Lara Smith is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with two years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and previously worked at Target and Starbucks before moving into financial services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, using an integrated model linked with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and client savings rates through point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Eric Sporing is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC, Mariner Independent Advisor Network, BFC Planning, Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, U.S. Bancorp Investments, and Edward Jones. He serves on the boards of the Blue Springs Chamber Foundation, Inc. and the Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival, Inc. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various advisory programs. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model and utilizes multiple investment approaches executed through both proprietary and third-party platforms.

Paul Brock is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 12 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, he was with Wise Wealth, LLC for 12 years and worked as a self-employed insurance agent for 13 years. He is also active as an insurance agent focusing on fixed insurance and annuity sales. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized consulting with an investment approach that blends passive and active strategies guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Brian Johnson is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 17 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 credentials. His prior roles include positions at GWFS Equities, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, along with Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s services are integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and focus on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Scott Wilson is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Lee's Summit, MO, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 19 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Advised Assets Group, GWFS Equities, Bank of the West, BancWest Investment Services, Cetera Investment Services LLC, First National Bank in Pratt, and CETERA Investment Advisers LLC. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as to IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s services are integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions within plan sponsor-selected investment lineups.

Nicholas Phillips is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses, and has nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wise Wealth, LLC and American Century Investment Services Inc. He is also involved in real estate ownership through Horizon Real Estate LLC. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and employs a diversified investment approach combining passive and active management overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

John Lynch is a financial advisor with United Planners Financial Services of America and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 20 years of industry experience, with prior roles at Questar Asset Management and Woodbury Financial Services. Lynch also operates as an independent non-variable insurance agent. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm supports independent advisors through a limited-partnership ownership structure and offers both advisory and brokerage services using a variety of custodians and third-party managers.

Cynthia Biernbaum is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with nine years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at LPL Financial, Waddell & Reed, and Creative Planning. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, offering comprehensive advisory services including investment, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using Modern Portfolio Theory and a range of investment vehicles including low-cost ETFs and index funds.

Natalie Kranz is a financial advisor at D.A. Davidson & Co. with 15 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at LPL Financial and Commerce Brokerage Services. D.A. Davidson & Co. offers investment advisory and brokerage services to various clients, including retirement plans, individual investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm operates under fiduciary standards and provides a range of services such as ERISA retirement plan advisory, financial planning, and a Private Wealth program for high-net-worth clients.

Lakisha Lewis is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 license and five years of industry experience. She has worked at Bankers Life Securities, Inc. since 2021 and Bankers Life since 2014. Outside of her advisory role, she coordinates programs at Assured Care, providing support services for individuals with mental disabilities. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations and provides ongoing portfolio management aligned with clients' goals and risk tolerances.

Jason Batt is a CFP® and ChFC® with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Centaurus Financial, Inc. since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, Jason serves as an adjunct professor at San Diego Christian College and Kyoto International University, teaching undergraduate courses and developing course materials. He is also president and CEO of Open Door Financial, a non-investment related business. Centaurus Financial, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, families, small businesses, and institutions. The firm offers a mix of financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements with a variety of analytical approaches and specialized services.

James Nelson is a financial advisor with Centaurus Financial, Inc., holding the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at Centaurus Financial since 2011 and previously spent five years at Merrill. Nelson also uses the DBA Nelson Wealth Management for branding purposes. Centaurus Financial, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, small businesses, corporations, trusts, and foundations. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through its CLASSIC Plus platform, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements that incorporate a range of analytical approaches and access to third-party overlay and money managers.

Karl Sullivan is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Mutual of Omaha Investment Services and Mutual of Omaha Investor Services. Outside of advisory work, he recruits and trains insurance agents and is appointed to write Medicare Supplement, annuity, life, health, and long-term care insurance products. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves primarily mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals, offering discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan services. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and manage portfolios aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Cory Coldwell is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Thrivent Investment Management Inc. and Wells Fargo. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s services are delivered through an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing.

Terry Neace is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Great West since 2014. Outside of advisory work, he also drives part-time for Amazon Flex and Uber. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as selected IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and integrates its services closely with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

William James is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 44 years of industry experience. His prior roles include work with Waddell & Reed, Inc. for nearly four decades and involvement with various business entities such as A Thyme for Everything and Stick This In Your Ear LLC. 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 range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to third-party asset management, delivered through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Austin Buck is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Waddell & Reed, Inc., Jesse Snow, and the Truman State University Health Center. He is also involved with LifeGoals Strategies Group, an investment-related business associated with his LPL practice. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting a large network of advisors with a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies.

Lucas Watson is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Oak Grove, MO, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2024, he worked for Staples Design Services for seven years and Robert Half for one year. 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 under management through a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Steven Stringberg is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 40 years of industry experience. His prior career includes long tenure at Waddell & Reed Inc and leadership roles at Mid-Missouri Group, LLC, Celtic Wolf LLC, and Stick This In Your Ear LLC. He is also involved as a non-variable insurance agent with Associates of Clifton Park, Crump. 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 range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of advisors and a broad suite of financial products.

Kelly Van Deusen is a financial advisor at Edelman Financial Engines with 24 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked with Financial Engines Advisor Center, LLC and Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. since 2002. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as Vice-President and a board member of the Lake Winnibago Saddle Club, a private equine activities club. Edelman Financial Engines provides technology-enabled investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement-plan participants, and institutional clients. The firm employs a committee-driven modeling process combined with planner delivery and online tools, offering diversified model portfolios and both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management.