I'm a passionate business owner that has dedicated my career to helping others work toward their ideal vision for the future by aligning their financial resources with personal values. Our team works with a select group of individuals and families who value proactive and comprehensive financial advice tailored to meet their needs.

Richard Kos is a CFA® charterholder with six years of industry experience and is the principal advisor at Sursum Financial LLC in Madison, CT. He has previously worked at Merrill and Carolina Capital Markets, Inc., and has led Kos Consultants, an educational institutional consulting and marketing firm, since 2007. Sursum Financial is an independent registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, business owners, family offices, and institutional and charitable clients. The firm employs a proprietary research-driven approach with a long-term orientation while incorporating shorter-term strategies and third-party manager relationships tailored to client objectives.

Clifford Straub is a CFP® and Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Lifestyle Financial Strategies, LLC, where he has worked since 2006. Prior to that, he was with WRP Investments Inc for two years. Straub serves as a trustee of the Middletown Rotary Club Scholarship Trust and is on the Board of Directors, including the Executive and Finance Committees, of Middlesex United Way. Lifestyle Financial Strategies provides holistic financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, families, and not-for-profit organizations. The firm emphasizes disciplined asset allocation and non-discretionary advisory relationships, with a notable client focus on charitable and not-for-profit entities.

Laura Simon is a financial advisor with Capital Trust and Associates LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. She has led Capital Trust and Associates since 2013. Simon is also a licensed independent insurance agent in Connecticut, authorized to sell long-term care insurance. Capital Trust and Associates is an independent firm providing investment management, wealth management, and financial planning to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and corporate clients. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis to construct diversified portfolios, often utilizing SEI’s asset allocation models and third-party managers.

Aaron Schroeder is the sole advisor at Farmingbury Financial Services, LLC in Wolcott, CT. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 26 years of industry experience, having worked at Farmingbury Financial Services since 1990. In addition to his advisory role, he is a Connecticut licensed insurance producer. Farmingbury Financial Services provides personalized financial planning, consulting, and portfolio management to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm follows an efficient market philosophy using Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing asset allocation and periodic rebalancing, and often refers clients to third-party advisers while maintaining primarily non-discretionary oversight.

Robert Bleeck is the principal of Bleeck Financial Management, Inc. in Carmel, CA, with 25 years of industry experience. He holds the PFS™ designation and is also a Certified Public Accountant, maintaining an active accounting practice alongside his advisory work. Bleeck has been with his firm since 1982. Bleeck Financial Management, Inc. provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and pension plans. The firm combines CPA services with portfolio management, employing multiple analytical approaches and managing discretionary accounts primarily through Charles Schwab.

David Van Osdol is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2021. In this role, he collaborates with clients to understand their unique financial goals and needs, developing tailored strategies to help pursue those objectives. His professional experience spans over two decades, including positions as a Financial Planning Specialist at Ameriprise from 2019 to 2021, Registered Representative at Cetera Advisors from 2018 to 2019, and Financial Advisor and Portfolio Manager at Smith Barney (Morgan Stanley) from 1998 to 2008. This extensive background provides him with a broad perspective on financial planning and portfolio management. David emphasizes forming strong relationships with clients and their families, prioritizing trust, reliability, and competency in his work. No additional information on education, credentials, personal interests, or community involvement was provided.

Edward Lovejoy is a financial advisor with Ladd Capital Management LLC in New Haven, CT, holding 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ladd Capital Management since 1993. Ladd Capital Management is a fee-only investment management firm serving individuals and institutional clients such as trusts, pension plans, banks, and charitable organizations. The firm customizes portfolios based on client objectives and risk tolerance, employing a range of security-analysis techniques and avoiding leveraged or inverse ETFs.

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.

Brian Walsh is the sole advisor at B.P. Walsh and Co., LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Branford, CT. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 23 years of industry experience, having founded the firm in 2002. B.P. Walsh and Company manages approximately $11.1 million in discretionary assets for a select client base including high-net-worth individuals and fiduciaries for pension and profit-sharing plans, foundations, and not-for-profit organizations. The firm employs a value-oriented investment approach that integrates fundamental and technical analysis with in-house research, focusing on long-term appreciation or income through a variety of securities, with all account reviews and investment research conducted personally by Mr. Walsh.

Lynn Verrilli is the principal at Affinity Financial Solutions, LLC, an independent advisory firm, with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Fairport Capital, Inc. and operated her own college preparation business, Advanced College Funding Solutions, LLC, which provides ACT/SAT prep, scholarship and grant services, college search, and career counseling. Affinity Financial Solutions, LLC offers investment advisory and planning services to individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, and 401(k) plans. The firm employs both fundamental and technical analysis, with a portfolio approach that prominently uses ProFunds sector mutual funds, and considers clients’ overall financial profiles.

