MML Investors Services, LLC and Transamerica-affiliated firms. Outside of his advisory role, Clanton serves as Chief Financial Officer for Visibility Innovations, providing financial consulting services. Clanton Financial Partners is a state-registered investment adviser offering customized investment management and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and ERISA retirement plans. The firm utilizes fundamental analysis with a primarily long-term investment strategy while allowing tactical adjustments and sponsors a wrap-fee program that consolidates custodial, trading, and administrative costs.

Thomas Thompson is the principal of Thompson Financial Transitions Inc. in White Bear Lake, MN, with 29 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and securities licenses Series 63 and Series 65. Thompson has a background that includes roles at SagePoint Financial and Kristi Seifert, LLC, and he also works as an independent insurance agent selling life insurance, long-term care, and annuities. Additionally, he assists with tax preparation and serves as power of attorney managing investments and financial affairs for a family member. Thompson Financial Transitions Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and consulting for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory approach, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, with discretionary trading authority and direct management of insurance contract assets alongside platform-based solutions.