Many blue-collar business owners spend years building successful companies but struggle with inconsistent cash flow, high taxes, and uncertainty about how to turn their business into a secure retirement. Unlike most financial firms that focus primarily on investments, I take a planning-first approach that connects your business strategy with your personal financial goals. As a CFP® professional and fee-only fiduciary advisor with 10+ years of experience, I help business owners integrate cash flow planning, tax strategies, risk management, retirement planning, and investments into one coordinated plan. Having experienced the challenges of business ownership firsthand and growing up in a family business, I understand that your business is often your largest asset. My goal is to provide the guidance and strategy business owners need to protect what they've built and create financial freedom beyond their business.

Richard Kos is a CFA® charterholder and registered investment adviser with five years of industry experience. He is the president of Kos Consultants, an educational institutional consulting and marketing services firm unrelated to securities, which he has operated since 2007. Kos serves as the sole advisor at Sursum Financial LLC, based in Madison, CT. Sursum Financial is a single-advisor independent firm providing discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, business owners, family offices, and select institutional and charitable organizations. The firm combines proprietary and third-party research, typically favoring a longer-term buy-and-hold approach while allowing tactical adjustments, and offers performance-based fee arrangements to qualified clients.

John Bubello is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience. He is the principal at Compass Retirement, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2011. Prior to founding Compass Retirement, he worked at Everlist, LLC from 2014 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he manages an income-producing real estate entity as a part-time activity. Compass Retirement, LLC serves individuals and high-net-worth clients with customized financial planning and discretionary portfolio management, as well as consulting services for retirement plan sponsors. The firm employs a diversified, asset-class allocation approach guided by Modern Portfolio Theory and focuses on retirement-plan clients, advising approximately $167 million in retirement-plan assets.

Dennis O'Connor is the sole advisor at Brae Head, Inc. in Essex, CT, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Brae Head, Inc. since 1997. Brae Head, Inc. provides fee-only, discretionary portfolio management and basic financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans, including charitable organizations. The firm uses a disciplined, systematic investment process based on Modern Portfolio Theory and actively manages diversified equity and fixed-income portfolios, serving a relatively small client base with approximately $82 million in assets under management.

Evan Wax is the principal advisor at Wax Asset Management LLC in Madison, CT, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 14 years of industry experience. He has led Wax Asset Management since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an independent board member at Servotronics, Inc. Wax Asset Management LLC provides discretionary investment supervisory services to individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $107.8 million across about 74 accounts. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and cyclical analysis, utilizing strategies including short sales and options writing, and conducts quarterly portfolio reviews with direct management of client assets.

Pawel Borowiec is the sole advisor at Norfield Capital, LLC, an independent firm based in Madison, CT. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 15 years of industry experience. Borowiec is also the owner and managing member of BlueStream Capital Partners, Inc., a hedge fund general partner. Norfield Capital advises individual and high-net-worth clients through discretionary asset management, focusing on a growth-oriented, “private equity in public markets” strategy with concentrated equity positions and fundamental analysis. The firm uses derivatives in separately managed accounts and has experience sponsoring private funds, distinguishing its approach among similarly sized independent advisers.

Frank Flores Jr. is a CFP® professional with 43 years of industry experience and is the principal advisor at Sound Planning and Investments, LLC, an independent firm he founded in 2017. He previously worked at National Planning Corporation for 17 years and spent a year at LPL Financial. Flores also holds life, long-term care, and fixed annuities insurance licenses. Sound Planning and Investments, LLC provides non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and consulting services primarily to individual and small business clients. The firm manages approximately $99 million in assets and employs a long-term, asset-allocation focused approach across multiple asset classes, with client approval required before executing trades.

Thomas Alexa is the principal advisor at Alexa Wealth Management, LLC, an independent firm based in Deep River, CT. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 28 years of industry experience. Prior to founding his firm in 2019, he worked at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Ohanesian/Lecours, Inc. He is also a licensed independent insurance agent. Alexa Wealth Management serves primarily individual clients with discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm applies a blend of modern portfolio theory, fundamental analysis, and technical approaches, managing accounts typically on a discretionary basis while focusing on tailored advice aligned with client objectives and risk tolerance.

