Lars Okeson is a financial advisor at Cresset Asset Management, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Cresset since 2020, following a four-year tenure at Pagnato Karp Partners, LLC. Okeson serves on the accounting board of the College of William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business. Cresset Asset Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $71.9 billion in assets for a diverse client base that includes individuals, families, trusts, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a diversified, asset-allocation-driven approach, combining active and passive strategies and conducting structured due diligence to tailor portfolios to client objectives and risk profiles.

Leon Jiang is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at HUB Investment Partners, Millennium Advisory Services, and other organizations prior to joining Focus Partners. His background includes roles outside traditional finance, such as experience in the food service industry. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach using a combination of active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds.

Benjamin Albright is a CFP® professional with one year of experience at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. Prior to joining Beacon Pointe, he spent nine years at The Family Firm and has served in the U.S. Marine Corps since 2008. Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, and retirement-plan services to individual and institutional clients. The firm uses a combination of asset-allocation modeling and third-party independent managers, employing both active and passive strategies across public and private asset classes.

Marcus Malone is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience. He is currently with Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC and has previously worked at Corbett Road Wealth Management and Spire Wealth Management. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team SEC-registered firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm provides wealth and investment management, financial planning, and retirement advisory services, with a focus on customized, primarily long-term portfolios using ETFs, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles.

Sucharu Arora is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has been with SunTrust Advisory Services and related affiliates since 2013. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, leveraging third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to support manager selection and investment oversight.

Francis Brown is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been in the industry since 2025. Prior to joining Schwab Wealth Advisory, he worked at Brown Advisory from 2022 to 2025 and at Key Private Bank from 2012 to 2022. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and those referred by Charles Schwab & Co. The firm’s advice is guided by Schwab’s asset-allocation models and research tools, with recommendations tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Jack Island is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with a Series 66 credential and three years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance. Outside the financial sector, he has worked in hospitality and service roles at Bushel and a Peck Kitchen and Bar, Konstantine's Greek Taverna, and the Virginia Tech Golf Course. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, supported by proprietary programs and third-party platforms, to tailor client relationships across various mandates and consulting services.

Skyler Hutcheson is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with five years of industry experience. He is currently with CWM, LLC and has previous experience at Carson Group and FAI Wealth Management. He serves on the board of directors for the Central Maryland Chamber of Commerce. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $50.6 billion through a network of over 650 advisors. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and sub-advisory relationships, supported by an Investment Committee that constructs and monitors model portfolios using both fundamental and technical analysis.

Frances Makino is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. She worked at Commonwealth Equity Services, Inc. for 33 years before joining her current firm in 2025. Makino also teaches a personal finance course through Howard County Parks & Recreation. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutional plans. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms, utilizing both passive and active strategies tailored to client risk profiles.

Mark Ulicny is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Prime Capital Financial. His prior roles include positions at Private Client Services, Cetera Advisor Networks, United Capital Financial Advisers, and Girard Securities. He is also involved as an insurance agent with PCRM, LLC, focusing on fixed insurance products. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with services that include asset management, financial planning, and family office offerings. The firm utilizes a range of investment strategies and provides tax planning and consolidated reporting through its affiliated accounting subsidiary and family office practice.

Amanda Plonski is a financial advisor at Cresset Asset Management, LLC with 18 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation as well as Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Prior to her current role, she worked at PagnatoKarp Partners, LLC for four years. Cresset Asset Management is a multi-disciplinary investment adviser managing approximately $78.9 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors, employing a disciplined, risk-aware approach that integrates strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and a combination of active and passive strategies across public and alternative investments.

Joan Confoy is a CFP® professional with 33 years of industry experience. She is currently with Private Advisor Group, LLC and LPL Financial, and has prior experience at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors and FINRA’s Office of Dispute Resolution, where she has served as an arbitrator since 2000. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by providing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various advisory programs including proprietary and third-party managed account solutions.

Michael Hoffman is a CFP® professional with over 31 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Truist Advisory Services since 2016 and has prior experience at Truist Securities, Inc. spanning more than two decades. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, plan sponsor fiduciary support, participant advice, and manages the AMC Advantage manager-selection program through a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Craig Smith is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at HSBC Securities and Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a wedding officiant and pre-marital counseling facilitator. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed accounts.

Patrick Gallagher is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Creative Planning, LLC, where he has worked for five years, and previously spent a year at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros, and Blayney (SBSB). Gallagher’s background also includes four years at Virginia Tech. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets through over 1,100 advisors and 151 offices.

Jonathan Bjoring is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 27 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at PNC Investments. His current tenure includes seven years at SunTrust Advisory Services and SunTrust Investment Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Caroline Szivos is an advisor at Chevy Chase Trust Company with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She has been with the firm since 2026 and previously operated ArtfulPrint LLC for 14 years. Chevy Chase Trust Company serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients by providing investment management, personal trust, family wealth and financial planning services, and institutional custody. The firm employs a thematic investment approach focused on secular trends and sector themes, emphasizing longer-term holdings and combining fiduciary trust and custody functions with investment management.

Gordon Sun is a financial advisor at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc., Bank of America, N.A., and Citigroup Global Markets, among other firms. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to a broad client base, including individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations, utilizing both client-directed and discretionary strategies. The firm employs a multi-profile investment approach that integrates strategic and tactical asset allocation with due diligence and monitoring conducted by affiliated specialists.

Robert Crandall is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding a Series 63 designation and over 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. since 2004. Outside his advisory role, he is involved in fixed insurance activities including life, disability, annuities, and long-term care insurance. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Jason Williams is a CFP® and PFS™ affiliated with Creative Planning, bringing 22 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc. for 17 years before joining Creative Planning in 2021. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in assets. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by tax-loss harvesting and fundamental equity sleeves, supported by a broad advisory team and integrated investment infrastructure.