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.

Stacy Blue is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience, currently affiliated with First Command Advisory Services in Fairfax, VA. Prior to this role, Stacy worked at Regions Bank for seven years. She is the owner of Blue Financial Services, LLC, which serves as her business entity for First Command. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed by centralized teams using prescreened third-party managers.

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.

Handan Gencogluer is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) in Vienna, VA, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She has 40 years of industry experience and has been with Eagle Strategies, Nylife Securities LLC, and New York Life Insurance Company since 2014. 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 emphasizes tailored advice delivered through various program types and manages most of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

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.

Patrick Mc Lane is a financial advisor at Centaurus Financial, Inc. with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at firms including USA Financial Securities and National Planning Corporation. He is also a licensed attorney who provides occasional legal advice and services outside of his investment practice. Centaurus Financial, Inc. serves a wide range of clients including individuals, families, businesses, and foundations, offering financial planning and portfolio management through the CLASSIC Plus platform. The firm utilizes both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements and employs a variety of analytical approaches in managing client assets.

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.

Joseph Falchek III is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience currently serving at Cresset Asset Management, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Sullivan Bruyette Speros & Blayney and PagnatoKarp Partners, LLC. Cresset Asset Management, LLC is an SEC-registered adviser managing approximately $71.9 billion in client assets for a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm focuses on diversified, asset-allocation-driven portfolio construction using both active and passive strategies and provides a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, private fund advisory, and family office services.

Ambika Bablani is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Vienna, VA, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. She has been associated with Eagle Strategies, New York Life Insurance Company, and Eldenstreet Financial, LLC during her career. Eagle Strategies serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated representatives. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages a significant portion of its assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Jared Ganzert is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Truist Bank from 2021 to 2025. Prior to his financial services career, Jared had roles outside the industry, including at TIMS Rivershore Restaurant and Therapy and Life Counseling, LLC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program that combines discretionary and non-discretionary strategies supported by technology and inter-affiliate integration.

Michael Sable is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with one year of industry experience, currently with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. Prior to joining Bankers Life, he held roles at Trinity Wealth Securities, Merrill Lynch, Lincoln Financial, and Booz Allen Hamilton, among others. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations and portfolio management strategies.

Joshua Gonzalez is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Vienna, VA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Eagle Strategies since 2018 and operates the firms Blueprint for Financial Success and Modern Wealth Strategies, LLC, through which he sells New York Life products and brokers non-registered insurance products. Gonzalez serves on the Board of Advisors for The American College Alumni Association, supporting alumni recognition and recruitment efforts. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations across multiple program types including financial plans, retirement consulting, and advisory solutions tied to insurance and annuity products.

Joseph Young is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience, currently with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in McLean, VA. He has been with Mercer in various roles since 2015. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, offering a range of advisory services including financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm’s investment approach utilizes Modern Portfolio Theory with globally diversified portfolios implemented through ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and private funds.

Megan Hirsch is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked in education at several school districts and international schools. Schwab Wealth Advisory serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients by providing non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations. The firm’s advice is based on Charles Schwab & Co.’s asset-allocation models and internal research tools, with personalized recommendations reviewed at least annually.

John Utley is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with five years of industry experience, currently practicing at Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC. Prior to joining Steward Partners, he worked at Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and has a background outside finance with four years at Baker Concrete. Utley also serves as an educator for the National Institute of Transitional Planning, providing retirement planning seminars to government employees. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets for individuals, pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment advisory and financial planning services, utilizing both proprietary and third-party portfolio management solutions.

Grant Bartlett is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at firms including JPMorgan Chase Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities, First Republic, and Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. Bartlett is based in Rockville, MD. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a broad adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody and clearing services.

Alia Wagenhoffer is a Certified Financial Planner® with 12 years of industry experience. She is currently with Cerity Partners LLC in Reston, VA, and previously worked at Wealthspire Advisors for nine years and Highline Wealth Management, LLC for two years. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management services to a diverse national clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm uses tailored asset allocation, manager selection, and proprietary quantitative screening in its investment approach, and offers a range of services including financial planning, retirement consulting, tax planning, and access to alternative investments.