Richard Espenschied is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with Series 66, Series 7, and APMA(R) designations. Before joining Ameriprise in 2025, he worked at Anheuser-Busch for nine years in economics and strategy. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service designed for individuals with substantial investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to produce written recommendation reports. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated companies.

Jeffrey Laughlin is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience and has been with Fidelis Financial Planning, LLC since 2011. He holds a Series 65 license and is based in Saint Charles, MO. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner and managing member of a non-investment related real estate entity. Fidelis Financial Planning serves middle-income and high-net-worth individuals, as well as various institutional clients, offering integrated financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a structured investment approach grounded in academic research, focusing on broadly diversified, low-cost funds and ETFs.

Jahanguir Azodi is the principal of Virtual Investment Planning LLC and holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with 28 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Aspire Wealth Management, Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, and America's Financial Center, among others. Azodi also operates America's Financial Center, a wealth management and tax services firm, and is an author of a book related to accounting and tax services. Virtual Investment Planning LLC provides wealth management, discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement account advice to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm manages approximately $23.7 million across about 102 clients, utilizing a long-term-focused investment process that combines fundamental and technical analysis, employing diversified mutual funds, ETFs, individual stocks and bonds, and insurance consulting through affiliated businesses.

Richard Murray is a financial advisor with Midwest Advisors LLC in Saint Louis, MO, holding a Series 65 credential and 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Midwest Advisors LLC since 2012, including a period from 2017 to 2019 at Sorin Capital Management. Midwest Advisors LLC is a small, independent firm managing approximately $39.1 million on a discretionary basis for a select client base. The firm specializes in investment management focused on U.S. real estate industry securities, employing both long-short and long-only strategies with options used for hedging, and follows a fundamental, value-biased investment approach supported by frequent industry engagement and detailed research.

Monica Gamblin is the principal of Integra Wealth Advisors in Saint Louis, MO, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 20 years of industry experience. She has worked at The Gamblin Group, LLC since 2012, where she is involved in tax representation, financial advising, and tax preparation. Her prior firms include First Heartland Consultants, Inc., New England Securities, and Edward Jones. Integra Wealth Advisors serves individual clients by providing comprehensive financial planning and tax-related services, with a focus on tax expertise as the principal is an IRS-designated Enrolled Agent. The firm acts as a solicitor to third-party money managers, offers educational seminars, and provides consulting on a fixed-fee or hourly basis rather than managing assets directly.

Michael Piper is the principal of Michael Piper, LLC, an investment management firm based in Saint Louis, MO. He holds the PFS™ designation and has two years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory role, Piper owns and authors for Simple Subjects, LLC, a publishing company, and serves as a volunteer board member for the Bogle Center for Financial Literacy. Michael Piper, LLC provides financial planning and investment advice to individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and small businesses. The firm emphasizes passive investing with a focus on tax efficiency and sequencing risk, and integrates tax and accounting considerations into its planning approach.

In 2018, I launched Oakview Wealth Solutions - a St Charles Fee-Only Financial Planner. As an industry-leading CFP® professional I help our clients eliminate debt, invest smarter, and retire faster. Since launching Oakview Wealth Solutions, I have helped clients buy their dream home, quickly and safely pay down debt, protect their wealth, and retire on their terms. All so they can live richer lives now. I’m a proud graduate of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University and the Certified Financial Planner program at Northwestern University. In addition, I hold the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation – exemplifying my commitment to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in the industry. When I'm not helping clients realize their dreams, I like to spend my time at concerts, traveling with my family, and watching college football. War Eagle!

With over 25 years of experience in investment research, portfolio management, and advisory operations, I founded my RIA to provide expert guidance to financial advisors and investors. As a CFA Charterholder, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®), my goal is to simplify the complexities of investing and help clients make informed decisions about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, annuities, alternatives, and private investments. For advisors, I offer tailored support for creating model portfolios, conducting investment committee meetings, and developing retirement plan strategies, all aimed at enhancing advisor-client relationships and delivering better outcomes. Over the years, I’ve worked in various roles, from equity research and fixed income trading to serving as the de-facto Chief Investment Officer for a large RIA. My services cover a wide range of needs, including life insurance analysis, capital gains budgeting, structured product and annuity evaluations, options-based strategies for individual stock positions, IPS reviews, enhanced prospect conversions, and the development of customized model portfolios. I pride myself on providing data-driven insights to help advisors improve their practices, better serve their clients, and grow their businesses. In addition to my professional work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and four kids, golfing, traveling, coaching youth sports, and mentoring students. I’m passionate about investing in future generations and advancing the fields of finance and investing. My technical expertise, combined with a personal approach, allows me to work alongside advisors to elevate their client offerings, streamline operations, and achieve lasting success.

Ethan Oetter is a financial advisor at Long River Investment Management LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Twin Springs Investments, LLC, where he continues to provide contract administrative support. Long River Investment Management LLC is an independent, single-advisor firm managing approximately $71.8 million across various client types, including individuals, trusts, and institutions. The firm employs a dual-strategy approach combining concentrated value stock selection with ETF-based global diversification, emphasizing long-term, tax-efficient portfolio management tailored to client objectives.

Kyle Parke is the sole advisor at Parke Investment Management, Inc. in St. Louis, MO, holding a Series 65 credential with 28 years of industry experience. He has led his independent firm since 1993 and has also been associated with Holiday Inn Corp. since 1992. Parke Investment Management serves primarily individual clients through discretionary portfolio management and occasionally provides financial planning at no additional charge. The firm manages a modest asset base for a limited client roster, employing a broad range of investment vehicles and utilizing borrowing and derivatives strategies within separately managed accounts.

