Daniel Otakie is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he partners with clients, including affluent families, professionals, and business owners, to provide goals-based wealth management and retirement planning strategies. Working alongside his business partner and a team of specialists, he delivers customized advice and a disciplined investing approach to help clients optimize their financial resources. Since entering the financial services industry in 2005 and joining Merrill in 2008, Daniel has developed expertise in areas such as college education planning, divorce transition planning, defined benefit and contribution plans, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, and retirement income. He holds several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Daniel earned a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Maryland. Outside of his professional work, Daniel has been involved with the American Heart Association as a Fundraising Coordinator and Team Coach from 2009 to 2020. He also enjoys hiking, music, reading, and watching movies.

Jason Hicks is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Merrill Lynch. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including 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 models.

Christopher Krabbe is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2020. Prior to his advisory role, his background includes positions at Enterprise Rent-A-Car and involvement with the Five Oaks Swim Club. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

James Arey III is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Eldersburg, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. He has worked with Primerica Advisors and Primerica Financial Services since 2005 and concurrently with Northrop Grumman Corporation since 2004. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of Game On, Inc. and serves as a field manager for the Kickball League of Baltimore. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, providing model-based strategies and limited discretionary separately managed accounts to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a tiered wrap-fee structure and curates third-party asset managers, using BNY Mellon Advisors for model implementation and Pershing and Primerica Brokerage Services for custody and trade execution.

Michael Lentz is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at LPL Financial since 2017, with prior roles at Pruco Securities, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, M&T Securities, and MSI Financial Services. Outside of his advisory work, he manages a snow removal business during winter months. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, and access to third-party asset managers, supported by technology tools and a broad network of over 22,800 advisors.

Gary Wright is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Catonsville, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Janney Montgomery Scott for a decade before joining LPL Financial and Retirement & Investment Group LLC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser delivering advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, institutions, and banks. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by research and technology tools.

Michael Johnson is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 28 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 department, which serves individuals including high net worth clients, corporate and business clients, pensions and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a variety of financial planning and portfolio management services, leveraging internal research and external partnerships across a range of investment strategies.

Eric Kovacic is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has worked with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, providing a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and scenario modeling as part of its offering.

Jeffrey Black is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Cambridge since 2007 and also serves as president of The Legacy Group, Inc., which provides consulting services to nonprofits. Outside of advisory work, he operates as an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services through a network of independent professionals, utilizing proprietary and third-party strategies tailored to client objectives across multiple custody platforms.

Fred Crozier is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Baltimore, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 40 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 2016. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, institutional clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and municipal entities, offering a range of financial planning and consulting services with a non-discretionary approach that relies on risk profiling and analytic tools.

Jesse Leblanc is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, specializing in wealth management for sports and entertainment professionals. He provides tailored financial planning and investment strategies designed to help athletes, entertainers, and related professionals secure and grow their wealth. Jesse's services include investment advice, art financing and custom lending, employer benefits and retirement plan consulting, Rule 144 executive and equity services, and 1031 exchange solutions. Jesse holds a Bachelor's Degree from the State University of New York and maintains a range of professional designations, including Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered SRI Counselor (CSRIC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). He is affiliated with professional organizations such as Maryland Nonprofits and US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment. Committed to community involvement, Jesse volunteers with Business Volunteers Maryland and World Relief. Outside of his professional work, his personal interests include golfing, music, reading, and running.

Jason Rayman Rayman is a Financial Advisor at UBS Financial Services with Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining UBS in 2025, he was a student at the University of Richmond and worked at Loyola Blakefield High School. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including financial planning and portfolio management. The firm integrates institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services, utilizing proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor client solutions.

Leandro Conti is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 credential and less than one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill and Bank of America in 2026, he worked in various roles including with the Soccer Association of Columbia and the Howard County Public School System. Outside of his advisory work, he has been involved with local sports organizations. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, offers managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm provides model-based and discretionary investment strategies, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Alpha Korngor is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Baltimore, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley since 2018 and previously at Merrill from 2011 to 2018. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets through tailored financial planning and a broad range of advisory programs. The firm employs a structured planning process using firm-approved tools and offers diverse investment and institutional services.

Ndamzi Lumati is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC since 2018 and Wells Fargo Bank NA since 2014. Outside of finance, Lumati serves as an office administrator for a healthcare staffing company and has self-published books on personal empowerment. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is based on investment policy statements and modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options in its investment menus.

Mark Kutz is a financial advisor at Cetera with 37 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at Cetera and its affiliates since 2016. He is also an agent for fixed insurance products, including life, health, annuities, and long-term care insurance. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting discretionary and non-discretionary account structures.

Edward Gray III is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. His prior experience includes roles at T. Rowe Price Investment Services, TD Ameritrade Investment Management, TD Ameritrade, and Scottrade. He works with Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients. The firm employs a proprietary investment process combining fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction, and serves in advisory roles for various registered investment companies and fund-of-funds.

Simone Alston is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where she works with women, families, and high net worth millennials on managing wealth through real-world financial decisions. Her approach centers on goal-based planning, integrating investment management, retirement planning, education funding, and long-term wealth building. Simone provides services including retirement income planning, tax-aware investment strategies, health care cost guidance, and support with estate and legacy planning. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University System of Maryland and holds professional designations including Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Simone speaks both English and Spanish and is involved with professional organizations such as Braven and the University of Maryland Alumni Association. Residing in Maryland with her husband and two children, Simone enjoys cooking, music, reading, running, soccer, swimming, tennis, traveling, and watching movies. She participates in community activities through Braven and Jersey Cares.

Steven Hayes is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Severna Park, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Axa Advisors, LLC and Valic Financial Advisors prior to joining Equitable Advisors in 2009. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and other institutional clients. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset-management programs through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives, utilizing third-party asset managers and various advisory models.

Joseph Cirelli is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Baltimore, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including over a decade at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a trustee for a trust in Baltimore. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides advisory and brokerage services to individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and investment research. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and delivers a range of solutions including estate planning and corporate financial plans.