Megan Niffenegger is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 13 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2009. Outside of her advisory role, Megan manages a vintage items booth at an antique mall in Des Moines. Ameriprise provides a retirement-income planning service that targets individuals approaching or in retirement who meet certain asset thresholds. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written, non-discretionary recommendation reports, emphasizing assets held in Ameriprise Managed Accounts and utilizing algorithmic automation overseen by a dedicated committee.

Alan Metz is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Ames, Iowa. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has 27 years of industry experience. Metz has worked at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the boards of Perry Lutheran Home and the Gilbert Lutheran Church Foundation and owns a bed-and-breakfast and meeting venue business. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors, offering holistic, goal-based analyses and planning without discretionary portfolio management or direct institutional advisory services.

John Tillo is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Ames, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. since 1997. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Mason David Grove is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Wells Fargo Bank, nA and Hy-Vee. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm that provides investment advisory services, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Colette Gunhus is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Boone, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. She previously worked at TIAA and TIAA-CREF from 2009 to 2017 before joining Ameriprise Financial Services Inc and later Ameriprise. Outside of her advisory role, she is an owner of Cyrish Properties LLC, a real estate business. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored, non-discretionary retirement recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Preston Pickar is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial, based in Ames, Iowa, with two years of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Primerica and Door Dash, along with extensive experience in full-time education. 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 range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by both proprietary research and third-party subadvisors.

Perry Overton is a CFP® with 13 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Outside of advising, he is involved in managing an LLC focused on the general maintenance and oversight of real estate properties. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Matthew Heller is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Ames, IA. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 16 years of industry experience. Heller has been with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans since 2010 and Thrivent Investment Management since 2009. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based planning and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account programs under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan,” while keeping services separate.

Andrew Grube is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. His prior work includes roles at J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering investment policy development, performance reporting, participant education, and plan benchmarking. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates a range of financial products, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Shellie Grabau is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Blake Illg is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Ames, IA, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank in 2026, he worked at Edward Jones and Fidelity Investments. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

Samantha Stephens is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Ogden, Iowa, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2017, she worked at Investment Centers of America from 2013 to 2017. In addition to her advisory role, she has been involved in managing the Functional Chiropractic Clinic since 2011. 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 financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, with a broad range of strategic and tactical investment options.

Jeffrey Gatchel is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Ames, Iowa, and has 20 years of industry experience. He has worked with Equitable Advisors and its predecessor, Axa Advisors, LLC, since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in various outside insurance activities. Equitable Advisors provides financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset-management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and other institutional clients. The firm utilizes a range of investment programs and works with both proprietary and third-party asset managers to tailor solutions based on clients’ risk tolerance and objectives.

Karla Sexton is a financial advisor at Stifel with 24 years of industry experience. She has held her position at Stifel since 2009 and holds a Series 66 designation. Stifel serves a diverse client base, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and advisory services supported by proprietary investment analysis and allocation methodologies.

Alyson Price is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Boone, IA, holding a Series 66 designation. She has been with Edward Jones since 2021 and has a background that includes five years of experience in the salon industry and a brief role in child care. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Eric Bryan is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2018. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked at CustomOne CFO and Controllers from 2010 to 2017 and Accu-Mold LLC in 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is an investor and handles bookkeeping for Bryan Bros Homes, a real estate business based in Ankeny, IA. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management through a network of more than 23,000 financial advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Brent Johnson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at First National Bank and Rosens' Inc., as well as experience in educational institutions such as Iowa State University and Des Moines Area Community College. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of investment solutions including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisors with research tools and various operational resources.

Richard Smith is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 30 years of industry experience. Before joining OSAIC in 2024, he worked for Woodbury Financial Services for 17 years. In addition to his advisory role, he owns Richard Smith Agency, which sells traditional life and health insurance products. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services using firm-provided asset allocation tools and offers access to various third-party money managers and managed account solutions.

Tamra Shadlow is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 27 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner and sole member of TMCZ Enterprises LLC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Josiah Soderstrum is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2021. His prior roles include positions at Leighton State Bank, Grinnell Mutual, The Bridge, and Central University of Iowa. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm that serves over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions. The firm has a nationwide network of approximately 23,701 financial advisors and manages around $1.01 trillion in assets.