Andrea Merritt is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Sarasota, FL, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and 11 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and proprietary planning tools.

Ieva Navarro is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Sarasota, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and nine years of industry experience. She previously worked at PFS Investments Inc and Primerica Financial Services for seven years. Outside of advising, Navarro is involved in mortgage and real estate loan origination. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, and institutions through a large network of advisors. The firm offers financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, combining extensive advisory capabilities with a range of non-advisory financial services.

Matthew Berka is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Sarasota, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His work history includes positions at Merrill and Progressive Employer Management Company prior to joining Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm’s approach incorporates structured discovery conversations and firm-approved planning tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

James Hardy is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 46 years of industry experience. He currently works at OSAIC, joining the firm in 2023 after spending over three decades at FSC Securities Corporation and Group H Advisory Corporation. Outside of his advisory role, Hardy is an owner of Group H Capital Corporation, an insurance agency. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including retail investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporate clients. The firm employs a model-based investment approach with portfolio optimization tools and offers a range of brokerage and advisory services through a multi-advisor platform.

Douglas Machado is a financial advisor at Fidelity with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Independent Financial Group Branch 1928. Outside of finance, he was involved with CrossFit Lena and CrossFit Lakewood Ranch for several years. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including registered investment companies and an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund. The firm employs a systematic investment process that combines fundamental research with quantitative analysis and algorithmic portfolio construction.

Daniel Hoffe is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors since 2016. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Sarasota, Florida. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in two investment-related business activities, including ownership of A VERY GOOD DAY !, LLC and acting as an agent for Capstan Insurance Consulting LLC. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo that offers investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutions. The firm provides a broad range of planning services, including cash-flow, retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning, utilizing proprietary research and planning tools to tailor recommendations.

Julia Laginess is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Lakewood Ranch, FL. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James & Associates in 2026, she worked at Star Wealth Advisors and John Hancock Investment Management Distributors. Raymond James & Associates is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser overseeing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional investors, and municipal entities, offering financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and institutional fiduciary services.

Scot Jaffe is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Sarasota, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. His career includes tenures at Wells Fargo Clearing and Morgan Stanley DW Inc. Jaffe is a co-trustee for several investment-related trusts, including a 401(k) plan, which involves a limited time commitment. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that offers a broad range of investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutions. The firm provides tailored recommendations using proprietary research and planning tools, with optional implementation through various brokerage or advisory programs.

Elizabeth Green is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Raymond James & Associates. Her prior experience includes roles at Gulfside Bank, LPL Financial, Truist Advisory Services, BB&T, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. She holds board and finance committee memberships with the Education Foundation of Sarasota and the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, and is the owner of TrustPoint Bookkeeping LLC. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, advisory programs, and institutional consulting with a range of portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

Ronald Valdez is a financial advisor with Fidelity who holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 22 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes seven years at Edward Jones before joining Fidelity in 2021. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery. The firm combines proprietary fundamental research with quantitative analysis and algorithmic portfolio construction, and it serves in advisory roles for multiple registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.

Fred Brickel is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, bringing 44 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. He is also involved in outside business activities related to investment and insurance consulting through BRICKEL GP, LLC and Capstan Insurance Consulting LLC. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients with a broad range of investment and financial planning services, offering tailored recommendations supported by Wells Fargo research and planning tools.

Kevin Dichillo is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. His prior roles include positions at TD Ameritrade, Merrill, and OSAIC. Charles Schwab serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to affiliated discretionary separately managed accounts and utilizes multi-asset model portfolios supported by Schwab Center for Financial Research due diligence.

Roberta Simpson is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 31 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2010. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for clients approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to generate income strategies. The firm also offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated companies.

Brian Mariash is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill before joining UBS in 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he owns New2$: a nonprofit welcome service for new movers in Sarasota, and serves as a director on the advisory council of the Child Protection Center, a local charitable organization. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with a range of brokerage and advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and proprietary research to tailor investment plans aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Amy Wrightson is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with six years of industry experience. She previously worked at Edward Jones for six years and spent nearly two decades in behavioral healthcare. Wrightson serves on the Board of Directors for Centerstone of Florida, where she participates in CEO appointment and organizational governance. Ameriprise Financial Services is a diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Janet Hardy is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 27 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Fsc Securities Corporation, James R.K. Hardy & Associates, and Group H Companies. Outside of advising, she is a licensed realtor handling personal real estate transactions. OSAIC Wealth serves both retail and institutional clients through a multi-advisor platform offering brokerage and advisory services, including financial planning, managed portfolios, and retirement plan consulting. The firm emphasizes model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization, with a platform supported by various custodial and third-party arrangements.

Ryan Stevens is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing, Raymond James & Associates, and Comerica Securities. Outside of advising, Stevens serves as an assistant tennis coach at Wayne State University. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified firm serving individual and institutional clients, notable for its specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement-income planning advice focused on tax-aware withdrawal strategies and dependable income sources.

John Robinson is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Sarasota, FL, holding a Series 63 designation and possessing 54 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is an agent for Capstan Insurance Consulting LLC, an insurance-related business. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo, providing investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad planning menu to clients meeting a net-worth threshold, utilizing research and planning tools to deliver tailored recommendations through discrete planning engagements.

Brigette Christiansen is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Sarasota, FL, with 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley and its Services Group since 2014 and 2017, respectively. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that provides a range of advisory services to individuals and institutional clients, including tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and models. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers both direct and corporate financial planning arrangements.

Matthew Kotuby is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he specializes in retirement planning strategies for both businesses and families. Since beginning his career in the financial services industry in 2007 and joining Merrill in 2009 upon relocating to Florida, he has focused on assisting clients in establishing financial objectives and developing customized strategies to manage income, retirement planning, and estate planning. He seeks to simplify the complexity of clients' financial lives to allow them to concentrate on business, family, and enjoying retirement. Matthew holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance, both from the University of Bridgeport. He has earned multiple professional designations including Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), and Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®). His expertise includes a range of financial planning areas such as divorce transition planning, employee benefits planning, institutional and corporate benefit services, tax minimization, and special needs planning strategies. Outside of his professional work, Matthew enjoys spending time outdoors in the Sarasota area with his wife, Teri, and their three children. His personal interests include baseball, biking, cooking, fishing, golfing, and gymnastics.