Elmira Tasharofi is a financial advisor at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. with two years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has previously worked at Citizens Bank, HSBC Bank, Bank of America, and Nordstrom. Outside of financial services, she works as a freelance cosmetic brand representative for Estée Lauder. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. provides managed account programs for a diverse client base including individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers both client-directed and discretionary investment programs supported by a structured risk-profile framework and partnerships with global asset and fund management specialists.

Sien Vernyns is a CFP® certificant with one year of industry experience, currently affiliated with Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. Prior to joining Beacon Pointe, Vernyns worked at The Family Firm for a total of nine years, interspersed with brief periods outside the industry. Vernyns holds a minor ownership interest in a family paint business based in Belgium. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a manager-driven, asset-allocation approach using a proprietary “Focus List” and offers discretionary wealth management, fiduciary services, and outsourced CIO solutions.

Grant Bartlett is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at firms including JPMorgan Chase Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities, First Republic, and Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. Bartlett is based in Rockville, MD. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a broad adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody and clearing services.

Craig Bennett is a financial advisor with VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 12 years of industry experience, all with VOYA Financial Advisors since 2014. In addition to his advisory role, he is a partner at TRIADVISE, a firm involved in financial services and investment management, and operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance products. VOYA Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and various program structures with a preference for non-discretionary, recommendation-based advisory relationships.

Nikolas Naymik is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with a Series 66 credential and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Equitable Advisors and Evolution Capital Group. Outside of finance, he has work experience in the restaurant industry and education. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs. The firm combines large institutional scale with unique market roles, including in-house research and operating as a swap dealer and futures commission merchant.

Bryan Keane is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors since 2021. His prior roles include positions at Alexandria Capital and Opus Advisory Group. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions through affiliated and third-party managers, using proprietary research and various portfolio construction techniques.

Michelle Muhammed is a CFP® and ChFC® with 25 years of industry experience. She is currently a senior wealth advisor and managing partner at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd, joining the firm in 2024. Her prior roles include positions at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C., EF Legacy Securities, LLC, and Edelman Financial Service, LLC. Additionally, she provides divorce financial counseling through her businesses, offering services that analyze the financial effects of divorce settlements and related planning. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. is an SEC-registered enterprise wealth management firm serving over 24,000 clients with approximately $18.6 billion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of personalized portfolio management and financial planning services through a network of independent investment adviser representatives using an open-architecture platform.

Jared Ford is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience, currently affiliated with PlanMember Securities Corporation. He has worked at several firms since 2016, including Paladin Advisor Group and Securities USA. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Paladin Advisor Group in securities and insurance sales and services. PlanMember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation framework and manages risk-based mutual-fund portfolios, alongside offering education and support services such as seminars and personalized retirement planning.

Anne Lurton is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 40 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Janney and its predecessor firms since 1990. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and wrap/advisory programs.

Jordan Vinas is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He has six years of industry experience and has been affiliated with Bankers Life and its related entities since 2015. His career includes roles at Bankers Life Securities, Inc. and Bankers Life Advisory. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored investment strategies and manages client portfolios with periodic reviews and rebalancing.

Mitchell Lerner is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2016. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base through brokerage services, financial planning, consulting, and various advisory programs, combining in-house portfolio management with third-party managers.

Seythe Leffall Mc Coy is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Thrivent Financial, Thrivent Investment Management Inc, Axon, Inc., Republic Services, Booz Allen Hamilton, and the Association for American Railroads. Outside of his advisory role, Mc Coy is involved in several community and alumni organizations, including serving as Immediate Past President and 2nd Vice President in chapters of the National Hampton Alumni Association, as well as participating in personal safety instruction and disaster relief volunteering. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an online discretionary model account available by invitation to employees. The firm utilizes algorithm-driven risk assessment and implements portfolios via approved model strategies using mutual funds and ETFs, with portfolio management delegated to third parties.

Susan Cantus is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Hightower Advisors with 29 years of industry experience. She was previously with IA Farr, Miller & Washington, LLC for 25 years before joining Hightower Advisors in 2021. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Seong Ho Kim is a financial advisor at Wealthspire Advisors with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. Kim has been with Wealthspire Advisors since 2019. Wealthspire Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $34.3 billion in assets for nearly 9,700 clients. The firm serves individuals, corporate and pension plans, nonprofits, and foundations, using an institutional-style asset allocation approach implemented through a diversified mix of investment vehicles and centralized oversight.

Christopher Virgili is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with a Series 65 credential and experience spanning several roles since 2016, including positions at Sol Capital Management Co. and Freedom Mortgage. He also worked in landscaping with Exleys Landscaping and was involved with Otters on the Green. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management services to a diverse national client base, including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, using a combination of proprietary quantitative methods and third-party managers to build tailored investment programs.

Samuel Vigderhouse is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and has worked exclusively at Janney Montgomery Scott in various capacities since 2022. Prior to his advisory role, he had experience outside the financial industry, including work at Martin's Wine and Spirits and the University of Maryland Stamp Student Union Center. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and advisory programs through a combination of in-house management and third-party managers.

Lajoi Thompkins is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic, Thompkins has held positions in insurance, real estate sales, and healthcare, including roles at Agia and Century21. Outside of advisory work, Thompkins is licensed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products and assists clients in the homebuying process. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management and financial planning through a large network of advisors. The firm employs discretionary unified managed accounts and uses technology-driven model solutions to manage assets at scale.

Ara Abrahamian is a financial advisor at EP Wealth Advisors with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Divergent Planning, LLC and H. Beck, Inc. EP Wealth Advisors is a registered investment adviser serving individuals, including high-net-worth clients, corporate and business clients, and retirement plans. The firm offers wealth management, discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and ancillary services such as tax preparation and estate-document preparation, utilizing customized model portfolios and a variety of investment strategies.

Elchin Bagirov is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley, St. Johns Ebra Investments, and J.P. Morgan Securities. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across a range of wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment programs alongside broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm is notable for its combination of large institutional scale and specialized market roles, including in-house research and security pricing, as well as its capacity to provide bespoke discretionary solutions for very large relationships.

Kristian Albornoz is a CFP®-designated advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC and Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC, where he has worked since 2024. Prior to this, he spent nine years with Keeney Financial Group, Inc. and Triad Advisors, Inc. He is also the owner of Kristian I Albornoz LLC, a holding company for equity interests. Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, and outsourced chief investment officer services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of asset-allocation modeling and third-party independent managers across multiple asset classes, offering both active and passive strategies along with comprehensive reporting and analytics.