Valerie Escobar is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently with LPL Financial since 2024. She previously worked at Mariner Wealth Advisors for 10 years and has additional experience with Adams Hall and First Point Financial. Outside of advising, she owns Lawn Chicks LLC, a small business in Village, KS. LPL Financial is a national SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management along with research and model portfolios.

Hannah Mc Spadden is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She focuses on delivering personalized wealth management strategies tailored to her clients' unique financial goals. Hannah specializes in areas including family wealth management, legacy planning, LGBT wealth planning, personal retirement planning, small business strategies, socially responsible and ESG investing, and retirement income planning. Hannah holds a Bachelor's Degree from Kansas State University and has earned professional designations as a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). She draws upon her experiences growing up in Spring Hill, Kansas, where she was involved in 4-H, FFA, and community volunteering, to inform her professional approach. Beyond her advisory role, Hannah actively participates in her community through involvement with organizations such as the Junior League of Kansas City, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Leawood Chamber Ambassador program, and the Spring Hill FFA Alumni Association. In her free time, she enjoys adventure sports including boating, fishing, golfing, horseback riding, scuba diving, and traveling, often spending summers at the lake with her family and her husky, Max.

Derek Neubauer is a financial advisor at OSAIC with five years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. He has worked at Royal Alliance since 2020 and has experience at several other firms and roles prior to that. Neubauer is also involved as an advisor with Vantage Pointe Financial Group, an LLC engaged in sales of securities and insurance products. OSAIC serves a broad mix of retail and institutional clients through a large network of affiliated advisors and offers integrated brokerage and advisory services, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money managers. The firm uses a variety of asset-allocation tools and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Ada Sanabria Flores is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Olathe, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Wells Fargo Clearing, she held roles at Wells Fargo Bank, MVP Law Firm, and Waterway Car Wash among others. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services grounded in modern portfolio theory and tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances.

Janet Lakanen is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 10 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Ausdal Financial Partners and Northwest Bank and Trust prior to joining Thrivent in 2021. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, offering goal-based planning across areas such as retirement, tax, estate, and special needs without discretionary trading authority. The firm combines planning with managed-account programs under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan,” while maintaining separate planning and portfolio management services.

Michael Stompoly is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Olathe, KS, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with the Knights of Columbus, participating in charitable giving and service projects. Ameriprise is an institutional firm serving individuals approaching or in retirement, offering a retirement-income planning service that combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored recommendation reports. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated companies.

Christopher Paul is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a soccer coach for the Union KC Soccer Club and is president of the Summit Station Property Owners Association. 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 IPS-driven and incorporates a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

David Allen is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Leawood, KS, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked with Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in public speaking engagements at Kansas City Community College. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning through its Financial Advisors and Estate Planning Strategies Group. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and modeling techniques in its financial planning process.

Kenneth Walton is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has worked with Equitable Advisors and its predecessor, AXA Advisors, since 1999. Walton also conducts business under the DBA name Reflection Financial Strategies, LLC. Equitable Advisors serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients with financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and various asset-management programs. The firm employs a range of advisory models and third-party managers, focusing on personalized client assessments and offering both proprietary and third-party investment solutions.

Geoffrey Gembala is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Overland Park, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Primerica Advisors since 1992 and Primerica Financial Services since 1991. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-author of a book and involved with Appreciate The World, Inc. Primerica Advisors provides discretionary asset management primarily through its Lifetime Investment Program, offering model-delivery strategies and select discretionary separately managed accounts to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and delegates trading responsibilities to BNY Mellon Advisors, operating on a tiered wrap-fee structure rather than fixed fees.

Jack Fitori is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He has been with Ameriprise since 2024 and has prior experience working at Ace Pallet and Home Depot. Jack was also a full-time student for several years before beginning his advisory career. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement-income planning, using research and algorithmic tools to provide recommendations on income sources, asset allocation, and Social Security claiming strategies.

Nathan Smith is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Overland Park, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 37 years of industry experience. He has been with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management Inc. for 24 years. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer for the Papua New Guinea Mission Society, managing the organization’s financial records. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing written recommendations on a range of financial topics without portfolio management or discretionary trading authority. The firm integrates planning with managed accounts through its WealthPlan option while maintaining separate services.

Joseph Pelle is a financial advisor with Cetera in Overland Park, KS, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing nine years of industry experience. He has held roles at several firms including Prosperity Advisors, LLC, where he is Vice President and a board member, and Prosperity Network of Advisors, where he serves as Senior Vice President. Pelle also participates in related business activities including ownership positions and a referral role to a CPA firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered advisor serving a broad client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with diverse portfolio management options and integrates third-party managers and proprietary model portfolios.

Thomas Bales is a CFP® professional with 34 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at LPL Financial since 2021. He previously worked at Avantax Insurance Agency, Avantax Advisory Services, and Avantax Investment Services for a combined 30 years. In addition to his advisory work, he operates a part-time tax practice and is involved with Bales & Associates Inc., a tax preparation and accounting firm. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of advisory programs, financial planning services, and investment strategies supported by research and technology.

Richard Gibbs is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with UBS since 2013. He serves as trustee for a personal family trust, handling bill payments and estate settlement matters. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory services, including portfolio management, financial planning, and alternative product distribution. The firm integrates institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services, supported by proprietary research and capital markets expertise.

Bradley Williams is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with Series 66 credentials and four years of experience at the firm. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked at Beumer Corporation for twelve years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment options, supported by a large network of advisors and branch offices across the country.

Jack Scanlon is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Overland Park, KS. He holds a Series 66 designation and has recently begun his career in the financial industry. Prior to joining Equitable Advisors, Jack held roles at KeyBank Real Estate Capital, Crown MedReality Partners, and Prime Capital Investment Advisors. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients across various wealth levels, as well as pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset-management programs delivered through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives, utilizing both proprietary and third-party investment platforms.

Brett Brennan is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience. He is currently with OSAIC and has previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services, National Planning Corporation, and Mike Martin Financial Group. Outside of financial advising, he owns a real estate brokerage and operates a tax preparation service, as well as an online shipping business. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services with a focus on asset allocation, risk management, and access to multiple investment platforms and third-party managers.

Joseph Hyde is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 21 years of industry experience. He has held the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with Edward Jones since 2016. The firm serves over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of wealth management services including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. Edward Jones manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and operates a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Kristina Strickland is a financial advisor at Cetera with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked with Commonwealth Financial Network and Trinity Planning Group. Outside of finance, she serves as the children's director at Faith Vineyard Church and owns a horseback riding lesson and training facility. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves individual investors, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various program options, including proprietary and third-party model portfolios, discretionary and non-discretionary management, and a broad range of investment solutions.