Schalk Van Niekerk is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Grand Rapids, MI, holding a Series 66 designation and 10 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors and its predecessor, AXA Advisors, since 2016. Van Niekerk serves as a board member of the Big Brower Lake Improvement Association. 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 variety of advisory programs and third-party asset managers tailored to client risk profiles and needs.

Ella Gardner is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where she has been working since 2026. In her role, she collaborates closely with clients and the advisory team to facilitate ongoing financial planning conversations throughout the year. Her work emphasizes thoughtful preparation, meaningful conversations, and consistent follow-through to help clients stay engaged and informed as they consider their financial goals, priorities, and next steps.

Troy Augustat is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Before joining Edward Jones, he worked for five years with the Grand Rapids Police Department and held several other positions in various industries. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm that serves individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices across the United States.

Trevor Shields is a CFP® with 11 years of experience in financial advisory, currently practicing at LPL Financial. He previously worked at Waddell & Reed Inc and has been involved with various insurance agencies and his own consulting firm. Shields serves as a board member for the nonprofit Friendship Miles and works as an independent contractor ambassador for lululemon. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions through a large network of advisors and employs technology tools for operational support.

Jacob Jackson is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Rockford, MI, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ameriprise in 2026, he worked at Huntington National Bank and The Huntington Investment Company. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Brendan Butterfield is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His career includes roles at Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, and New York Life. Outside of finance, he has been involved with Grand Valley State University club sports and has worked in the hospitality industry. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of individual and institutional clients.

Steve Williams is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2021. He collaborates with clients to understand their goals, risk tolerance, and expectations, aiming to build customized financial plans. His client base includes a range of individuals from young families to retired professionals. Prior to his current role, Steve worked as a Financial Advisor at New York Life from 2017 to 2021. His experience spans various aspects of financial consulting and advising, focusing on personalized financial planning. Outside of his professional work, Steve's interests include concerts, family activities, football, social events with friends, golf, and traveling.

Mark Darnell is a financial advisor at Stifel with 45 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Stifel Nicolaus & Co. Inc. since 2009. The firm serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and municipal entities, providing brokerage and advisory services supported by proprietary investment analysis and asset allocation methodologies developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

John Preston is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Grand Rapids, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients, offering investment advisory services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage solutions. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and employs over 14,000 financial advisors.

Christopher Munson is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Grand Rapids, MI, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2017 and previously worked for Rocky Mountain Sports for 18 years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a variety of advisory programs and investment strategies, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Colton Fair is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 license and two years of industry experience. His work background includes roles at Bank of America, Cornerstone Wealth Partners, and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of finance, he has experience with Michigan Sports Academies and has held positions at educational institutions such as Cornerstone University and Howardsville Christian School. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Peter Almeroth is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Grand Rapids, MI, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2010 and Morgan Stanley Private Bank since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery and firm-approved tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Bryan Ridgeway is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. since 1999 and also operates Veltman Investment Management as an independent contractor. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutions. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary advisory services supported by analytical tools and has specialized affiliations that enhance its municipal and public finance capabilities.

Travis Wolf is a financial advisor with Fidelity who holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, Kestra Financial, JPMorgan Securities, and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Outside of his advisory work, he is a tennis instructor at MVP Athletic Club in Rockford, Michigan. 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 applies a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver diversified model portfolios.

Patrick Hudson is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Grand Rapids, MI, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank since 2015 and has been associated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009, following earlier work at Citigroup Global Markets starting in 2006. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning and estate planning strategies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools supported by its Global Investment Committee to model financial outcomes.

Scott Stirdivant is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Grand Rapids, MI, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2020, he worked at General Equipment & Supply and Residential Elevators. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million clients, including individual and institutional investors. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets, offering various advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products through a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors.

Mark Koppendrayer is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Rockford, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has been with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012 and has concurrently worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA and Chase Bank since 2006. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients, focusing on non-discretionary asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm’s advisory process integrates quantitative and qualitative research and may include ESG criteria, supported by affiliated entities for implementation and portfolio services.

David Koetje is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. He has 30 years of industry experience, including prior roles at VOYA Financial Advisors and Target Insurance Services. Koetje is also the owner of Solid Rock Investing and serves as an elder and finance committee member at Wellspring Church. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, ongoing investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm operates through thousands of financial professionals and manages a multi-billion dollar asset base across multiple platforms and custodians.

Sanath Balaji is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Grand Rapids, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Hantz Financial Services, Crunch, Keller Williams, and Northwestern Mutual. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser overseeing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a broad client base—including individuals, institutional and pension plans, and charitable organizations—offering financial planning and consulting services with a variety of portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

Mark Davis II is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 29 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at The Huntington Investment Company, Cetera, and TCF National Bank. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing annual retirement income planning advice focused on income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.