Douglas Brenneman is the sole advisor at Brenneman Investment Adviser, LLC, located in Centerbrook, CT. He holds the CFA® designation and Series 63 license, with 21 years of industry experience. He has led Brenneman Investment Adviser since 2004. Brenneman Investment Adviser, LLC offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and financial planning to individual investors and small business clients. The firm employs a disciplined, active money-management approach, combining tactical and strategic asset allocation with diversification across multiple asset classes, and provides specialized services such as a "Fund Only" option for employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Lawrence Kaplan is a financial advisor at Summit Investment Management, LLC with 36 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has been with Summit since 2009. Kaplan is also a licensed insurance agent in Lyme, CT, selling insurance products alongside his advisory work. Summit Investment Management provides individualized investment advisory and consulting services to individuals, including high net-worth clients, using tailored portfolios that may include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and private securities. The firm’s investment approach is based on fundamental analysis and asset-allocation principles, offering ongoing asset management, financial planning, and consulting engagements.

William Duvall is a financial advisor at Sightline Wealth Advisors, LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Sightline since 2015. Sightline Wealth Advisors provides financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm employs a long-term investment approach that combines passive and active management, strategic asset allocation, and fundamental analysis, utilizing ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and derivatives where appropriate.

Emily Wood is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Jeffrey N. Mehler, CFP LLC. She previously worked at Connecticut Wealth Management, LLC and Asset Strategies, Inc. Wood is a board member of Advancing Connecticut Together and the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center. Jeffrey N. Mehler, CFP LLC is an independent investment adviser managing approximately $391 million for individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers customized financial planning and investment management services, employing a range of strategies including derivatives and margin transactions.

James Lagace is a financial advisor at Spurstone with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at RightCapital, Inc., Cetera Advisor Networks, and Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. Spurstone provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as related entities such as trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm specializes in business-owner advisory services, including concentrated stock management, executive compensation strategies, and business exit planning.

Derek Lyon is a CFP® professional at Jeffrey N. Mehler, CFP LLC with one year of experience in financial advising. His prior work history includes roles at Aquilance, LLC, SS&C Technologies, Barnes Group Inc., Hickok & Boardman Insurance Group, and the University of Vermont. Jeffrey N. Mehler, CFP® LLC provides financial planning, investment management, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm uses fundamental analysis to build customized portfolios and employs advanced investment strategies including margin and derivatives, managing a largely discretionary asset base with specialized services such as forensic financial statement analysis.

Lynn Cravinho is a financial advisor with Compass Rose Strategic Partners LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 18 years of industry experience. She has been with Compass Rose since 2012 and also has experience with Vanderbilt Securities, LLC. Compass Rose Strategic Partners LLC manages approximately $103 million for around 150 clients, offering comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients through proprietary and third-party wrap fee programs.

Beatrice Waesche is a CFP® professional at Genoa Wealth, LLC with four years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Raymond James & Associates, ID Plans, CBRE, and Resource Management, LLC. She began her current tenure at Genoa Wealth in 2026. Genoa Wealth, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services and financial planning to individuals, corporations, and business entities. The firm uses fundamental analysis and a mix of long- and short-term purchases with asset allocations tailored to client objectives, operating on a fee-only basis with a focus on a concentrated client base.

Mark Bobruff is a financial advisor at Tumolo Wealth Management LLC with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including LPL Enterprise, Prudential Financial Planning Services, and TD Ameritrade. Tumolo Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $134 million in discretionary assets through a small advisory team. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning tailored to client objectives, employing various investment approaches such as asset allocation and technical analysis.

Kenneth Tumolo is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Tumolo Wealth Management LLC. His prior roles include positions at Tucker Asset Management and JB Capital LLC. Tumolo also acts as a licensed insurance agent, selling various insurance products. Tumolo Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients with approximately $134 million in discretionary assets. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, employing a tailored investment process that incorporates asset allocation, technical analysis, and both long- and short-term trading strategies.

Stefan Pellish is a financial advisor with Sightline Wealth Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2015. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 30 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he has been involved in the commercial real estate business through House of Doors since 1994. Sightline Wealth Advisors is an SEC-registered, fee-only firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm combines passive and active investment strategies with strategic asset allocation and ongoing financial planning, using a range of investments including ETFs, mutual funds, and derivatives.

Mary Jane Sullivan is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience and is the sole advisor at Sullivan Financial, LLC in Essex, CT. She has been with Sullivan Financial since 2008. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in life and health insurance sales. Sullivan Financial serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides financial planning and consulting and recommends portfolio management through co-advisory relationships with independent third-party registered investment advisers.