Richard Baldwin is the sole advisor at Baldwin Wealth Management, LLC in St. Louis, MO. He holds the CFA® designation and Series 63 license, with 15 years of industry experience. Baldwin has led his independent firm since 2010, focusing on investment management and financial consulting. Baldwin Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, endowments, foundations, businesses, and participant-directed retirement plans, providing fiduciary investment advice and portfolio management. The firm employs a long-term investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing diversified asset-class allocations with rules-based tilts and a buy-hold-rebalance strategy.

Christopher Harrell is a financial advisor with CKHFinancial LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. His background includes roles at NEXT Financial Group and LPL Financial, as well as work as an independent insurance agent since 2017. He has also served as an adjunct professor teaching finance courses at Harris-Stowe State University. CKHFinancial LLC is an independent, fee-based registered investment adviser serving individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm offers personalized financial planning, hourly consultation, and ongoing investment management with a focus on broadly diversified portfolios and regular client reviews.

Joshua Wheeler is the principal of Wheeler Financial Planning LLC in St. Charles, MO, with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including VP Pro, Futaba, AIC, RC America, and Archway Coatings. Outside of advising, Wheeler owns a Smoothie King store where he assists with payroll and management, and he is involved in marketing for Archway Industrial Coatings and AIC as well as product testing and research for RC America. Wheeler Financial Planning provides advisory services to individual clients by directing them to third-party investment advisers, primarily placing assets in mutual funds and fixed-income securities. The firm operates on a non-discretionary basis, using a passive, buy-and-hold investment approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and conducts ongoing due diligence on selected advisers.

Alfred Hicks is a CFP® professional with 27 years of experience in financial advising. He has been the president of Financial Planning Advisors, Inc. since 1994. In addition to his advisory role, Hicks is involved in insurance and fixed annuity sales through a separate business. Financial Planning Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment services to a diverse client base that includes individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm employs targeted asset allocation, discretionary management, and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to manage portfolios and offers educational seminars and project-based planning services.

Thipp Ratsaboutseua is a financial advisor at QuantumLeap Wealth Management, LLC with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with QuantumLeap Wealth Management since 2014. QuantumLeap Wealth Management provides investment supervisory services and individualized portfolio management to private individuals, including high-net-worth clients. The firm integrates derivatives and borrowing strategies into separately managed accounts and employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis tailored to client objectives.

Michael Mariani is a financial advisor with Consolidated Wealth Management in Clayton, MO, holding a Series 65 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Asset Planners, Inc. since 2016 and Buckingham Asset Management, LLC since 2011. Outside of his advisory work, Mariani and his wife operate a property management LLC that manages a small number of multi-family investment properties for a family member. Consolidated Wealth Management provides individualized financial planning and portfolio management for high-net-worth and other individual clients. The firm’s approach emphasizes fundamental analysis and long-term buy-and-hold strategies, utilizing diversified allocations with low-cost exchange-traded funds and software-driven scenario analysis.

Michael Leara Sr. is a financial advisor with Gateway Advisors, LLC in St. Louis, MO, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and possessing 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Gateway Advisors since 2005 and also has affiliations with WFG Advisors, LP and Williams Financial Group dating back to 2003. Outside of advisory roles, Leara serves as Executive Director of the Missouri Gaming Commission and is involved in commercial land development consulting and law enforcement equipment sales through his ownership of Jupiter, LLC and Defense Logistics, LLC. Gateway Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and consulting services primarily for institutional and pooled clients, including pension plans, endowments, and mutual funds. The firm uses a combination of technical and fundamental analysis in its active management approach across equities, bonds, and pooled investment products.

Ethan Rush is the sole advisor at Sigma Advisors, LLC in St. Louis, MO, with 10 years of experience in financial advising and a Series 66 designation. He has prior experience at Rush Penn, LLC, and has maintained a legal practice as an attorney since 1988, primarily focusing on estate planning. In addition to his advisory role, he provides legal counsel separately under his own law practice. Sigma Advisors offers financial planning, investment management, and single-family office services to individuals, trusts, estates, foundations, and single-family offices, serving high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes portfolio management using passive, low-turnover ETFs and no-load mutual funds, operates on a non-discretionary basis, and employs a flat annual fee structure.

Stephen Harris is a financial advisor at Vanda Advisers, an independent sole-proprietor firm based in Saint Louis, MO. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 10 years of industry experience. Prior to founding the firm, he had a long corporate career designing and marketing software for broker-dealers and investment managers. He also serves as an unpaid treasurer managing investments for a nonprofit organization. Vanda Advisers provides individualized investment advice and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, couples, and employers, including 401(k) plan guidance. The firm employs an investment process that considers historical returns, market conditions, fund manager experience, and economic and political factors, focusing on mutual funds, ETFs, and bonds with holdings typically held for several months or longer.

Garrett Gould is a CFP® and Series 65-designated financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He is the principal of Halyard Financial, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in St. Louis, MO. Prior to founding Halyard Financial, he was associated with Equity Advisors of Kentucky. In addition to his advisory work, he owns and operates Halyard Tax, LLC, a tax preparation business. Halyard Financial serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and small businesses, offering discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm’s investment approach is based on modern portfolio theory and primarily utilizes passive investment vehicles, complemented by fundamental and cyclical analysis when appropriate.