Alexander Ruda is the sole advisor at Ruda Financial and holds a Series 65 credential. He has eight years of experience with the Internal Revenue Service and two years with Fannie Mae before founding his firm in 2025. Ruda Financial is a fee-only advisory firm that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations with investment management and financial planning services. The firm emphasizes individualized investment policies and asset allocation, employing fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory alongside passive investment strategies.

Stephen Lee is the principal of Lee Financial Group, Inc. in Columbia, MD, and holds the CFP® designation and Series 63 license. He has 45 years of industry experience and has been associated with Raymond James Financial in various capacities since 2004. Outside of financial advising, he is the owner of a law office focusing on wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, and serves on the advisory board for River Hill FBLA, providing student mentoring. Lee Financial Group offers individualized financial planning and wealth management advice to individuals and families, including high-net-worth clients, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm provides written financial plans through a data-gathering process and offers follow-up consultations, with investment recommendations based on fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Edmund Wellington is the sole advisor at Wellington Capital Management, Inc., an independent firm based in Chevy Chase, MD. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Wellington Capital Management since 1996. Wellington Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management and investment counseling to a select group of private individuals, partnerships, and trusts. The firm employs a conservative, long-term investment approach focused on U.S. large-cap equities and high-quality fixed-income securities, tailoring strategies to clients' objectives and managing accounts on a discretionary basis.

Frank Byskov is a CFP® and CFA® with 12 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Forty4 Financial, an independent firm based in Bethesda, MD. Prior to founding Forty4 Financial in 2023, he worked at Advisory Services Network, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, Mr. Byskov coaches triathlon through Rock Creek Tri Club, serves on the board of Bethesda Green, contributes to financial literacy education via Mentamorph, and co-founded Advisors for Good, a nonprofit focused on climate action and social justice. Forty4 Financial provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a fundamental analysis-driven approach to build long-term customized portfolios and offers specialized pension and retirement-plan consulting, including 3(21) advisory services for plan sponsors.

Lorie Scheibel is the principal of Smarter and Wise, an independent financial advisory firm, with 15 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Lincoln Financial Advisors. Scheibel also serves as adjunct faculty at Anne Arundel Community College and operates as an independent insurance agent. Smarter and Wise provides financial planning and discretionary wealth management to individuals nearing retirement, high-net-worth clients, and sponsor-level retirement plans. The firm employs a planning-first approach centered on a comprehensive RetireSmarter process, incorporating risk modeling and ongoing portfolio management, and offers specialized investment real estate planning alongside retirement plan advisory services.

Lee Miller is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Miller Capital Management, Inc. and also operates Lee J. Miller, CPA, P.C., a public accounting practice. Miller serves on the board of directors of a charitable foundation as its vice president and treasurer and acts as trustee for several trusts. Miller Capital Management provides personalized investment supervisory services and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and trusts. The firm focuses on capital preservation through fundamental security analysis and a long-term buy-and-hold strategy, making tailored recommendations and requiring client approval before transactions.

David Merkel is a CFA charterholder and principal of Aleph Investments, LLC, an independent advisory firm he founded in 2010. He has 15 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory work, he maintains AlephBlog.com, a website providing educational content for investors since 2007. Aleph Investments manages discretionary portfolios primarily for individual investors, as well as charitable organizations and small pension clients. The firm employs fundamental equity analysis and a risk-conscious fixed income approach, offering strategies including a yield-oriented balanced portfolio and customizable accounts, with features such as hedged equity options and client-imposed ethical restrictions.

Scott Vicary is a CFA charterholder and founder of Rookwood Wealth Management in Silver Spring, MD, with five years of industry experience. Prior to establishing his independent advisory firm in 2025, he worked at Sulzberger Capital Advisors, Inc. and held roles at affiliated Rookwood investment entities. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as managing director of a real estate apartment rental business. Rookwood Wealth Management is a fee-only registered investment adviser that provides discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an investment approach based on modern portfolio theory and fundamental analysis, combining passive and active vehicles to align portfolios with client risk tolerance and tax considerations.

Chung Hei Sing is the sole advisor at Applied Derivative Research (ADR) with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and previously worked at Arquitos Capital Management for one year. He serves as a board member of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, focusing on economic development through early-stage investments. Applied Derivative Research provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, institutional investors, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs a combined bottom-up and thematic top-down investment approach with sustainable and impact-oriented opportunities, offering both strategic asset allocation advice and active portfolio implementation.

