Vatsal Patel

Damian Mbadugha is the sole advisor at Hillgate Financial, LLC, a New Jersey-registered investment adviser. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory role, he is registered as a commodities trading advisor, and works as an insurance agent and tax preparer, focusing on research during weekends. Hillgate Financial provides discretionary investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, and estates, applying modern portfolio theory to build diversified portfolios primarily using passively managed funds and ETFs. The firm emphasizes tax-aware strategies and manages a historically significant asset base with a focus on individualized client portfolios.

Phillip Defranco is the Managing Member and Chief Compliance Officer of Heartland Northeast LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. He has prior experience at Kornett, Inc. and is the owner of Northeast Advocacy Network, Inc., where he also serves as a licensed insurance agent. Heartland Northeast LLC provides investment advisory and portfolio management services to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing a combination of analytical methods focused on long-term trading and tailored model allocations. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management and sponsors a wrap fee program.

Matthew Wright is the principal and sole advisor at WRIGHT Investment Partners LLC, with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked as a private investor for five years before founding his firm in 2016. Outside of advisory work, he is a principal in a business that owns a small Class C office building. WRIGHT Investment Partners LLC provides portfolio management services to individual and high net worth clients, focusing on personalized Investment Policy Statements and discretionary management. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and quantitative analysis with a long-term trading approach, offering a range of investment products and conducting at least monthly account reviews.

Michael Godeanu is a financial advisor at Luxe Capital Management Inc. with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Singer Wealth Advisors LLC, Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, LLC, Mass Mutual Investors Services, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, and AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of finance, he is the owner of Berzerk Fitness LLC, an e-commerce retail business, and has served as an on-ice hockey official for USA Hockey since 2004. Luxe Capital Management, founded in 2024, provides portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and adviser selection services to individual and institutional clients. The firm employs a multi-method investment approach combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and manages accounts using long-term, short-term, and trading strategies, typically on a discretionary basis.

Jerrold Trub is a financial advisor at Parkview Capital Management with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority since 1993, where he serves as a Director of a business unit conducting operational reviews. Parkview Capital Management primarily serves individual clients, offering discretionary investment advisory services along with financial planning and consulting. The firm’s investment approach centers on fundamental equity analysis supplemented by option-based overlays, including the use of LEAPS and covered-call writing, which is a distinguishing feature of their portfolio management.

David Steiner is the principal and sole advisor at Purple Dog Investments LLC in Springfield, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 30 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Cetera Advisors LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC and is also the owner of Zebulon Tax Advisory LLC, where he provides tax preparation services. In addition, Steiner serves as an adjunct professor at Union County College and holds licenses as a fixed insurance agent, offering life, health, disability, annuities, and long-term care insurance. Purple Dog Investments provides investment advisory and consulting services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing model portfolios on the Charles Schwab platform with a focus on mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. The firm employs discretionary management through predefined model allocations tailored to client objectives and risk tolerances and integrates financial and tax planning alongside investment management.