Michele Laws is a financial advisor at Portside Wealth Group, LLC with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including TownSquare Capital, Allegis Investment Services, and National Planning Corporation. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in divorce financial education as a monthly speaker at a divorce workshop and is a board member for Divorce Dollars & Sense. Portside Wealth Group is a multi-advisor wealth management firm serving individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and client education using a blend of investment approaches combined with affiliated legal and accounting expertise.

Gaines Smith is a financial advisor at Kovack Advisors, Inc. with 41 years of industry experience. He has held roles at Kovack Securities Inc., Resource Horizons Investment Advisory, Inc., and previously operated Gaines Financial Services, Inc. Outside of advising, he is president of Smith & Sons Firearms, a firearms and sporting goods retail business. Kovack Advisors, Inc. is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, banks, and government entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and access to sub-advisory programs, utilizing an Envestnet-supported workflow and both internal and third-party investment models.

Nicholas Luchtefeld is a financial advisor with UMB Financial Services, Inc. in St. Louis, MO, holding Series 65 and Series 66 credentials and with 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at UMB Financial Services since 2010 and has been associated with UMB Bank since 2009. He also serves as a professor at the Graduate School of Business in Madison, WI. UMB Financial Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers multiple managed account solutions and operates as a broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, and municipal advisor with investment strategies aligned with UMB Bank’s Fixed Income Group.

Jason Schuhmacher is a financial advisor at Larson Financial Group, LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Larson Financial Group and Larson Financial Securities since 2021. Outside of financial advising, he works part-time as a real estate agent assisting clients in buying and selling homes. Larson Financial Group, LLC provides financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, trusts, corporations, nonprofits, and pension plans, with a focus on serving doctors and related businesses. The firm utilizes a combination of model portfolios and custom discretionary programs employing strategic and tactical approaches, and offers affiliated services including brokerage, commercial real estate, and private equity.

Brent Wilhelm is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. He serves as treasurer for the St. Teresa Athletic Association in Belleville, IL. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser with over 500 advisors, offering services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional clients through a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and investment management solutions.

Kevin Hannibal is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. His prior experience includes seven years at Stifel Nicolaus & Co and a brief tenure at Groundwork Mortgage. Creative Planning provides wealth management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach with a focus on low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets.

Ashlee Ogrzewalla is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. since 2022. Her prior roles include positions at Pentegra Distributors, Inc., Pentegra Services, Inc., and Cambridge Capital Management, LLC. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Youth & Family Center in St. Louis, MO. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser with over 500 advisors, providing services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, and corporate clients through a range of advisory and brokerage solutions.

Cary Dwars is a CFP® professional with one year of experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. Prior to joining Creative Planning in 2025, he worked at Moneta from 2020 to 2024 and at Maritz Global Events from 2015 to 2020. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by specialized techniques such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Jeremiah Accola is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Benjamin F. Edwards, he worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and served four years in the United States Marine Corps. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser with over 500 advisors, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including wrap-fee programs, financial planning, retirement consulting, and investment management, utilizing both proprietary and third-party investment strategies.

Steven Bione is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience, currently serving at First Command Advisory Services since 2015. He has been affiliated with First Command Financial Services, Inc. and First Command Financial Planning, Inc. since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he is a member of Gateway Property Partners, LLC, which manages commercial rental properties. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and wrap-fee asset management programs, delivering investment management through a centralized team and wealth portfolio managers who select from approved third-party managers.

Rachael Derrico is a CFP® professional with experience at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC since 2026. Prior to joining Beacon Pointe, she worked at Commerce Bank for six years and held positions at Pioneer Medical Group, Starbucks, Vail Resorts, and St. Louis Community College/Goldfarb School of Nursing. Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, retirement-plan platform services, and outsourced chief investment officer services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm integrates asset-allocation modeling with third-party independent managers, employing both active and passive strategies across public and private asset classes.

Elvedin Dedic is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower, he worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Bank of America. Outside of his advisory role, he also works as a rideshare driver for both Uber and Lyft. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to retail brokerage clients. The firm’s investment approach focuses on long-term portfolio returns and integrates tightly with Empower’s administrative platforms.

Rachelle Seals is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 31 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Edward Jones. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through more than 500 advisors. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services, including wrap-fee programs, financial planning, investment management consulting, and insurance products.

Alan Orr Jr. is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has worked with First Command in various capacities since 1999. Outside of his advisory role, Orr is a part owner of Gateway Properties LLC, an entity involved in developing and leasing commercial office space. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a particular focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed centrally by an Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers.

Audrey Moran is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. with four years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Her prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, Us Tech Solutions, Sanford Health, and Ulta Beauty. Wells Fargo Investment Institute is an SEC-registered, bank-affiliate advisory and research organization that provides manager due diligence, securities research, and asset allocation guidance primarily to Wells Fargo wealth and fiduciary businesses. The firm delivers model portfolios and allocation advice through a team-based research approach integrated with banking fiduciary and trust divisions.

Kristie Daniel is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS in Saint Louis, MO, with 12 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for eight years before joining &PARTNERS in 2025. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis across discretionary and non-discretionary accounts, with services delivered through both in-house advisors and third-party managers.

Ronald Dickey is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services who holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has 39 years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at Cetera Advisors, First Allied Advisory Services, and other affiliated firms. He is a co-trustee of the Carl Dickey Living Trust and the Janet Dickey Living Trust and serves as a financial consultant for Burgdorf and Associates Wealth Managers, Inc. 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 supports complex investment solutions and serves a diverse client base that includes large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Daniel O'very is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri, where he has worked since 2013. He has 21 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a trustee for a homeowners association and is involved in youth and junior ice hockey officiating and development through USA Hockey and the Missouri Ice Hockey Officials Association. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through more than 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including wrap-fee programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment management with both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Michele Mehrtens is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Company, Inc. for 13 years and Merrill for 5 years. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment management solutions, including proprietary strategies and third-party model providers.

Kirk Pacatte is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. He is currently with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., where he has worked since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing, Kestra Investment Services, Spectrum Financial, OSAIC, and M Financial Services. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations through a network of over 500 advisors. The firm provides a range of services including managed solutions, financial planning, retirement consulting, brokerage, insurance products, and certain M&A advisory services.