Patrick Durbin is a CFP® professional affiliated with Edelman Financial Engines in Ellicott City, MD, with 10 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C., Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, and Edelman Financial Services, LLC. Edelman Financial Engines provides technology-enabled investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement-plan participants, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a committee-driven modeling process combined with planner delivery and online tools, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management solutions.

Justin Taylor is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017. He previously worked at METLIFE SECURITIES Inc from 2013 to 2017. Taylor also works as an independent insurance agent specializing in dental, group disability income, life, accident, health, and Medicare-related products. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, with a structured planning approach that emphasizes collaborative goal analysis and recommended investment strategies.

Demitri Paidas is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Rockville, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in operating a financial services business in Rockville. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo, providing investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services, including specialized areas such as business-owner transition and special-needs planning, using Wells Fargo’s research and planning tools.

Eric Jones is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. He worked at M&T Securities for 13 years before joining Wells Fargo Clearing in 2018. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s IPS-driven advisory process incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broader set of financial product offerings, such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Neil Schmerling is a CFP® and PFS™ professional with 26 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Cetera and has previously worked with Avantax Advisory Services and led his own firms, including Schmerling Financial Group and The Schmerling Group. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of Rodef Sholom Congregation, overseeing its operations alongside volunteers and staff. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base that includes individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a variety of portfolio management options and access to third-party money managers, managing over $256 billion in assets through a network of more than 10,000 advisors.

Judith Specht is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Baltimore, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2015. Wells Fargo Advisors serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients by providing investment and financial planning services that address a broad range of needs, including retirement, education, risk management, and specialized areas such as business-owner and special-needs planning. The firm employs Wells Fargo research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations delivered through client meetings and summary letters.

Garrett Atkins is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Equitable Advisors since 2023. Prior to his financial advisory career, he spent several years at the University of Alabama. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, corporations, charities, and institutions, providing financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates through various program sponsors and emphasizes a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary management solutions.

Heather Sommerfield is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Ameriprise since 2009, including six years with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Ameriprise Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing planning advice focused on reliable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies for clients nearing or in retirement.

Robert Babcock is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities LLC, Marsh McLennan Insurance, and Elon University. Babcock is also involved with MainBridge Wealth, a DBA related to his LPL business. LPL Enterprise serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional clients through advisory and brokerage channels. The firm offers financial planning, access to model portfolios, third-party asset management, and a range of brokerage and insurance products via its integrated platform.

Christina Pascoe is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Cetera, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, and Wachovia Bank, N.A. She is based in Baltimore, MD. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through a national network of over 10,000 advisors, managing more than $256 billion in assets.

Sherry Outen is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 20 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has been with UBS since 2005. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved with the Arundel Soccer Association, a nonprofit organization. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through a range of brokerage and investment advisory services, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management offerings.

Lindsey Arnold is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services in Baltimore, MD, holding a Series 66 designation with 11 years of industry experience. She has been with UBS since 2015. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and advisory offerings, including financial planning, portfolio management, and distribution of mutual funds and alternative products. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and provides research and capital markets solutions through its comprehensive platform.

Scott Brown is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, all with Edward Jones since 2006. He is based in Baltimore, MD, and holds a Series 66 license. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors, offering a range of investment strategies including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Evan Downey is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets LLC since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of directors for Athletes Serving Athletes, a charitable foundation. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutions, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and portfolio management services tailored to clients’ risk profiles, utilizing both in-house and third-party investment managers.

Landon Schabes is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 65 and Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Uniqlo, Florida Financial Advisors DBA Tristate Financial Advisors, and The Orchard Restaurant. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering a range of services including investment policy statement preparation, investment recommendations, performance reporting, and participant education. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven, grounded in modern portfolio theory, and includes discretionary options with a broader set of financial product offerings than typical for large institutional advisers.

Christopher Schipske is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2010. He holds a Series 66 license and is based in Columbia, MD. Outside of advising, he owns and operates Athlon Tax Services, providing tax and small business consulting. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent Financial Professionals. The firm provides multiple portfolio management options, including proprietary and third-party strategies, tailored to client objectives across various custody and platform arrangements.

Gregory Gann is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Baltimore, MD, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials with 31 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2005. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed attorney in Maryland and is involved in mediation and litigation support services, as well as freelance writing for Proactive Advisor Magazine. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, and institutions. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, and retirement consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research, model portfolios, and technology-driven strategies.

Dmitrii Portyko is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 credential and three years in the industry. He previously worked at Teploenergoservis for 13 years and has been with Bank of America, N.A. since 2026. Merrill, together with 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, and institutions.

Joshua Fredricks is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, providing financial guidance to corporate executives, business owners, and affluent families. He brings over 25 years of experience, focusing on a wide range of services including executive compensation, equity compensation services, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, and tax minimization. Joshua’s approach emphasizes collaborative relationships that address both assets and liabilities to help clients achieve their financial goals. Joshua holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Small Business Management from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He has earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations. His expertise has been recognized with repeated inclusion in the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list. Outside of his professional work, Joshua resides in Potomac, Maryland with his wife and three children. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, music, tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family. He is also involved in coaching youth sports.

Amit Thakkar is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. His career includes multiple roles within Wells Fargo entities since 2011 and a brief tenure at Edward Jones in 2017. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary investment advice. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.