Eric Smeby is the principal advisor at EsmeB Inc, holding a Series 65 designation with 16 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Waterfall Wealth LLC, FTToken Inc, Dash.Fi, and Capital One. He leads multiple ventures related to digital financial platforms. EsmeB Incorporated provides automated investment management and self-directed financial planning tools via its WaterfallWealth.ai platform. The firm serves individual investors and companies seeking rules-based portfolio solutions, delivering services exclusively online using a quantitative, algorithm-driven investment process.

Kevin Bernard is the principal of Pivot Capital Management, LLC, an independent advisory firm. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has 10 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to founding Pivot Capital Management, he worked with several firms including Avantax Insurance Agency and Solomon Edwards. Outside of his advisory role, Bernard is also a licensed CPA and leads an accounting and consulting firm, in addition to managing a bookkeeping and tax preparation business and serving as a real estate referral agent. Pivot Capital Management provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a tailored approach incorporating technical and fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and various asset classes, including equities, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, options, structured products, publicly traded REITs, and digital assets.

Stephen Berube is the sole advisor at Echo Creek Capital, LLC, an independent investment advisory firm based in Rockville, MD. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience. Berube has led Echo Creek Capital since 2013. Echo Creek Capital manages discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios for individual and institutional clients, focusing on tailored investment strategies that combine fundamental and technical analysis. The firm utilizes a range of instruments including equities, fixed income, ETFs, derivatives, and option strategies, and incorporates borrowing and margin as part of its approach.

Wenhai Tu is a financial advisor at FortuneNavi Capital Inc. with seven years of industry experience. He has held his current position since 2016. FortuneNavi Capital Inc. provides financial planning and discretionary investment management primarily for pooled vehicles and institutional-type clients such as family offices, retirement plans, endowments, foundations, trusts, and high-net-worth individuals. The firm employs Modern Portfolio Theory and fundamental analysis to construct portfolios, using model portfolios, mutual funds, ETFs, options, and margin transactions, and it conducts quarterly reviews and rebalancing aligned with client objectives and risk tolerances.

Robert Allen is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. He has been the principal at Allen Investment Management since 2014. Allen Investment Management serves individual investors, foundations, charitable organizations, businesses, and pension/profit-sharing plans by providing discretionary investment supervisory services combined with integrated financial planning. The firm emphasizes a value-oriented, long-term investment approach supplemented by active sector rotation or limited short-term trades and manages roughly $27.1 million in discretionary client assets across approximately 41 client relationships.

Sean Defrehn is a financial advisor at DeFrehn Consulting with 9 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Triad Advisors, Inc. and OSAIC. Outside of financial advising, he teaches hunter safety classes for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. DeFrehn Consulting is an independent firm serving clients from Adamstown, MD.

Jonathan Peyton is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience. He is the principal advisor at Different Investments, LLC, formerly known as Horizon Ridge Wealth Management, where he has worked since 2016. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, USAA Financial Planning Services, Fidelity, and Ameriprise. Outside of advising, he has founded several non-investment-related businesses, including a publishing firm that produces educational content such as books and podcasts. Different Investments, LLC (doing business as C‑Suite Planning) provides discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning services for individuals, including executives and entrepreneurs, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business clients. The firm employs a variety of analytical techniques to tailor portfolios and offers specialized planning services such as divorce consulting, exit planning, and special-needs planning.

Kyle Kim is the founder of Kyo Asset Management, LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 30 years of industry experience. Prior to establishing his current firm, he worked at LPL Financial and Invest Financial Corporation. Outside of advisory services, he is involved in residential and commercial real estate development through ownership of Kyo Capital Management. Kyo Asset Management, LLC provides discretionary investment management and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to construct customized portfolios primarily focused on long-term strategies, with a discretionary approach to portfolio implementation and monitoring.

Wesley Brown is a financial advisor with Remnant Wealth in Gaithersburg, MD, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses. He has 10 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance, Nationwide Insurance, and Ohio National Financial Services. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in property and casualty insurance sales. Remnant Wealth provides investment and advisory services focused on pooled vehicles and institutional-style engagements. The firm offers portfolio management, wealth management, financial planning, and educational seminars, employing a non-discretionary approach with a variety of securities and multiple methods of analysis tailored to client objectives.

