John Palermo is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with a Series 65 credential. He has been with Hightower Advisors since 2026 and has prior experience in education, having worked at Vanderbilt University, McQuaid Jesuit High School, and Bay Trail Middle School. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse group of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s approach includes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and offering a range of portfolio management and planning services.

Kerrianne Creegan is a financial advisor with HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 12 years of industry experience. She has worked within various HSBC entities since 2015. Outside of her advisory role, she is an executive consultant for a skincare business and also creates and sells crafts as a hobby. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations, providing services through both client-directed and discretionary investment programs. The firm combines strategic and tactical asset allocation developed with HSBC Global Asset Management and employs a range of model risk profiles to serve clients.

Douglas Castren is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked at Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and previously operated Nicastro & Castren Financial Services from 2014 to 2017, along with experience at Principal Life Insurance Company. Outside of advisory roles, he has been involved in insurance and fixed annuities. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager solutions, with investment implementation generally managed on a discretionary basis by these managers.

Zachary Hale is a financial advisor at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Prior to his current role, he worked at Bank of America N.A., Merrill, Brighton Securities, and Allstate Insurance Company. He also serves as a bank officer for HSBC Bank (USA) N.A., an affiliate of his primary firm. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations through various client-directed and discretionary investment programs. The firm’s investment process integrates strategic and tactical asset allocation with ongoing fund due diligence, supported by affiliated global asset management and fund selection teams.

Emily Certo is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Guardian Life, based in Buffalo, NY, and has three years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked across Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities since 2019. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as Chair of the Ambassador Council for the PUNT Pediatric Cancer Collaborative and is a board member of the Porter Cup golf tournament. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser affiliated with Guardian Life. The firm serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through brokerage services, financial planning, and a variety of investment advisory programs.

Justin Trybus is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Pruco Securities, LLC and Prudential Insurance Company of America. Outside of his advisory work, he manages a rental property in Buffalo, NY. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing through point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Scott Zeplowitz is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Williamsville, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and having 12 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Eagle Strategies, ROI Financial Group, NYLife Securities LLC, and New York Life Insurance Co. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member of the Lockport Ice Arena & Sports Complex. Eagle Strategies serves a broad clientele including individual and institutional investors, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple advisory program types and emphasizes tailored recommendations, with the majority of assets under management held on a non-discretionary basis.

Joel Morawski is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Private Advisor Group and LPL Financial since 2014. Outside of his advisory work, Morawski serves as a hockey official and proctors risk analysis exams at local universities. Private Advisor Group, LLC is an SEC-registered firm managing over $41 billion for more than 135,000 clients, including individuals, trusts, estates, and corporate plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing multiple asset management platforms and third-party strategies.

William Grochala is a financial advisor with Key Investment Services LLC in Amherst, NY, holding Series 65 and Series 63 designations and bringing 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Key Investment Services and KeyBank since 2016. Key Investment Services LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, small businesses, and corporate clients through various advisory programs, including wrap-fee programs, model portfolios, and separately managed accounts. The firm emphasizes client-directed model selection supported by non-binding recommendations and ongoing monitoring, and operates within the KeyCorp group with close affiliations to KeyBank and KeyBanc Capital Markets.

Jordan Honan is a financial advisor at Key Investment Services LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Key Investment Services and its predecessor entity since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, Honan serves on the finance committee of St. John Vianney Church, which focuses on managing the church’s debt and cash flow. Key Investment Services LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, small businesses, and corporate clients through various advisory programs, including wrap-fee programs, model portfolios, and separately managed accounts. The firm operates within the KeyCorp group and emphasizes client-directed investment choices supported by ongoing monitoring and due diligence of third-party managers.

Peter Godios is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Buffalo, NY, holding a Series 63 designation and 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Guardian Life and its affiliate, Guardian Life Insurance Co of America, since 2011. Godios is involved in additional insurance activities outside of Guardian Life. Guardian Life’s Park Avenue® Wealth Management, a wholly owned subsidiary, serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through brokerage services, financial planning, retirement consulting, and a range of advisory programs that include proprietary and third-party strategies.

Cheryl Vallon is a financial advisor with HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in Buffalo, NY. She holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 credentials and has 21 years of industry experience. Cheryl has been with HSBC Securities since 2010 and has also worked at HSBC Technology & Services USA since 2015. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm provides both client-directed and discretionary portfolio options, utilizing a structured asset-allocation process supported by affiliated asset management and fund selection teams.

James Fashano is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Buffalo, NY, holding a Series 63 designation and 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Guardian Life and its affiliate since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he is a 90% owner of Alliance Advisory Group Inc., a non-investment-related business based in Buffalo. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue® Wealth Management, serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers brokerage services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and a range of advisory programs using both proprietary and third-party portfolios.

Elizabeth House is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Protective Industries and Agia. Outside of her advisory role, she is also an agent for non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Joseph Herrmann is a financial advisor with HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at MassMutual Life Insurance Company, Gilder Gagnon Howe, and City National Rochdale. He serves as an advisory board member for Seton Hall University's Transformative Leadership Certificate Program. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations, utilizing a mix of client-directed and discretionary investment options supported by strategic and tactical asset-allocation advice developed with HSBC Global Asset Management.

Brian Geary is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with five years of industry experience. He has worked at Hightower Advisors since 2022 and previously spent ten years at Linwood Investment Advisors. Based in Buffalo, NY, he is currently affiliated with Hightower Advisors. Hightower provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range 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, combining proprietary research and a variety of investment vehicles to serve its clients.

Nila Khoury is a financial advisor with HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. She has been with HSBC Securities since 2018 in various capacities and has worked at HSBC Bank USA, N.A. since 2016. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations through a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions. The firm employs a multi-profile investment process developed with HSBC Global Asset Management and offers programs including the client-directed Spectrum Program and fully discretionary Spectrum II and Offshore Spectrum programs.

Austin Reese is a financial advisor with Key Investment Services LLC based in Depew, NY. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, and Citi Group. Key Investment Services LLC serves individuals, trusts, estates, small businesses, and corporate clients through wrap-fee advisory programs, model portfolios, separately managed accounts, and affiliated brokerage and insurance products. The firm emphasizes client-directed investment decisions supported by non-binding recommendations and ongoing monitoring, while providing access to third-party discretionary managers and conducting regular due diligence and supervisory oversight.

Lisa Petronio is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 16 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Global Retirement Partners, Strategic Retirement Partners, Kestra Advisory, and Walsh Duffield Companies. She serves on the boards of Goodwill of WNY and Child & Family Services, contributing to their strategic vision and finance committees. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered retirement plan relationships. The firm’s advisory model separates planning services from ongoing portfolio management, offering both model-based and customized investment solutions.

Zachary Koch is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Buffalo, NY. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has three years of industry experience. Prior to Commonwealth, he worked at American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. and M&T Bank among other roles. 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 over $210 billion in client assets. The firm offers discretionary and nondiscretionary managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and a variety of investment options while providing back-office support including trading and reporting.