Brian Franke is a CFP® professional with 18 years of industry experience. He is a principal and private wealth advisor at Integrated Capital Management, where he has worked since 2016. Prior to that, he spent seven years at First Heartland Capital Inc. Franke serves on the executive board of Michigan State University. Integrated Capital Management advises individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses, with expertise serving professionals such as physicians and corporate executives. The firm provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management, using a written planning process to tailor asset allocation and incorporate client-specific compensation and tax complexities.

Mark Miller is a CFA® charterholder and Series 63 licensee with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Miller Capital since 1999 and serves as co-trustee for several trusts in a personal fiduciary capacity. Miller Capital provides discretionary investment management, portfolio analysis, and wealth-management advice to individuals and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes fundamental analysis and tailored portfolio construction, managing approximately $239.7 million across 74 clients as of early 2025.

Theresa Collins is a financial advisor at Paragon Retirement Planning, Inc. in Troy, MI, holding a Series 65 designation with two years of industry experience. She has worked at Paragon Retirement Planning since 2022 and has prior experience at Financial Services of America from 2006 to 2017. Outside of her advisory role, Collins acts as an independent insurance agent. Paragon Retirement Planning serves individual and high-net-worth clients, offering comprehensive and single-issue financial planning and consulting with a typical account minimum of $100,000. The firm’s investment approach utilizes model portfolios managed by unaffiliated sub-advisors, focusing on asset allocation while retaining responsibility for client relationships and periodic reviews.

Stephen Richardson is a financial advisor at Quantum Wealth Strategies, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Raymond James Financial Services and Southworth & Wilson Inc. prior to joining his current firm. Quantum Wealth Strategies provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $32.2 million across about 67 client relationships. The firm uses a combination of investment approaches, including technical and fundamental methods, and offers a subscription newsletter with specific buy and sell recommendations to its clients.

Brett Busuttil is a CFP® and ChFC® with 13 years of industry experience. He currently works at Bay Pointe Financial and previously spent nine years at Sigma Financial Corporation/Spc. He is a licensed insurance agent and co-owner of a commercial property holding company in St. Clair, Michigan. Bay Pointe Financial provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and employer-sponsored plans. The firm combines fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory with tailored client profiles to guide investment decisions and incorporates insurance products when aligned with client goals.

Jane Lowry is a financial advisor at Motive Wealth Advisors, LLC in Birmingham, MI, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Ducker Worldwide and other firms from 2014 to 2022. Motive Wealth Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, business entities, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering investment management and financial planning with a focus on diversified, risk-based portfolios using both active and passive strategies. The firm manages approximately $318 million across about 80 client relationships and conducts due diligence on independent third-party advisers, a practice that distinguishes it within the industry.

Darren Brennan is a CFP® professional at Lakeshore Financial Planning Inc. with 13 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Kaydan Wealth Management, Inc. and Raymond James Financial Services Inc. He is also a licensed insurance agent. Lakeshore Financial Planning Inc. manages discretionary portfolios and provides financial planning to individuals, charitable organizations, and investment clubs. The firm uses diversified, model-based strategies implemented primarily through mutual funds and ETFs, with a focus on both fundamental and technical analysis.

Scott Salaske is a financial advisor at FirstMetric, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has been with FirstMetric since 2017. Prior to this, he took a planned break from the industry between 2015 and 2017. FirstMetric serves individuals, trusts, foundations, estates, business entities, qualified retirement plans, and charitable organizations by providing discretionary investment advisory and portfolio management alongside financial planning and legacy securities transition guidance. The firm employs a passive, asset-class investment approach using low-cost index mutual funds and ETFs, emphasizing long-term, buy-and-hold strategies with integrated tax-aware practices.

Krisstin Petersmarck is a financial advisor at New Horizon Retirement Advisors with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at KMP Financial LLC, Bridgeriver Advisors, and Roots Wealth Partners. In addition to her advisory role, she is an independent licensed insurance agent and founder of New Horizon Retirement Solutions, Inc. New Horizon Retirement Advisors provides retirement-focused portfolio management and advisory services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a combination of fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and technical analysis to build long-term portfolios, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management while maintaining fiduciary standards.

Peter Labrash is a financial advisor at Paragon Retirement Planning, Inc. in Troy, MI, holding a Series 66 designation with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at MML Investors Services, MassMutual Life Insurance, Prudential Financial Planning Services, and other firms. Paragon Retirement Planning serves individual and high-net-worth clients with comprehensive and single-issue financial planning, generally requiring a $100,000 account minimum. The firm emphasizes suitable asset allocation through model portfolio strategies managed by unaffiliated sub-advisors and third-party investment advisers while retaining responsibility for client relationships and reviews.

Justin Hathaway is a financial advisor with EPI Financial Group in Troy, MI, holding a Series 65 credential and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining EPI Financial Group, he worked at Bill Marsh and AT&T. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates Not Another TCG LLC, a business involved in buying and selling antiques and collectibles. EPI Financial Group provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to non-high-net-worth individual households, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a sub-adviser platform for discretionary portfolio management and offers financial planning without a separate planning fee.

