Philip Kessler is a financial advisor at SWS Partners, LLC in Columbus, Ohio, holding a Series 66 designation with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with SWS Partners since 2015. SWS Partners manages approximately $442.6 million in assets with a five-person advisory team, providing discretionary investment management, financial planning, OCIO, and multi-family office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a blended investment approach combining passive asset-class exposures with research-driven active selection and offers proprietary model portfolios, wrap-fee programs, and access to alternative investments.

Isao Shoji is a CFP® professional with 20 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Asendo Wealth Advisory and previously spent 13 years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Shoji is also involved in business operations through SG Capital LLC. Asendo Wealth Advisory provides financial planning, consulting, investment, and wealth management services to individuals, profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs an institutional modeling system to construct ETF-centric portfolios and incorporates strategies such as options, inverse ETFs, and third-party managers when suitable.

Mikhail Poltyrev is a CFP® and ChFC® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at GGM Financial LLC. He previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for six years and has co-owned a private eBay sales business, BAM Distributing, since 2016. GGM Financial, LLC provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, families, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs discretionary, goal-based investment programs tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance, using various analytical methods and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Carter Gerlach is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving at Windsor Advisory Group, LLC since 2019. Prior to joining Windsor, he worked at The Columbus Foundation from 2016 to 2019. Windsor Advisory Group serves ultra-high net worth individuals and families, offering customized financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm also provides family office and personal CFO services, with an investment approach that includes both public and private markets and a distinctive capability to manage pooled private investment vehicles.

Benjamin Skinner is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving at Summit Financial Strategies Inc since 2016. He is based in Columbus, OH, and works within a team of 20 advisors at the firm. Summit Financial Strategies serves individuals—including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients—along with business entities, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services, bundled wealth management, financial planning, tax planning, and retirement plan services, emphasizing diversified portfolios and fee-only fiduciary standards.

Callie Jacoby is a CFP® at Gryphon Financial Partners with three years of industry experience. She previously worked at PNC Bank NA for 26 years before joining Gryphon. Gryphon Financial Partners offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, corporations, and other business entities. The firm serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients, focusing on family business sales and exits, succession and legacy planning, and provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, tax and estate planning, and family office services.

Kris Herminghuysen is a financial advisor at Columbus Investment Advisory Inc. with a Series 65 credential and four years of industry experience. He has been with Columbus Investment Advisory since 2018 and was self-employed for ten years prior. Columbus Investment Advisory provides discretionary portfolio management and limited financial consulting primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, IRAs, and charitable foundations. The firm employs a proprietary fundamental research approach focused on undervalued stocks and investment-grade bonds, managing a relatively small client base with an emphasis on independence and specific operational practices.

Theodore Winders is a CFP® and CFA® with 15 years of experience in financial advisory. He is currently with Yarger Wealth Strategies, LLC, joining the firm in 2023 after seven years at J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. Yarger Wealth Strategies is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services, utilizing a customized investment approach that includes ETFs, mutual funds, equities, bonds, and alternative investments.

Branda Allen is a financial advisor at TCP Asset Management, LLC with 21 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Outside of financial advising, she owns Wanderlust Adventures & Events LLC, a business involved in property ownership. TCP Asset Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension and profit-sharing plans with portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, estate-planning referrals, and annuity management. The firm manages accounts mostly on a discretionary basis, tailoring allocations to clients’ goals through multiple platforms and sub-advisers, and maintains an 11-office presence with over $1 billion in client assets under management.

Laurie Licata is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as part of the team at PDS Planning Inc in Dublin, OH. She has been with PDS Planning since 2008, totaling 18 years at the firm. PDS Planning Inc is a fee-only registered investment adviser that offers financial planning and portfolio management to individuals, business entities, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $2.17 billion across about 600 clients and employs a fixed-fee structure for its advisory services, providing customized financial plans and investment strategies that include ETFs, mutual funds, separate accounts, and direct equities and fixed income.

Eric Kelemen is a financial advisor at MDRN Capital with licenses including Series 65 and Series 63. He has professional experience spanning roles at Huntington National Bank, Golden Reserve, Park National Bank, and MDRN Capital since 2022. MDRN Capital serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans, providing discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm manages approximately $338.6 million using a multi-advisor team model and primarily constructs portfolios with unaffiliated independent managers and low-cost mutual funds and ETFs.

