Gary Merlette is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Denver, Colorado, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF in 2019, he worked at TD Ameritrade, Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation, Transamerica Retirement Advisors, and Great West Life & Annuity Insurance Company. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services primarily to individuals with existing TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time financial planning and ongoing portfolio management using either model or customized portfolios under a fiduciary standard.

Harold Graper Jr. is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with five years of industry experience. He has been with CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. since 2005. Based in Denver, CO, he works within a firm recognized for providing investment advisory and wealth management services to a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, employee benefit plans, corporations, and investment companies. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors combines an internal investment team with governance committees to create customized portfolios and offers access to complex strategies such as options hedging and structured notes.

Brenda Wooten is a financial advisor with VALIC Financial Advisors and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She has three years of industry experience, including prior roles at TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services and Tiaa. Outside of advising, she writes for a local public interest newspaper and operates a sewing business, in addition to serving as treasurer for the Wheat Ridge High School PTSA and vice president of its football booster club. VALIC Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm uses discretionary unified managed accounts with third-party model managers and offers portfolio management and financial planning through a large network of investment advisors.

Charles Wetmore is a CFP®-designated financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 10 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Transitions Wealth Management, LLC and Charles Schwab. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, families, business owners, corporate plan sponsors, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach with globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios and offers a range of implementation options including ETFs, mutual funds, and separate accounts.

Renee Pichette is a CFP® and Series 65 licensed advisor with eight years of industry experience, currently with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. She has worked at Mercer since 2019, following a two-year tenure at Confluence Financial Advisors. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments by offering investment advisory services along with financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm uses a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach focused on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios utilizing low-cost ETFs, index funds, and separate account managers, and offers various specialized advisory services and educational programs.

Elva Fako is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network in Denver, CO, with four years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Garden Street Financial Group LLC, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., and Centura Health. 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 hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and retirement consulting, managing roughly $212.7 billion in client assets.

Benjamin Kastrul is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 designation and currently based in Denver, CO. He has one year of industry experience, including prior roles at Garden Street Financial Group and Clearwater Analytics, as well as work in hospitality and education sectors. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and manages around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform featuring managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody/clearing services.

Jake Locker is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining PNC Investments LLC in 2023, he worked at CUSO Financial Services, LP and Bellco Credit Union from 2017 to 2023. He also served at the University of Arizona from 2013 to 2017. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital offering that uses algorithmic risk assessment to implement approved model strategies via mutual funds and ETFs.

Joseph Wittels II is a CFA® charterholder with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently with CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Denver, CO, where he has worked since 2022. Prior to that, he held positions at Bank of the West and JPMorgan Securities LLC. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors provides investment and wealth advisory services to a diverse client base, including high net worth individuals, families, trusts, and investment companies. The firm offers customized portfolio management, financial and estate planning, and coordinated Family Office services, supported by a combined internal investment team and external managers.

Nicholas Randolph is a financial advisor at Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Larson Financial Securities, LLC and Larson Financial Group. Randolph is based in Denver, Colorado. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through a range of programs that offer both managed portfolios and non-discretionary recommendations. The firm uses proprietary software and model portfolios provided by Morningstar Investment Management to guide asset allocation and retirement planning for its approximately 212,700 clients.

Brian Holmes is a financial advisor with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Denver, CO, holding a Series 65 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Personal Capital Advisors Corporation for 10 years and briefly at Empower Advisory Group. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and a variety of implementation options.

Zareen Church is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Denver, CO, with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2006. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals with existing employer retirement plan relationships, as well as trusts, estates, and various entities. The firm separates point-in-time planning from ongoing management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group using affiliated funds.

Elizabeth Deitch is a financial advisor with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Denver, CO, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Goldman, Sachs & Co., Peregrine Global Advisors, Wealthgate Trust Company, Wealthgate Family Office, LLC, and Walton Enterprises. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments by providing investment advisory services alongside financial, tax, retirement, estate planning, and family office services. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios implemented through a variety of strategies and offering educational programming and integrated affiliated service lines.

Carmone Duncan Copeland is a CFP® professional at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Focus Partners Wealth, Copeland held positions at Follett Higher Education, MicroCenter, and Brookdale Senior Living, and has been affiliated with the University of Denver since 2010. Focus Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients, offering comprehensive wealth management and advisory services. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework.

Joshua Wilcox is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at multiple Ameritas entities and Mutual of Omaha, among others. Wilcox is also the owner of Wilcox Consulting, a firm providing organizational consulting services to small, advisor-led financial firms, and serves as Director of Development for United Wealth Advisors Group. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives. The firm offers a range of managed account programs and fee-based management of variable annuity and universal life subaccounts, supported by an Investment Committee and third-party partners.

Jeffrey Schuler is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Lakewood, CO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Eagle Strategies and affiliated New York Life entities since 2013 and is also associated with High Point Financial Group, LLC. Additionally, he owns Linus Enterprises, LLC, which has been in operation since 2000. 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 recommendations and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis, working with a diverse range of clients including retirement plans and charitable organizations.

Matthew Leeke is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Retirement Solutions and Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is a singer and guitarist for the performing band "Sincerely Ours," which performs music for compensation approximately once per month. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners, offering managed advice programs and investment education services. The firm utilizes model portfolios and proprietary software developed by Morningstar Investment Management to provide personalized asset allocation and retirement guidance.

Mark Hauschild is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors. He previously spent 20 years at TIAA and has engaged in non-securities insurance activities as an agent for AGIA. Outside of financial advising, he has worked in event staffing and traffic management roles. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a large network of advisors. The firm utilizes discretionary unified managed accounts and offers tax-aware and ESG overlay services, operating at scale with a strong focus on centralized technology and model solutions.

Frederick Taylor is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC in Denver, CO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 27 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Northstar Investment Advisors, LLC for 26 years before joining Beacon Pointe in 2021. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm employs a manager-driven investment approach, utilizing third-party independent managers selected through a formal due-diligence process and supported by platforms like Envestnet UMA.

Jordan Wessell is a financial advisor at Corient in Denver, Colorado, with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Ayco/Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and The Ayco Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach combining in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and offers specialized services including family office, tax, and corporate trustee functions.