Kacy Bass is a CFP® with 11 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. She has been with Clarity Asset Management, Inc. since 2015. Clarity Asset Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm uses fundamental analysis and a proprietary due-diligence process to build diversified portfolios with a long-term focus, while also offering regular portfolio reviews and educational seminars to clients and the public.

Jon Christensen is a financial advisor at Christensen Capital, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has been involved with both Christensen Capital and the Target 3 Fund, LP for over three decades. Christensen Capital provides discretionary investment management to a private pooled investment vehicle and separately managed individual accounts. The firm primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, focusing on value stocks and special situations through detailed fundamental analysis and a low-turnover investment approach.

Nevin Conlon is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with nine years of industry experience. He has worked exclusively at Clarity Asset Management, Inc. since 2016. Clarity Asset Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm uses fundamental analysis and an internal due-diligence process to build diversified portfolios with a long-term focus, offers discretionary portfolio management, and conducts educational seminars open to clients and the public.

Jeffrey Gibbons is a financial advisor with RIA Advisory Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 37 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Visionpoint Advisory Group, LPL Financial, and Piper Sandler & Co. He serves on the Iowa State University Athletics Letterwinners Board, which promotes the athletic alumni of the university. RIA Advisory Group provides investment supervisory services and portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, trusts, and estates. The firm employs both fundamental and technical analysis within a combination of long-term and short-term trading strategies while maintaining formal relationships with accounting and legal professionals.

Jeremy Fernandez is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Ames, IA, holding Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Principal Advised Services in 2023, he held roles at Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal Securities Inc since 2019, as well as positions in education and consulting. Outside of his advisory work, he and his spouse serve as caregivers for an adult with special needs through Easterseals Iowa. Principal Advised Services primarily provides investment advice and related services to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, utilizing both third-party and proprietary models to deliver non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm leverages its affiliation with the Principal Financial Group family to offer access to proprietary products and integrated services, supported by governance and supervision structures to manage conflicts of interest.

Michelle Blenderman is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. She has been with Nations Financial Group, Inc. since 2007. Nations Financial Group, Inc. provides investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and consulting services, employing proprietary model portfolios alongside outside managers to tailor strategies based on client objectives, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs.

Jeffrey Johnson is a financial advisor with Calton & Associates, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has worked at Calton & Associates since 2019 and previously spent 16 years with Capital Financial Services, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, Johnson serves as a Division 1 college football official in the MAC and Big Ten Conferences. Calton & Associates serves individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and other retail clients by offering portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money managers. The firm provides both discretionary and non-discretionary management options through various program structures and combines retail broker-dealer and insurance operations alongside advisory services.

Neal Gudmunson is a CFP® professional at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with experience spanning multiple roles across various industries since 2018. His background includes positions at Mindful Asset Planning, Schmitty and Sons, and involvement with Iowa State University and the City of Ames. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach focused on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost index vehicles and multi-factor tilts.

Darren Gauck is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked with various Ameritas entities since 2002 and owns Midwest Financial, where he sells fixed insurance products including equity-indexed annuities. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning to individual investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers managed account programs, fee-based management of variable products, and support from an Investment Committee and third-party partners to align portfolios with client objectives.

Noel Lagneaux is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Ames, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and TIAA-CREF since 2014. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals—often those connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans—as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm offers model and customized portfolio management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund while applying a fiduciary standard across its advisory services.

Andra Reason is a CFP® professional with nine years of experience in financial advising. She has worked primarily at Mercer Global Advisors Inc., with prior experience at Marrs Wealth Management. Reason is based in Omaha, NE. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a globally diversified, risk-appropriate investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing low-cost index vehicles and multi-factor strategies.

Sarah Koth is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 27 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Athene Securities, Powell Financial Partners, Cetera Advisor Networks, and VOYA Financial Advisors. Outside of finance, she serves as a brand ambassador for Thelma's Treats, a manufacturer and distributor of specialty ice cream sandwiches. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time financial planning and ongoing portfolio management through model and customized portfolios.

Jay Black is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Ames, Iowa, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Eagle Strategies since 2019 and has been associated with New York Life and Nylife Securities since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, Black operates Innovative Financial Solutions Group, a business focused on selling New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client and plan sponsor objectives and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Ethan Mechling is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Princor Financial Services Corporation and Principal Life Insurance Company. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as a bank officer at Principal Bank and Principal Trust Company to support retirement plan account relationships. TIAA-CREF’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm separates point-in-time planning from ongoing managed account services and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund while applying a fiduciary standard within a vertically integrated investment framework.

Peter Flora is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and over 20 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., Ameritas Investment Corp., Tax Favored Benefits, Inc., and TFB Advisors, LLC. He is also licensed as an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance products and administers retirement plans through Tax Favored Benefits, Inc. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers various managed account programs and integrates multiple custodial and execution platforms, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory relationships.

Kelsey Summers is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 16 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with TIAA-CREF since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm combines point-in-time planning services with ongoing discretionary management, offering model and customized portfolios under a fiduciary standard.

Lane Sires is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company for over two decades. Outside of his advisory role, Lane serves on the boards of the Johnston Little League, the Hyperion Field Club, and the Johnston Community School Foundation, where he helps organize community activities and fundraising events. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and maintains a fiduciary standard within its advisory services.

De Ann Thompson is a Certified Financial Planner® with 40 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2003. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses. Outside of her advisory role, she participates as a member of the outreach team at Grace Evangelical Free Church. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients across various segments. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of advisors and branch offices, offering a range of advisory programs and affiliated financial services.

Jonathan Close is a financial advisor at Edward Jones based in Ames, IA, holding CFP® and Series 66 designations with 13 years of industry experience. He worked at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2015 to 2020 before joining Edward Jones in 2020. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of investment strategies and advisory services, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets with a nationwide network of more than 23,700 advisors.

Douglas Dodgen is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Ames, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2001. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, access to separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.