Simi Schwartz is a CFP® with 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC and has previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services, Bank of America, and Merrill. She is a partner and advisor at Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise-scale RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutions, providing a range of advisory and portfolio management services through both proprietary and third-party solutions.

Scott Lopresti is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has previously worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors, LPL Financial, and Ameritas Life Insurance among other firms. Lopresti is also the president and owner of Lodi Wealth Advisors, an insurance business, and serves as Chief Administrative Officer of Rectangle Health, a healthcare technology company. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement plan consulting to institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, plan-level investment advice, and employee education. The firm serves a range of clients including large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds, supporting multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.

Gail Simons is a CFP® professional with 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has been with Commonwealth Financial Network and Highbridge Financial Group, Inc. since 2003. Outside of her advisory roles, she is vice president and 50% owner of GMS Associates, Inc., a property tax consulting firm unrelated to investments. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm offers a variety of advisory programs and support services, including discretionary model portfolios and personalized indexing options, while providing operational and compliance support to affiliated advisors.

Anthony Destefano is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Hightower Advisors since 2023, following roles at Hightower Altium Holding LLC and Altium Wealth Management LLC. He is also the managing member of Altium Planning, LLC, which provides insurance services. Hightower Advisors offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a multi-manager approach that includes affiliated and third-party managers. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, with capabilities spanning mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and custom indexing.

Leopoldo Matarazzo is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Paramus, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 11 years of industry experience. He has worked with Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, Matarazzo operates a law office focused on basic estate planning and consults on estate and business succession plans. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, serves individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering a blend of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and access to proprietary and third-party advisory solutions.

Kenneth Harper is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life), holding a Series 66 credential and 23 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at LPL Financial, Invest Financial Corp., and Booth Financial Associates. Harper serves as a board member and bookkeeper for the Newtown Rotary Club Foundation. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm offers multiple program types and emphasizes tailored recommendations, with the majority of its assets under management held on a non-discretionary basis.

Edward Cleary is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 31 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Citigroup Global Markets since 2007, following two years at Citicorp Investment Services. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs alongside broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs and operates with large institutional scale and specialized market roles.

Jordan Strickland is an advisor at Guardian Life with the Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Certified Financial Services. Before entering the financial industry, he held positions at LifeCare Diagnostic Imaging and Changebridge Medical Associates. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management and a subsidiary of Guardian Life, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides advisor-led discretionary management combined with model-based strategies and access to proprietary wrap programs, third-party advisory solutions, and a digital advisory platform.

Jay Choi is a financial advisor at Centaurus Financial, Inc. with 21 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Centaurus Financial since 2005. In addition to his advisory role, he is president of JC Financial Group, Inc., which provides tax accounting, filing services, and property and casualty insurance. Centaurus Financial, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management through its CLASSIC Plus platform, retirement-plan consulting, and specialized services such as annuity and variable life sub-account management.

Ralph Margel is a CFP® with 39 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Commonwealth Financial Network since 2004 and was previously with Margel Wealth Management from 1991 to 2026. He currently is affiliated with Omnica Wealth since 2026. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing over $212 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad platform including managed-account programs, third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Maria Blessing is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 35 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at firms including J.P. Morgan Securities, Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc., and Ameriprise Financial. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering multi-asset, multi-manager investment strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs. The firm combines large institutional scale with unique market roles, including in-house research and futures commission merchant services.

Jeffrey Sutton is a CFA® charterholder with 22 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Citizens Securities, Inc. He has held positions at Citigroup and Oppenheimer, among other firms. Jeffrey is a member of the State Street Investment Management Advisory Council, providing insight into client challenges and product feedback. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, offering investment advisory programs alongside brokerage and insurance services. The firm’s offerings include a digital advisory program with ETF-based portfolios, as well as a Managed Account program, combining discretionary advisory and commission-based brokerage activities.

Matthew Gruseke is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Bienville Capital Management, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc, and Fieldpoint Private Securities LLC. His current role at Rockefeller began in 2023. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, as well as institutional clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm operates as a registered broker-dealer and provides a comprehensive investment platform through Rockefeller Global Investment Management, delivering customized solutions across equities, fixed income, and alternatives.

James Foti is a CFP® with 38 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities. He has been with Guardian Life since 2015 and Park Avenue Securities since 2018. In addition to his advisory role, he occasionally implements insurance solutions outside of Guardian to meet specific client needs. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides tailored client relationships through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, along with access to insurance products and alternative investments.

Fran Wolfson Keegan is a Series 63 licensed advisor at GWN Securities Inc. with 34 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Nationwide Advisory Services, Inc. for 31 years and has held a longstanding role with Nationwide Insurance Co. outside of her advisory work. She is actively involved in community organizations including the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce and serves as secretary of the Indian Field Hunting & Fishing Club, Inc. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients through discretionary managed accounts and financial planning. The firm’s large network of advisors manages approximately $3.65 billion across various managed-account programs and model portfolios, utilizing a mix of traditional and legacy market-timing strategies.

David Gabay is a CFP® professional with 43 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and has previously worked at Commonwealth Financial Network, Cetera Advisors LLC, Pinnacle Planning Group, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, and Investors Diversified Services. Gabay operates a business under the DBA Pinnacle Planning Group. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, by offering financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm manages a multi‑billion dollar asset base and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary management through multiple platforms and third-party relationships.

Traci Tabback is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Paramus, New Jersey, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. She has been with UBS since 2014. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as treasurer and officer for Alpine Home and School Administration, supporting fundraising for enrichment and extracurricular activities at Alpine Elementary School. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through a range of brokerage and advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services to tailor plans based on proprietary research and asset allocations.

Nishant Sharma is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he works closely with clients to understand their financial goals and develop strategies to pursue short-, mid-, and long-term objectives. He provides guidance on a range of financial matters including investing, retirement planning, and saving for unforeseen expenses. Additionally, Mr. Sharma offers access to Bank of America specialists for services such as banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Mr. Sharma holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation. He earned both a Bachelor's Degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Guru Nanak Dev University. His approach involves partnering with clients to identify what matters to them and their families in order to create tailored financial strategies.

Anthony Carpentieri is a Private Wealth Advisor and managing partner of the Erdmann, Giannetti, Brookfield, Carpentieri Group within Merrill Private Wealth Management. He provides custom wealth management services, strategies, and advice for senior executives and families at the crossroads of transitions and significant life events. His practice focuses on areas such as college education planning, divorce transition planning, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Carpentieri holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Business Economics, and Legal Studies and an MBA in Management, both from Iona College. He holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation and the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) certification. He began his career with Merrill in 2007 and has been recognized as the #1 Next Generation Private Wealth Advisor at Merrill by Forbes for multiple years, as well as being part of the Erdmann, Giannetti, Brookfield, Carpentieri group ranked among Barron's Top Private Wealth Advisory Teams. He is involved in the community, serving on the Board of Trustees for the Alumni Association of Iona University and previously on the Board of Trustees at Burke Catholic. His personal interests include basketball, boating, reading, writing, and spending time with his family.

Kirk Feret is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 24 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. His prior work includes positions at J.P. Morgan Securities and Chase Investment Services Corp. 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 with various investment strategies, supported by extensive operational and research tools.