I started Watershed Wealth to build the kind of financial advisory firm I wished existed in my rural community —forward thinking, transparent, and built specifically for retirement in Northern Michigan. I’m a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with a degree in Finance from Grand Valley State, and more than seven years of hands-on experience across the industry. In 2023, I made the leap and launched Watershed Wealth right here in my hometown of Alpena, Michigan. Since then, my mission’s been pretty simple: help people make smart decisions with their money. When I’m not meeting with clients, I stay involved in the community through several board positions focused on community betterment, economic growth, and quality of life in Northern Michigan. I’m also a big believer in collaboration and love working with other local leaders, business owners, and creatives who care about where our community is headed. After hours, you’ll usually find me outdoors, sneaking in nine holes, or spending time with my wife Abby, our son Stanley, and our two golden retrievers, Peach & Goose. This isn’t just a job for me. It’s personal. And my goal—always—is to help people feel less stressed, more confident, and more in control of their retirement.

Ryan Mccallum is a financial advisor at VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at AGIA and Weber State University. Mccallum is also licensed to offer non-securities insurance products. VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors and utilizes third-party UMA model managers and overlay services.

Jessica Howard is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Alpena, Michigan, holding a Series 66 designation and having one year of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, mBank, and Alpena Community College. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to third-party asset management, with a platform supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies.

Cameron Bernicki is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. His prior roles include multiple positions at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management. Outside of his advisory work, he coaches junior varsity hockey and other sports teams in Alpena, MI, and is involved with Joes Bar as outside employment. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and various institutional entities. The firm’s investment approach is model-driven, utilizing portfolios developed by LPL’s Research Department and third-party strategists, and it offers financial planning, consulting, and access to third-party asset managers.

Gary Altman is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Alpena, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Mariner Wealth Advisors and Heber Fuger Wendin, Inc, as well as long-term roles at Calcite Credit Union and Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in a family farming operation in Rogers City, MI. 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 provides a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, with advice delivered through a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Andrew Kowalski is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed advisor with Edward Jones, where he has worked since 2017. He has eight years of industry experience, including three years at MidMichigan Health prior to joining Edward Jones. Outside of his financial advisory role, Kowalski serves as a volunteer vice president on the board of Northern Lights Arena and is a Learn to Skate instructor with the Alpena Hockey Association. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with over $1 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,000 financial advisors.

Emma Strong is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2018, with prior roles at JP Morgan Chase Bank, Cypress Capital Family Office & Wealth Management, and SI Capital. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with over $1 trillion in assets under management. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and investment strategies, operating under a fiduciary standard and supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Philip Straley is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Alpena, MI, holding the PFS™ and Series 66 credentials and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Avantax Advisory Services, 1st Global Advisors, and Straley, Lamp & Kraenzlein, P.C., where he is also engaged in tax preparation and accounting as a CPA. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions, offering a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning, model portfolios, and institutional platforms.

Marc Ferguson is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Alpena, MI, holding the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 1996. Outside of his advisory role, Ferguson serves as president of MAGEC Properties LLC, a company managing buy-and-hold investment properties. 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 solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Chloe Ferguson is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Edward Jones in Alpena, MI, and has six years of industry experience. Her work history includes several roles both at Edward Jones and the University of Michigan. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Molly Benson is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Woodbury Financial Services and Questar Capital Corporation. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner of an office building in Alpena, MI. OSAIC serves a diverse range of retail and institutional clients through a large network of affiliated advisers, offering integrated brokerage, advisory services, financial planning, and access to third-party managers. The firm employs asset-allocation tools and offers portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Pamela Kirchoff is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Alpena, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with 23 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2012. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and corporate clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a variety of advisory programs and investment solutions through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Jeffrey Niemetta is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management based in Alpena, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and having 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Thrivent, he worked in community mental health services, including positions at Disability Network Northern Michigan and Northeast Michigan Community Mental Health. He has also served as a self-determination worker providing support services for individuals with mental illness and disabilities. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm focuses on holistic, goal-based financial planning across various topics and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account programs under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan,” while keeping these services separate.

Leigh Robertson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Alpena, MI, holding a Series 66 credential and bringing nine years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2020, Robertson worked at Avantax Investment Services and Avantax Advisory Services, as well as 1st Global Advisors and Straley Lamp & Kraenzlein. 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 and model portfolio programs, supported by a network of over 22,800 advisors and more than $819 billion in discretionary assets.

John Short IV is a Series 66-credentialed advisor at LPL Enterprise with four years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Enterprise, he worked at The Prudential Insurance Company of America and Pruco Securities LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member and instructor at Torah Community Fellowship, and is involved in local swim team officiating and nonprofit board activities in Alpena, MI. LPL Enterprise, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and institutional entities. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach using portfolios developed by LPL’s Research Department and third-party strategists, alongside financial planning, access to third-party asset managers, and insurance product facilitation.

Griffin Fairchild is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked in education and local business in Alpena, MI. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions through a large network of advisors and utilizes various advisory platforms including model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies.

Eric Ferguson is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience at Edward Jones, where he has worked since 2018. Prior to his current role, he was involved with USA Hockey for ten years. He owns Ferguson Financial, LLC, a personal LLC established to hold the real estate for his Edward Jones office in Alpena, MI. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including a diverse range of households and organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers a variety of advisory programs, investment solutions, and affiliated services supported by a large national network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Jay Hammond is a financial advisor at Cetera with 36 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at VOYA Financial Advisors before joining Cetera in 2021. Outside of his advisory role, Hammond serves as a tournament director for the Alpena Mens Golf Association. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that provides a wide range of financial services through a large network of independent advisors. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts with offerings that include portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers.

Zachory Johnson is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 designation and one year of experience in the industry. His prior work includes roles at Progressive and Clean Harbors, as well as six years of service in the United States Air Force. 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.

Julie Powers is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 20 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Oppenheimer for seven years. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Gustin Township Planning and Zoning Commission. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement income planning, tax-aware withdrawal strategies, and Social Security options.

Charles Ingle is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Alpena, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. since 1980. Outside of his advisory role, he is co-owner of a retail children's clothing store in Alpena. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a broad range of investment advisory programs. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates through a nationwide network of over 23,700 advisors and more than 15,000 branch offices.

Benjamin Strong is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he held various roles including positions at Omni Metalcraft, Thunder Bay Tree Service, and Central Michigan University. 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 solutions, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices across the country.

Bryan Strong is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones in Alpena, MI since 2003. He owns and operates a tree farm and plays guitar and sings in a local band that often performs at nursing homes. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with over $1 trillion in assets under management and a nationwide network of more than 23,700 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard.

Angela Tanner is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Alpena, MI, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2021, she spent ten years at PNC Bank. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management through a nationwide network of over 23,000 advisors and operates under a fiduciary standard.

Michelle Woodruff is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 65 and Series 63 designations and 17 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Cuso Financial Services, Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, and PNC Bank and Investments. She serves as a planning commissioner for the Charter Township of Alpena, contributing to local zoning and development decisions. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, utilizing various models and strategies supported by advanced operational tools.

Albert Senchuk is a financial advisor with State Street Financial Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He operates out of Alpena, MI, as the sole advisor at an independent firm. State Street Financial Advisors, LLC serves individual clients by facilitating introductions to registered third-party investment advisors and does not provide direct investment advice or manage client assets. The firm’s activity is limited to referrals and solicitation on behalf of third-party firms and maintains an affiliation with an accounting firm, which differentiates it from many independent solo advisors.