William Benassi is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He began his financial advising career in 1984 and offers expertise in areas including college education planning, equity compensation services, philanthropic planning, retirement income, tax minimization, and wealth management for individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Mr. Benassi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Roanoke College in 1984 and completed an MBA in International Finance through the University of Hartford’s American MBA in Paris program in 1994. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and serves on the Board of Trustees for Notre Dame Preparatory School. Additionally, he is co-chair and co-founder of the Roanoke Men's Lacrosse Legacy Alumni Committee and contributes to the Roanoke College Lacrosse Alumni Legacy Committee. He resides in Towson with his wife, Pilar, and their two children. Mr. Benassi is actively involved in community efforts, including Swim Across America-Baltimore to support cancer research, and volunteers as a coach and executive for various athletic programs.

Ashley Zephir is a CFP® with 21 years of experience in financial advisory. She is currently with Edelman Financial Engines, where she has worked since 2016, including prior roles at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. from 2018 onward. 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 proprietary modeling process combined with planner delivery and online tools, focusing on diversified model portfolios and long-term strategies.

Brian Penn is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Robert W. Baird since 2009. Penn serves as an Investment Committee Member for Associated Jewish Charities in Baltimore. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird’s Private Wealth Management practice, which advises individuals, families, pensions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The group offers tailored consulting and portfolio services, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, with a focus on customized strategies using both in-house and third-party managers.

Ahmad Bean is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Amazon, MV Transportation, and Caesars Entertainment. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, 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 for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

David Baitel is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Owings Mills, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 23 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Metlife Securities, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Pruco Securities. Outside of advisory work, he owns a jewelry wholesale business and designs and sells dog ramps. 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 a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and retirement advice, supported by a network of over 22,800 advisors and substantial operational resources.

Kevin Kraska is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Janney Montgomery Scott and Brown Advisory, where he spent 18 years combined across Brown Advisory and Brown Advisory Securities. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Joseph Mccann is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Robert W. Baird & Co. since 2009 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management practice, which serves individuals, families, pensions, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The group offers customized financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing a range of strategies including discretionary management, separately managed accounts, and overlay services.

Sheila Oneill is a financial advisor with RBC Capital Markets, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 28 years of industry experience. She has been with RBC Capital Markets Corporation since 2009. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves individual, institutional, and charitable clients, offering a range of advisory programs with tailored investment strategies implemented through various investment managers and model providers. The firm combines portfolio management, financial planning, and custody services with access to alternative investments and integrated capital markets capabilities.

Corinne Patteson is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets since 2018. Prior to this, she worked at Dominium Group Sports, LLC. Patteson serves on the Board of Directors for St. Joseph School in Cockeysville, MD, where she participates in strategic planning and committee work. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors. The firm offers tailored investment strategies through various advisory programs, combining in-house and third-party managers to meet clients' risk profiles and investment objectives.

Todd Binder is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Hunt Valley, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Mass Mutual Investors Services and MassMutual Life Insurance Co since 1999. Outside of his advisory role, Binder acts as an agent for TriBridge Partners, LLC, providing various life, health, disability, fixed annuities, and long-term care insurance products. MassMutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, using firm-approved software and collaborative client relationships to develop written recommendations.

Jason Harris is a financial advisor with Robert W. Baird & Co. in Towson, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Robert W. Baird & Co. since 2009. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management practice, which serves individuals, families, pensions, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The group offers a range of consulting and portfolio services tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, separately managed accounts, and overlay services.

William Vaccacio is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 certifications and previously worked at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company. Vaccacio is based in Hunt Valley, MD. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations using model-based and discretionary investment strategies.

Eric Nace is a financial advisor with Merrill in Hunt Valley, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Bank of America, N.A., Citizens Securities, Inc., as well as experience in hospitality at Rockfish Public House and Heritage Hills Golf Resort. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Alan Wolfe is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 27 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney for 15 years before joining RBC in 2024. RBC Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutions, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs featuring discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, tailored strategies, and access to both in-house and third-party investment managers.

Kyle Ryer is a financial advisor with Merrill in Hunt Valley, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and having 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 2016. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary strategies managed by internal teams and third-party managers, serving individual, high-net-worth, pension, corporate, and charitable clients.

Donna Buchanan is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. She has been with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2007 and is also involved with Benefit Watch, where she serves as an independent insurance agent. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is an SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and retirement-plan sponsors. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, utilizing multiple portfolio management platforms and both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Lauren Novak is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Her career includes roles at Cambridge Investment Research Inc. and The Financial Consulate. Novak is also involved with The Legacy Group as an agent. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving individual and institutional clients through financial planning, investment management, retirement plan advisory, and financial wellness services. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies across multiple platforms and provides access to proprietary and third-party model strategies.

Wylan Jensen is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at Harborside Group and has experience in diverse fields including hospitality and retail. He was also involved with Great Frogs Winery and Papa Johns. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad range of clients, utilizing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm serves retail and institutional investors, including registered investment companies, and employs systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation benchmarks.

Jeffrey Fountain is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services and MassMutual Life Insurance Company for 19 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of Retirement Plan Solutions, a non-investment related business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions supported by technology and a large network of advisors.

Megan Avery is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 license and bringing 25 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Woodbury Financial Services and Questar Asset Management. Outside of her advisory work, she owns and operates Anarchy Designs, an interior design business. 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 a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.