Benjamin Maynard is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and three years of industry experience. He previously worked at JVJ Solutions and has an educational background including time at Boston College and Wilmington High School. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a variety of clients, including retail and institutional investors, utilizing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction methods. The firm serves as an advisor to multiple registered investment companies and employs formal governance and proxy-voting procedures.

Daniel Mc Geever is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Gaithersburg, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in owning and managing a commercial real estate LLC. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service designed for individuals nearing or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing comprehensive written recommendations that incorporate income sources, Social Security strategies, and tax-efficient withdrawals. The firm combines research, modeling, and algorithmic tools to deliver tailored, non-discretionary retirement advice, primarily focused on assets managed within Ameriprise.

Carlos Romero is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Rockville, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at PNC Wealth Management, Uvest Financial Services Group, Truist Investment Services, and Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, Romero is involved in residential real estate services and tax preparation. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a wide range of advisory and brokerage services through an extensive network of investment adviser representatives, utilizing various models and tools across discretionary and non-discretionary strategies.

Anita Acevedo is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Gaithersburg, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 12 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica Advisors since 2013 and has worked with Primerica Financial Services since 1998. Outside of advisory activities, she is involved in sales of home security and automation products as well as loan products through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, serving individual and high-net-worth clients with model-delivery strategies and discretionary separately managed account options. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap fee structure for its services.

Micheal Lipshultz is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm employs structured discovery conversations and proprietary planning tools to develop financial plans, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Michelle Balfe is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Rockville, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and with 24 years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife Securities Inc. from 2015 to 2017. Outside of her advisory role, Balfe serves as a board member of the Bowie, MD Green Team Executive Committee and is an independent insurance agent for group disability and group dental coverage. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, educational seminars, and specialized services such as divorce planning and estate-settlement programs.

Bryan Hale is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Sterling, VA, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2026, he worked at Edward Jones for three years and has experience in various roles including real estate and investment management. Outside of his advisory work, he manages several real estate investment entities. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, with a focus on customizable investment strategies supported by research and technology tools.

Daniel Searles is a CFP® and Series 66-registered advisor with LPL Financial, based in Gaithersburg, MD, and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, he worked with Grove Point Advisors LLC and Grove Point Investments LLC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a broad range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to model portfolios and third-party asset managers.

John Yetman is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Potomac, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ameriprise Financial Services, Morgan Stanley, UBS Financial Services, and Wells Fargo Clearing. He hosts a radio show and podcast called CEO Stories and is a business owner with the Association for Enterprise Growth in Gaithersburg, MD. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Michael Ritterpusch is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include various positions at Fidelity Investments and involvement with organizations such as the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Washington, DC. He is affiliated with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Zion Chaflawee is a CFP® and ChFC® with seven years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Cetera and has held prior roles at LPL Enterprise, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, NY Life, and Eagle Strategies. Outside of his advisory work, he assists applicants with health and group insurance through separate insurance-related activities. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base including individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform allowing advisors to implement various portfolio strategies, combining discretionary and non-discretionary management across multiple program structures.

Keith Unikel is the Senior Resident Director at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He joined Merrill Lynch in 2009 and has been serving as Resident Director of the Bethesda office since 2016. With a career beginning in 2006 in the financial services industry, Keith focuses on addressing the wealth management and investment needs of individuals and families with a fiduciary standard of care. He works closely with clients to craft customized strategies that align with their goals. Keith takes the time to understand the true purpose of clients' wealth and develops tailored strategies to meet their complex financial and investment needs. His areas of expertise include college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, socially responsible and ESG investing, tax minimization, and retirement income. He spends considerable time analyzing and evaluating the team’s wealth strategies to build customized investment portfolios. Keith earned a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Maryland. He holds several professional designations including the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of work, Keith enjoys golfing, reading, and spending time with his family in Potomac, MD.

Steven Hersh is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Potomac, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its predecessor entity since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and manages a business entity related to his Ameriprise practice. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals nearing or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing detailed, non-discretionary recommendation reports that incorporate research, modeling, and tax efficiency analysis. The firm combines advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities and uses algorithmic tools alongside human oversight to generate tailored retirement income strategies.

Samuel Kerr is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2024. Prior to this role, he worked as a Relationship Manager at Fidelity Investments from 2023 to 2024 and as a Financial Representative from 2022 to 2023. His professional journey in financial planning is a second career, following his experience as an elementary and special education teacher. Samuel applies lessons learned from teaching—valuing relationships and simplifying complex concepts—to his work in financial planning. He focuses on understanding clients' goals and collaboratively developing plans to protect, manage, and grow their wealth.

Beau Hall is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Potomac, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes five years with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Bank of America. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base, primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, offering advisory, brokerage, custody, and financial planning services through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts and employs a multi-asset model portfolio approach supported by due diligence from its research division.

Ali Mozaffar is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 16 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at several firms including United Brokerage Services, Capital One Advisors, Wells Fargo Clearing, HSBC Securities, and First Command Brokerage Services. He serves as a nonprofit board member in a role unrelated to investment activities. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services through a large network of representatives to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan participants. The firm offers a range of investment solutions including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by technology tools for operational and research assistance.

Kevin Wamsley is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in mortgage and real estate services through his positions at Distinctive Referral LLC and Main Street Home Loans LLC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms.

Ben Knighton is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2022. In his role, he focuses on understanding clients' individual circumstances and assisting them in creating financial plans aligned with their personal goals. Prior to his current position, Ben served as a Senior Registered Wealth Management Client Associate at Merrill Lynch from 2014 to 2022. Over his career, he has developed experience in wealth management and financial consulting. Ben's approach emphasizes meeting clients with care and thoughtfulness, aiming to support them effectively through their financial planning process.

Michael Klitsch is a CFP® professional with 25 years of experience, currently serving at Morgan Stanley in Rockville, MD. He has worked with Morgan Stanley since 2009 and at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is the chairman of the National Capital Optimist Club and serves as a finance committee officer for Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that offers a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, including tailored financial planning and estate planning strategies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured financial planning process supported by proprietary tools and market simulations.

Tricia Tripp is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience, currently serving at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. She has worked with Raymond James since 1994 and previously operated her own firm, Tripp Financial Consultants, Inc. In addition to her advisory work, Ms. Tripp owns and manages Fox Hollow Farm LLC, where she employs staff to care for animals and property. 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 charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes tailored, non-discretionary planning supported by analytical tools and offers specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Consulting.