William Brooks is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he serves as a relationship manager for high net worth clients and corporations, with a focus on private banking, investments, banking, and lending issues. William has over 22 years of experience in the financial services industry, having begun his career in 1992. He holds a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and has earned professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). William was named to the 2023 Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams” list as a member of the Cotton, Brooks and Associates team. William is a lifetime resident of Pinellas County. Outside of his professional work, his personal interests include boating, fishing, and running.

Trevor Bennett is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates. He has previously worked at Intervest International Equities Corp, Fisher Investments, Bank of America, Merrill, and AXA Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is co-CEO of TradeWorks AI, a business focused on product development, management, marketing, and sales. Raymond James & Associates provides financial planning and investment consulting to a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and government clients. The firm offers tailored financial plans and institutional consulting, with a notable presence in public finance and municipal work.

Ling Lin is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2019, Lin worked for three years at the Laser Spine Institute. Lin holds a Series 66 designation and is based in Tampa, FL. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning, and manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Shaker Sherif is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Tampa, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 30 years of industry experience. He has worked with MassMutual Life Insurance Company and Principal Life Insurance Company since the late 1990s. Outside of his advisory role, Sherif owns Sherif Financial Group, which focuses on health insurance sales. MML Investors Services, LLC, a subsidiary of MassMutual, provides financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers asset management, wrap and money-manager programs, and educational seminars structured as annual, collaborative client engagements.

Laura Hickman is a financial advisor at Merrill with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at KeyBank and Key Investment Services, LLC before joining Merrill and Bank of America. Outside of her advisory role, she is an independent representative for a cosmetics business. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through its Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies across a broad client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Joseph Hong is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Tampa, FL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Morgan Stanley since 2024. Prior to joining the firm, he worked in various roles outside the financial services industry, including positions at Total Quality Logistics, Masa Tallahassee, BJ's Brewhouse, Potbelly's, Sam's Club, and Freedom High School. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that provides a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients. The firm’s financial planning process uses structured discovery conversations and firm-approved tools, serving clients through both direct individual plans and corporate financial planning agreements.

Glenn Hudson is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in St. Petersburg, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and possessing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 1995. Raymond James & Associates offers financial planning and investment consulting through its Wealth Advisory Services Program to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and government clients. The firm provides tailored financial plans and asset-allocation analyses using firm research and planning tools, supporting both non-discretionary advisory relationships and discretionary portfolio management.

Gabriel Hooven is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab in Tampa, FL, with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. since 2023 and Charles Schwab Bank since 2026. Prior to his advisory role, he served in the United States Navy and has held various positions in diverse industries. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base primarily consisting of high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and related managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a combination of non-discretionary advisory relationships and access to discretionary separately managed accounts, supported by a multi-asset investment approach and centralized operational structure.

Tara Clark is a financial advisor with Osaic Wealth, Inc. based in Tampa, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. She has worked at Osaic since 2018 and previously held roles at Signator Investors, Inc. and GFA Financial Group, LLC. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved in selling life insurance through GFA Financial Group, LLC. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse clientele including individual investors, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services, employing asset-allocation tools and multiple investment platforms to construct diversified portfolios tailored to client needs.

John Bowman is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in St. Petersburg, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James in various capacities since 1997 and previously held roles at JWB Holdings LLC and Southern Heritage Firearms, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, Bowman serves as a senior case administrator on a FINRA arbitration panel and acts as an executor of estates for family and friends. Raymond James & Associates is a dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing over $500 billion in assets. The firm offers wealth advisory planning and investment consulting to a broad client base, including individuals, institutions, and government entities, delivering advice on a non-discretionary basis supported by extensive research and integrated affiliate services.

Rockcliff Christie is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, LLC, and JPMorgan Chase. LPL Enterprise serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and institutional investors, offering financial planning, advisory services, and access to brokerage and insurance products through a multifaceted integrated platform.

Paul Cusma is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Tampa, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2011 and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutional clients, delivering tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and emphasizes a structured financial planning process supported by advanced modeling tools.

Christopher Caruso Schatz is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley in 2025, he held positions at Wrap Technologies and Think Equity, among others. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and advanced modeling tools. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers services through direct and employer-sponsored arrangements.

Francis Godbold is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in St. Petersburg, FL, holding a Series 63 designation and 55 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 1972. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the investment committee of First Presbyterian Church and is the founder and CEO of the Godbold Foundation, where he manages investments and oversees charitable distributions. Raymond James & Associates provides financial planning and investment consulting through its Wealth Advisory Services Program to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and government clients. The firm offers tailored financial plans and investment recommendations, supporting both non-discretionary and discretionary advisory relationships, and maintains specialized capabilities in municipal finance and institutional consulting.

Victoria Morin is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds a Series 66 designation. She has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at Ameriprise and various other organizations. Outside of her advisory role, she is a co-owner and founder of Fifi's Inv, a business focused on developing pet supplements for dogs. Mass Mutual Investors Services operates as a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser, providing financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm offers collaborative, goal-based planning using firm-approved tools and delivers recommendations without investment discretion.

Robert Carney is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Tampa, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 2013. Carney is also the president and owner of Carney Investment Management LLC. Raymond James & Associates provides financial planning and investment consulting through its Wealth Advisory Services Program to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and government clients. The firm offers tailored financial plans and investment recommendations, with a focus that includes public finance and municipal work alongside its retail advisory services.

Cynthia Watson is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in St. Petersburg, FL, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2005. Outside of her advisory role, she is an authorized seller of Pura Vida jewelry, conducting sales primarily online during non-business hours. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and market modeling.

Adam Wides is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2013 and 2015, respectively. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a variety of advisory programs including tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and methodologies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and provides services through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group.

Leslie Thornton is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Tampa, FL, holding a Series 66 designation with 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Morgan Stanley since 2016 and serves as a FINRA arbitrator. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions, offering financial planning that utilizes firm-approved tools and strategies to support clients' financial goals.

Kevin Karpay is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Northwestern Mutual and in the office of Congresswoman Kathy Castor. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an Investment Committee Member and Vice President of Philanthropy at Tampa Jewish Family Services. He is part of the DDK Group within Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management practice, which advises individuals, families, institutions, and charitable organizations. The group offers customized investment strategies and a range of portfolio and consulting services, including discretionary management and tax overlays.