Nicholas Karabas is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Creative Planning in Scottsdale, AZ, where he has worked since 2011. He has 14 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as secretary for a massage therapy business owned by his wife. 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 emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by various tactical approaches and integrated retirement plan services.

John Powers is a financial advisor at Mariner with 30 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley & Co., Incorporated for over 16 years combined. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services. The firm employs discretionary, customized portfolios supported by an Investment Committee and an internal management team, integrating tax and accounting services alongside traditional portfolio management.

Steven Cook is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 45 years of industry experience. His career includes long tenures at Cue Financial Group, Securities America, PFG Advisors, and other firms. He is also a managing partner of Sparrow Financial, a marketing entity based in Glendale, AZ. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a broad client base that includes individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm employs independent investment adviser representatives and uses a combination of custodians and third-party money managers to implement client strategies, with a large portion of its assets under management held on a non-discretionary basis.

Christina Carey is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Mesa, Arizona, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 18 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Charles Schwab, BancWest Investment Services, and J.P. Morgan Securities. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including the Portfolio Solutions Strategist Digital Offering, which uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and invests in approved models managed by PNC or third parties. The firm’s approach involves delegated portfolio implementation with limited direct client interaction and features an employee-only pilot structure.

David Rich is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. since 2022. His prior roles include positions at Brightside Benefit and Vanguard. Outside of his advisory work, he is the founder of Proudly We Wave, a holiday flag service based in Mesa, AZ. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and tax management.

Andrew Reinhardt is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC in Scottsdale, AZ. He has been with Beacon Pointe in various capacities since 2014. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm focuses on discretionary wealth management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and outsourced CIO solutions, implementing client strategies primarily through third-party independent managers selected via a proprietary due-diligence process.

Darcy Bergen is a financial advisor at AE Wealth Management, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at AE Wealth Management since 2022. His prior experience includes roles at Simplicity Wealth, LLC and Horter Investments. Bergen is also the owner of Clear Solutions LLC DBA Bergen Financial Group and serves as secretary/treasurer for Bergens Mission, a charitable organization. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a platform-centered approach that combines various model portfolio solutions, discretionary asset management, financial planning, and plan services.

Kelly Arakaki is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with 31 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Schwab Wealth Advisory since 2014. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice through the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering annual financial reviews, retirement and planning discussions, and investment recommendations across various asset classes. The firm uses Charles Schwab’s asset allocation models and research tools, with advisors recommending investments while clients retain final trading decisions.

Salvatore Ditusa is a financial advisor with Mariner Wealth Advisors, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Goldman, Sachs & Co, Neuberger Berman, Inland Securities Corporation, LPL Financial, and IHT Wealth Management LLC. Mariner serves a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and tax services. The firm’s investment approach combines in-house research with third-party managers and includes a range of strategies from equities and fixed income to alternatives and digital assets, supported by extensive tax and accounting integration.

Mathew Ofman is a financial advisor at OSAIC Institutions, Inc. with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at firms including Bank of America, Equitable Home Mortgage, and Comerica Bank. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized advisory services through a network of investment adviser representatives under a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer structure, providing clients access to alternative investments, lending solutions, and both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Rebecca Tornabene is a financial advisor with Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC in Scottsdale, AZ, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. She has worked at Beacon Pointe in various capacities since 2016 and was previously with Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. In addition to her advisory role, she is an insurance agent with Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC, focusing on life, health, and accident products. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, and retirement-plan services to individuals, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm combines asset-allocation modeling with third-party independent managers across active and passive strategies, supporting clients with portfolio management and comprehensive performance reporting.

Dante Peterson is a CFP® with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC. He has held roles at Kovitz Investment Group Partners, LLC, and TMD Wealth Management LLC. Prior to his financial advisory career, he was involved with the Arizona GOP and has experience working at Arizona State University and other organizations. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC provides wealth advisory and investment management services to individuals, families, retirement plans, institutions, and businesses. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach within an enhanced open architecture framework that integrates active and passive strategies, separate account managers, private funds, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Leonard Thompson is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked with Ameritas Advisory Services since 2021 and has longstanding roles at Arizona Advisors and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp dating back to the early 2000s. In addition to his advisory work, Thompson is a licensed independent insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance products such as life, disability, and long-term care insurance. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, charitable and corporate entities, and retirement plans. The firm offers fee-based asset management, retirement-plan advisory, and fiduciary services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party sub-advisers, and custom strategies, with a notable emphasis on retirement plan sponsors and participants.

James Hatton is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with 23 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Creative Planning since 2022 and previously operated Hatton Consulting, Inc. for 21 years. 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 client assets and employs a financial planning–led investment process that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

Michelle Heffel is a financial advisor at Osaic Advisory Services, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Pacific Capital Resource Group, Royal Alliance Associates, and Foresters Financial Services. Heffel also serves in compliance and supervisory roles within affiliated advisory groups. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, charitable organizations, and municipal entities. The firm offers a range of services such as investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and third-party manager oversight, using multiple program models and both proprietary and third-party platforms.

Scott Householder is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC in Scottsdale, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 39 years of industry experience. He was previously affiliated with LPL Financial and led Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialists for 12 years. Outside of advising, he serves as a trustee for the Gayle Bradford Davis Trust and is involved with multiple holding companies. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and employs a diversified investment approach blending passive and active strategies overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Thane Walton is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with United Planners since 2014. United Planners is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and institutional clients. The firm offers advisory and brokerage services through independent Investment Adviser Representatives and manages approximately $12.77 billion in assets, primarily on a non-discretionary basis.

William Friese Jr. is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer in Scottsdale, AZ, holding a Series 66 license and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Oppenheimer, he worked for nearly two decades at Arizona Associated Surgeons. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an independent contractor with Planned Parenthood of Arizona, performing vasectomies for an underserved population. Oppenheimer serves individuals, corporations, pooled vehicles, and retirement plans, offering a variety of advisory programs including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, consulting, and financial planning. The firm employs a range of investment approaches tailored to different programs and advisors, with a substantial focus on non-discretionary client relationships.

Andrew Wood is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with 11 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Charles Schwab for 10 years before joining Beacon Pointe in 2022. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a manager-driven investment approach using a proprietary Focus List, quantitative and qualitative due diligence, and offers a range of services from wealth management to outsourced CIO solutions.

Tiffany Lum is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with United Planners Financial Services of America as a Limited Partner. Her prior experience includes roles at OSAIC, PFG Advisors-RIA, Securities America, and Cue Financial Group. Outside of advisory work, she serves as president of Teal Tax Services PLLC, a tax preparation and accounting firm. United Planners Financial Services serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan services, and brokerage solutions through a large network of independent advisors. The firm operates an open-architecture platform using multiple custodians and third-party money managers, with a focus on largely non-discretionary asset management.