Erik Roemer is a CFP® with over 32 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Gerber, LLC since 2000 and previously at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments. Roemer holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and serves as Chief Compliance Officer at Gerber, overseeing client service, financial planning, staff management, and regulatory compliance. Gerber, LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses, focusing on growth-oriented, first-generation entrepreneurs. The firm offers discretionary investment management and comprehensive wealth services, using a long-term, diversified investment approach that includes mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and derivatives, supported by independent managers and an outsourced CIO.

Brett Vandervort is a financial advisor at Swisher Financial Concepts, Inc. with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Swisher Financial Concepts in two separate periods totaling 12 years, as well as at THE O.N. Equity Sales Company for three years. Swisher Financial Concepts serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities by providing fee-based financial planning, individualized investment management, and pension consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to develop client-specific investment policies and offers additional services including tax preparation and small-business management consulting.

Jordan Lindh is a financial advisor at Columbus Investment Advisory Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at Nationwide Investment Services Corporation. Columbus Investment Advisory provides discretionary portfolio management and limited financial consulting primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, IRAs, and charitable foundations. The firm employs a proprietary fundamental research process focused on undervalued stocks and investment-grade bonds, managing approximately $405 million in client assets across about 95 client relationships.

Ryan Watt is a financial advisor at Arena Private Wealth with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation as well as Series 63 and 66 licenses. His prior work includes roles at Fifth Third Securities and Mutual Securities. Watt serves on the Board of Directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Southern and Central Ohio. Arena Private Wealth provides financial planning and portfolio management to individuals and high-net-worth clients, with services that include manager selection, customized strategies, and a covered-call strategy for concentrated equity positions. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and modern portfolio approaches and acts as a fund sponsor and general partner through affiliated entities.

James Lindner is a CFP® and ChFC® with 32 years of industry experience, currently serving at Retirement Strategies, Ltd. He has held roles at Private Client Services and Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, among others. Outside of advising, Lindner is the founder and president of Capital City Young Aviators, a nonprofit that mentors at-risk youth through aviation programs, and he also serves as president and co-founder of the Central Ohio Professional Education Council, which provides free financial education workshops. Retirement Strategies, Ltd. provides comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm emphasizes tailored investment strategies using ETFs, mutual funds, stocks, and bonds, supplemented by newsletters, educational seminars, and client-facing planning software.

Matthew Schaefer is a financial advisor at Golden Reserve Retirement, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at The Superlative Group from 2013 to 2020. Outside of advisory services, he holds a licensed insurance agent role, recommending and selling commissionable insurance products through Golden Reserve, LLC. Golden Reserve Retirement, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on long-term trading and diversification with an emphasis on passive, low-cost investments. The firm integrates estate-planning and tax services as part of its fixed annual fee structure.

Christopher Schumacher is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience. He is currently with Asendo Wealth Advisory and previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 13 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in the management of an investment-related real estate entity. Asendo Wealth Advisory serves individuals, profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities with financial planning, consulting, and wealth management services. The firm employs an institutional modeling system focused on ETF-centric portfolios and incorporates strategies such as options, alternative investments, and third-party managers when suitable for clients.

Nicholas Leeper is an advisor at Retirement Strategies, Ltd. in Dublin, OH, holding Series 65 and Series 66 credentials. He has experience working at Baker Hughes and managing Leeper Farms alongside his advisory role. Retirement Strategies, Ltd. serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and retirement plan sponsors, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm incorporates both fundamental and technical analysis in its investment approach and offers employee-focused educational seminars.

Kristen Nicholson is a financial advisor at Gryphon Financial Partners with a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. Before joining Gryphon, she worked at PNC Bank for seven years. Gryphon Financial Partners serves individual clients, retirement plans, trusts, estates, corporations, and other business entities with investment advisory and financial planning services. The firm employs an active, diversified approach focusing on family business sales and exits, succession and legacy planning, and offers a range of portfolio management, consulting, tax, estate planning, and family office services.