Michael Garcar is a financial advisor with Wedbush Securities Inc. in Cleveland, OH, holding a Series 66 credential. He has less than one year of industry experience and previously worked at Equitable Advisors, Ameriprise Financial, and several other firms and organizations. Wedbush Securities serves individual and high-net-worth investors, foundations, and institutional clients, offering brokerage and registered investment advisory services across wealth management, fixed income, commodities, securities lending, capital markets, and related areas. The firm combines broker-dealer and capital markets functions with custody, clearing, and prime services, including commodities and derivatives activities.

Jacob Cooke is a financial advisor at Arax Advisory Partners in Cleveland, OH, holding a Series 65 designation. He has one year of industry experience, having previously worked at GFP Private Wealth, Bartlett Wealth Management, and Raymond James. Cooke completed his studies at the University of Cincinnati in 2025. Arax Advisory Partners is a multi-team wealth manager with over 200 advisors managing approximately $26.5 billion in regulatory assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and retirement plans, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and advisory services through a combination of internal and third-party asset allocation strategies.

Caleb Burr is a financial advisor at Prosperity Capital Advisors with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. He has previously worked with JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management and has a background that includes roles in education at Youngstown State and Lafayette College. Outside of advising, Mr. Burr is a licensed insurance agent offering fixed insurance products such as life insurance, annuities, and Medicare supplements. Prosperity Capital Advisors provides financial planning, consulting, and discretionary investment management to a diverse client base including individuals, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm employs a model-driven, multi-sleeved investment approach utilizing core risk-based portfolios, specialized strategies, and access to private and alternative solutions through various provider platforms.

Lisa Matuszny is a financial advisor at Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Avantax since 2021. In addition to her advisory role, she is a shareholder and CPA at Hobe & Lucas CPAs, Inc., where she supervises employees and oversees tax and accounting services. She also serves on the board of Spice Field Kitchen, assisting with budgeting, financial statements, and fundraising for the nonprofit’s educational programs. Avantax Planning Partners provides investment advice and related planning primarily to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses through collaborative referral arrangements with independent CPA firms and registered advisors. The firm employs model-based style allocation strategies and discretionary portfolio management, supported by an Investment Advisory Committee, and offers tax-intelligent overlays and centralized trading within a larger corporate group.

Andrej Drazetic is a financial advisor at Arax Advisory Partners with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has previously worked at firms including Gries Financial Partners, Fourth Dimension Wealth, and LPL Financial. His background also includes three years with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Arax Advisory Partners is a multi-team wealth management firm overseeing approximately $26.5 billion in assets through more than 200 advisors. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and retirement plans using a combination of internal portfolio management, third-party models, and tailored asset-allocation strategies, and is notable for its use of performance-based fees and carried-interest arrangements for qualified investors and private funds.

Justin Grossman is a financial advisor with Prosperity Capital Advisors based in Westlake, OH, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Prudential Insurance Company of America, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, and US Bank. Outside of advisory work, he partners with the local chapter of the American Financial Education Alliance to conduct seminars aimed at reducing financial illiteracy. Prosperity Capital Advisors is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving individual and high-net-worth investors, corporations, trustees, retirement plans, and other clients. The firm employs model-based, asset-allocation strategies using portfolios from providers such as BlackRock, Dimensional, and Vanguard, and offers a range of services including financial planning, discretionary investment management, and retirement plan solutions.

Eugene Ricchetti is a financial advisor with ValMark Advisers, Inc. holding a Series 63 designation and over 54 years of industry experience. He has been with Valmark Securities, Inc. since 1997 and has operated E.T. Ricchetti & Associates Inc. since 1967. Outside of advising, he serves as a director at R.W. Beckett Corp., where he manages government reporting and qualified plan-related activities, and works as an independent contractor for The Fedeli Group. ValMark Advisers provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, plan sponsors, and institutional clients through a network of approximately 280 representatives. The firm emphasizes diversified, goal-based model portfolios primarily implemented with mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, supported by proprietary platforms and extensive due diligence processes.

Dennis Zaverl is a financial advisor with ValMark Advisers, Inc. in Westlake, Ohio, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 39 years of industry experience. He has been associated with ValMark Advisers since 2001 and with related firms since 1997, also operating Zaverl & Associates Inc. since 2004. Outside of investment advisory work, he serves as president and trustee of the Christian BusinessCares Foundation and is involved in several non-investment business ventures, including a publishing company and family partnerships. ValMark Advisers provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, plan sponsors, and institutional clients through a network of approximately 280 representatives. The firm offers diversified, goal-based portfolios primarily using mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, along with due diligence, back-office support, and sub-advisory services.

Michael Manly is a financial advisor at Arax Advisory Partners with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 65 designations. Prior to joining Arax Advisory Partners, he worked at Gries Financial Partners for three years and spent sixteen years at Price Waterhouse Coopers. Arax Advisory Partners is a multi-team wealth management firm overseeing approximately $26.5 billion in assets and serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a mix of internal management, third-party models, and tailored asset allocation while offering a variety of financial and advisory services.

