Kevin Barton is a financial advisor at Elevate Financial with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Elevate Financial since 2015. Elevate Financial provides comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services primarily for individual clients, as well as retirement plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes client-specific investment policies, diversification, and periodic rebalancing, offering both discrete planning projects and ongoing advisory relationships that include discretionary portfolio management.

Aleksander Cupi is a financial advisor with Lifetime Investments & Insurance LLC in Peoria, AZ, holding a Series 65 designation and nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Lifetime Investments & Insurance LLC since 2016 and at Lenn Corporation since 2015. Cupi is also a licensed insurance agent with his firm. Lifetime Investments & Insurance LLC is a solo advisory practice that provides portfolio management and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a long-term investing approach based on fundamental analysis and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Steven Tai is a financial advisor at SCT Wealth Management, LLC in Scottsdale, AZ, with 12 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Lexington Avenue Capital Management and has been with SCT Wealth Management since 2017. Tai holds a Series 65 designation. SCT Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial advice primarily to individuals, trusts, and estates, with a focus on tailored recommendations based on client objectives, time horizons, and risk tolerance. The firm employs an investment approach grounded in academic research, emphasizing broadly diversified, globally allocated portfolios using institutional-quality mutual funds and ETFs, with a small client roster that allows for concentrated relationships and bespoke service.

Darnell Grossi is a financial advisor with True North Wealth Management, LLC in Mesa, AZ. He holds the Series 66 designation and has 13 years of industry experience, including seven years at Edward Jones prior to joining True North Wealth Management in 2019. True North Wealth Management is a state-registered investment adviser serving individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers investment management through a wrap fee program, as well as project-based and hourly financial planning services, with an emphasis on passive portfolio construction using low-cost index funds and ETFs complemented by fundamental analysis.

James Willis is the sole advisor at Beacon Bay Asset Management LLC in Peoria, AZ, holding a Series 66 designation with 23 years of industry experience. He has led Beacon Bay Asset Management since 2006. Willis also conducts educational seminars on generating income from portfolios using credit spreads on indexes, held in various cities. Beacon Bay Asset Management is an independent registered investment advisor managing approximately $26.6 million for 43 private clients, primarily individuals nearing or in retirement. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management focused on active, tactical equity strategies using quantitative, fundamental, and technical analysis, concentrating on select S&P 500 sectors with daily account monitoring.

Chris Hanrahan is a financial advisor with Chevelon Capital Management LLC in Scottsdale, AZ. He holds a Series 65 designation and has six years of industry experience, including two years with Arcadia Capital Partners before joining Chevelon Capital Management in 2018. Chevelon Capital Management provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporations. The firm employs cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis across both long- and short-term equity trading strategies and manages approximately $54.3 million in assets.

Grady Cool is the principal of Cool Wealth Management in Tempe, AZ. He holds the CFP® and CFA® designations and has four years of industry experience, including roles at Morgan Stanley, The Vanguard Group, and Osaic. He is also the owner and an independent licensed insurance agent with an affiliated insurance entity. Cool Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management and ongoing investment advice primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm focuses on asset allocation and risk-based portfolio construction, using ETFs, index funds, and other investment vehicles within a long-term investment framework.

I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Grew up camping, riding bikes, swimming, making friends and appreciating the beauty of the desert. I graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelors of Science in International Hospitality Management. This curriculum sparked my interest in finance. After graduation, I worked for the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale as an Operations Manager and then I progressed to the Accounting Team. Early in my career, I spent a significant amount of time studying investments and markets. I lived through the Global Financial Crisis, which shaped my perspective on risk, uncertainty, and long-term planning. That period motivated a continued focus on learning and professional development. Along the way, I have followed and studied a variety of well-known thinkers, including Jim Rickards, Raoul Pal, Chris Martenson, Jack Bogle, Jim Bianco, Jeff Gundlach, Darius Dale, Ray Dalio, among others. I later joined Vanguard, where I spent nearly nine years working with clients, primarily as a financial advisor within the Personal Advisor Services group. During that time, I worked with clients on planning and investment decisions within Vanguard’s established framework and philosophy. In mid-2022, I resigned from Vanguard on good terms to establish my own firm, CRB Strategic Services LLC. Today, my work is centered on helping clients think about wealth across multiple dimensions, including financial, material, knowledge, and personal well-being. My approach reflects an interest in long-term planning, adaptability, and thoughtful decision-making in an environment that can change over time. CRB Strategic Services is designed to provide personalized financial guidance, with a focus on understanding each client’s unique situation and helping them navigate important financial decisions. I look forward to connecting with you. Please click the contact button to get in touch for a complementary consultation.

Brian Kramer is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 15 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor and owner of Blk Financial Advisors, LLC since 2010. The firm serves individuals, including some high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, offering financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. Blk Financial Advisors applies a mix of technical, fundamental, and cyclical analysis to construct conservative, low-turnover portfolios of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. The firm manages approximately $5.4 million in client assets and serves an unusually broad client base for a solo adviser, including institutional and organizational accounts such as charitable organizations, corporate, pension, and governmental clients.

