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.

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.

Andrew Lollback is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Creative Planning since 2021. Prior to that, he spent five years with Lockton Investment Advisors, Lockton Companies LLC, and Lockton Financial Advisors. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a broad client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in assets across more than 1,100 advisors and 151 offices.

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.

Keefer Whaley is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Greenwood Village, CO, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining GWN Securities, he worked with Everest Microbial Defense LLC and ServiceMaster of Downtown. Outside of his advisory role, he provides contract services for direct-to-consumer product sales at Everest Microbial Defense LLC. GWN Securities offers investment advisory and related services to individual and corporate clients through various managed account programs and financial planning, using a blend of discretionary portfolio management, model portfolios, and technology-driven platforms combined with tactical market-timing and momentum strategies.

Drew Harper is a CFP® and CFA® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Denver, CO. He previously worked with Raymond James Financial Services and M.J. Smith & Associates. Outside of his advisory role, Harper serves as a finance committee member for QuietWaters Ministries, contributing to financial review and strategic planning. Mercer Global Advisors serves a diverse clientele including individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, and non-profits. The firm utilizes a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach with globally diversified portfolios, offering a range of services from retirement plan consulting to family office support.

Eric Fischer is a CFP® and ChFC® with 24 years of industry experience. He is currently with Farther and has concurrently worked at HFG Advisors since 2013. Fischer holds Series 63 and 65 licenses and spends part of his time as an independent insurance advisor selling fixed insurance products. He also provides educational support on tax matters for Triad Education under the direction of another advisor. Farther offers discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a combination of digital platforms and in-person meetings. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using proprietary model portfolios and algorithmic rebalancing, focusing on exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, equities, and fixed income.

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.

Barbara Budny is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 38 years of industry experience. She previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2013 to 2017. Budny is co-owner and Chief Administrative Officer of Graziano Budny Wealth Management Group, LLC. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and comprehensive back-office support, including operations, trading, technology, investment management, and compliance services.

Cari Smith is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials. She has 22 years of industry experience, including multiple roles at LPL Financial and Western Wealth Management prior to joining Private Advisor Group in 2020. Smith also provides investment advisory services through Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans with portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model that combines client goal assessment with portfolio management and access to various third-party strategists and technology platforms.