Ryan Key is a financial advisor at Pine Grove Financial Group with 11 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms, including Edward Jones and LPL Financial, before joining Pine Grove Financial Group. Pine Grove Financial Group is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan sponsors and participants. The firm focuses on value investing combined with strategic and tactical asset allocation, implementing client portfolios through third-party managers and model providers.

James Heimler is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with seven years of industry experience. He is currently with Ballast Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2023. Prior to that, he was with Gradient Advisors, LLC for six years and Case Central for six years. Ballast Advisors manages approximately $674 million in client assets, serving individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers financial planning, investment and wealth management, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing a range of strategies including modern portfolio theory and tactical asset allocation.

Matthew Gendreau is a ChFC® credentialed advisor at Leverty Financial Group, LLC, with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Leverty Financial Group, he worked at Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association and Proprietors Capital Holdings. Leverty Financial Group is a SEC-registered advisory firm with a six-person team managing approximately $567 million for over 600 clients. The firm serves individuals, small businesses, retirement plans, and nonprofits, providing discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services tailored to client objectives.

Dean Allen is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience at Pine Grove Financial Group and a total of two years in the financial industry. Prior to joining Pine Grove in 2019, he worked at Highland Bank and was involved in the University of Minnesota’s Security Monitor Program. Pine Grove Financial Group is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients, retirement plan sponsors, and plan participants. The firm employs a value investing approach combined with strategic and tactical asset allocation, managing approximately $1.48 billion in discretionary assets across a 15-advisor team.

Steven Schmidt is a financial advisor at Ballast Advisors, LLC in St. Paul, MN, with 33 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and has worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 24 years before joining Ballast Advisors in 2017. Outside of advisory work, he is also an independent insurance agent with various insurance companies. Ballast Advisors serves individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, consulting, and portfolio management services. The firm uses asset allocation and modern portfolio theory principles to tailor portfolios to client risk tolerance and objectives, regularly monitoring accounts and employing tactical shifts when appropriate.

Richard Gerczak is a CFP® with 31 years of industry experience, currently serving at Ballast Advisors, LLC since 2017. Prior to this, he worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for over two decades. Outside of his advisory role, he is vice president of a real estate business and is involved as an independent insurance agent. Ballast Advisors serves individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs asset-allocation and modern portfolio theory principles, tailoring portfolios to client objectives and risk tolerance.

Joshua Anderson is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Pine Grove Financial Group. Prior to joining Pine Grove Financial Group in 2022, he held roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Crossroads Financial Group. Pine Grove Financial Group manages approximately $1.5 billion across about 1,400 client relationships, providing services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes value-oriented, long-term investing combined with strategic asset allocation and offers fiduciary consulting, discretionary asset management, and educational seminars.

Brian Samec is a financial advisor with Great Valley Advisor Group, LLC, holding the CFP® and ChFC® designations and over 26 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Northwestern Mutual and LPL Financial, working extensively in wealth management and investment services. Samec provides investment advisory services through Great Valley Advisor Group, an independent investment advisor firm. Great Valley Advisor Group is an SEC-registered, multi-team investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, using a combination of in-house strategies and third-party managers across multiple platforms.

Michael Pepin is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience. He is currently with CX Institutional, LLC, where he has worked since 2023. His prior experience includes roles at Securities America Advisors, First Allied Advisory Services, and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory work, he volunteers as an adult community education instructor on financial topics and serves as a board member for a nonprofit focused on addressing homelessness and hunger. CX Institutional serves individuals, charitable organizations, business entities, and retirement plan sponsors with portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through its multi-strategy platform. The firm employs a blend of fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various asset classes, and offers thematic investment strategies alongside third-party technology for consolidated reporting and tax-efficient asset management.

Michael Kojonen is a financial advisor with AlphaStar Capital Management, holding a Series 65 designation and four years of industry experience. He is also the owner of Principal Wealth Services, LLC and Principal Preservation Services, LLC, managing both investment-related and non-investment businesses concurrently. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients, offering discretionary investment management, financial planning, and subadvisory services. The firm employs a mix of strategic and tactical investment approaches across diverse asset types and supports ERISA-related plan services.

