Michel Lee Bess Jr.

Aaron Smith is a financial advisor at Smith Financial with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at Mercap Securities, LLC since 2014 while maintaining a long tenure with Smith Financial Corp beginning in 1993. Outside of his advisory role, Smith serves as an investment committee member for the Community Foundation of Howard County, vice president of development for the Boy Scouts of America Sagamore Council, treasurer of the Rotary Club of Kokomo, and is the proprietor of Aaron Smith Law Services. Smith Financial serves individual investors, including high net worth clients, as well as retirement plans, charitable foundations, and other institutional clients. The firm offers investment supervisory services, financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, insurance review, estate planning, and business consulting, utilizing long-term, risk-based portfolios primarily composed of mutual funds and ETFs.

Blake Brutus is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with six years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Smith Financial Investment Advisors, Inc. since 2019 and previously at Aetna-Continental Life Insurance from 2016 to 2019. Smith Financial serves individual investors, including high net worth clients, as well as retirement plans, charitable foundations, and other institutional clients. The firm offers investment supervisory services, comprehensive financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, insurance review, estate planning, and business consulting, constructing long-term, risk-based portfolios primarily using mutual funds and exchange-traded funds guided by Modern Portfolio Theory.

Richard Smith is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with 40 years of industry experience. He is president of Smith Financial Investment Advisors, Inc. and has worked at Mercap Securities, LLC since 2014. Smith is also involved as a board member and finance committee member of the Community Foundation of Howard County and participates in fundraising efforts for the YMCA of Kokomo. Smith Financial Investment Advisors, Inc. provides investment supervisory services and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, charitable institutions, foundations, and endowments. The firm constructs long-term, risk-based portfolios primarily using mutual funds and ETFs, employing Modern Portfolio Theory and customized portfolios to address client tax needs, cash flow, and risk tolerance.

Frederick Matthes is a financial advisor at Sycamore Financial Group in Kokomo, IN, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at CareerWise USA, Amazon Inc, Matthes Dental, and involvement with the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana Gies School of Business. He has also contributed to the Indiana University Kokomo student newspaper. Sycamore Financial Group serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, estates, and trusts, often working with closely held businesses. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting, focusing on fundamental analysis and proprietary model portfolios with a long-term investment orientation.

Jared Foote is a financial advisor with Milestone Asset Management, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation. He has been in the industry since 2022, with prior experience at WealthPoint Advisors and New York Life. Milestone Asset Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $546 million in client assets across about 1,200 client relationships, utilizing a combination of internally managed and third-party model portfolios with discretionary management and a tactical and strategic investment approach.

Thomas Hayes is a financial advisor with Milestone Asset Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with Alphastar Capital Management and Brookstone Capital Management, and he leads Hayes Advisory Group, where he also provides insurance sales and advice. Outside of his advisory roles, Hayes serves on the board of The Prepare Institute, where he teaches retirement classes. Milestone Asset Management offers discretionary asset management and modular financial planning primarily to individuals, including high-net-worth households, as well as trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm employs a combination of tactical and strategic investment approaches, utilizing firm-developed and third-party model portfolios alongside various sub-advisers and derivative-based strategies.