Thomas Thompson is the principal of Thompson Financial Transitions Inc. in White Bear Lake, MN, with 29 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and securities licenses Series 63 and Series 65. Thompson has a background that includes roles at SagePoint Financial and Kristi Seifert, LLC, and he also works as an independent insurance agent selling life insurance, long-term care, and annuities. Additionally, he assists with tax preparation and serves as power of attorney managing investments and financial affairs for a family member. Thompson Financial Transitions Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and consulting for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory approach, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, with discretionary trading authority and direct management of insurance contract assets alongside platform-based solutions.

John Bernstein is the sole advisor at Bernstein Financial Advisory in Minneapolis, MN, holding a Series 65 credential with seven years of industry experience. He founded and has operated the firm since 2019, with a prior three-year period away from the industry. Bernstein Financial Advisory provides portfolio management and financial planning services tailored to individuals, high-net-worth clients, entrepreneurs, small business owners, charitable organizations, and other business entities. The firm employs fundamental analysis, long-term purchase strategies, and option writing, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary account management, as well as free public educational seminars and workshops.

Dalton Pierce is the sole advisor at Bluenose Wealth LLC in South Minneapolis, MN. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has two years of industry experience. Prior to founding Bluenose Wealth, Pierce worked with Northwestern Mutual in various capacities from 2024 to 2026. He also served six years in the U.S. Navy and has been associated with the University of Minnesota since 2023. Bluenose Wealth serves individual and high-net-worth clients with portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, primarily using a passive investment approach with index mutual funds and ETFs. The firm provides tailored financial plans covering retirement, tax, estate, business, and insurance matters.

James Mehrman is the sole advisor at Valor Wealth Management LLC in Fridley, MN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Merrill, Sawtooth Asset Management, The Investment Councel LLC, and founding Valor IT Deployment Solutions LLC. He also worked at Trailhead Cycling from 2017 to 2021. Valor Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, charities, and retirement plans through customized financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm’s investment process combines fundamental analysis with computer models for asset allocation and risk management, managing approximately $14.9 million across 40 accounts with a focus on tailored portfolios featuring stocks, bonds, ETFs, and selected other securities.

I spent over 10 years helping corporations, hedge funds and institutional investors squeeze every last dollar out of their investments before I finally asked myself: what is most important in life, and what's keeping me from getting there? So, what's important to me: spending time with my family, pursuing a career I'm passionate about and running a business that allows me to partner with like-minded individuals. My dad passed away at age 58 and I constantly remind myself that life is short, and I better not regret how I live it. I am now lucky enough to say I work in a field that brings me happiness and fosters my personal values. A perfectionist by nature and self-proclaimed finance/tax nerd, I genuinely love helping individuals simplify their financial lives so they too can focus on what's most important to them.

Hi! I'm Laura Seymour, CFP® and founder of TorchLight Financial. I founded TorchLight in 2011 and have over 17 years of experience helping retirees and pre-retirees navigate one of life's most important financial transitions. My clients are typically asking: Can I afford to retire, and when? Will my money last? Is my plan optimized? It is my goal to use clear language to help educate you about financial concepts to enable you to make the best decisions for YOUR life. I provide comprehensive advice tailored to your personal situation and goals - no cookie cutter plans or advice allowed! I want to be a trusted partner for your financial life journey. Clients can work with me in two ways: Wealth Management: ongoing holistic comprehensive planning advice partnered with professional investment management services Consulting Planning Services: comprehensive financial planning advice on a consulting basis (planning recommendations provided but you execute the trades and don't have to move your assets) I grew up on a dairy farm in western Minnesota (near Willmar) as the eldest daughter. I put myself through college, have been a lifelong learner and I value authentic, genuine relationships. I am grateful for clients who have trusted me to help them with their financial decisions. Travel and cycling are my non-work passions. I have been lucky enough to travel widely and love how it broadens my perspective. Shannon (my life partner) and I want to go on a Tour de France bicycle trip and climb Mont Ventoux (even though he will always beat me up the hills!). Enjoying Minnesota summers on my Bianchi Infinito and heading to a local brewery with friends are my favorite summer activities. Please reach out and share more about yourself! I'd love the opportunity to learn more about you.

