Nicole Brunner

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.

Jesse Sell is a CFP® with 31 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Prevail Financial Partners, LLC since 2019. Prior to founding Prevail, he worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 11 years. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Treasurer and Secretary for his neighborhood Homeowners Association in West Lakeland, Minnesota. Prevail Financial Partners is a state-registered independent advisory firm that provides portfolio management, investment advice, and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm manages approximately $63.7 million across 70 client relationships, employing a client-driven investment process that includes asset allocation, dollar-cost averaging, and both long- and short-term trading, with a focus on non-discretionary account management.

Jay Radke is a financial advisor with Investors Choice in Stillwater, MN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at Investors Choice from 1999 to 2018. In addition to his advisory role, Radke has been a licensed life insurance agent since 1984, providing insurance products to clients as needed. Investors Choice is an independent firm offering financial planning, investment advisory, and portfolio management services to individual clients. The firm manages approximately $1.41 million across a limited number of accounts, using a customized investment approach that incorporates various analysis techniques and a range of instruments, including mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, options, CDs, and annuities. The firm also sells insurance products and offers fixed and variable annuities, combining fee-based advisory and insurance services.

Kyle Playford is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Freedom Financial Partners LLC. His prior roles include positions at AdvisorNet Wealth Management, Pine Grove Financial Group, and JPMorgan Chase. Outside of advisory work, he is involved with FFP Insurance LLC as a licensed insurance agent. Freedom Financial Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension/profit-sharing plans with portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and insurance advisory services. The firm’s investment approach combines active and passive strategies guided by Modern Portfolio Theory and customized investment policy statements.

Paul Kluskowski is a financial advisor at T/R Financial Management Group, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Lotus Investment Management, LLC from 2006 to 2019. In addition to his advisory role, he is the managing member of Cobalt Tax Services, LLC, a tax preparation and consultation business. T/R Financial Management Group provides personalized, discretionary investment management and financial planning primarily to individual clients and trusts. The firm employs a blend of proprietary technical, cyclical, and fundamental analysis to construct diversified portfolios, operating as a fee-only adviser that does not sell commission products.

Sarah Braunshausen is an investment advisor representative at Fencl Advisory Services, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. She has worked at Fencl Advisory Services since 2015 and previously was affiliated with Dominion Investor Services, Inc. and Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. She is also involved in selling fixed life insurance and disability products. Fencl Advisory Services is a state-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, retirement plans, corporations, and other professional clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning with a planning-driven, long-term buy-and-hold investment approach, emphasizing client education and regular portfolio reviews.