Ranjan Upendra

Christopher (Chris) Pfau, CPA, CFP®, is the co-founder of Lakemont Financial Group and founder of Lakemont Wealth Management, with more than 15 years of experience in accounting, tax, and financial advisory services. Chris founded Lakemont Wealth Management to integrate tax strategy, investment management, retirement planning, and estate planning into a comprehensive approach that helps clients protect what they've built and work toward their long-term financial goals. The firm serves business owners, high-net-worth individuals, and attorneys, with a focus on personal injury and other contingency-fee attorneys.

Trey Gevers is a financial advisor at Gevers Wealth Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Cetera and Columbia Hospitality. Outside of his advisory role, he volunteers with Young Life. Gevers Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser that provides discretionary investment management and stand-alone financial consulting services to a range of clients, including individuals, trusts, estates, nonprofits, and business entities. The firm employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, modern portfolio theory, and regular account monitoring to construct and manage portfolios.

Evan Schmidt is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Schmidt Financial Management since 2019 and previously worked at Schmidt Financial Group, Inc. from 2009 to 2024. Schmidt Financial Management provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth households, including trusts, estates, and retirement accounts. The firm uses a customized, non-model portfolio approach combining fundamental and technical analysis, delegating manager due diligence to an external provider while conducting regular account reviews and financial planning updates.

Ronald Chan is a CFA® charterholder and the sole advisor at Lakeside Financial Inc. in Kirkland, WA, with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Lakeside Financial since 2015. Outside of investment advisory, he spends significant time providing management consulting services, including financial analysis and strategic recommendations, notably for a corporate client in the furniture industry. Lakeside Financial is an independent, state-registered firm managing approximately $35 million for around 34 clients. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and business entities, offering investment management, financial planning, and management consulting. Its investment approach incorporates intrinsic-value, quantitative, and qualitative analysis across multiple asset classes and geographies, with features such as the use of margin, securities lending, and performance-based fee arrangements.

Lauren Vignec is the principal of Vignec Financial LLC in Seattle, WA, holding a Series 65 designation with over 17 years of experience in wealth management. Prior to founding her own firm in 2025, she worked at Erickson Wealth & Tax Management for 16 years. Outside of advising, she prepares tax returns for an unaffiliated CPA firm during the initial tax season and owns a mobile video-game startup. Vignec Financial LLC is a newly registered investment adviser providing discretionary investment management and portfolio oversight primarily to individual clients. The firm employs a long-term, passive investment approach using risk-based model portfolios mainly composed of broadly diversified ETFs and mutual funds, with scheduled rebalancing and no market timing or individual security selection.

Dwayne Reinike is a CFP® and ChFC® credentialed financial advisor at Valiant Financial Planning, LLC with six years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Edward Jones and prior service in the United States Navy. Valiant Financial Planning, LLC is a fee-only, independent firm that provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs customized asset allocation strategies combining passive and active investments and uses a tiered, fixed annual fee structure rather than a percentage of assets.