Christopher Lops is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience. He is currently with LPL Financial, where he has worked since 2021. Prior to joining LPL, he held positions at M&T Securities, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., and Merrill. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides financial planning and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of investment solutions including model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by technology tools and a broad array of financial services.

Zachary Gewurz is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, joining the firm in 2021. He supports clients by collecting necessary information to develop comprehensive wealth management plans. Zachary contributes to portfolio management through equity, fixed income, and options transactions, focusing on areas such as college education planning, family wealth management strategies, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, and tax minimization. He holds a bachelor's degree in Finance from Michigan State University and holds professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of his professional role, Zachary enjoys traveling and playing golf at top public courses nationwide. He also spends time watching sports and being with family and friends.

Cody Treichler is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with a Series 66 designation and eight years at the firm. He brings four years of prior experience from the Human Resource Department at the University at Buffalo. 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 retirement-income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Alex Wenke is a financial advisor with MassMutual Investors Services in Amherst, NY, holding a Series 63 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He previously worked at New York Life Insurance and NYLIFE Securities before joining MassMutual in 2019. Outside of his advisory role, Wenke is involved with Milestone Financial Strategies, where he has ownership and acts as an agent specializing in individual and group life and health insurance. MassMutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, structuring planning engagements as ongoing, collaborative relationships that use firm-approved analytical tools to deliver written recommendations.

Shane Mccormick is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Equitable Advisors since 2002. He previously worked with Axa Advisors, LLC for 18 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of the homeowners association for The Links at Port Royal in Hilton Head, SC. Equitable Advisors provides financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and offers a variety of advisory programs through both proprietary and third-party managers.

Paul Scribner Sr. is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Amherst, NY, holding a Series 63 designation and over 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors since 1994 and Primerica Financial Services since 1993. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in the sale of loan products and home-related services through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, which offers model-delivery strategies and discretionary separately managed account options to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a tiered wrap fee structure and curates third-party asset managers, with trading and model implementation delegated to BNY Mellon Advisors.

Dawn Newton is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Richard Briggs is a financial advisor with RBC Capital Markets, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Merrill (1983–2019), Bank of America, NA (2009–2019), RBC Capital Markets, LLC (2019–present), and City National Bank (2020–present). Outside of his advisory work, he co-owns a summer home in Skaneateles, New York. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutions, pension plans, corporations, and charities. The firm offers various wrap fee advisory programs and tailors investment strategies through a combination of in-house and third-party managers, supported by extensive capital markets capabilities and integrated financial services.

Adam Hedberg is a financial advisor at Edelman Financial Engines in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with two years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked for the Buffalo Police Department for ten years and spent three years at Equitable Advisors. Edelman Financial Engines provides technology-enabled investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement-plan participants, and institutional clients. The firm combines a committee-driven proprietary modeling process with planner delivery and online tools, offering both discretionary management and non-discretionary advice across a range of accounts.

Gregory Merkle is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 37 years of industry experience and holds a Series 63 designation. He previously worked at FSC Securities Corporation for 14 years before joining OSAIC in 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on several nonprofit boards, including as president of The Iroquois Foundation, and holds positions such as a licensed ordained minister and local planning board statutory agent. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporate clients. The firm offers brokerage and advisory services through a multi-advisor platform, emphasizing model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization supported by various managed account programs and third-party managers.

Aaron Rybak is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 11 years of industry experience. He has worked with Cetera and its affiliated entities since 2019 and previously was with Foresters Financial Services. Outside of his advisory role, he coaches junior varsity football. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a large nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services and operates a multi-manager platform that includes model portfolios, third-party managers, and bespoke strategies.

Matthew Escobar is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Williamsville, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Axa Advisors, LLC from 2016 to 2020 before continuing his career at Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, Escobar is co-founder and President of the Board of Directors for West Side International Soccer, a nonprofit organization where he also coaches and supervises youth soccer coaches. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, retirement consulting, and various asset-management programs. The firm delivers services through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives using both in-house and third-party investment models.

Sara Dayton is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Avantax Advisory Services, 1st Global Capital Corp, and she is a partner at Lumsden & McCormick Financial Services, LLC. Dayton serves as Board Treasurer for the Buffalo-Erie Marathon Association, a nonprofit organization involved in race planning and fundraising. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers various portfolio management and advisory services through a nationwide network of independent advisors and employs a multi-manager platform with multiple program options and custodial relationships.

Jennifer Szumla is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Amherst, NY, holding a Series 63 designation and over 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica since 2005 and also has a longstanding role with Kenmore Mercy Hospital dating back to 1988. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved in managing an estate unrelated to her investment activities and participates part-time in the sale of home security and automation products through affiliated companies. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management via its Lifetime Investment Program, which includes model-delivery strategies and discretionary separately managed accounts primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and uses a tiered wrap fee structure, providing a range of investment models with oversight delegated to BNY Mellon Advisors.

Conor Fitzhenry is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Amherst, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining MassMutual and its affiliated MML Investors Services in 2019, he worked at M&T Bank for three years. He is also licensed as an insurance broker, selling life, long-term care, and fixed annuities. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, emphasizing annual collaborative planning with firm-approved analytic tools.

Paul D'ostroph III is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Orchard Park, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 2004 and previously worked with Axa Advisors, LLC. He also serves as an administrator or executor of estates and trustee of trusts for family and non-family members. 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 both proprietary and third-party program models, focusing on risk assessment and matching clients with appropriate investment solutions.

James Willson is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 40 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at firms including FSC Securities and Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, INC. Willson is also a licensed life insurance agent. OSAIC Wealth serves retail and institutional clients through a multi-advisor platform offering brokerage and advisory services, including financial planning and advisor-managed portfolios. The firm emphasizes model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization, supporting a wide range of investment strategies and client types.

Louis Benton II is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 12 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Principal Securities, Citizens Securities Inc., Key Investment Services LLC, Equitable Advisors, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory work, Benton is involved in the sale of various insurance products and is the owner of an LLC registered for holding real estate. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, banks, corporate, and charitable entities. The firm utilizes model-driven investment implementation through portfolios developed by LPL’s Research Department and third-party strategists, and offers financial planning, access to third-party asset managers, and insurance product facilitation through affiliated entities.

Patricia Wallaitis is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 23 years of industry experience. She worked at M&T Securities for 18 years and has been associated with M&T Bank for over 30 years. Wallaitis has been with LPL Financial since 2021. 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 wide range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized investment strategies.

Ryan Donaldson is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Williamsville, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cambridge, he worked at Paychex Inc and was involved in the restaurant business with Mauro Inc and Rocco's Wood Fired Pizza. Outside of financial advising, he owns a landscaping business, The Village Green Lawn Care LLC, and is affiliated with Ocean Wealth Group. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pensions, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs through thousands of financial professionals. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary management across multiple platforms and maintains proprietary model strategies under the Founders Gate Capital brand.