Sally Kennedy is a CFP® and Series 65 licensed advisor with 12 years of industry experience. She is the sole advisor at Real Financial Planning, LLC, an independent firm based in Guilford, CT. In addition to financial planning, she is involved in tax preparation. Real Financial Planning serves individual clients and small businesses, offering fee-only, as-needed financial planning focused on cash flow, tax planning, education funding, retirement and estate planning, and investment selection. The firm emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, and tax considerations, providing written analyses without managing client assets or charging percentage-of-assets fees.

Andrew Madlener is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Open Circle Wealth Partners in North Haven, CT, and has been managing client portfolios since 2012. Open Circle Advisors serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, and certain business entities by providing comprehensive wealth management, investment management, and financial consulting. The firm employs a long-term, asset-allocation strategy grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing passively managed mutual funds and ETFs, with advanced planning supported by Monte Carlo analysis and specialized fixed-income management.

James Davis IV is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with 39 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Capital Planning Consultants, LLC since 1986. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Davis spends a small portion of his time on tax preparation services. Capital Planning Consultants, LLC is an independent, state-registered investment adviser managing approximately $37 million for individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm emphasizes fundamental analysis and long-term investment strategies, operating primarily on a non-discretionary basis where clients retain final trading decisions.

Samuel Kaplowitz is a financial advisor at Soundview Private Wealth Advisors with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Merrill for 11 years followed by Breachway Investments LLC for three years. He is also involved with Swan Cottage LLC. Soundview Private Wealth Advisors provides discretionary asset management and financial planning primarily for individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm customizes investment programs based on clients’ goals, time horizons, and risk tolerances, employing Modern Portfolio Theory along with technical analysis and charting.

Gregory Guidone is a CFP® with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at East Guilford Financial Services LLC since 2021. He previously worked at Bannon, Ohanesian & Lecours, Inc. for 14 years and has been involved with East Guilford Financial Services since 2001. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed independent insurance agent in Connecticut, selling life, medical, disability, and long-term care insurance, a practice he has maintained since 1982. East Guilford Financial Services LLC is an SEC-registered independent investment adviser managing approximately $193 million for about 301 clients, including individuals, pension plans, charities, and businesses. The firm employs an asset-allocation approach using mutual funds, ETFs, and other securities, with portfolios reviewed regularly and investment restrictions accommodated when feasible.

Keith Henkin is the sole advisor at SmartValue Investment Management LLC in Guilford, CT, with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and has been with SmartValue since its founding in 2005. SmartValue Investment Management provides personalized investment supervisory and wealth management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and small businesses. The firm follows a bottom-up, value-oriented equity process combined with a top-down and bottom-up approach for fixed income, and emphasizes a no-commission, no-product-sales policy with clients retaining control over their assets.

Lazetta Braxton is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience and is the sole advisor at The Real Wealth Coterie. She has previously worked at 2050 Wealth Partners, LLC, and Financial Fountains, LLC. Lazetta is also the CEO and owner of Lazetta Rainey Braxton, LLC, a consulting firm providing speaking, writing, and consulting services focused on financial planning and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and she is a founder and CEO of Black Asset Group, which offers business membership and consulting services for financial planners. The Real Wealth Coterie offers comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, small business owners, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes a long-term, passive, diversified asset allocation approach with portfolios managed under written investment policies and provides targeted services for charitable entities and strategic business financial planning.

We believe meaningful financial planning is built on education, genuine partnership, and walking alongside you as you make life's most defining decisions. We are an independent, advice-only financial planning practice. We do not manage investment accounts, sell financial products, or earn commissions. Instead, we sit on the same side of the table as our clients. Our goal is never to tell you what to do, but to help you understand your choices, see what it looks like in practice to implement an idea, and build a clear, plain-English roadmap together. We walk with clients through two transparent, flat-fee ways of working together: Subscription-Based (Ongoing Partnership): Built for growth-minded couples and professionals in their 20s and 30s who are combining their lives and building their financial foundation. Merging accounts, buying a home, or balancing different money habits can create tension. We walk with you as an ongoing guide: helping you organize your money, align joint cash flow, navigate taxes, and build simple, automated habits so you can grow together with peace of mind. Project-Based (Focused Roadmaps): Designed for individuals and families seeking dedicated guidance on a specific transition or major milestone without an ongoing commitment. Whether you are navigating a career change, evaluating retirement readiness, or exploring one of our favorite areas; designing a thoughtful legacy and giving plan to pass assets to loved ones and non-profits, we educate you on how the pieces connect so you can make informed decisions. Our Commitment to Servant Leadership: To us, servant leadership means approaching every conversation with humility, patience, and complete honesty. We believe money is simply a tool to create personal freedom, care for family, give back, and live with purpose. You always retain complete control of your money, with a trusted partner walking beside you.

Robert Sand is a financial advisor with Vision Wealth Advisory in Orange, CT, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 17 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Merrill, LPL Financial, and Fortis Group Advisors. Outside of advisory work, he serves as an adjunct professor at Merrimack College and Johnson & Wales University. Vision Wealth Advisory provides investment management, ERISA retirement-plan services, and consulting to institutions, charitable organizations, trusts, and individual clients. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, ongoing portfolio monitoring, and the use of third-party managers, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary account supervision.