Brandon Small is a CFP® and CFA® credentialed financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Invested Interests, LLC, an independent registered investment advisory firm based in Minneapolis, MN. His prior roles include positions at Crane Capital Management, PrideCo Capital Management, Lyon and Small Investors, Inc., and Financial West Group. In addition to his advisory work, he operates a small accounting consulting practice as a CPA. Invested Interests, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and discretionary portfolio management services to individuals, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm manages approximately $7.9 million in client assets, offers socially responsible investment options, and incorporates client-specific written Investment Policy Statements using fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios.

I’m Carter Michaelson, CFP®, CSLP®, and the founder of illumiFI Wealth. I started this firm to help people cut through financial complexity and make confident, tax-smart decisions about their money. With a focus on financial planning, investments, and tax strategies, I work alongside clients to create a clear path toward financial freedom. At illumiFI Wealth, I believe financial advice should be independent, transparent, and values-driven. That’s why the firm is fee-only — no commissions, no hidden agendas. Our approach is also rooted in behavioral finance: helping clients overcome the biases and emotions that can get in the way of good decisions. My favorite moments are when a concept clicks — those “lightbulb” moments where clients feel clarity and confidence about their next steps. I launched illumiFI Wealth because I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming money can feel — from student loans to charitable giving to retirement planning. My mission is to provide clarity, confidence, and purpose so clients can focus on what truly matters: living generously and pursuing the life they’re called to live.

Joseph Brill is a financial advisor with Knox Avenue Financial Corp. in St. Paul, MN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Principal Life Insurance Company and Princor Financial Services Corporation for 10 years each before joining Knox Avenue Financial Corp. Brill holds leadership roles with the Kappa Sigma Building Association, a college fraternity housing organization. Knox Avenue Financial Corp. provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and pension clients, managing approximately $145 million in assets. The firm specializes in tailored portfolio construction using asset allocation, dollar-cost averaging, and a mix of long- and short-term holdings, and it operates a wrap fee program with a high client-to-advisor ratio.

The Work Stuff– My name is Ben Smith, and I am the Founder of Cove Financial Planning, a Certified B Corporation focused on comprehensive financial planning and Socially Responsible Investing. I believe that everyone, regardless of age, occupation, net worth, and investment experience, deserves a customized financial plan and the peace of mind that comes with it. Before starting Cove, I worked for several investment companies, and saw just how boring, complex and off-putting investing can be for many people. Traditional advisors also have a reputation for specifically catering to high-net-worth individuals with a singular focus on account size. My mission is to provide access to high-quality advice to a broader range of people who want to take control of their financial lives (and maybe have some fun in the process!) I also passionately believe in helping people blend Socially Responsible Investing into their long-term financial plans. I’m here to prove that you can Do Well While Doing Good! The Fun Stuff– I’m originally from Minneapolis and have since lived in Chicago and Milwaukee. My wife Kotryna works in investment banking, and while we aren’t at the office, you can find us hanging with our newborn daughter Frances (Francie) or debating nerdy investment topics over a home-cooked meal and a glass of wine. We are big believers in learning new things and staying active. Currently, she’s teaching me how to salsa dance (not going well) and speak Lithuanian (where she’s from), while we both sharpen our tennis skills. We’re proud owners of Apple Watches for the sole purpose of beating each other’s daily fitness activity (feel free to join the competition!) We also travel as often as we can, and we’re always looking for suggestions on places to check out in Europe when visiting her family. Above all else, we both believe that life is about balance. I hope that I can help you find your balance with money, and maybe make the world a little better place in the process. Visit www.coveplanning.com to learn more and get in touch!

Lindy Venustus is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Create, LLC. She has worked at several firms including Origin Financial and Wells Fargo Advisors and is also involved in community activities such as volunteering on the Death and Dying Committee of the Minneapolis Quaker Friends and participating in Toastmasters. In her free time, she is an artist and author and a member of the Minnesota Watercolor Society. Create, LLC provides fee-only comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management for younger, well-compensated individuals and families, often focusing on clients with employer stock or those planning career transitions. The firm utilizes a long-term, passive investment approach with low-cost ETFs via the Betterment platform, and offers services including group education workshops and family governance planning.

