Denise Crawford is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Kansas City, MO, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having eight years of industry experience. Her prior work includes positions at Icma Rc and Porsch Financial. Valic Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker‑dealer serving primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients, and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts, and operates at scale with a large network of advisors and centralized technology solutions.

Ryan Hurr is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with six years of industry experience, currently with AE Wealth Management, LLC. He previously worked with Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority and is also involved with Heritage First entities, including advisory, insurance sales, tax preparation, and facilitating estate planning document services. AE Wealth Management provides fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, relying on discretionary model portfolios and a platform-focused approach that serves a high volume of clients per advisor.

Nicholas Rawlings is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group based in Kansas City, KS. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at GWFS Equities, Inc. and American Century Investment Services Inc. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to certain retail account holders. The firm delivers services through a model integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates.

Cory Bittner is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 14 years of industry experience. He has held roles at Hightower Advisors and HighTower Securities, LLC since 2016 and previously worked at UBS Financial Services INC from 2013 to 2016. He holds the Series 66 designation. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, charitable organizations, corporations, trusts, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions through affiliated and third-party managers, offering a variety of investment strategies including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and custom indexing.

David Blickhan is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has worked concurrently at JC Grason of Kansas City, Inc. and Brookstone Capital Management since 2008. Outside of his advisory roles, he serves as president of the board of directors for a Catholic family credit union. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser providing fee-based asset management and financial planning through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee program. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other registered investment advisers, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, offering primarily discretionary investment management via model portfolios and separately managed accounts.

Lars Ragan is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in North Kansas City, Missouri, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He worked at Waddell & Reed for 15 years before joining Independent Financial Group in 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is the president of Ragan Wealth Management, LLC, a marketing DBA, and also works part-time as a bartender. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and pension plans. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms, combining strategic asset allocation and multi-manager portfolios with both passive and active investment exposures.

John Meyers is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group in Kansas City, MO, with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked with firms including GWFS Equities, Prydes Old Westport, Inside Ventures, Southwind Enterprises, and the University of Missouri. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Drew Van Scyoc is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Hightower Advisors since 2023. Prior to this, he was involved with Prairie Highlands Golf Club and Shadow Glen Golf Club. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions through affiliated and third-party managers, utilizing proprietary research and a variety of investment vehicles including mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.

Antwaine Barnett is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 24 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Gwfs Equities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc., and J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner of A&R Enterprises, LLC, a rental property management business. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm delivers services through an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in their planning approach.

Alexander Montanez is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group based in Kansas City, MO. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has 11 years of industry experience. Montanez has worked at GWFS Equities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc., and J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services LLC. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily for employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as certain retail clients. The firm’s services are integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and emphasize long-term portfolio returns and disciplined rebalancing.

Kai Sewell is a financial advisor at PlanMember Securities Corporation in Kansas City, MO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company and Forrest T. Jones & Co., Inc. Sewell has been a college student since 2017 and previously worked at Vector Marketing. PlanMember provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans and offering participant-level investment options through its PlanMember Asset Allocation Portfolios. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation approach with risk-based mutual fund portfolios and delivers education and support services to plan sponsors and participants.

Leonard Lehmann is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Kansas City, MO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 24 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at GWFS Equities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. He also works as a freelance photographer for Park Hill High School. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm combines proprietary and third-party planning methodologies with an integrated platform tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative services.

Steven Diederich is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has been with Moneta Group Investment Advisors in various capacities since 2015. Moneta Group Investment Advisors serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and a diverse range of institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, family office services, and concierge offerings. The firm operates with partner-led teams supported by centralized investment research and emphasizes diversified, multi-asset allocations and ongoing monitoring.

Malcolm Knowles is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Liberty, MO, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Gwfs Equities, Inc. since 2014 and previously at Wheeler's Plumbing Heating & Cooling Corp. from 2012 to 2022. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and select retail brokerage clients. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Elizabeth Hartung is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 14 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Creative Planning since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she owns Hartung Insurance and works as a stylist for a women's clothing retailer. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in assets. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment process that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, complemented by a range of supplemental investment options and integrated retirement plan services.

Kyle Whalley is a financial advisor at CWM, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Edward Jones for 17 years and has held positions at Cetera Wealth Services, LLC and Carson Wealth. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of Timber Ridge Trails, LLC, a recreational farming and hunting ground in Liberty, Missouri, and also manages an office rental business. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth families, foundations, endowments, corporations, and institutional clients through a large network of partner offices and more than 600 advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and retirement plan services, typically managing accounts on a discretionary basis using model portfolios and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, third-party sub-advisors, and customization tools.

Samuel Shore is a financial advisor at AE Wealth Management, LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has previously worked at Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC and Madison Avenue Securities. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an assistant debate coach at Greenhill School and officiates amateur ice hockey games. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a platform-centered approach combining proprietary and third-party model portfolios, discretionary asset management, and financial planning services.

Douglas Nelson is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advising, currently with Lincoln Investment since 2011. He previously worked at Valic Financial Advisors for eight years. Nelson is also a lecturer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he teaches retirement planning, employee benefits, and supervises students in family financial planning. Additionally, he provides on-demand financial counseling to reserve component servicemembers and serves as head boys varsity basketball coach at Prairie View USD 362. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with particular focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, employing both strategic and tactical approaches, and manages approximately $22.9 billion in advisory assets.

Heather Kline is a financial advisor at Moneta Group Investment Advisors, LLC with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Chinquapin Trust Company from 2016 to 2023 and was self-employed from 1995 to 2023. Moneta Group Investment Advisors serves high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, and institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, family office services, and concierge offerings. The firm uses a partner-led team structure and an open-architecture investment process emphasizing asset allocation and manager due diligence.

Matthew Lazor is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning in Kansas City, MO since 2021. His prior roles include positions at SBSB Financial Advisors and Northwestern Mutual, as well as time spent at Virginia Tech and FJY Financial. Creative Planning provides wealth management and financial planning services to a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, supporting clients with discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive retirement plan advisory services.