Jack Findley is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Trustee Empowerment & Protection, Inc. He has experience in related fields spanning over a decade, including roles as CEO/CRO of Decision Technologies Corp. and CEO of Sterling Signal, LLC, a commercial signage producer. His work at Decision Technologies involves licensing proprietary software to Trustee Empowerment & Protection, Inc. Trustee Empowerment & Protection, Inc. serves retirement plan sponsors, trustees, and individual investors through an internet-based platform that refers clients to a network of registered investment advisers. The firm provides a decision-assistance service using a patented application to evaluate and compare mutual funds and ETFs within defined contribution plans, focusing on non-discretionary, process-driven reviews.

Osman Minkara is a managing principal and investment advisor representative at CIG Asset Management, Inc. with 32 years of industry experience. He is also the managing principal of CIG Capital Advisors and the managing member and majority owner of CIG Venture Management, LLC, which manages various special purpose vehicles and a private equity fund. CIG Asset Management provides wealth management, financial planning, and discretionary portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and employee benefit plans. The firm employs an asset allocation framework that integrates strategic and dynamic models across multiple asset classes and offers socially responsible investment options.

Jason Close is a CFP® and CFA® with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Motive Wealth Advisors, LLC since 2021 and previously held roles at tru Independence Asset Management, LLC, Wealthcare Advisors, LLC, and Planning Alternatives Ltd. He is involved in administrative and financial management activities through affiliated entities. Motive Wealth Advisors serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, business entities, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a diversified, risk-based investment approach using both active and passive strategies and provides discretionary and non-discretionary management, financial planning, and pension consulting.

Louis Melone is a CFP® with 30 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Melone Private Wealth, LLC since 2020. His prior experience includes roles at LPL Financial, Budd, Melone & Co. LLC, and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network. Outside of advising, he is an author working on a book. Melone Private Wealth, LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers customized investment advisory and financial planning services, employing a blend of active and passive strategies with a long-term investment horizon, and manages most client assets on a discretionary basis.

James Niedzinski is a CFP® with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Motive Wealth Advisors, LLC since 2021. His prior roles include positions at Tru Independence Asset Management, Wealthcare Advisors, and Planning Alternatives. He also acts as a power of attorney and co-trustee for his parents' revocable living trust. Motive Wealth Advisors serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, business entities, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers investment management and financial planning services, employing diversified, risk-based portfolios with both active and passive strategies and conducts due diligence on independent third-party advisers.

Chelsei Latsch is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Antonelli Financial Advisors, LLC since 2017. Her prior work includes a role at Comerica Bank and experience in the hospitality sector at Texas Roadhouse. Antonelli Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, providing fee-based investment management and various financial planning services. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory approach to build globally diversified portfolios and typically manages client accounts on a discretionary basis.

ABOUT THRIVE RETIREMENT SPECIALISTS Standing out in our industry's “sea of sameness” and b#llsh!t, we introduce a new business model that applies the latest retirement research to deliver “reality-based” retirement planning, representing an evolutionary step forward in how people prepare for and thrive during retirement. We arm you with a framework to make better decisions based on your unique circumstances, enabling you to avoid unnecessary sacrifices symptomatic of following conventional “rules of thumb” intended for the masses. The result is living a more rewarding life optimized for contentment. ThriveRetire is an all-in-one, flat-fee service that includes: • Retirement Planning • Tax Planning • Investment Management • And more! ABOUT ANTHONY WATSON, CFA, CFP®, RICP® Prior to founding Thrive Retirement Specialists, Tony served as a Chief Investment Officer, providing advice and investment management services to over 600 individuals representing over $1.5 billion of investments. Before this, Tony served as Vice President at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, where he advised high- and ultra-high net worth individuals on all matters of wealth, including investments, portfolio construction, portfolio management, and retirement planning. EDUCATION: • BBA of Finance, Walsh College • MBA, University of Michigan, Ross School of Business CREDENTIALS: • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) • CERTIFIED FINANICAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) • Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®)

Mark Romin is a CFP® professional at Lakeshore Financial Planning Inc. in Saint Clair Shores, MI, with 18 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Brayton Asset Management and Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. Romin contributes to social media input for a non-investment-related support company affiliated with his firm. Lakeshore Financial Planning Inc. manages discretionary portfolios and provides incidental financial planning to individuals, charitable organizations, and investment clubs. The firm employs client-specific strategies using proprietary model portfolios diversified across asset classes, primarily via mutual funds and ETFs, and manages approximately $469 million in discretionary assets.

Kelly L'esperance is a financial advisor at Barking Sands Capital with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has led The L'esperance Group, LLC since 2011. L'esperance is also licensed as an insurance agent in Michigan and Minnesota, dedicating part of her time to this activity. Barking Sands Capital provides personalized, fee-based investment management and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm manages primarily discretionary assets using a core-equity strategy supplemented by dividend-paying equities, bonds, ETFs, and third-party managers when appropriate.