William Benassi is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He began his financial advising career in 1984 and offers expertise in areas including college education planning, equity compensation services, philanthropic planning, retirement income, tax minimization, and wealth management for individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Mr. Benassi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Roanoke College in 1984 and completed an MBA in International Finance through the University of Hartford’s American MBA in Paris program in 1994. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and serves on the Board of Trustees for Notre Dame Preparatory School. Additionally, he is co-chair and co-founder of the Roanoke Men's Lacrosse Legacy Alumni Committee and contributes to the Roanoke College Lacrosse Alumni Legacy Committee. He resides in Towson with his wife, Pilar, and their two children. Mr. Benassi is actively involved in community efforts, including Swim Across America-Baltimore to support cancer research, and volunteers as a coach and executive for various athletic programs.

Clinton Hare is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 1999 and previously worked at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and manages a portfolio of model homes purchased from a homebuilder, which he rents and later sells. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and various asset-management programs. The firm utilizes a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party asset managers to deliver customized investment solutions without sponsoring its own wrap fee program.

Ashley Zephir is a CFP® certificant with 22 years of industry experience. She is currently with Edelman Financial Engines and has worked at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C., Fidelity, and Ameriprise during her career. Edelman Financial Engines provides technology-enabled investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement-plan participants, and institutional clients, using a committee-driven proprietary modeling process combined with planner delivery and online tools. The firm manages diversified portfolios with a long-term orientation and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory solutions at scale.

Brian Penn is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 39 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Robert W. Baird since 2009. Penn serves as an Investment Committee Member for Associated Jewish Charities in Baltimore. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird’s Private Wealth Management practice, which advises individuals, families, pensions, corporations, and charitable organizations. The group offers tailored consulting and portfolio services, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, with a focus on customized strategies using both in-house and third-party managers.

Karen Johnson is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and eight years of industry experience. She has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services since 2018 and has been with Wells Fargo Bank NA since 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm providing investment advisory services, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

David Baitel is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Owings Mills, MD. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 23 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Metlife Securities, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Pruco Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he designs and sells dog ramps and owns a jewelry wholesale business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides a range of services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supporting advisors with a wide array of investment strategies and technology tools.

Ilghar Samadzadeh is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 65 and Series 63 credentials. He has prior experience working at Wells Fargo Bank and George Washington University. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Joseph Mccann is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Robert W. Baird & Co. since 2009 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management practice, which serves individuals, families, pensions, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The group offers customized financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing a range of strategies including discretionary management, separately managed accounts, and overlay services.

Pratik Bhavsar is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Ellicott City, MD, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and five years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at M&T Bank, Northwestern Mutual, PNC Bank, and Capital One. Bhavsar is also a commissioned notary in Ellicott City. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies supported by research and technology tools.

Jason Harris is a financial advisor with Robert W. Baird & Co. in Towson, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Robert W. Baird & Co. since 2009. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird & Co.’s Private Wealth Management practice, which serves individuals, families, pensions, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The group offers a range of consulting and portfolio services tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, separately managed accounts, and overlay services.

Jeremiah Smith is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and beginning his advisory career in 2025. His prior work experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Bank, FedEx, Macy’s, Kohl’s, and several educational institutions. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and employs more than 14,000 financial advisors, offering both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Alan Wolfe is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 27 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney for 15 years before joining RBC in 2024. RBC Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individual investors, institutions, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs featuring discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, tailored strategies, and access to both in-house and third-party investment managers.

Brian Avrunin is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Columbia, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer for the Friends of Scott Berkowitz, MD campaign, managing campaign finance reporting independently of Ameriprise. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services targeting individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficient strategies to provide non-discretionary, personalized recommendations. The firm also delivers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated companies.

Donna Buchanan is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 32 years of industry experience. She has been with Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. since 1999 and a partner at Benefit Watch since 1996, working as an independent insurance agent. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, by offering financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm supports a variety of management platforms and provides access to third-party advisers and proprietary model strategies under the Founders Gate Capital brand.

Connor Walsh is a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Ellicott City, MD, with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Caves Valley and Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, Walsh is involved in Business Networking International (BNI) and is set to become chapter President starting November 1. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, known for its specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides tailored retirement-income planning with a focus on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Lauren Novak is a CFP® with three years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Her prior roles include positions at Cambridge Investment Research Inc. and The Financial Consulate. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a wide range of individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs through thousands of financial professionals and multiple platform options.

Jonathan Waligora is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Baltimore, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2010 and joined Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. in 2026. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning and estate planning strategies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and models.

Wylan Jensen is a financial advisor at Fidelity with a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at Harborside Group and has experience in diverse fields including hospitality and retail. He was also involved with Great Frogs Winery and Papa Johns. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a broad range of clients, utilizing a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm serves retail and institutional investors, including registered investment companies, and employs systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation benchmarks.

Megan Avery is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 license and bringing 25 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Woodbury Financial Services and Questar Asset Management. Outside of her advisory work, she owns and operates Anarchy Designs, an interior design business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Sean Hagerty is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Baltimore, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2004. UBS Financial Services Inc. serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including fee-based financial planning and portfolio management. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and utilizes proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor investment strategies.