Meet Joe Petry, Ph.D., CFP®, EA, CRPC®— Passionate hooper, hiker, and dog lover who founded Mayfair Financial. -Ph.D. in Economics and a Master's in Personal Financial Planning. -Extensive academic and professional background in teaching finance and economics at renowned institutions. -Certified Financial Planner™ and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor®. -Has received awards for his volunteerism and leadership. -He believes in the power of random acts of kindness to make the world a better place. Fun Fact: Joe and his neighbors are now novice beekeepers.

Alan Smith is a CFP® with 39 years of industry experience, currently serving at Trinity Wealth Advisors LLC in St. Louis, MO. He has worked at Trinity Wealth Advisors since 1998 and owns Business Owner Strategies, Inc. Additionally, he is an independent representative for Growth Management Group / Stryde Savings, providing tax and cost-saving strategies for privately held companies. Trinity Wealth Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth families, retirement plans, and businesses. The firm employs a values-based “Return on Life” planning approach and typically uses outside institutional managers and sub-advisors to implement client portfolios.

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.

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.

Bruce Krieg is a financial advisor at Midwest Investment Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Midwest Investment Advisors since 2010 and also has a long tenure at Kriegl Lohbeck & Co dating back to 1992. Midwest Investment Advisors is a single-advisor independent firm that provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and business entities, including pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs multiple analytical methods and a broad range of investment instruments, with a client mix that uniquely includes corporate and institutional-type accounts.

Andrew Fama is the principal of Fama Fiduciary Wealth LLC and holds a Series 65 designation with 25 years of experience at his firm. He also maintains a legal practice as an attorney and operates as a licensed real estate broker, each as sole proprietor. Fama Fiduciary Wealth LLC is an independent, fee-only advisory firm managing approximately $119 million for around 60 clients, including individuals, families, trustees, and business entities. The firm focuses on discretionary investment management and portfolio construction, employing asset allocation and Modern Portfolio Theory principles while typically using no-load mutual funds and ETFs.

Brendon Sutherland is a financial advisor at Percipient Advisors LLC with a Series 65 credential and six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Percipient Advisors in 2026, he was self-employed from 2020 to 2026 and worked at Saint Louis University from 2016 to 2020. Percipient Advisors LLC is a registered investment adviser offering discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm provides two primary investment strategies: an Active Swing Trading approach focused on a concentrated basket of high-volatility securities and a Passive Asset Allocation strategy using broad-based equity and fixed-income ETFs.

Jeffrey Mcgovern is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently the sole advisor at Haven Wealth Planning, where he has worked since 2022. Prior to that, he spent six years at Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC. Haven Wealth Planning provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an evidence-based, passive investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and the Fama–French framework, often utilizing index mutual funds and ETFs, and integrates financial planning with investment advice.

Daniel Heffernan is the principal of Heffernan & Associates, Inc. in St. Louis, MO, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 license with 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Heffernan & Associates since 1985. Heffernan is also licensed as a life insurance agent for fixed annuities with Jackson National Life Insurance Company and AssetMark Trust Company. Heffernan & Associates provides investment advice and financial counseling to individuals, families, and related entities, managing approximately $17.12 million in client assets as of December 31, 2024. The firm employs a fundamental, long-term investment approach with a focus on macroeconomic assessment, credit analysis, and valuation, operating primarily on a non-discretionary basis with ongoing consultation and financial planning services.

Gary Cassell is a financial advisor with Premier Wealth Advisory Services, Inc. in Chesterfield, MO, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Premier Wealth Advisory Services since 1998 and also has experience at Ceros Financial Services Inc. since 2012. In addition to his advisory role, Cassell is an independent insurance agent for various companies. Premier Wealth Advisory Services provides portfolio and active management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and retirement plans, offering discretionary and non-discretionary management across multiple asset classes. The firm employs a blend of technical and fundamental analysis combined with tactical timing strategies, monitoring accounts daily and reviewing them at least monthly.

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.

Evan Buenger is a financial advisor at Vertumnus Capital LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and has previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus, Buenger Capital Partners, and TD Ameritrade. Vertumnus Capital LLC provides investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and small businesses, offering portfolio management and financial planning with a tailored investment approach that includes active management, tactical trading, and the use of options.

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.

Michael Ludgate is a financial advisor with Ludgate Capital and holds a Series 65 designation. He has no prior experience as a financial advisor but has worked in the cybersecurity industry for several years, including positions at At-Bay, eSentire, and TechGuard Security. His background also includes employment at the St. Clair County Treasurer's Office. Ludgate Capital provides non-discretionary investment advisory services and financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, and other clients. The firm emphasizes diversified, long-term portfolio construction informed by fundamental and quantitative analysis and integrates financial and retirement planning into its advisory relationships.

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.

John Gower is the sole advisor at John C. Gower, CFP, EA, an independent financial advisory firm. He holds the CFP® and Series 65 designations and has eight years of industry experience, with over 30 years at his current firm. In addition to financial planning, he provides tax preparation services as part of his business. The firm offers fee-only financial planning and investment advisory services primarily to individuals and families, as well as small businesses, trusts, and retirement plans. It manages approximately $42 million in client assets and emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, tax management, and risk control using no-load mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, REITs, and CDs.

Charles Heisner is a CFP® and Series 65-registered financial advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Heisner Financial, LLC, an independent firm he founded in 2001 in St. Louis, MO. Heisner maintains an active CPA license, which he uses to supplement his financial advisory services. Heisner Financial, LLC provides personal financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, and select business clients, integrating tax, bookkeeping, and business consulting with investment advice. The firm manages approximately $37 million in client assets on a non-discretionary basis and offers both ongoing and hourly consulting engagements.

Joseph Darpel III is a CFP® professional with 32 years of industry experience. He is the principal advisor at Smart Steps Wealth Management LLC in St. Louis, MO, having previously worked at Gunpowder Capital Management, Hayden Royal, and Raymond James Financial. He is also president of Jos F Darpel Investment Co., a non-investment-related support company. Smart Steps Wealth Management LLC provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans. The firm manages discretionary portfolios using a variety of analytical methods and serves both retail and institutional clients, including pension and profit-sharing plans.