Jeffrey Apps is a financial advisor with Arax Advisory Partners in Avon, CO, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Equitable Advisors for seven years and has been with SRS Capital Advisors, Inc. for 14 years. Apps serves as president of the board of directors for Vail Valley CARES, a local nonprofit organization, and participates in the Vail Rotary and the Boy Scouts of America as a committee chairperson. Arax Advisory Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and businesses. The firm offers a range of services such as portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing both internal teams and external managers with a mix of traditional and alternative investments.

Kathryn Lizotte is a CFP® and CFA® with 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with Western Wealth Management LLC and has held prior roles at GPS Wealth Strategies Group, LPL Financial, TCAdvisors Network, Trust Company of America, and UBS Financial Services. Outside of her advisory work, she has involvement with West of Wall Street, Inc., a business entity she manages for tax and investment purposes. Western Wealth Management serves a diverse range of clients including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm employs a decentralized network of investment adviser representatives and offers a broad set of investment strategies, combining firm-designed models with access to LPL-sponsored programs and third-party managers.

Christina De Witt is a financial advisor at &Partners with over 21 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and previously worked for Edward Jones for 20 years. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as treasurer of the Mountain Vista Real Estate Investor Group in Edwards, CO. &Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, and institutions, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and other advisory services. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis and manages accounts through both in-house and third-party portfolio strategies.

Andrew Thompson is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Vail, CO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 12 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Personal Capital for eight years before joining Mercer Global Advisors in 2021. Outside of his advisory role, he manages a short-term rental property. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and tax management, utilizing a range of investment vehicles and platforms.

Bryan Hickel is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with 17 years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Bank of America, Merrill, Castle Pines Investment Management, and Wells Fargo Investments. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of nearly 2,900 advisors and numerous individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a comprehensive advisor-support platform with managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Gregg Cohen is a financial advisor at MAI Capital Management, LLC with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at LWS Wealth Advisors, Inc., LWS Wealth Advisors of Colorado, Inc., and Merrill. MAI Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages $72.3 billion in assets and offers customized portfolio strategies using multiple management approaches, while also providing trust and insurance administrative services.

Carol Lanes is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. She has worked with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and also operates Maleta Wealth Management, providing registered representative activities, insurance, and investment advisory services. Outside of her advisory roles, she is employed at Proplanco Management in a limited capacity. Kestra Advisory Services offers investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to institutional and individual clients, providing fiduciary services, plan design, compliance testing, and access to multiple management platforms and third-party solutions. The firm serves a wide range of clients, including large institutional investors such as sovereign wealth funds.

Edward Kowalewski is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining PNC Wealth Management, he worked at Edward Jones and Fidelity Investments. He also has hospitality experience as a sleigh host for Vail Corp, engaging guests and facilitating mountain dining experiences. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary account that employs algorithm-driven risk assessment and invests via mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Benjamin Buhrow is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, where he has worked since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Empower Financial Services, Vail Resorts, Destination Residences at Vail, East West, Anb Bank, and First Bank. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, along with Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s approach emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates through an integrated service model connected to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Joshua Cook is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior experience with Commonwealth Financial Group. Outside of financial services, he has worked in the food and beverage sector, including roles at Cut Meat and Seafood and Drunken Goat. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm uses an integrated service model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns and clients’ savings rates.

Matthew Otto is a CFP® with 30 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors. He has worked with HighTower Securities and Hightower Advisors since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as an investor and partner in the acquisition and management of multifamily apartment complexes and commercial real estate in Sarasota, Florida. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering multi-manager solutions and access to proprietary research to support portfolio construction, including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and custom indexing.

Vinton Persons is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Robert W. Baird since 2006. He also serves as a trustee in an investment-related capacity. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird’s Private Wealth Management practice, which advises a range of clients including individuals, families, pensions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The group offers customized financial planning and portfolio management services, employing both traditional and non-traditional investment strategies.

Jeanne Schneiderman is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 39 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2010 and 2015, respectively. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Jay Mechling is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Minturn, CO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 41 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2008. Mechling serves on the board of directors for Austin Recovery, a nonprofit organization focused on drug and alcohol rehabilitation. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including financial planning and portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and uses proprietary research to tailor advice to client goals and risk tolerances.

Robert Jurkiewicz is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over 34 years of experience. He is a founding member of The JB Group, where he advises a select circle of affluent client families, providing expertise in family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, philanthropic planning, and portfolio management services. His work extends nationally, serving senior-level executives and business owners across a variety of industries with a focus on multi-generational wealth transfer, retirement, and post-liquidity event planning. Mr. Jurkiewicz holds multiple professional designations including Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA). He earned a Bachelor's degree in International Political Economy from Colorado College and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, supplemented by an associate degree from Jagiellonian University and a master's degree from the University of Chicago. He provides highly customized financial strategies and emphasizes the integration of clients' teams of CPAs, attorneys, and firm specialists. He and his wife Rachel, a retired oncology nurse and hospice volunteer, reside in Denver and enjoy outdoor activities including golfing, hiking, skiing, and fly fishing. He is also active in fostering community involvement, having founded a group within his office that supports charitable organizations focusing on hospice care, cancer, mental healthcare, and dyslexia among others.

Joel Schiffman is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with 40 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Schroder Investment Management North America, Janus Distributors, Columbia Management Investment Advisers, and Lord, Abbett & Co. He serves on the board of Instinct Digital Limited, a technology services company based in Vail, Colorado. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent Financial Professionals, utilizing a range of portfolio management approaches and proprietary and third-party strategies.

Jeffrey Goldsmith is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 25 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including a tenure at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Outside of finance, he has worked as a Mountain Ambassador providing guest services for Vail Resorts. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and firm-approved planning tools.

Steven Wellins is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and over 31 years of industry experience. He joined Wells Fargo in 2016 after working at Morgan Stanley DW Inc. from 2004 to 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the finance committee of the B'nai Vail Congregation in Vail, Colorado. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm offering investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm employs a research-driven approach and provides a range of brokerage and advisory solutions.

Michael Norvell is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with RBC Capital Markets since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is working on authoring a book about road biking in the Vail Valley, compiling detailed training data on distance, elevation, and gradient. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutions, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored advisory programs with portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing a mix of in-house and third-party investment managers and providing options for tax management and responsible investing.

Gregory Oquin is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 46 years of industry experience. His prior career includes long tenures at FSC Securities, PVIC, and Southern Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is an author of both nonfiction and fiction books. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, portfolio management, and institutional platforms, with advice delivered primarily through investment adviser representatives using various investment strategies and supported by technology tools.