Mary Ferrone is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Denville, NJ. She holds a Series 66 designation and has 22 years of industry experience, all with Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2004. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a wide range of clients, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

James Apostolico is a CFP® and ChFC® with 38 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Integrity Alliance, LLC and has previously worked at Lion Street Financial, The Leaders Group Inc, and Integrated Financial Planning. Outside of advisory services, he owns The IFP Group, Inc, which provides life, fixed annuity, and health insurance products. Integrity Alliance, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans through a network of 164 independent advisers. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing a variety of investment strategies and platforms.

Eldridge Hawkins is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) holding a Series 66 license and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, he worked at New York Life and Equitable Advisors. He is also the sole owner and CEO of Black Belt Security & Investigations, LLC, a security guard business. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors and institutional plans, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services primarily through non-discretionary asset management within the New York Life affiliate structure.

Robert Pactwa Jr. is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Parsippany, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Edward Jones and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel stationed abroad. The firm’s services include direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Michael Valeri is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and six years of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Park Avenue Securities, Bank of America, Merrill, and Dawson James Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he has also operated as an Uber/Lyft driver. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management and a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage services, financial planning, and investment advisory programs to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory relationships using various model portfolios and features a hybrid digital solution called VestWise™.

Susanna Nieto is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Citizens Securities, Inc. since 2023. Her prior roles include positions at MissionSquare Retirement, Fidelity Brokerage Services, Tapfin/EY, PIRS Capital, and TD Bank. She also serves as the administrator for the estate of Marcelo Nieto. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, offering investment advisory programs alongside brokerage and insurance services. The firm’s advisory offerings include a digital advisory program and a Managed Account program, operating as both a broker-dealer and insurance agency.

Lauren Ragsdale is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with GWN Securities Inc. She has held positions at Metlife Investors Distribution Company and MetLife Securities Inc. since 2014. Lauren is co-founder and owner of TRI-STATE HEALTH & WEALTH ADVISORS GROUP, LLC, where she manages and trains agents and assists clients with financial literacy and guidance. GWN Securities provides investment advisory and related services to individual and corporate clients through various managed account programs and financial planning. The firm employs a mix of sub-advisers and model-based allocations and is noted for its use of market-timing and momentum-based investment strategies in certain programs.

Eric Mark is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets who holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup Global Markets since 2007. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies and maintains distinctive market roles, including swap dealer and futures commission merchant activities.

John Hounsell is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Mercer, he worked at Wiss Private Client Advisors, LLC and at NUS Consulting Group. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, offering investment advisory services along with financial, tax, retirement, estate planning, and family office services. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios implemented through a combination of low-cost ETFs, separate account managers, direct indexing, and private funds.

Kim Islami is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. Prior to joining PNC Investments in 2023, Islami worked at TD Ameritrade for ten years. Outside of advising, Islami serves as president of the MMD Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on scholarships. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through several model-based programs, including a digital discretionary model account available by invitation. The firm relies on algorithmic questionnaires for risk assessment and implements investments via approved model strategies using mutual funds and ETFs.

George Leppert III is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network holding a Series 65 credential. He has experience running The Leppert CPA Group since 2025 and managing Leppert Holdings LLC since 2015. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser that supports a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors with a range of advisory programs and services, including wealth management and retirement plan consulting. The firm offers operational, trading, technology, investment management, compliance, and practice-management support, enabling advisors to construct client portfolios using various securities and insurance products.

George Dobbs is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and 22 years of industry experience. He previously worked at LPL Financial for seven years before joining Independent Financial Group in 2019. Dobbs is also licensed as a New Jersey insurance agent offering various types of insurance products. Independent Financial Group provides investment advisory and brokerage services to clients ranging from individuals to pension plans and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of strategic asset allocation and multi-manager portfolios using both active and passive investment strategies.

Shain Steffens is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He is co-owner of Steffens Financial Corp., a private entity facilitating securities, advisory, and insurance business. Outside of his advisory role, Steffens serves as an expert witness in legal matters. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser supporting a national network of nearly 2,900 advisors and managing approximately $213 billion in client assets. The firm provides a wide range of managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custodian services, combining in-house and outsourced portfolio management options.

Ramon Baez Malone is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Empower Advisory Group since 2024, following prior roles at Empower Financial Services and Tapfin/EY. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as select IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated model emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and rebalancing within plan lineups chosen by plan sponsors.

Angela Londergan is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. She has 26 years of industry experience and has worked at Morris Financial Services and Commonwealth Financial Network since 2005. Outside of her advisory role, she has been involved with the Parsippany Child Day Care Center since 1998. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, offering a variety of advisory programs and services including wealth management and retirement plan consulting. The firm provides operations, technology, compliance, and practice-management support while allowing advisors discretion in portfolio construction and access to model portfolios managed by its Investment Management and Research team.

Shawn Steffens is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network who holds a Series 66 designation and has 25 years of industry experience. He is co-owner of Steffens Financial Corp., where he has worked alongside his role at Commonwealth since 2014. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a caregiver. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm offers a broad advisory platform including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Mark Scordato is a financial advisor at J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with firms including Global Financial Private Capital, LLC and his own company, Mark Scordato & Associates Inc. Outside of advising, he is the president and creator of Redline WFO Productions, LLC, a venture related to TV show development. J.W. Cole Advisors operates through a large network of independent advisers and offers fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, retirement services, and access to multiple third-party investment managers for individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, combining fundamental and technical analysis with digital advice platforms.

Jorge Garcia is a financial advisor at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has held roles at HSBC Securities, HSBC Bank USA, Oppenheimer & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities, Chase Investment Services, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, he operates a small business providing notary services. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers a range of managed account programs serving individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm’s investment approach includes client-directed and discretionary portfolios using strategic and tactical asset allocation supported by affiliated asset management and fund due diligence providers.

Donna Dupre is a financial advisor with J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 credential and 10 years of industry experience. She has served as Senior Manager at Mark Scordato & Associates since 2006, overseeing marketing, compliance, client relations, and daily operations. Additionally, she is licensed to sell life insurance and annuities. J. W. Cole Advisors operates a large network of independent advisers and offers fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and annuity sub-account management for individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a range of investment strategies and platforms, including both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Maribel Perez is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Rockaway, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. She has worked at Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and Principal Life Insurance Company since 1997. Outside of finance, she is the owner and photographer of a registered non-compensated photography business, Sunkissed Photos by Maribel, and is a founder of the nonprofit SWAG Network Group. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a wide range of clients, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.