Julie Kern is a CFP® professional with 19 years of experience in financial advisory. She is the owner and president of Bridge Financial Strategies, where she has worked since 2009, and previously worked at Dynamic Wealth Advisors from 2014 to 2018. In addition to her advisory work, Kern provides tax preparation and divorce financial planning services through related business activities. Bridge Financial Strategies serves individual and high-net-worth households, offering discretionary portfolio management combined with tiered financial planning services. The firm’s approach integrates investment management with tax preparation and divorce financial analysis, providing written plans and regular reviews tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Marcus Pimentel is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with three years of industry experience. He currently serves at SL Capital and Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC. Outside of finance, he is involved in academic and tutoring services through Pimentel Academic Services and works as a designer and administrator with Prometheus Innovations LLC. SL Capital is a four-advisor team providing discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm uses proprietary and third-party model portfolios, with day-to-day management and reporting handled by a sub-adviser, tailoring allocations to client objectives.

Annmarie Alaniz is a financial advisor at Mette Associates, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Mette Associates since 2011, with prior roles at Northwestern Mutual Investment Management and Timothy Radden. Outside of her advisory work, she is a managing partner at Global Sourcing Solutions Corporation, a supply chain management firm. Mette Associates provides independent investment advice and portfolio management to individuals, corporations, non-profits, endowments, private investment funds, and Native American tribal organizations. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations, diversified and transparent portfolios, and monthly to annual client account reviews without discretionary trading authority.

Justin Krznarich is a financial advisor at Thunderbird Wealth Management, Inc. with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has worked previously at Securities America, Inc. and PFG Advisors. Outside of advising, he is involved in sales for personal protection and security services. Thunderbird Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and select institutional accounts, offering discretionary investment management and written financial planning. The firm employs a tactical asset allocation approach that incorporates fundamental and technical analysis, using ETFs and selective individual equities, and manages a relatively uncommon wrap fee program for its size.

Marcus Hugo is a CFP® and CFA® with 11 years of industry experience. He is currently a principal at Revel Wealth Partners, where he has worked since 2026. Prior to this, he spent two years at Ironwood Wealth Management and ten years at The Vanguard Group. Revel Wealth Partners provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and trusts. The firm uses a policy-driven investment process that combines modern portfolio theory with fundamental and technical analysis across a mix of passive and active investment vehicles.

Maxwell Michalczik is a CFP® professional at The Freyr Group with four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Equitable Advisors and Chrysalis Wealth Management. Maxwell serves as a board member for Angels on Patrol, a nonprofit organization in Phoenix, AZ. The Freyr Group provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and ERISA 3(21) retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and plan sponsors. The firm combines fundamental, technical, cyclical, and Modern Portfolio Theory analyses in its portfolio management and offers both retail and institutional services.

Adam Tasse is a financial advisor at Seaport Wealth Management in Scottdale, AZ, holding the Series 63 and Series 66 designations with 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Newbridge Securities Corp. for 16 years before joining Seaport Wealth Management in 2023. Seaport Wealth Management is a small, two-advisor registered investment adviser that serves individual retail clients with a focus on portfolio management rather than comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a passive investment approach aimed at mirroring broad-market indices, managing accounts primarily on a nondiscretionary basis and occasionally recommending third-party managers for discretionary strategies.

Steven Gundersen is a financial advisor at Mette Associates, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at both Mette Associates since 2006 and Tallsalt Advisors LLC since 2012. Gundersen is also involved in developing renewable energy projects and providing business development services for Native American tribes through his roles in NPower Link LLC and Tosidoh LLC. Mette Associates offers independent investment advice and portfolio management to individuals, corporations, non-profits, endowments, private funds, and Native American tribal organizations. The firm emphasizes diversified, liquid, and transparent portfolios tailored to client goals and operates without discretionary trading authority or soft-dollar benefits.

Cynthia Fick is a financial advisor at Financial Life Planners with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has been with Financial Life Planners since 2003. Outside of her advisory role, she is an author and trainer for The Sisterhood of Money, a financial education program. Financial Life Planners serves individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporations, and qualified retirement plans with ongoing investment management and financial planning. The firm uses a tactical, actively monitored approach combining fundamental and technical analysis, focusing on tax efficiency and asset location.

Bryan Jeffries is a financial advisor at Public Safety Financial/Galloway with a Series 65 credential and over 28 years of experience in public safety, including service with the Mesa Fire Department. He previously worked at IAFF-Financial Corporation before joining his current firm. Outside of his advisory role, he consults for real estate developers, assisting clients in navigating city bureaucracy. Public Safety Financial/Galloway serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and participants in municipal defined contribution and deferred compensation plans, focusing on public safety personnel. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, model-based investment programs, financial planning, and education services, using third-party research and client risk assessments to recommend customized or model strategies.

Stephen Paluga is a financial advisor with Watch Guard Capital LLC in Scottsdale, AZ, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 66 licenses. He has 16 years of industry experience and serves as a Major in the Arizona Air National Guard, where he has been commissioned since 2012. Paluga joined Watch Guard Capital in 2016 and also worked at Scottsdale Community College in 2018. Watch Guard Capital LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm manages approximately $80.7 million across 147 accounts and employs strategies including option income, hedging, and both long- and short-term trades, with a focus on discretionary management guided by client Investment Policy Statements.