Mechele Leonard is a financial advisor with Merrill in Sarasota, FL, holding a Series 66 license and six years of industry experience. She has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2019 and has additional consulting roles with Mary Kay and The Pampered Chef. Leonard serves on the boards of the Beta Tau House Corporation of the Sigma Kappa Sorority and the Sarasota County Gator Club, where she is involved with scholarship fundraising and organizational support. 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 model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Peter Hofstra is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Edward Jones since 2021. Prior to that, he was employed at Franklin Templeton Financial Services Corp. and Franklin Templeton Distributors Inc. from 2011 to 2020. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separate managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and over 15,000 branch offices.

Jay Hoffmeister is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Bradenton, FL, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and over 35 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Hoffmeister serves on the board of directors for the Bradenton Kiwanis and co-chairs its Service Committee. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals near or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria, delivering written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to support its recommendations and offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated companies.

Isabella Whaley is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Ameriprise and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2019. Prior to her advisory career, she was involved with the Margaret Good Campaign and attended Florida State University. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to produce tailored recommendation reports. The firm also offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated entities.

Kasie Maxey is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she has served since 2015. She utilizes a disciplined process that begins with understanding clients’ goals and financial situations, followed by providing tailored recommendations and services, and guiding clients through the execution of those strategies. Her primary objective is to build enduring relationships that span multiple generations, supporting families in preserving their wealth over time. Kasie’s client focus areas include family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, management of new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, small business strategies, socially responsible and values-based investing, tax minimization, and retirement income planning. She holds professional designations as a CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Educationally, Kasie earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Science and a Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine from East West College of Natural Medicine. She also attended Florida State University and completed her high school education at Southeast High School. Kasie is involved in her community through organizations such as Baby Basics of Sarasota County and the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch. She resides in Lakewood Ranch, Florida with her husband and their children.

Shawn Mc Gill is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Sarasota, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Morgan Stanley Private Bank. He serves as a board member for the Boston College Alumni Association Sarasota Chapter. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a broad range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, focusing on tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and strategies.

Jeffrey Payne is a ChFC® and holds a Series 66 license, with 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Raymond James Financial Services Inc. and has previously worked at GPS Wealth Strategies Group, LLC and Aspen Wealth Management, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is a passive owner of a barbershop and is involved in real estate construction and management with his wife. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary planning using analytical tools and supports municipal and public finance work, as well as specialized offerings such as SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

Jonathan Beukelman is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Longboat Key, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2008. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of directors for DocBuddy LLC, a company providing software solutions for medical document organization, and is a partner in a frozen yogurt business. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients with brokerage and investment advisory services, including financial planning and portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management, offering a wide range of capital markets and advisory products.

Joseph Zarlenga is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Bradenton, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise since 1992. Outside of his advisory work, he manages an equestrian and agricultural business, Z Ranch Equestrian, LLC. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing written Recommendation Reports that incorporate research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis. The firm combines advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated companies and emphasizes the use of managed accounts in its planning approach.

Carrie Hulen is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 29 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC since 2010. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in several private investment ventures, including ownership of an LLC that engages in research, market, and sales activities on Amazon. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad planning menu that includes cash-flow, retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning, tailoring recommendations through proprietary research and tools, with clients having flexibility in how to implement solutions.

James Deutsch is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Sarasota, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial and Linsco Private Ledger for 20 years. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of financial planning and advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary management and access to model portfolios and third-party research.

Mia Gosselin is a Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with Merrill, having 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated since 2006. 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 investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Peter Abbott is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2011. He is based in Sarasota, FL. Outside of his advisory role, Abbott serves on the board of Pines of Sarasota, an assisted-living and nursing home facility. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a range of investment strategies and advisory services. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and supports its clients through a nationwide network of over 23,000 advisors.

Stephen Bucknam is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Bradenton, FL, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as CEO and managing partner of SNE Operations LLC, providing management and operational support to an Ameriprise financial practice. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals nearing or in retirement with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficient strategies to deliver non-discretionary, written recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Louise Down is a Financial Advisor associated with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In her role, she collaborates with clients to develop personalized investment strategies aimed at pursuing their financial goals. She provides investment advice and facilitates access to banking and lending services through Bank of America. Louise holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Boston University and a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She holds the Professional Designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA).

Stephen Grossman is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Sarasota, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 34 years of industry experience. He has been with MML Investor Services, Inc. and MassMutual Life Insurance Company since 2008. Outside of his advisory role, Grossman is involved in buying and selling luxury watches, co-owns a home resale business, owns a design services company, and serves as vice president of a condominium board. MML Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers collaborative, annual planning engagements using firm-approved software to analyze client goals and deliver written recommendations.

Cornelius Vaughan IV is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and six years of industry experience. Prior to his current advisory roles beginning in 2020, he served for 26 years with the City of Pembroke Pines Police Department. Outside of his financial advising work, he owns and operates CJV4 Solutions, an executive coaching and consultant training business. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals across wealth levels, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent professionals, utilizing multiple custody and platform arrangements and a mix of proprietary and third-party investment strategies.

John Bradburn is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He leads J K Bradburn & Associates, managing several portfolios on a discretionary basis as fiduciaries through Merrill IAP. His work includes consulting on risk and performance matters, conducting manager searches, and evaluating progress toward clients' financial goals. With over 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, John specializes in family wealth management strategies and provides services to endowments, foundations, non-profits, and defined benefit plans. He focuses on traditional portfolio management using research resources to assist clients in building wealth. John holds a Bachelor's Degree from Georgetown University and has earned professional designations including Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He is involved in the Indianapolis Opera and participates in community volunteering.

Gregory Carlson is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Sarasota, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 37 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2025, he spent 16 years at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc. He is also involved in local business networking through his participation in a Sarasota-based business referral group. Raymond James & Associates is a large dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets and serving a diverse clientele, including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm provides a range of financial planning and advisory services with a non-discretionary approach, supported by diverse portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

Jenna Mennel is a Wealth Management Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role she has held since 2018. In this capacity, she partners with families to develop customized and holistic financial plans that align with their long-term objectives. Jenna has over a decade of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to her current role, Jenna worked as a Client Management Representative at Fidelity Investments from 2013 to 2018. She also has experience as a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley from 2011 to 2012. Outside of her professional career, Jenna's personal interests include cooking and baking, music, parenthood, and yoga.