Christopher Ratineri is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over 25 years of experience. He specializes in serving business owners, physicians, and multigenerational families, focusing on personal retirement planning and managing workplace 401(k) plans. Christopher also serves as a Portfolio Manager within Merrill's Investment Advisory Program, designing and managing personalized and defined investment strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios, ETFs, and third-party investment strategies. He holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® (CPFA®) and Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P®) designations, underscoring his commitment to retirement plan guidance. Christopher is a U.S. Navy and Desert Storm veteran, carrying the values of service, discipline, and integrity into his financial career. His approach emphasizes education and simplification, aiming to make complex financial topics understandable and guide clients step-by-step through their financial goals. Christopher is involved in community activities such as supporting the Connecticut Food Bank, the Red Cross through regular blood donations, Take a Vet Fishing, and the Wounded Warrior Project. Outside of work, he enjoys baseball, boxing, chess, football, genealogy, music, photography, reading, spending time with his family, and watching movies.

Thomas Melfi is a financial advisor with MassMutual Investors Services, holding a Series 66 credential and eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining MassMutual in 2017, he worked at The Marcus Law Firm for two years. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed attorney in Connecticut, owner of a brewing company called Nighthawk Brewing LLC, and involved in independent media projects through Wooster Street Media LLC. MassMutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers collaborative, annual financial planning engagements using firm-approved analysis tools and various specialized planning programs.

Richard Krollman is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Fairfield, CT, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2011 and been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning, and manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

James Tomoda is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He is part of a senior wealth advisory practice dedicated to serving senior executives, business owners, and wealthy families through detailed planning and investment oversight. James holds a Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina. He has earned professional designations including Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS), Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). His team's approach focuses on understanding client values, needs, and goals to develop customized wealth plans. They emphasize ongoing engagement and proactive reviews of wealth strategies to adapt to clients' changing priorities. James and his team prioritize prompt service as they oversee wealth planning, investment management, and private banking to help clients achieve their financial objectives.

Cole Billington is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Mass Mutual Investors Services. He previously worked at Brown Brothers Harriman for seven years. Outside of his primary role, he also works as an insurance broker specializing in life, disability, long-term care, and fixed annuities. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC 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, focusing on collaborative, annual planning relationships using firm-approved software tools.

Peter Steiwer is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he holds a minority ownership stake in Vista Indoor Tennis Inc., an indoor tennis facility in Salem, NY. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advice. The firm’s approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a broader investment menu that includes insurance-related products and bank deposit sweep options.

Tessa Bridges is a financial advisor at Merrill with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at UBS Financial Services. Outside of finance, she spent two years at Gusto Trattoria Italian Restaurant and four years at Fordham University. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate fiduciaries.

Jordan Kerner is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has previously worked at Waddell & Reed, Mass Mutual, and operated the Jordan Kerner Company. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of financial planning and advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, supported by research from LPL and third-party subadvisors.

Byron Eller is a financial advisor with Fidelity Investments, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Prudential Annuities Distributors and Prudential Insurance Company of America. He is affiliated with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to both retail and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios, model portfolios, and fund advisory services.

Bryan Roth is a CFP® designated financial advisor with Edward Jones in Newtown, CT, with 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Jeffrey Cohen is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and was previously with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2012 to 2016. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions. The firm’s advisory approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, incorporating a broad range of financial products including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Lisa Valerio is a financial advisor with OSAIC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 17 years of industry experience. She worked at National Planning Corporation for nine years before joining OSAIC in 2017. In addition to her advisory role, she owns a tax preparation and small business bookkeeping service and participates in local business and women’s leadership organizations in Milford, Connecticut. OSAIC serves a broad range of retail and institutional clients through a large network of financial advisers, offering integrated brokerage and investment advisory services and access to multiple advisory platforms and third-party money managers. The firm utilizes asset-allocation tools and efficient-frontier analysis to construct diversified portfolios tailored to client risk profiles.

Steven Flagg is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 39 years of industry experience. He currently works at Morgan Stanley, where he has been since 2022, having previously held positions at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and analyses.

Joel Bernstein is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Shelton, CT, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at MetLife Securities from 2013 to 2017 and has been associated with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company since 2016. Bernstein is also an independent insurance agent, selling various insurance products including dental, disability, life, and long-term care coverage. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, with planning engagements structured as annual, collaborative relationships using advanced analytical tools.

Karl Mergenthaler is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Westport, CT, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and with 13 years of industry experience. He previously worked at J.P. Morgan for 10 years before joining Morgan Stanley and its Private Bank in 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an adjunct professor at Fairfield University and is involved with Columbia University and the CFA Institute in non-investment-related educational and administrative capacities. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides advisory programs and tailored financial planning to individual and institutional clients, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm’s planning process uses structured discovery and approved tools, with plans typically not including individual security recommendations and client implementation responsibilities.

Darryl Zebrowski is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 25 years of industry experience. He has held the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with Edward Jones since 2000. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of advisors and offers a range of advisory programs including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Joseph Barbetta is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Westport, CT, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors and its predecessor, Axa Advisors, since 2000. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a legislative ambassador for the American Cancer Society, representing the organization in lobbying efforts and grassroots events. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through multiple third-party managers. The firm uses a hybrid referral and implementation model, combining advisory and brokerage channels to tailor client services based on goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

Brian Swedrock is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 10 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Webster Wealth Advisors for a decade before joining Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. He holds a Series 66 designation. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning and estate planning strategies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools that incorporate Global Investment Committee return estimates and Monte Carlo simulations.

Peter Velcofsky is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the Board of Directors and as Assistant Treasurer of the Town of East Lyme Public Library. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, non-discretionary recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Matthew Webber is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of directors for Fairfield FITS and owns a business that provides office and administrative assistance, including expert witness payment services. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals nearing or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored, non-discretionary recommendations. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its institutional platform.