Michael Magruder is a CFP® with over 32 years of experience in financial advisory and tax preparation. He has served in various roles at Avantax and Cetera since 2002 and currently operates his own tax preparation and accounting business. He is affiliated with Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a large SEC-registered advisory firm that serves individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors, offering a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

George Feys is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial who holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial since 2008 and was previously affiliated with Seneca Wealth Strategies, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates a sustainable family farm in Beallsville, MD. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and supports institutional consulting across a large advisor network, with unique capabilities including municipal advisory services and a SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting program.

Thomas Rowan is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. His work history includes roles at Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and involvement with University of South Carolina Athletics. Outside of finance, he has been affiliated with Columbia Country Club and the Sutherland Christmas Tree Market. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Joseph Purvis is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Rockville, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2009 and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in Turner and Addie, LLC, a soap business based in North Potomac, MD. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a range of advisory programs to both individual and institutional clients, providing tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured financial planning tools without providing individual security recommendations in its standalone planning offerings.

Victoria Fredericks is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 18 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and holds a Series 66 designation. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning and estate strategies, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Wade Friedel is a financial advisor at Cetera with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Cetera and its affiliates since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, Friedel is a partner in Gridiron Sports, a business involved in acquiring and selling collectibles such as sports cards and comics. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC provides services through a large nationwide network of independent advisors, serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with diverse portfolio management options ranging from model portfolios to bespoke strategies.

Timothy Ashley is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2019 and also serves as a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft Corporation. Additionally, he is involved with 6A Management Corp, a business entity for tax and investment purposes. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisors with research and operational tools.

Nicholas Carter is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Morgan Stanley from 2012 to 2024. Outside of his financial advisory role, he serves as an official and referee in adult and amateur hockey leagues. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC provides a multi-manager platform serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutions, offering a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a nationwide network of over 10,000 advisors.

Chad Williams is a CFP® and ChFC® with 12 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2013, with a brief tenure at Raymond James Financial Services in 2020. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in freelance photography, specializing in headshots for financial advisors, and participates as an alumni committee member at the College for Financial Planning, assisting with diversity scholarship candidate interviews. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million clients, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets with a large network of advisors and branch offices, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Pamela Sams is a financial advisor with OSAIC holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. She has worked at firms including Securities America Advisors, VOYA Financial Advisors, and Ameriprise, and owns Jackson Sams Financial Services. Outside of advising, she contributes articles on retirement planning, volunteers providing financial consultations to women in transition, and serves as an assistant financial secretary for a local sorority chapter. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporate clients. The firm offers a multi-advisor platform with brokerage and advisory services featuring model-based asset allocation, portfolio optimization, and access to third-party money managers and alternative investments.

Kil Chang is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Charles Schwab since 2000, including a role at Charles Schwab Bank since 2005. Outside of his advisory work, he served on the Kemptown Elementary School PTA from 2018 to 2020. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, supported by multi-asset model portfolios and alternative investment due diligence, leveraging its large scale and integrated operational structure.

Kenneth Hecht is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 30 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2022, following a nine-year tenure at UBS Financial Services. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs methodologies such as Monte Carlo simulations and Secular Return Estimates in its planning process.

Joely Mauck is a CFP® with 35 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at LPL Financial since 2009. She also has a longstanding affiliation with American United Life beginning in 2002. Her other business activities include offering non-variable insurance through various carriers. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Joshua Best is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. His prior roles include positions at Equitable, NY Life, and King St Insurance/Landey Patton State Farm. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm’s non-discretionary program focuses on written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting, supported by centralized due diligence and a combination of quantitative and qualitative research.

Geoffrey Magee is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Gaithersburg, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services since 1998. In addition to advisory work, he is involved in sales of loan products and home security and automation services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, which includes model-delivery strategies and separately managed account options for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and delegates trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors, operating primarily on a tiered wrap-fee structure.

Matthew Smolsky Jr. is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. for 19 years and The Barnes Group for 23 years. Outside of his advisory role, Smolsky serves as an Assistant Fire Chief with the Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue, a position he has held since 1977. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services through a large network of representatives. The firm supports individual investors, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions with a range of financial planning, model portfolios, and institutional platforms.

Edgar Marita is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Potomac, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2010 to 2024 before joining Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, providing a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and modeling techniques. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers services that include financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group.

Mary Bottella is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with 10 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she manages a rental property in Naples, Florida. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients through its Schwab Wealth Advisory program, providing a combination of non-discretionary and discretionary investment options along with integrated brokerage, custody, and financial planning services.

Scott A. Spiers serves as the Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill. He has been in the financial services industry since January 2015 and is a fully licensed financial advisor. Scott's approach centers on building wealth management strategies tailored to individual client needs, focusing on tax-efficient portfolios and retirement planning. Before joining Merrill, Scott began his financial services career with a smaller firm, achieving the highest level of production distinction in his third year. Prior to his financial career, he served nearly 21 years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, commanding three squadrons and deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Qatar. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a Master of Science in Finance from the University of Texas at San Antonio, an MBA from the College of William & Mary, and a Master of Arts in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School. He holds professional designations including Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Scott emphasizes that his work is about understanding clients' life priorities and creating personalized financial plans that align with their goals and aspirations. He is committed to community involvement, reflecting the Merrill tradition of service by volunteering with local organizations. His personal interests include a variety of sports and endurance activities such as baseball, basketball, biking, football, running, running marathons, soccer, and swimming.

John Lasheski is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 22 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as an executor for an estate in Brookeville, Maryland. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide array of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, including tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and uses a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and models.