Christopher Saxton is a financial advisor at Aberdour Investments with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Ecolab and currently serves as a marketing manager at Smart Care Equipment Solutions. He is also an advisor to a business focused on communication experiences for women in faith and leadership. Aberdour Investments offers individualized investment management and financial planning services to private individuals as well as a diverse range of institutional and corporate clients. The firm uses a primarily passive investment approach complemented by fundamental and technical analysis and emphasizes client education through seminars, speaking engagements, and newsletters.

Kari Polasek is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 16 years of industry experience. She is the principal of Adaptive Financial Design LLC, an independent firm she has led since 2023. Prior to founding her firm, she worked at Advisornet Financial and Wealth Enhancement Group. Adaptive Financial Design LLC provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individual clients, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth households. The firm employs a primarily passive, index-based investment approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and combines ongoing subscription planning with fixed-fee project engagements.

I work with people who are building something their parents couldn't and who've never quite felt like financial planning was built for them. My clients are navigating student debt, supporting family, building wealth for the first time, and trying to make decisions that reflect their values and not just their spreadsheet. They're intentional, they're capable, and they deserve an advisor who meets them where they are. I know that feeling personally. I'm the daughter of Hmong refugees from Laos. My parents came to the U.S. with little more than hope. They worked incredibly hard for our family but never had access to the financial knowledge that makes building wealth possible. That's why I founded Heartworth Financial. Over the past decade, I've built deep experience working with physicians at every stage — residents managing six-figure debt on a training salary, attendings navigating peak earning years, and physicians planning their exit from medicine — alongside first-generation wealth builders, immigrant families, and anyone who has ever walked into a financial conversation feeling like they didn't quite belong there.

Luke Johnson is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Boreal Advisors LLC since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. and Ballast Advisors, LLC. Johnson has maintained independent insurance agent activities through September 2026. Boreal Advisors LLC is an independent registered investment adviser that primarily serves individual clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, and passively managed account options. The firm employs fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and passive strategies, with a focus on rebalancing and tax-loss harvesting, and manages approximately $60 million in assets across 88 clients without a minimum account requirement.

James Wilkinson is the principal of Wilkinson Capital Management, LLC, an independent investment advisory firm based in St. Paul, MN. He holds Series 63 and 65 licenses and has 24 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Merrill, UBS Financial Services, Piper Sandler & Co., and Strong Capital Management. Wilkinson has operated his current firm since 2016. Wilkinson Capital Management provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm manages approximately $97 million across about 98 clients, employing a primarily long-term, customized approach with diversified portfolios consisting of low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, individual stocks, bonds, and occasionally unaffiliated independent managers.

David Johnson is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 14 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Right Path Financial LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2020, and also directs Case Central, LLC, where he focuses on financial plan creation. Johnson holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and operates a licensed insurance agency offering fixed insurance products. Right Path Financial LLC provides investment advice and financial planning primarily to individual clients, utilizing third-party model portfolios through the Orion Portfolio Solutions Strategist program. The firm maintains a non-discretionary advisory relationship and serves clients without imposing an account minimum.

William Patterson III is the sole advisor at Second Avenue Capital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 11 years of industry experience. Patterson has been with Second Avenue Capital since 2006. Second Avenue Capital provides discretionary investment management to institutional and individual clients, focusing on a value-oriented, research-driven approach targeting undervalued companies. The firm manages a limited number of accounts with a preferred minimum account size and offers performance-based fee arrangements to qualifying high-net-worth clients.

Jeremy Graff is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 15 years of industry experience. He has been the principal advisor at Graff Financial LLC since 2010, based in Edina, MN. Graff Financial, LLC is a boutique advisory firm serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm provides asset management and financial planning services, utilizing model asset-allocation portfolios primarily with no-load mutual funds and ETFs, and manages most assets on a non-discretionary basis to maintain a collaborative investment process.

Amber Fitzrysler is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Rising Financial, LLC since 2022 and previously spent seven years at The Planning Center, Inc. Rising Financial provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm focuses on values-based or ESG-informed portfolio construction using primarily passive, asset-class-based strategies, and offers a fee-only model with formula-based ongoing fees, fixed project packages, and hourly options.