Angela Hankins is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Creative Planning in Overland Park, KS, where she has worked since 2016. She has seven years of industry experience. Outside of her advisory role, she is also a real estate agent with Platinum Realty. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, 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.

Steven Ledgerwood is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Overland Park, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower Advisory Group in 2025, he worked at GWFS Equities, Inc. and Reveal Management Services. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as a delivery driver for DoorDash and serves as a youth soccer referee with Heartland Soccer Association. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as select retail clients. The firm’s services integrate with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates through point-in-time plans and optional managed accounts.

Angela Remington is a financial advisor at First Command Advisory Services with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked for USD 469 for nine years. Remington is also the owner of AJ Remington LLC, an independent contracting business, and a partner in Pony Express Advisors, LLC, which manages branch-related business expenses. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and wrap-fee asset management programs, utilizing a centralized investment management team and prescreened third-party managers.

Vincent Clark is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Creative Planning with 10 years of industry experience, having been with the firm since 2015. He serves on multiple nonprofit boards, including Park University’s Board of Trustees and Foundation Board, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City Ballet, and American Public Square, contributing to fiduciary oversight and organizational governance. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment approach focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a large advisory team and a centralized investment infrastructure.

Matthew Navickas is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at HighTower Securities LLC since 2019. Outside of finance, he owns and operates M&M Mowing LLC, a lawn maintenance business. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager investment solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers across various asset classes and strategies.

Michael Pollakowski is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Kansas City, MO, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Lincoln Investment for eight years before joining GWN Securities in 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the boards of Mackenzie Bay and Clean Green Energy, and he has owned farmland since 1990. GWN Securities provides investment advisory and related services to individual and corporate clients through various managed account programs, financial planning, and access to third-party managers. The firm utilizes a combination of affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisers, model-based allocations, and both tactical and momentum-based investment strategies.

Shawn Staab is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked with Gwfs Equities, Inc., JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services LLC, and J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. since 2012. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Paul Raccuglia is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network. He previously worked at Country Club Trust Company and Tower Wealth Managers, Inc. for 15 years. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a broad adviser-support platform that includes managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Lennie Walters is a financial advisor with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC based in Shawnee, KS. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ameritas Investment Company, Ivy Funds Distributor Inc., and Waddell & Reed, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he is the sole proprietor of Walters LLC, a farming business focused on cattle. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale, SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in regulatory assets. The firm serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Kara Walters is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Overland Park, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at GWFS Equities, Prudential Investment Management Services, Mutual Securities, and LPL Financial. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients, using an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Luke Sullivan is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors in Mission Woods, KS, holding a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include Falcon Wealth Advisors and Best Buy. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as editor and producer for the Kansas Golf Foundation’s podcast. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors, utilizing a multi-manager approach with access to both affiliated and third-party managers, mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and custom indexing strategies.

Kristi Dolan is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Prior to joining Creative Planning in 2021, she worked at Lockton Investment Advisors, Lockton Financial Advisors, and Lockton Companies. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that integrates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

Samantha Waters is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 11 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2006 to 2016 before joining Hightower Advisors in 2016. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through a range of affiliated and third-party managers.

Duayne Madl is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 49 years of industry experience. He has worked at Main Street Advisors, LLC and has maintained a self-employed marketing entity, The MADL Company, since 1982. Madl is also involved as an insurance agent offering various types of insurance products through The MADL Company. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutional plans. The firm employs a combination of firm- and third-party models to develop client strategies, emphasizing strategic asset allocation, multi-manager portfolios, and ongoing due diligence across various risk profiles.

John Williams is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has three years of industry experience. Prior to his advisory role, he worked in education with Camdenton R3 Schools and currently serves as a Unit Field Trainer at Bankers Life & Casualty, Inc., where he recruits and trains insurance agents specializing in life, long-term care, and health insurance. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm emphasizes customized asset allocation, tax efficiency, and integrates fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis in its investment process.

Shannon Suarez is a financial advisor at GWN Securities Inc. in Kansas City, MO, with 36 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at GWN Securities since 2010, following a decade at Lincoln Investment. Outside of her advisory role, she owns the Suarez Group, LLC, which operates as an insurance business offering various life, health, disability, and supplemental insurance products, along with fixed and indexed annuities. GWN Securities provides investment advisory and related services to individual and corporate clients through multiple managed account programs and financial planning options. The firm utilizes a combination of affiliated and unaffiliated sub-advisers, asset allocation strategies, and incorporates market-timing and momentum-based approaches in some legacy programs.

Thomas Willenborg Jr. is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience, currently with Empower Advisory Group. His prior experience includes roles at GWFS Equities, Inc. and Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he has worked as an Uber driver. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s approach integrates proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and savings rates, delivered through platforms closely tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative services.

Christopher Chaney is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in Kansas City, MO, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. His prior firms include UBS Financial Services, Woodbury Financial Services, and Edward Jones. He serves as a board member for the nonprofit fundraiser GiveSafeWater and is involved in educating clients about investment fees through the Understand Advisor Fees program. Independent Financial Group, LLC offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate plans. The firm employs a combination of firm- and third-party models to develop tailored investment strategies, blending passive and active exposures while conducting ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Cale Hill is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Lockton Investment Securities, C2FO, CommunityAmerica Financial Solutions, and Charles Schwab. Creative Planning provides wealth management and financial planning services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies for long-term goals, supplemented by passive allocations for liquidity and selective private market exposure.

Dustin Meza is an investment advisor representative at AE Wealth Management, LLC with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at firms including Waddell & Reed Inc., Thrivent Investment Management Inc., and Nuance Investments, LLC. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a platform-centered approach with model portfolio solutions, discretionary asset management, financial planning, and specialized plan services.