Edward Lazerow is the sole advisor at EJL Asset Management, LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Bethesda, MD. He holds the Series 66 designation and has 25 years of industry experience. Lazerow has managed EJL Asset Management since its founding in 2011. EJL Asset Management provides discretionary investment supervisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses fundamental analysis to construct portfolios across a broad range of instruments, employs both long- and short-term trading strategies, and operates with discretionary authority guided by individualized Investment Policy Statements.

Michael Worch is the principal of Worch Financial Group, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Rockville, MD. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 10 years of industry experience, including prior roles at ON Investment Management Co and Guardian Life. Outside of advisory services, he is also involved in insurance sales as a licensed agent. Worch Financial Group serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing financial planning, portfolio management through third-party managers, and insurance product implementation. The firm employs fundamental analysis with both long- and short-term investment approaches and operates primarily through referrals to external managers without taking investment discretion.

Steve Jefferys is a CFA® charterholder based in Bethesda, MD, with 16 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Jefferys Capital Management from 2009 to 2012. He is the sole advisor at Arch Financial Advisors LLC, an independent firm that provides comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services primarily to middle- and upper-middle-income individuals and families. The firm offers fee-only, non-discretionary advice with a tax-aware, client-specific asset allocation approach, and emphasizes a planning-focused relationship model.

Kendell Phillip is a financial advisor at Lockstep Financial LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Maverick Trading and Northrop Grumman. Lockstep Financial LLC is an independent advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a primarily passive investment approach using index funds and ETFs, supplemented by fundamental and technical analysis, and manages held-away assets through third-party platforms.

John Gillick is a CFP® with four years of industry experience currently serving as the sole advisor at Adenry Wealth LLC in Columbia, MD. His prior experience includes roles at Commonwealth Financial Network, Financial Council, Inc., and The Colony Group. Adenry Wealth LLC provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and an online educational workshop to individuals, small businesses, trusts, estates, and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment approach is based on modern portfolio theory, offering customized asset allocation using mutual funds and ETFs, with portfolio reviews that include rebalancing and tax-loss harvesting.

Thomas Steeley is a CFP® with 28 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Steeley Advisory, LLC and has held prior roles at SMG Advisory, LLC, Steeley & Associates, and Ameriprise Financial. He also owns and manages a CPA practice that advises clients on tax and business matters and operates a shared office suite for independent business owners. Steeley Advisory, LLC serves individual clients as well as pension and profit-sharing plans and corporate entities. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, using individualized Investment Policy Statements and a long-term, fundamental analysis approach to investing.

Jorge Cortes is the sole advisor at Terrafort Capital LLC, an independent firm based in North Bethesda, MD. He holds a Series 65 designation and has five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at the Maryland State Treasurer's Office, United Nations Capital Development Fund, IDB Invest, and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration. Terrafort Capital serves both individual and institutional clients, offering discretionary investment management, financial planning, and co-advisory services. The firm combines third-party model access with direct portfolio management across traditional and alternative asset classes and provides additional services such as Outsourced CIO support and pension consulting.

Harvey Robinson is a CFA® charterholder with 6 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Robinson Capital Group in Dayton, MD. He has been affiliated with Robinson Capital Group since 2003 and has concurrent roles at Gerson Lehrman Group and Robinson Kirlew & Associates since 2012. Robinson Capital Group is an independent, fee-only investment management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm utilizes a fundamental research process and a value-oriented investment approach, focusing on diversified, risk-adjusted portfolios with discretionary management and formalized investment policies.

Scott Faley is a financial advisor at Inaltis Capital Management, LLC in Chevy Chase, MD, holding a Series 65 credential with 14 years of industry experience. He has worked with The Motley Fool, LLC since 2011, where he contributes to an income-focused investment newsletter. Outside the advisory field, he maintains a law firm, R Scott Faley, PC, in Bethesda, MD. InAltis Capital Management provides discretionary investment management, portfolio consulting, and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, small businesses, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm delivers advice through model portfolios called SpokeFund®, emphasizing fundamental analysis and value-oriented strategies tailored to client investment policies.

John Fremont Smith is the sole advisor at Friends Wealth Management in Ellicott City, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ameriprise Financial, Calamos Advisors LLC, and several Prudential entities. He is also a licensed insurance agent. Friends Wealth Management offers portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm employs a combination of analytic approaches and manages accounts directly, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary services aligned with client-specific investment policies.

Richard Wagener is a CFP® and ChFC® with 51 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Raymond James Financial since 2009 and also serves as President of Financial First Advisors, a firm he has been involved with since 1986. He occasionally acts as an insurance agent for life, fixed annuity, disability income, and long-term care products not typically available through Raymond James. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and governmental entities. The firm offers financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting, utilizing asset allocation, modeling tools, and firm research to develop tailored recommendations.