Parker James Waters

Thomas Hintz is a financial advisor with KONZA Capital Advisors in Manhattan, KS, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been a partner at Varney & Associates CPA's since 1977, where he provides investment advice incidental to tax and accounting services. Konza Capital Advisors is a fee-only firm owned and operated by Hintz that offers discretionary portfolio management and financial advice to individuals, trusts, and IRAs. The firm manages approximately $16 million in client assets and primarily uses low-cost mutual funds and ETFs to implement client-directed allocations.

Michael Hammersmith is a financial advisor with Heartland Wealth Strategies LLC in Manhattan, KS. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has 18 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Heartland Wealth Strategies in 2018, he worked at Central Financial Services and Ameritas Investment Corp. Outside of advising, he is a partner in a retail liquor store and a fitness business in Maple Hill, KS. Heartland Wealth Strategies is an independent, single-advisor registered investment adviser managing approximately $59 million for about 174 clients. The firm provides personalized investment management to individuals and various institutions, focusing on risk-oriented asset allocation, risk management, and a mix of long-term and short-term investment strategies.

Randy Stitt is the principal of Abundance Wealth Management in Manhattan, KS. He holds a Series 65 credential and has experience in academia and commercial banking, having worked at Kansas State University and Community First National Bank since the early 2000s. Stitt founded Abundance Wealth Management in 2026 and currently serves as its sole advisor. Abundance Wealth Management offers investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm’s approach integrates fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing both passive and active investment vehicles, with options for socially conscious portfolios tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Stuart Heckman is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as the principal of No Coast Financial Group. He has held positions at Garrett Investment Advisors, CGN Advisors, and runs Heckman Research Consulting, LLC. He is also an Associate Professor of Practice at Texas Tech University. No Coast Financial Group is a fee-only independent advisory firm that serves individual clients, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm follows asset-allocation principles based on Modern Portfolio Theory and fundamental analysis, offering tailored investment management and financial planning services with discretionary management and periodic reporting.

Derek Lawson is a CFP® with nine years of experience at Priority Financial Partners in Manhattan, KS. He has held academic positions at Kansas State University since 2015, currently serving as an assistant professor teaching CFP Board Core Content classes and conducting research. Prior to his current role, he also worked at Texas Tech University. Priority Financial Partners is a small advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with comprehensive financial planning and investment management. The firm employs a passive, asset-class-based investment approach, focusing on diversified, cost-efficient portfolios tailored to client risk profiles.

Brian Nickel is a CFP® with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is affiliated with Keating Financial Advisory Services and has held roles at Raymond James Financial and Assurity Life Insurance. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Phoreus Biotech, a company that licenses nanotechnology. Keating Financial Advisory Services primarily serves pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate retirement plans, and other institutional clients, managing $330 million in plan assets. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, along with modular financial planning and consulting services.