Paul Downs is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Novi, Michigan, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors and Auto Club Funds, Inc. since 2004 and has also worked as an agent with Agia since 2022. Additionally, he is a commissioned notary public in Michigan, notarizing documents as needed in the course of his financial advisory duties. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based individual investors, including 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 UMA models to construct client portfolios with options for tax and ESG overlay services.

Marie Smith is a CFP® professional with one year of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Mariner. Her background includes multiple roles at Mariner as well as positions at Michigan State University and Kellogg Company. Mariner provides investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and tax services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers and offers specialized services such as coordinated tax compliance and Core Family Office solutions.

Kristiana Shipway is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. She has been with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd since 2013 and previously worked at First Heartland Consultants, Inc. Shipway operates out of Northville, MI. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser with approximately 379 advisors and $18.6 billion in assets under management. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, nonprofits, and other institutional clients, offering advisor-managed programs, financial planning, third-party manager programs, and outsourced CIO solutions through an open-architecture model that integrates multiple platforms and managers.

Michael Snider is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. He previously worked at Edward Jones from 2015 to 2017 before joining Mercer. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments with investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, estate planning, and family office services. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach focused on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and private funds.

Marcus Smith is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) with 10 years of industry experience. He currently advises at Advised Assets Group, LLC and has prior experience with Infinity Wealth Management, Inc. and Edward Jones. He is affiliated with Empower Advisory Group, which provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, along with certain individual IRA and brokerage clients. The firm’s services emphasize long-term portfolio returns and integrate closely with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Sarah Bumstead is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with eight years of industry experience. She has been with Cerity Partners since 2019 and previously worked at Blue Prairie Group, LLC from 2016 to 2019. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, business entities, charitable institutions, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets. The firm offers customized wealth management services with an investment approach that combines proprietary quantitative screening, manager selection, and direct security selection, along with access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Anthony Ruda is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with 43 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Oppenheimer since 2018, following eight years at Wunderlich Securities. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of Pro Musica Detroit, a nonprofit chamber music society. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and IRAs. The firm offers a broad range of programs and services, including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, consulting, and retirement planning, and maintains custody of client assets while operating both advisory and broker-dealer businesses.

Haley Hernandez is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently advising at Savant Wealth Management in Plymouth, MI. She has been with Savant since 2021 and previously worked at Rocket Auto LLC. Savant Wealth Management serves individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients with comprehensive wealth management, portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and family office services. The firm employs a blend of evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation and actively managed strategies across various asset classes, supported by its scale and integrated legal, accounting, and trust affiliates.

Douglas Krug is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Mariner Independent Advisor Network, LLC and LPL Financial, LLC, with over two decades at Reliable Securities Inc. Outside of his advisory roles, he is licensed as a real estate agent. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model, using various investment strategies and technology platforms, and offers access to both proprietary and third-party managed account solutions.

Ian Waldo is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Raymond James and its affiliates for over a decade before joining NewEdge Advisors in 2023. Waldo is also the owner of Waldo Wealth Partners LLC, a financial advisory business. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing multiple program structures and technology tools to support advisors and clients.

Richard Rush is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses. Prior to joining NewEdge in 2022, he worked at Private Client Services LLC, Executive Wealth Management, and Invest Financial Corp. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as an adjunct professor at Wayne State University. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser that serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a broad range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to sponsored advisory programs, utilizing a combination of in-house and third-party investment strategies supported by technology and centralized due diligence.

Shane Topping is a financial advisor at Savant Wealth Management with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Key Investment Services LLC and Michigan State University. Savant Wealth Management provides comprehensive wealth management, portfolio management, financial planning, and family office services to individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients. The firm combines evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with actively managed strategies and offers integrated accounting, legal, and trust services through affiliated entities.

Ojie Alofoje is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with six years of industry experience. He is currently with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. and Fifth Third Bank, having previously worked at Bank of America, Merrill, PNC, and Turnkey. Outside his advisory role, he owns OA Investments, an LLC that acquires and flips properties. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions, offering a range of investment advisory and brokerage services through the Passageway Managed Account Program and other platforms. The firm operates as a broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, and municipal advisor, providing various program types and third-party portfolio management options.

Stephen Rowley III is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Plymouth, Michigan, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He operates Rowley Financial Solutions, providing New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. Outside of his advisory work, Rowley serves as a board member of the New Hope Center for Grief Support and holds minority ownership in a professional soccer team, as well as officer and board roles in regional and national Airstream club organizations. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutional clients, and retirement plans, offering financial planning, investment management, and advisory services primarily on a non-discretionary basis. The firm provides tailored solutions through various program types, integrating investment advice with insurance and annuity products within the New York Life affiliate structure.

Maggie Guenter is a financial advisor at Osaic Advisory Services, LLC with six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Arbor Point Advisors and Securities America, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she has been involved with Jolyn and Melalueca, two entrepreneurial ventures she has maintained for several years. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate and charitable entities, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers a range of investment and financial planning services, utilizing various strategies and platform relationships to support its clients.

Jeffrey Bittner is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience, currently advising clients at Mariner since 2019. He previously worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors from 2016 to 2019. Mariner serves a diverse range of clients including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services, with customized portfolios overseen by an internal committee and a broad range of investment strategies.

Nadia Daoud is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has nine years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Ameriprise, Comerica Securities, and Citizens Securities. She also has outside employment as a Comerica Financial employee. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients through both advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers a variety of investment programs on its Passageway Managed Account platform, combining third-party portfolio management with options including mutual funds, ETFs, SMAs, and direct indexing.

Andrew Slankster is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mariner Independent Advisor Network, LLC, LPL Financial, and Next Financial Group, Inc. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model and offers a range of managed account solutions, combining technology platforms with third-party managers and strategies.

Brittney Broich is a financial advisor with PlanMember Securities Corporation in Brighton, MI, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. She has worked at several firms, including Edward Jones and Peak Brokerage Services, and currently provides retirement planning education for the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel. Brittney also operates Williams & Co, a financial services business in Brighton. PlanMember Securities Corporation offers retirement-plan advisory services to employers and participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary and providing education, support, and participant-level investment options through risk-based mutual fund portfolios. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes strategic asset allocation, economic analysis, and regular portfolio rebalancing.

Lee Cox is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at VALIC Financial Advisors since 2012. He is also affiliated with Agia, where he acts as 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, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.