John Doran III is a CFP® professional with 32 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with IP Financial Advisory Services LLC and has previously worked with firms including Avantax Advisory Services and Innovation Partners LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of J.A. Doran & Associates, Inc., a tax preparation and accounting business. IP Financial Advisory Services primarily serves individual retail clients through portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm emphasizes customized portfolios and offers access to third-party investment advisors, focusing mainly on non–high-net-worth individuals.

William Mcnamara is a financial advisor at ValMark Advisers, Inc. with 28 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with ValMark Advisers and Valmark Securities since 2008. In addition to his advisory roles, Mcnamara serves as president of Omega Pensions Inc., a third-party administrator for qualified retirement plans. ValMark Advisers provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, plan sponsors, and institutional clients through a network of approximately 280 advisors. The firm offers diversified, goal-based model portfolios primarily using mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, and it supports its advisors with due diligence, back-office services, and specialized programs including the ACCESS wrap platform and managed account solutions.

Kole Kuczynski is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management in Parma, Ohio, holding a Series 65 designation and with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining AlphaStar and North Coast Financial Consultants, he worked at Firestone Country Club and Ken Stewart's Lodge. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients, offering discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm employs a combination of strategic and tactical investment approaches across a variety of asset types and provides subadvisory services to other registered investment advisers.

Mark Lapsevich is a financial advisor with Capital Analysts in Independence, Ohio, holding 24 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory work, he has been an owner and musician in Park Place Productions, a band active since 1989. He also worked for Brunswick City Schools for 20 years and is involved with Northcoast Entertainment Memphis-Ridge Music Center. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management supported by an in-house investment team, offering a range of advisory services and access to third-party managers.

Kurt Mears is a financial advisor at Advance Capital Management Inc with 17 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Advance Capital Services, Inc. since 2010. Advance Capital Management serves a diverse range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, foundations, endowments, and other institutions, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs an Investment Committee that manages approved mutual funds and ETFs, builds model portfolios based on client risk tolerance, and provides services such as direct indexing, alternative investments, and crypto-related strategies.

Steven Schippel is a financial advisor with Brookwood Investment Group, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 38 years of industry experience. He has worked at Brookwood Investment Group since 2023 and previously at Belpointe Asset Management and Belpointe Insurance. Schippel is also the president and owner of Schippel Consulting, a consulting firm he has operated since 2001. Brookwood Investment Group is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.06 billion for over 3,100 clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and affiliated businesses to support its clients.

Helene Shafiyan is a financial advisor at Wedbush Securities Inc. in Cleveland, OH, with 41 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked for McDonald Partners LLC for 13 years. Wedbush Securities serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, foundations, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of brokerage and SEC-registered investment advisory services, combining capital markets functions with clearing, custodial, and prime services across multiple asset classes.

Jason Smith is a financial advisor with Prosperity Capital Advisors in Westlake, OH, holding a Series 65 credential and 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Valor Capital Management and operates several business ventures including tax preparation services and a family farm that sells honey and produce. Smith also serves on the Board of Directors for the Marblehead Boat Club. Prosperity Capital Advisors is an SEC-registered firm providing financial planning, consulting, and discretionary investment management to a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs model-based, asset allocation strategies and offers services such as separately managed accounts, retirement plans, and sub-advisory for other RIAs.

William Mcnamara is a financial advisor with ValMark Advisers, Inc. He holds the Series 66 designation and has 12 years of industry experience. Prior to joining ValMark Advisers and ValMark Securities in 2023, he has been associated with Omega Pensions, Inc. since 2014. He serves in an advisory role on the Alumni Advisory Council on Financial Education for Miami University Community Federal Credit Union. ValMark Advisers provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plan sponsors, and institutional clients. The firm employs a diversified, goal-based investment approach utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, separate-account managers, and integrates third-party manager programs within its proprietary platforms.

Jeffrey Warnkin is a CFP® professional with 34 years of industry experience, currently associated with Prosperity Capital Advisors. He has held advisory roles at Innovation Partners LLC, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, and Mercap Securities, LLC. Outside of advisory work, he operates a sole proprietorship specializing in individual income tax preparation and serves as Chapter President for the American Financial Education Alliance, conducting financial literacy seminars. Prosperity Capital Advisors provides financial planning, consulting, and discretionary investment management to a diverse client base, including individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a model-driven, multi-sleeved investment approach using mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative strategies, and offers various institutional and advisory services.

Debra Friend is a financial advisor at Capital Analysts with 37 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Lincoln Investment and Legend Equities Corporation. Capital Analysts serves individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporate clients through discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, offering custom portfolios and access to third-party managers. The firm employs an in-house investment management team and proprietary screening tools to guide investment decisions and maintains affiliations that support a diverse range of advisor services.