Haley Danforth is a financial advisor at Merkle Retirement Planning with six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 credential and has worked at Elite Retirement Planning since 2018. Outside of advising, Danforth serves as Chair of the West Des Moines Chamber's Young Professionals Program and is the Alumni Chair for the West Des Moines Leadership Academy advisory council. Merkle Retirement Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, retirement-plan sponsors, trusts, and other entities. The firm emphasizes individualized planning and offers discretionary asset management through model portfolios and direct security management, with operational implementation delegated to a sub-advisor.

Jarrett Sheets is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience. He is currently with Gilbert & Cook, Inc., where he has worked since 2019. His prior experience includes roles at Cerity Partners, Brokers International Financial Services, and Lone Wolf Financial, LLC. Gilbert & Cook, Inc. serves individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering financial planning, investment advisory, and private wealth services. The firm provides individualized advice with a focus on household-level asset allocation, using a combination of active and passive investment strategies across multiple asset classes.

Melissa Gray is a financial advisor at Merkle Retirement Planning with 23 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Elite Retirement Planning since 2019, following a tenure at VOYA Financial Advisors from 2014 to 2018. Merkle Retirement Planning serves individuals, retirement-plan sponsors, trusts, and other entities, offering tailored financial planning, discretionary asset management, and retirement-plan consulting under ERISA standards. The firm uses a model-driven investment approach combined with direct security management and provides client education through workshops, webinars, and media appearances.

Caleb Pearson is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked with Compass Financial Services since 2012 alongside his roles at LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Brokers Clearing House, providing non-variable insurance services. LPL Financial offers advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm supports its advisors with an in-house research team and a variety of investment and service options tailored to client needs.

Wendy Moran is a financial advisor with Wealth Advisors of Iowa, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. She is also a shareholder of MHCS, P.C., a CPA firm in West Des Moines, where she oversees assurance services, quality control, and risk management. Moran has been affiliated with Wealth Advisors of Iowa since 2002 and with MHCS since 2015. Wealth Advisors of Iowa provides portfolio management, financial planning, and qualified retirement plan services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, banks, and business entities. The firm employs a fiduciary investment process using a combination of analytical methods and offers discretionary account management, participant-level retirement plan advice, and a wrap-fee program.

Chawn Honkomp is a financial advisor at Merkle Retirement Planning with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at multiple firms including Princor Financial Services Corporation and United Planners Financial Services of America. Outside of his advisory role, he operates an independent insurance agency focused on non-variable insurance products. Merkle Retirement Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, retirement-plan sponsors, trusts, and other entities. The firm offers tailored financial planning, discretionary asset management through model portfolios and direct security management, and retirement-plan consulting under ERISA standards.

Jonathan Pearson is a financial advisor with Wealth Advisors of Iowa, LLC, holding a Series 66 license and 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at LPL Financial LLC and VisionPoint Advisory Group. Outside of advisory services, he is licensed to sell fixed insurance products including long-term care, disability, and life insurance. Wealth Advisors of Iowa provides portfolio management, financial planning, and qualified retirement plan services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, banks, and business entities. The firm employs a fiduciary investment approach using a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, and offers services such as wrap-fee programs and participant-level retirement plan advice.

Jessica Hoffman is a financial advisor at Wealthcare Capital Partners, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P., LPL Financial LLC, and Arkadios Capital. Outside of her advisory role, she works as a dental hygienist at Waukee Dental. Wealthcare Capital Partners LLC provides investment management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a goals-based investment process using a patented web-based planning platform combined with evidence-based manager selection and behavioral-economics tools to align strategies with client preferences.

Nicholas Waller is a CFP® professional at Wealth Advisors of Iowa, LLC with one year of experience at the firm and a prior five-year tenure at Gilbert and Cook. He has also worked at US Health Advisors and The Harvester Club. Wealth Advisors of Iowa is an SEC-registered advisory firm with ten advisors managing approximately $539 million in discretionary assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit sharing plans, trusts, and corporate entities, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and qualified retirement plan services.

George Lamoureux is a CFP® with two years of industry experience, currently serving at Gilbert & Cook, Inc. He has prior experience at Cerity Partners LLC, Foster Group, Broker Dealer Financial Services Corp, and Miles Capital Inc. Gilbert & Cook, Inc. provides financial planning, investment advisory, and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a mix of active and passive strategies across various asset classes and conducts due diligence on private and alternative investments, maintaining distinct disclosures and implementation options for clients.

