William Blanche is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Cranford, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning Inc since 2008. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, consultant-led portfolio management, and model portfolios supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team, while maintaining both advisor-led and discretionary client relationships.

Shawn Hooper is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. He has 37 years of industry experience, including roles at New York Life and Nylife Securities Inc. since the late 1980s. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm offers multiple program types and emphasizes tailored recommendations, primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis for individual and institutional clients.

Gamaliel Michaud is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2010 and is currently an agent with Agia. Michaud serves as Managing Director for the National Association of Minority Financial Advisors, where he participates in networking and conference organization for minority financial professionals. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models and a variety of investment options.

Michele Lee is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 31 years of industry experience. She has previously worked at firms including Avantax and 1st Global Advisors. In addition to her advisory role, Lee serves as the elected mayor of High Bridge Borough, New Jersey. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charities, and corporations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting, employing a range of strategies supported by proprietary and third-party managers.

George O. Shaughnessy is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has been with Commonwealth and affiliated entities since 2017, including prior roles at Reilly Financial Group and F and G Insurance Agency. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, providing a range of advisory programs, wealth management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm supports affiliated advisors with operations, trading, technology, compliance, and investment management, offering discretionary and customized portfolio solutions.

Wei Wu is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2013 and has been associated with Kistler Tiffany Benefits since 2015. Outside of advising, he is involved in the sale of insurance products and manages a personal rental property. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers a range of advisory and broker-dealer services, featuring proprietary and third-party model portfolios with both discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

James Scroggs is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at TD Ameritrade, Edward Jones, Citigroup Global Markets, Truist Investment Services, and Merrill. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both one-time financial planning and ongoing managed account services, utilizing model and customized portfolios, and acts as adviser to the TIAA Donor Advised Fund.

Nicholas Ippolito III is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 30 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Park Avenue Securities, Calton & Associates, VOYA Financial Advisors, Wells Fargo Clearing, PNC Wealth Management, Banc of America Investment Services, and Quick & Reilly. He is also involved with VIP Wealth Management LLC, a separate business he manages. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue® Wealth Management, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, providing access to proprietary and third-party investment solutions tailored to client needs.

Michelle Harlan is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Edison, NJ. She holds a Series 66 designation and has five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies, she worked at firms including LPL Enterprise, Prudential Insurance Company of America, MassMutual, and Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank. Outside of her advisory work, she volunteers as a coach and volunteer for Timothy Christian School athletics and participates in community organizations such as the Boys Scouts of America and the North Plainfield Business Association. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated representatives. The firm offers multiple program types and emphasizes tailored recommendations, with the majority of its regulatory assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Sean Townley is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently with Empower Advisory Group. His prior roles include positions at Eagle Strategies (NY Life), New York Life Insurance Company, Mass Mutual Investors Services, and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s approach integrates proprietary and third-party planning methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates, delivered within a large-scale platform tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative services.

Michael Giasi is a CFA® charterholder with 25 years of industry experience. He is currently with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) and has previously worked at RiskSpan and Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., Inc. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client objectives and emphasizes fiduciary responsibilities, particularly in its substantial non-discretionary asset management.

Valerie Rosaly is a CFP® and ChFC® with 27 years of industry experience. She is currently with Cerity Partners LLC and joined the firm in 2026 after 18 years at UBS Financial Services. Cerity Partners advises a diverse range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, providing customized wealth management services. The firm employs a client-specific investment framework that combines proprietary quantitative screening, manager selection, and direct security selection, along with access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Peter Serra is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Berkeley Heights, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2000 and also serves as an agent selling non-securities insurance products for Agia. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Alexander Weiner Goldsmith is a Series 66-credentialed advisor with two years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC. His prior work includes roles at Transamerica Investors Securities, Transamerica Life Insurance Company, Bank of America, Merrill, and LPL Enterprise. He has also been involved with Symmetry Financial Group in a non-variable insurance commission capacity. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners by providing managed portfolio advice and investment education through multiple programs. The firm employs proprietary software and third-party models to offer personalized asset allocation and retirement guidance, focusing predominantly on non-discretionary investment recommendations.

Nicholas La Torre is a financial advisor at Cetera with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked with Cetera and its related entities since 2024. Prior to his advisory role, he was employed as a data operations specialist at Malecki Financial Group, where he focused on data analysis and financial research. La Torre also served on the Roselle Park Board of Education for seven years and worked at Galloping Hill Golf Course. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base that includes individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a large network of independent advisors and employs a multi-manager platform with various investment program options.

Robert Schiano is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He serves individuals, families, and corporate executives by providing wealth management services that integrate investment resources from Merrill and banking capabilities at Bank of America. Robert works collaboratively with clients’ attorneys and CPAs to address all aspects of their financial lives. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2000, Robert has focused on developing personalized financial strategies tailored to his clients’ goals, risk tolerances, and time horizons. He begins each client relationship with a thorough information gathering and risk assessment process and provides ongoing reviews to ensure alignment with evolving objectives. His services include assisting retirees with 401(k) distributions, income planning, and legacy planning. Robert holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned his High School Diploma from Jonathan Dayton. He participates in the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life and volunteers locally. A New Jersey native, Robert lives in Mountainside, NJ with his wife and two children. In his leisure time, he enjoys skiing and fishing.

Amanda Albaladejo is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 14 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and previously worked at Ernst & Young LLP from 2012 to 2019. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad client base, including retail and institutional investors, using a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm also serves as an advisor to registered investment companies and employs systematic methodologies in constructing model portfolios.

Christopher Pellegrini is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. His work history includes significant tenures at Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, LLC, and Edward Jones. LPL Enterprise, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, banks, and charitable entities. The firm primarily employs model-driven investment implementation and offers access to third-party asset managers, while also facilitating insurance product sales through affiliated entities.

Kristopher Sykes is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2017. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked at AT&T for four years. Outside of his advisory work, he is co-founder of a media company called Success Fundamentals and co-owns a holding company as well as a farm, where he manages accounting operations. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard.

Leon Ferro is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has 17 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Standard Chartered Bank and Securian Financial Services. He serves on the advisory board of Samaritan Outreach Services, a nonprofit that provides support to disadvantaged and homeless men. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services using multiple program structures and third-party managers.