Matthew Ward is a CFA® charterholder with two years of industry experience. He is currently with Corient in Birmingham, MI, where he has held various roles since 2022. His prior experience includes positions at R.H. Bluestein & Co. and AAA Life Insurance Company. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and continuous portfolio monitoring using risk management tools.

Brennan Ifkovits is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with five years of industry experience and a Series 65 credential. His prior work includes roles at Lakeshore Financial Planning Inc. and Jay A. Fishman Limited, Investment Counsel, as well as experience at Michigan State University. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and supports a variety of investment strategies including alternative investments and custom indexing.

Stephen Bernardi is a financial advisor with FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank in 2026, he worked at Merrill for 17 years and Bank of America, N.A. for 19 years, among other firms. FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors through advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers a range of investment programs on the Passageway platform, utilizing multiple portfolio managers and strategies tailored to clients’ risk profiles.

David Pugh is a financial advisor at AE Wealth Management, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. Prior to joining AE Wealth Management, he worked at Burzynski Group Retirement Solutions and has experience with several other firms including Pruco Securities LLC and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a platform-centered approach featuring model portfolio solutions, discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting, supported by both internal and third-party resources.

Albert Pryka is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 40 years of industry experience. He has worked with Private Advisor Group and LPL Financial since 2013 and was previously with PNC Wealth Management from 2010 to 2013. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by providing portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various managed account solutions. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model that incorporates third-party managers, technology platforms, and a range of investment strategies.

Marion Smith is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Citizens Securities, Inc. since 2025. Prior to joining Citizens Securities, Smith worked at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities from 2021 to 2025, Merrill from 2011 to 2021, and Edward Jones from 2009 to 2011. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors and individual retirement plans, offering both investment advisory programs and brokerage and insurance services. The firm provides a digital advisory program and a Managed Account program, while also operating as a broker-dealer and insurance agency.

Joseph Mayone is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Farther. His prior experience includes roles at ERN Financial, LLC and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC. Before his advisory career, he worked at Bob and Joes Cleaning Pros. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through both digital platforms and in-person meetings. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using proprietary model portfolios and algorithmic rebalancing, focusing on exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, equities, and fixed income investments.

Alyssa Stevens is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Troy, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and four years of industry experience. She has worked at multiple firms including Woodbury Financial Services and Cobblestone Financial Services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and select retail brokerage clients. The firm’s approach integrates financial planning with recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Heather Kocsis is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 15 years of industry experience, currently with PNC Wealth Management since 2015. She is based in Fraser, MI. Outside of advisory duties, she receives residual health insurance commissions unrelated to her investment work. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through several model-based programs, including a discretionary online model account available via an invitation-only employee pilot. The firm uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and deploys approved model strategies managed by PNC or third parties, with portfolio implementation and proxy voting delegated to external providers.

Cameron Barnes is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining First Command, he worked in retail and banking, including roles at Eddie Bauer and Huntington National Bank. Outside of his advisory work, he continues to work part-time as a store associate at Eddie Bauer. First Command Advisory Services serves individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a particular focus on active-duty service members and their families, offering financial planning and various wrap-fee asset management programs managed by a centralized investment team.

Matthew Mitchell is a financial advisor at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. He holds a Series 65 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Hantz Financial Services, Mitchell worked at Hantz Tax & Business and MMS - AT&T, and he also attended Northwood University. Hantz Financial Services serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable and corporate clients, and business owners. The firm’s investment approach centers on ETF-based model portfolios across various risk levels, supplemented by third-party money managers and technologies such as Direct Indexing and AI-assisted data aggregation.

Thomas Ternes is a financial advisor with FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. in Bloomfield Hills, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ameriprise and Comerica Securities. He is also involved in a money market management role for Comerica Bank clients. FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage channels, offering a variety of program types and third-party portfolio management on the Passageway Managed Account platform. The firm operates as a broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, and municipal advisor, with a broad client base including high-net-worth individuals and entities.

Don Bentley is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Sequoia Financial Group, L.L.C. in Troy, Michigan. He has been with Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC and Sequoia Financial Group, LLC since 2019 and previously worked at Ljpr Financial Advisors. Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC provides wealth planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and related consulting to individuals—including high-net-worth clients—as well as family offices, corporations, charitable organizations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of model and custom portfolios overseen by an Investment Policy Committee, employing a range of investment vehicles and a research-driven approach.

Julie Wancket is a financial advisor at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. with two years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Rohver Corporation for six years. Hantz Financial Services, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual, pension, charitable, corporate, and business owner clients. The firm employs ETF-based model portfolios across multiple risk levels, supplemented by third-party managers and Direct Indexing, and integrates advisory and broker-dealer services alongside mortgage and insurance product offerings.

Omar El Gothamy is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has worked previously at Bank of America, Merrill, Sava, and Northwestern Mutual. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, trusts, and retirement accounts through both investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types on its Passageway Managed Account Platform, utilizing third-party portfolio managers and a range of strategies from mutual funds and ETFs to separately managed accounts and direct indexing.

Robert Pearl is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Osaic Advisory Services, LLC. His prior roles include positions at Triad Advisors, Cetera Advisors LLC, SageView Advisory Group, and Edward Jones. He is a board member of the Oakland McLaren Charitable Foundation, where he helps organize events to benefit the local hospital. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate and charitable entities, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers a range of investment programs and consulting services and integrates platform relationships and affiliated managers to support customized portfolio strategies.

Mary Ward is a CFP® with 31 years of industry experience, currently with Oppenheimer since 2005. She holds her Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as president of the Silverbrook Condominium Association, a nonprofit organization in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and IRAs. The firm provides a range of programs and advisory services across equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Brandon Mccauley is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Ameriprise and Comerica Securities, where he also collaborates with Comerica advisors on annuities, life insurance, and retirement accounts. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage channels. The firm offers multiple program types on the Passageway Managed Account platform, featuring strategies including mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, and direct indexing.

Tricia Dekiere is a financial advisor with FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 11 years of industry experience. Her prior career includes roles at Ameriprise Financial Services and Citizens Bank. She is also employed as a Registered Client Services Associate at Comerica Bank. FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and business entities through investment advisory and brokerage channels. The firm offers multiple program types and third-party portfolio management options via the Passageway platform and operates as a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Jason Geisz is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC. He previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association. Geisz is a member of the investment committee for the (EP)Foundation of Michigan, a nonprofit organization, and serves on the advisory board of Portfolio Summits. He also participates on the policy committee of the National Small Business Association. Sanctuary Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations, through a network of over 400 independent investment advisers. The firm offers portfolio management via various programs and acts as a fiduciary when a written advisory agreement exists.