Christopher Williams is a financial advisor at Capital Fiduciary Advisors in Ashburn, VA, holding a Series 66 designation with 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Capital Fiduciary Advisors since 2011, including a period at Andersen from 2016 to 2021. Capital Fiduciary Advisors provides wealth advisory and portfolio management services to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and institutional clients such as pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers personal financial planning and uses a formal due-diligence process to select third-party investment managers, supporting clients with institutional-style reporting and educational seminars.

Darren Straniero is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at OnPlane Financial Advisors, an independent firm he has led since 2018. Prior to founding OnPlane, he worked for Park Ave Securities and Guardian Life Insurance for ten years each. OnPlane Financial Advisors serves individual clients and families, providing comprehensive financial planning and asset management primarily through virtual meetings. The firm employs a passive, index-oriented investment strategy and uses a fixed retainer fee model rather than percentage-of-assets billing.

Andrew Hamill is a CFA® charterholder with experience at Foxgrover Investment Partners since 2025, Atlantic Union Bank since 2021, and Wells Fargo from 2011 to 2021. He is based in Gaithersburg, MD. Foxgrover Investment Partners provides portfolio management and personalized financial planning to individuals and high-net-worth clients, using fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and quantitative methods to inform investment decisions. The firm offers both non-wrap and wrap fee programs, managing portfolios with discretion based on clients’ investment policy statements.

Wesley Watkis is the sole advisor at The W & W Group LLC in Rockville, MD, with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Global Brokerage Services, Inc. and World Capital Brokerage, Inc. Outside of advisory services, he provides consulting for an information technology firm and operates as an independent insurance agent. The W & W Group delivers customized investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, estates, and retirement plans, typically without a firm-level account minimum. The firm employs a long-term investment approach informed by fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with a wrap-fee program that consolidates transaction and custodial costs.

Robert Walsh is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with 10 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with Wealthcare Financial Planning, LLC since 2015 and also manages PTS On Demand, a consulting firm that supports FEMA disaster recovery operations. Wealthcare Financial Planning, LLC provides fiduciary, fee-only investment management and financial planning primarily to individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as select institutional clients. The firm follows a documented client process and employs an investment approach based on diversification, Modern Portfolio Theory, and Fama–French research.

Bradley Piesco is the managing principal of Magpie Consulting LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Leesburg, VA. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and has 16 years of industry experience. Piesco has led Magpie Consulting since 2007. Magpie Consulting LLC provides fee-only asset management and financial planning services to individual clients, including high-net-worth and private investors. The firm uses a disciplined financial planning process and constructs diversified portfolios mainly with exchange-traded funds, offering both discretionary and nondiscretionary management options.

Melanie Brophy is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 12 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has worked at Next Play Financial Solutions, LLC since 2018 and previously spent five years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Next Play Financial is an independent, fee-only advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes passive strategies using diversified index funds and ETFs, supplemented by fundamental analysis and select third-party managers.

Mark Reges is a financial services associate at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he joined the team in 2021. In his role, Mark focuses on managing team operations and is responsible for client servicing, ensuring timely responses to client requests. He also supports business development, relationship management, and contributes to wealth management planning. A native of Potomac, Maryland, Mark graduated from Miami University with a bachelor's degree in economics. Outside of his professional responsibilities, he pursues personal interests in sculpting and painting and enjoys hiking along the Potomac River.

Rahul Aggarwal is the sole advisor at Aris Alpha LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Accenture Federal Service and several other firms. Aris Alpha LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals and high-net-worth clients, employing fundamental analysis and a long-term trading approach. The firm offers a broad range of investment options and manages accounts on a discretionary basis, tailoring strategies to each client’s risk tolerance and objectives.

Jessie Rancourt is a financial advisor at Opportunity Cost Investors LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Harris Miller Miller & Miller and UFA, Inc. Rancourt also serves at the Federal Aviation Administration and owns Opportunity Cost Media, a company that produces finance-related content on YouTube. Opportunity Cost Investors LLC provides discretionary investment management to retail clients, focusing on value-oriented, fundamental research. The firm emphasizes concentrated portfolios of high-quality companies trading at perceived deep discounts, targeting long-term capital growth.

Yuan He is a financial advisor at HY Financial LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at the General Services Administration since 2019 and the Food and Drug Administration from 2015 to 2019. Outside of his advisory role, he is a limited partner in two small businesses operating entertainment venues in Gaithersburg, Maryland. HY Financial is a small independent registered investment adviser serving individual clients with discretionary portfolio management and limited financial planning services. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis with a focus on qualitative business evaluation and low turnover, and it monitors accounts regularly while providing written financial plans.