Zachary Ripka is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Gilbert & Cook, Inc. He has previously worked at Cerity Partners LLC and BKD CPAs & Advisors, among other firms. Gilbert & Cook, Inc. serves individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, providing financial planning, investment advisory, retirement plan consulting, and private wealth services. The firm uses a combination of active and passive strategies across multiple asset classes and conducts due diligence on alternative investments.

Nicholas Finkenauer is a financial advisor at Wealth Advisors of Iowa, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Wealth Advisors of Iowa since 2021. He also has a longstanding affiliation with McGowen, Hurst, Clark, Smith dating back to 2012. Wealth Advisors of Iowa provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, banks, and business entities. The firm uses a fiduciary investment approach that incorporates fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, offering strategies from long-term investing to options and short sales, and emphasizes ongoing account monitoring and integration of outside assets.

Michele Bjorkgren is a financial advisor with Compass Financial Services in West Des Moines, Iowa, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 17 years of industry experience. She has been with Compass Financial Services and LPL Financial LLC since 2002. Outside of her advisory role, she is a commissioned notary public in the state of Iowa and engages in crafting activities. Compass Financial Services provides investment advice and wealth management to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs an active, diversified investment approach using proprietary model portfolios tailored to clients’ objectives, time horizons, and risk tolerance, and operates a wrap fee program alongside a hybrid arrangement with LPL Financial.

Allyson Martens is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Merkle Retirement Planning with six years of industry experience. She has worked at Elite Retirement Planning, LLC for nine years and previously spent a year at Big Green Umbrella Media. Outside of finance, Martens serves as a primary props and set designer at the Des Moines Playhouse in a part-time capacity. Merkle Retirement Planning offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities, with a focus on model-driven portfolio management and asset allocation. The firm provides tailored financial planning, direct asset management, and educational workshops, combining internally developed and third-party model portfolios.

Linda Cook is a CFP® with 35 years of experience in the financial industry. She has worked at Gilbert & Cook, Inc. since 1994 and also held positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Cerity Partners LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a board member for the University of Northern Iowa. Gilbert & Cook, Inc. provides financial planning, investment advisory, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a mix of active and passive strategies across various asset classes and conducts due diligence on private and alternative investments offered to clients.

David Farnsworth is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Wealth Advisors of Iowa, LLC, where he has worked for seven years. He is also the managing partner and shareholder of McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith PC, a tax and business consulting firm based in West Des Moines, where he has been since 1998. Wealth Advisors of Iowa provides portfolio management, financial planning, and qualified retirement plan services to individuals, pension plans, trusts, banks, and business entities. The firm employs a fiduciary investment process incorporating various analytical methods and offers services such as discretionary account management, participant-level retirement advice, and a wrap-fee program.

Brady Auderer is a financial advisor at Merkle Retirement Planning in Grimes, IA, holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Merkle, he worked in roles at Hy-Vee, Stark Ag., and Fareway. Merkle Retirement Planning offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities, utilizing model-driven portfolio management and tailored financial planning. The firm combines internally developed and third-party model portfolios with discretionary management, educational workshops, and periodic performance reporting.

Michelle Miller is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in the financial services industry. She has worked at firms including Gilbert & Cook, Inc., Cerity Partners LLC, and New York Life. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as Treasurer for Des Moines Estate Planners in a volunteer capacity. Gilbert & Cook, Inc. serves individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and employer retirement plans, providing financial planning, investment advisory, and portfolio management services. The firm employs a combination of active and passive strategies across multiple asset classes and offers distinct due-diligence processes for private and alternative investments.

Alan Hulstein is a financial advisor with Compass Financial Services in West Des Moines, IA, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial and Compass Financial Services since 2021. Outside of advising, he has a non-securities related role with Amazon. Compass Financial Services provides investment advice and wealth management to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities. The firm employs an active, diversified investment approach using proprietary model portfolios and offers comprehensive financial planning and fiduciary services.

Isaac Stadsvold is a financial advisor at Merkle Retirement Planning in Grimes, IA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has been in the industry since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Security National Bank, Midwest Heritage, and Amazon. Merkle Retirement Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities, focusing on asset allocation and model-driven portfolio management with discretionary authority to implement and rebalance strategies.