Catherine Brashears is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Cape Coral, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing five years of industry experience. She has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2018 and has also been an agent at Agia since 2022, where she engages in non-securities insurance product activities. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, employing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Robert Moro is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) and has 42 years of industry experience. He has held roles at New York Life Insurance Company and Nylife Securities LLC since 1983 and has been with Eagle Strategies since 2001. Moro serves as president of Pinnacle Strategies, Inc., and is a board member for Canterbury School in Fort Myers, FL. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations across multiple program types and manages a significant portion of its assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Mark Winland is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience. He is currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and previously worked at Buckingham Asset Management and Moneta Group Investment Advisors. Focus Partners Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients, offering a broad range of wealth management and advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that blends active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Ana Stevenson is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Fort Myers, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Element Financial Group LLC, Ameriprise, LTC Global, and Wax & Beyond. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a broad adviser-support platform with discretionary and nondiscretionary managed account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement and plan consulting, and custody/clearing services.

Eliot Sokalsky is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Fort Myers, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Guardian Life since 2008 and is also involved with Campuspeak Inc. Sokalsky provides financial programs for medical students and works as a consultant and coach within the financial services industry. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue Wealth Management, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, providing access to proprietary and third-party solutions alongside insurance and alternative investment products.

Craig Jones is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including United Capital Financial Advisers, CETERA Advisor Networks, and Osaic. He is based in Fort Myers, FL. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse group of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s approach features multi-manager solutions and access to proprietary research, offering a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services.

Caitlin Thompson is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with two years of industry experience. She holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at Bank of America, Merrill, LPL Financial, and other firms. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm integrates its services closely with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its financial planning approach.

Steven Hess is a CFP®-designated advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and has 28 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Wealth Enhancement firms since 1998 and worked with LPL Financial from 2007 to 2025. Outside of advising, he participates in a radio program related to Wealth Enhancement Group. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and employs a diversified, risk-class based investment approach blending passive and active strategies overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

John Gust is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Cape Coral, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Eagle Strategies and affiliated firms since 2010 and was previously employed by Uber from 2016 to 2019. Gust is also involved in insurance brokering activities unrelated to registered products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored solutions delivered through various program types and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Richard Pope is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 36 years of industry experience and has been associated with Guardian Life and its affiliate Park Avenue Securities since 1988. Outside of his advisory role, he is the author of the book *P.O.P.E. The Principles of Prosperity Economics*. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides tailored client solutions through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and access to proprietary and third-party advisory platforms.

Steven Belcher is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Fort Myers, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been associated with New York Life and its affiliates since 1995 and operates several related businesses, including Belcher & Company and Mahoney Financial Organization. Outside of advisory work, he serves as president-elect of the Rotary Club of Fort Myers and is a board member of the Compass Rose Foundation, a nonprofit vocational college in Southeast Florida. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients with financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, offering a variety of advisory programs tailored to client objectives within the integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Stacey Schall is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Park Avenue Securities since 2017 and with Guardian Life since 2015. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in the sale of life insurance products outside of Guardian. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of financial planning and consulting services, combining advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and proprietary digital advisory solutions.

Michael Mitch is a financial advisor with United Planners Financial Services of America and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 16 years of industry experience and has been associated with United Planners and Insley Financial since 2010. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner of Eastwind Development, a business development firm established in 1987. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a broad client base including individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and estates. The firm employs independent investment adviser representatives and uses a combination of custodians and third-party managers to implement client strategies, with a notable emphasis on non-discretionary account management.

Kennie Day III is a financial advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has prior experience at Tri-State. In addition to his advisory role, he is also a licensed insurance agent appointed to write Medicare Supplement, annuity, life, health, and long-term care insurance products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. primarily serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations and manages portfolios across a range of securities.

Dusty Japp is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 10 years of industry experience, having worked at various Truist affiliates since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he manages a residential rental property. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program utilizing third-party managers and AI-enabled research tools.

William Haley is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones, Brokers Alliance, and US Health Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, Haley coaches high school girls softball for the Charlotte County Public School District. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research, with a notable level of integration among its affiliated entities.

Shane Stelma is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding the ChFC® and Series 66 designations, and has five years of industry experience. He has worked at Park Avenue Securities since 2021 and at Guardian Life Insurance Company since 2020. Prior to his financial advisory roles, he was employed at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella P.C. from 2013 to 2020. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of financial planning and consulting services, combining advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies supported by proprietary and third-party platforms.

Alison Free is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. in Fort Myers, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. She has worked with Bankers Life Securities Inc. since 2017 and Bankers Life & Casualty since 2013, where she also serves as an insurance representative specializing in Medicare, life, long-term care, and retirement income products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm focuses on customized asset allocation, periodic rebalancing, and a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to guide investment decisions.

Jack Thomas is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors in Fort Myers, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Hightower Advisors and its affiliated entity, Hightower Securities, LLC, since 2014. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base that includes individuals, institutions, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers with proprietary research, and offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services.

Eric Somodio is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Hertz Corp., Murad LLC, and Brajitsu Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he owns Sow to Harvest, LLC, an entity involved in client consultation and insurance sales, and is associated with Inheritguard, LLC, which provides estate planning services. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm delivers advisory services primarily through model portfolios and third-party managers across multiple platforms, managing regulatory assets of approximately $1.7 billion.