Zachary Hale is a financial advisor with HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining HSBC Securities and HSBC Bank USA, N.A., he worked at Bank of America, Merrill, Brighton Securities, TF Browns, and Allstate Insurance Company. He also had a role outside the financial industry at Billy Jack's Shack. Hale is dual-hatted as a Bank Officer for HSBC Bank (USA) N.A., engaging in the sale of bank-related products alongside his advisory role. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations through various client-directed and discretionary platforms. The firm’s investment process uses multiple risk profiles and combines strategic and tactical asset allocation with ongoing fund due diligence, serving a broad client base via a range of program options including offshore offerings.

Emily Certo is a CFP® professional at Guardian Life with four years of industry experience. She has worked at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company, among other firms. 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 and a subsidiary of Guardian Life, provides brokerage and advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering a range of investment and financial planning solutions.

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® professional with 27 years of experience in the financial industry. He currently works at Private Advisor Group, LLC and LPL Financial, roles he has held since 2014. His previous experience includes positions at Cadaret, Grant & Co., Merrill, Banc of America Investment Services, and Quick & Reilly. Outside of his advisory work, Morawski serves as a proctor for risk analysis exams through the Global Association of Risk Professionals and operates a tax preparation and accounting business. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm offers managed account solutions through proprietary platforms and third-party managers, following a fiduciary-based advisory model.

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.

Richard Hulburd is a financial advisor with Citizens Securities, Inc. in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and five years of industry experience. His career has been centered at Citizens Bank and Citizens Securities in various roles since 2014. Outside of his advisory work, he creates weather and storm chasing content on his YouTube channel, Buffaloweather1. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, offering investment advisory programs, brokerage, and insurance services. The firm’s offerings include a digital advisory program with ETF-based portfolios and a Managed Account program, operating as both a broker-dealer and an insurance agency.

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, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. She has worked at HSBC Securities since 2010 and with HSBC Technology & Services USA since 2015. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. provides managed account programs to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers both client-directed and discretionary investment programs, utilizing model risk profiles and combining strategic and tactical asset allocation developed with HSBC Global Asset Management and affiliated providers.

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 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at MassMutual Life Insurance Company, Gilder Gagnon Howe, City National Rochdale, and Merrill. He serves as an advisory board member for Seton Hall University’s Transformative Leadership Certificate Program, contributing to periodic reviews and program development. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations through client-directed and discretionary options. The firm’s investment process combines strategic and tactical asset allocation with ongoing fund due diligence and management, serving a broad client base with both non-discretionary and discretionary portfolios.

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 13 years of industry experience. She has worked at HSBC Securities and HSBC Bank USA since 2016 in various roles. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs for individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations through several client-directed and discretionary program types. The firm uses model risk profiles and combines strategic and tactical asset allocation with ongoing fund due diligence, operating as both an SEC-registered adviser and broker-dealer.

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.

John Birkby is a CFP® with 43 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and Clark & Company Wealth Management since 2024. He previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities from 2008 to 2024. Outside of his advisory work, he is co-owner of Swanson & Birkby Associates, LLC, a commercial real estate management entity, and has engaged in fixed insurance sales. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm offers discretionary and nondiscretionary managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and a comprehensive adviser-support platform.

Lisa Petronio is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 17 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. She has previously worked at firms including Global Retirement Partners, LPL Financial, Strategic Retirement Partners, Kestra Advisory, and Walsh Duffield Companies. Petronio serves on the boards of Goodwill of WNY, a social enterprise supporting workforce development, and Child & Family Services, a human services nonprofit. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals with ties to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing portfolio management and acts as adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund.

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.

James Krieger is a financial advisor at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. with 4 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been associated with HSBC entities since 2010 in various roles, including serving as a bank officer at HSBC Bank USA N.A. in addition to his advisory position. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations, with a range of client-directed and discretionary investment options supported by multiple affiliated service providers.