Elizabeth Neyens is a financial advisor at Integrity Advisory Solutions with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 credential and also operates Neyens Law PLLC, where she has practiced estate planning law since 2014. Outside of advisory and legal work, she is developing a social media application through her ownership of Circle by Kindred. Integrity Advisory Solutions is a multi-team firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other business clients through a network of approximately 100 independent advisors, managing around $1.1 billion in client assets. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and model portfolio programs, utilizing a variety of investment strategies and third-party platforms.

Andrew Aumann is a financial advisor at The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at LPL Financial and Thrivent Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a home-based business called AK Amazon Finds. The Strategic Financial Alliance serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business clients. The firm offers customized portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a combination of in-house and third-party asset managers, utilizing a range of investment products and strategies.

Ellen Welsh is a CFP® professional with six years of experience in the financial services industry. She currently works at Great Valley Advisor Group, LLC and has previously held roles at LPL Financial and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved with IPG Risk Management, focusing on non-variable insurance and risk services. Great Valley Advisor Group is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, and trusts. The firm offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and financial planning services, combining proprietary strategies with third-party managers across various platforms.

Elissa Larson is a financial advisor at Focus Financial with 13 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. She has worked at Focus Financial since 2013 and is also associated with OSAIC and Deb Kuper as a registered assistant and associate advisor. Focus Financial Network, Inc. is an enterprise investment adviser managing approximately $6.3 billion through a network of 118 advisors. The firm serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

David Hawley is a financial advisor with Mutual Advisors, LLC in Woodbury, MN, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Innovative Planning Group, LPL Financial, and Stoneford Partners. Outside of advising, he provides administrative support to an independent investment advisory firm. Mutual Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional investors. The firm manages portfolios using a mix of active and passive strategies tailored through multiple analytical approaches and offers a broad range of advisory services.

Timothy Weigel is a CFP® professional with 16 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently affiliated with Great Valley Advisor Group, LLC and LPL Financial, having held previous roles at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and related entities. Great Valley Advisor Group is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, utilizing a combination of in-house strategies and third-party managers across multiple platforms.

Aaron Smaagaard is a CFP® and ChFC® with 19 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Great Valley Advisor Group, LLC and has held prior roles at LPL Financial and Northwestern Mutual. Great Valley Advisor Group is an SEC-registered, multi-team investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities, offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting through a network of approximately 190 advisors. The firm combines in-house strategies with third-party managers and platforms, conducting regular due diligence and portfolio oversight to align with client objectives.

Debra Kuper is a CFP® with 38 years of industry experience, currently serving at Focus Financial Network since 1996. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and operates out of Woodbury, MN. Focus Financial Network is an enterprise investment adviser managing approximately $6.3 billion through a network of 118 advisors. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering a range of managed accounts, retirement plan consulting, and financial planning services.

Linda Skoglund is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 34 years of industry experience. She is currently with Alera Investment Advisors, LLC and has prior experience at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Ja Counter. Skoglund serves on the board of Alera Group and is president of 2LMK, LLC, a family limited partnership managing investment accounts and rental properties including farmland and a rental property in Costa Rica. Alera Investment Advisors provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and institutions. The firm employs a primarily long-term, fundamental analysis-driven investment approach and integrates its advisory services with insurance and pension consulting platforms.

Luke Ripienski is a financial advisor at Prosperity Capital Advisors with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 66 licenses. Prior to joining Prosperity Capital Advisors, he worked at Valor Capital Management, Principal Securities, Inc., and Principal Life Insurance Company. He also serves as a FINRA arbitrator in securities-related disputes. Prosperity Capital Advisors is an SEC-registered firm providing financial planning, consulting, and discretionary investment management to individual and high-net-worth investors, corporations, trustees, and retirement plans. The firm uses model-based, asset-allocation strategies with portfolios managed primarily to model targets, incorporating alternatives and structured products through third-party platforms.