Melissa Kadrmas is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Fort Myers, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and nine years of industry experience. She has worked with Thrivent since 2018 and spent 19 years at Prepaid Legal Services, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, Kadrmas is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, where she volunteers in boater safety operations and training. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors, focusing on goal-based planning across various financial topics while keeping planning and managed-account services distinct.

Mayte Sahakian is a financial advisor at Merrill with five years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Bank of America before joining Merrill. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Stephanie Negip is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with seven years of experience in the industry and holds a Series 66 designation. Her prior work includes roles at Allstate Construction & Roofing and Distinctive Renovations. She serves as a trustee for the Paul N & Marsha Robinson Trust. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a large network of advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Lee McCauley is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 42 years of industry experience. He worked at Merrill Lynch for 33 years before joining Raymond James in 2017. He is also the managing partner of McCauley Financial LLC, a support company. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and corporate clients. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary consulting using analytical tools and supports municipal and public-finance work through a municipal advisor affiliation.

John Dipietro is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 35 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ameriprise since 2018 and previously at Ascend Financial Services and Minnesota Life. Outside of advisory services, he is involved in independent insurance brokering. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified firm serving individual and institutional clients. It offers a Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement-income planning through a centralized team that provides written recommendations and ongoing advice tailored to dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Jason Duke is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley based in Fort Myers, FL, holding a Series 66 designation with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley and its affiliated entities since 2009, including a role at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, providing a wide range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning supported by firm‑approved tools and analysis. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers planning services through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group.

Jason Scoggins is a financial advisor at Stifel with 32 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2021, following a 13-year tenure at UBS Financial Services Inc. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment analysis relies on a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, providing asset allocation and planning guidance based on forward-looking capital market assumptions.

Melissa Palmer Ball is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Cape Coral, FL, holding a Series 63 designation and 31 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Big Sisters of Greater Racine. Ameriprise provides a retirement-income planning service tailored for individuals approaching or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver customized, written recommendation reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions typical of a large institutional firm.

Cole Murray is an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments in Southwest Florida, where he has worked for nearly four years. He specializes in comprehensive wealth management and financial planning, focusing on developing financial strategies tailored to align with the unique long-term goals of individuals and families. Before his current role, Cole served as a Relationship Manager at Fidelity Investments from 2024 to 2026 and as a Financial Representative from 2023 to 2024. He holds the FINRA Series 7, 63, and 66 registrations, along with the Florida Life, Health, and Annuities license.

Andrea Nicolopoulos is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Fort Myers, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 45 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions, utilizing research and analytics to support investment decisions.

Christopher Wendland is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Fort Myers, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at firms including Grove Point Investments, H. Beck, Inc., Next Financial Group, Northwestern Mutual Investment Management, and Merrill. Wendland also operates a non-variable insurance business alongside his advisory work. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services through a broad network of investment adviser representatives, offering model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Mark Ratay is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Fort Myers, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having 41 years of industry experience. He has worked with Morgan Stanley and its associated Private Bank since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and modeling techniques.

Marlene Mccracken is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 63 designation and 17 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets with over 14,000 financial advisors and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Brian Murphy is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Fort Myers, Florida, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Primerica Advisors since 1997 and has a background with Navy Pier, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of Elite Business Solutions and owns MAM & Associates, Inc., both involved in investment-related activities. Primerica Advisors sponsors a wrap-fee asset management program serving individual, corporate, and charitable clients through a network of nearly 3,700 advisors. The firm utilizes model-based strategies managed by external asset managers and offers discretionary separately managed accounts with oversight from BNY Mellon Advisors and Pershing for trade execution and custody.

Michael Soto is a financial advisor with Merrill in Fort Myers, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and having 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of The Soto Family Trust LLC, a family business entity based in Cape Coral, FL. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, offers managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party managers, with portfolio implementation tailored by strategy and client tax sensitivity.

Michael Matheson is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 38 years of industry experience. He is currently with LPL Financial, having joined the firm in 2024 following nearly two decades at Financial Dimensions Group, Inc. Matheson is involved in several business ventures outside his advisory role, including managing non-investment-related entities. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions through a broad network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing models and third-party strategies alongside proprietary research and technological tools.

Sam Mazzotti is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Cape Coral, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 1995. Outside of his advisory role, Mazzotti serves as a trustee for the City of Cape Coral General Employee Pension Plan. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of advisory strategies and affiliated investment products, operating under a fiduciary standard and supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Michael Mulhern is a financial advisor at Osaic Wealth with 25 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and previously worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors for 24 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is an insurance agent involved in the sale of fixed life, health, accident, and disability insurance products. Osaic Wealth serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporate clients through a multi-advisor platform offering brokerage and advisory services. The firm utilizes a model-based investment process with asset allocation and portfolio optimization tools, and is notable for its large scale and complex affiliate network.

Els Bunkens is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with seven years of industry experience, all with Edward Jones since 2019. She is based in Fort Myers, FL. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Wilfred Brockman Jr. is a CFP® professional with 34 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2010. His prior experience includes roles at B. Riley Wealth Management, RBC Capital Markets, and Ferris, Baker Watts, LLC. Outside of advisory work, he is an independent insurance agent and owns BrockmanWealth and Capital LLC. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals and institutional clients such as pension and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs, operating through thousands of financial professionals and managing a multi-billion dollar asset base.