Max Collins is a CFP® and Series 65-registered advisor with Creative Planning, LLC, based in Overland Park, KS. He has three years of industry experience and joined Creative Planning in 2023. Prior to his current role, Max held positions in diverse sectors including hospitality, retail, and education. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in client assets. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, complemented by supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, and offers integrated retirement plan services alongside affiliated legal, trust, and recordkeeping businesses.

Sonja Cashion is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. She has been with Creative Planning since 2015 and has prior experience with Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and Strategic Financial Solutions. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and employs a financial planning–led investment process that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by various specialized investment approaches and comprehensive retirement plan services.

Patrick Brown is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 24 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and securities licenses Series 63 and Series 65. Prior to joining Creative Planning in 2024, he worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling, Edmunds Duncan Registered Investment Advisors, Cetera Advisors, and Abram Brown Financial Consultants. Outside of advising, he is involved in financial literacy education through seminars and presentations and operates a small business designing and selling T-shirts. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and emphasizes a financial planning–led investment process with low-cost indexing, supplemented by strategies such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, supported by a broad advisory team and integrated investment infrastructure.

Scott Gilman is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Overland Park, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2007 and has also been associated with Agia since 2022. Outside of his advisory work, Gilman serves as the head coach for the Saint James Girls Lacrosse Club. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a large network, utilizing discretionary unified managed accounts with third-party model managers and offering tax-aware and ESG overlay options.

Scott Turley is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at American General Life Insurance, AIG Capital Services, Lincoln Financial Distributors, and Ohio National Financial Services. He serves as a board member of Midwest Regional Bank and is appointed as an agent for AGIA, selling non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models and operating at scale with over 1,200 advisors.

Jesse Reed is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Creative Planning since 2021. He has prior experience at Allworth Financial and has been a pilot for Delta Air Lines since 2016. Reed is also a U.S. Navy Reservist and serves as an instructor pilot, dedicating time to both military and public speaking engagements. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets.

John Bastarache is a financial advisor with Prime Capital Financial and holds a Series 65 designation. He has four years of industry experience, including roles at Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC and prior work in various sectors such as Door Dash and KC Sports. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm that serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans through a range of services including asset management, financial planning, and family office offerings. The firm employs diversified investment strategies and maintains an affiliated accounting subsidiary that provides tax planning and bill-pay services.

Todd Shepherd is a CFP® with 23 years of experience and has been with Creative Planning in Overland Park, KS, since 2004. He holds the Series 65 designation and is part of a large advisory team at Creative Planning. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and employs a financial planning–led investment process that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting. Creative Planning also offers a range of retirement plan services and operates several affiliated non-investment businesses, including a law firm, trust company, and recordkeeping business.

Mercedes Givens is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with eight years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation and Series 65 license, and has worked at Creative Planning since 2020, following roles at PHD Retirement Consulting, Blue Valley Wealth Advisors, and Bank of Blue Valley. Givens is also a managing member and operator of a rental property business in Overland Park, KS. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by private market investments and fiduciary retirement services.

Loch Louis is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at Jax Mudjacking and was a student for several years. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure while managing roughly $295.6 billion in client assets across more than 1,100 advisors.

Robert Ricci is a Series 65-licensed advisor with Creative Planning in Overland Park, Kansas, and has seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Creative Planning since 2017 and was previously employed at KGP Logistics. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $295.6 billion in client assets through a financial-planning-led investment approach that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

Andrew Merchant is a Series 66-credentialed advisor at Prime Capital Financial with 13 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Prime Capital Investment Advisors, LLC, LPL Financial, VisionPoint Advisory Group, LLC, and Sunflower Bank. Outside of his advisory work, Merchant owns The Hub Consulting Group, which provides operational and membership engagement services to a nonprofit private club. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, retirement plan services, family office offerings, and employs a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies across a broad range of client segments.

David Tritt is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 29 years of industry experience. He has worked with Diversified Investors Securities Corp. and Diversified Investment Advisors since 2009. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through various managed advice programs, focusing on asset allocation, contribution rates, and retirement age guidance. The firm utilizes Morningstar Investment Management for portfolio construction and ongoing oversight, operating at scale with a large client base and substantial non-discretionary assets.

Marion Johnson is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 25 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2000. He also serves as a Bank/Trust Officer with Principal Bank and Principal Trust Company, supporting retirement plan account relationships. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Holly Villasi is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving at Creative Planning since 2015. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of her advisory role, she manages a rental property in Kansas City, MO. Creative Planning is an enterprise firm managing approximately $217 billion in client assets, providing investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment process emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a wide range of supplemental investment options and distinctive affiliated non-investment businesses.

Joshua Gembala is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving at Cetera Planning Partners since 2024. He previously worked at Creative Planning, Inc. for four years and has held roles in both educational and corporate settings. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, particularly pre-retirees and retirees, offering investment management, comprehensive financial planning, and services such as Social Security optimization, tax planning, and estate planning. The firm’s investment approach centers on diversified allocations tailored to client objectives, leveraging resources from the broader Cetera network.

Nicholas Noguchi is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including Charles Schwab & Co., TD Ameritrade, and Fidelity Financial Corporation. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with knektions LLC, a business focused on reselling shoes, art, and managing online sales. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan services, and family office offerings, employing a range of investment strategies and maintaining an affiliated tax advisory subsidiary.

Michael Ronan is a financial advisor with Guardian Life who holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Allstate Insurance Company, MassMutual Life Insurance Co, and Sequent Planning, LLC. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, operates as a dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser, serving individual, pension, charitable, and corporate clients with brokerage, financial planning, retirement consulting, and various investment advisory programs.

Verne Marble is a financial advisor at Mariner with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including LPL Financial, Private Advisor Group, Financial Engines Advisors, Edelman Financial Services, and Linsco/Private Ledger Corp. Mariner serves a diverse client base that includes individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, coordinated tax services, Core Family Office services, and employer financial-wellness tools through discretionary, customized portfolios supported by internal and third-party resources.

Sarah Vrana is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Her background includes roles in community organizations and education, including work at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and local schools. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a large advisory team and integrated investment infrastructure.