Through my experience working with a diverse range of clients, I’ve learned invaluable lessons over the years. I’ve discovered that I provide the most value to those who are preparing for, transitioning into, and embracing their best version of retirement. My retirement planning approach allows me to gain a deep understanding of what matters most to my clients, enabling me to serve as a trusted fiduciary partner throughout their retirement journey. My journey from a SD Mines mechanical engineer to a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional has been quite the adventure. Working in diverse industries, like mining and software consulting, has given me a wide range of skills and perspectives. It’s fascinating how a personal experience, such as assisting my mother with Social Security benefits after my father’s passing, sparked my interest in financial planning. Transitioning from a commissioned financial adviser to establishing my own fee-only Registered Investment Advisor firm was a reflection of my dedication to providing unbiased, client-centered advice. Being a fiduciary 100% of the time underscores my commitment to prioritizing my clients’ best interests. The growth of Iron Mountain Financial Planning, LLC, since its founding in 2017, demonstrates my ability to earn the trust of clients and deliver valuable services. My belief in serving clients beyond financial matters, allowing them to focus on what truly matters in their lives, reflects my holistic approach to retirement planning. In essence, my story highlights the significance of personal experiences, integrity, and client-centric values in the field of retirement and financial planning. It’s a testament to the impact individuals can have when they align their professional pursuits with their passion for assisting others.

Justin Mcneal is a Certified Financial Planner® with 17 years of industry experience. He is the principal advisor at Trew Advisors, LLC in Rapid City, SD, where he has worked since 2018. His prior experience includes roles at Hornor Townsend & Kent, Inc. and operating Trew Business Solutions, LLC. Mcneal is also involved in insurance sales and service through Trew Financial and Benefits Group. Trew Advisors LLC provides fee-based financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals and a variety of institutional clients, including corporations and pension plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, hourly financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services, utilizing third-party platforms and model portfolios to deliver tailored investment solutions.

Joseph Porter is a financial advisor with Rock Creek Advisors LLC in Rapid City, SD, holding a Series 65 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Orion Advisor Services, LLC and concurrently serves as Director of Investment Administration at First Trust Company LLC. Rock Creek Advisors provides discretionary investment management primarily to a state-chartered corporate fiduciary, First Trust Company, LLC, managing trust and agency accounts as well as separately managed accounts for individual clients. The firm employs mixed-asset model portfolios emphasizing capital appreciation, current income, and capital preservation, and maintains a trust-centric operating model through its affiliation with the state-chartered trust company.

Myrna Mitchell is the sole advisor at Consultative Services, Inc., operating under her own name with over 22 years of industry experience. She holds an MBA and the CFP® designation and has managed her independent advisory practice since 1994. Consultative Services, Inc. provides fee-only financial planning and portfolio management to individuals and high-net-worth clients, focusing on life planning areas such as retirement, estate planning, and college funding. The firm manages client assets on a non-discretionary basis using a buy-and-hold strategy centered on no-load mutual funds, ETFs, and fixed income instruments, operating under hourly or flat fee engagements rather than percentage-of-AUM billing.

Joel Black is a financial advisor at Rock Creek Advisors LLC with 8 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Rock Creek Advisors since 2017. Additionally, he serves as Executive Vice President, CFO, and COO of First Trust Company, LLC, a state-chartered corporate fiduciary where he administers trusts and manages regulatory relations. Rock Creek Advisors provides discretionary investment management primarily to trust and agency accounts administered by First Trust Company, LLC, and also offers separately managed accounts to individual clients. The firm focuses on mixed-asset model portfolios emphasizing capital appreciation, income, and capital preservation, utilizing a range of investment strategies within a trust-centric operating structure.

Paul Freidel is a financial advisor at Astute Financial, LLC in Rapid City, SD, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. He is also the managing member of Freidel & Associates, LLC and co-owner of KFG, LLC. His firm, Astute Financial, LLC, manages approximately $81.6 million for around 43 clients, providing discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, small businesses, and irrevocable trusts. The firm employs a blend of passive and active investment strategies based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers ongoing financial planning through a subscription service.

Tannen Mitchell Briggs is a financial advisor with Myrna Mitchell, MBA, CFP, holding the CFP® designation and Series 65 and 63 licenses, with 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm, Briggs worked at Qep Resources from 2015 to 2019. The firm provides financial planning and portfolio management to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on retirement planning, cash flow analysis, estate planning, insurance review, and college funding. It manages approximately $18 million with a non-discretionary investment approach and uses hourly or flat fees instead of percentage-based asset management charges.

William Marcham is a financial advisor at Astute Financial, LLC in Rapid City, SD. He holds a Series 65 designation and has experience working at KFG, LLC, KPMG, One Medical, Freidel & Associates, Steward and Company, and RIW Investment Management. He has a background that includes both financial and business roles. Astute Financial provides tailored investment management and comprehensive financial planning for individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, and irrevocable trusts. The firm employs a blend of passive and active investment vehicles based on Modern Portfolio Theory and emphasizes diversification, tax considerations, and long-term planning.

Aaron Hanson is a financial advisor at RIA Advisory Group, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has prior work experience at Brighter Electric and Rapid Spa. RIA Advisory Group, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other entities. The firm manages a diversified portfolio including equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, insurance products, and private placements, typically on a discretionary basis using a combination of charting, fundamental, and technical analysis.

Richard Kahler is a financial advisor at KFG, LLC with 37 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 63 designations and previously worked for Kahler Financial Group, Inc. for 22 years before joining KFG, LLC. Kahler is involved in financial therapy through Advanced Well-Being, LLC and has experience in writing and speaking via a publishing company, Conscious Finance LLC. KFG, LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, families, business owners, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a process-driven planning approach that integrates technical strategies with clients’ values and behavioral factors, focusing on long-term asset allocation, tax-aware investment techniques, and ongoing client engagement through various educational formats.

Emily Koch is a financial advisor at KFG, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at LPL Financial LLC (Waddell and Reed) and Tagge Rutherford Financial Group. KFG, LLC serves individuals, business owners, professionals, retirees, families, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations with integrated financial planning and portfolio management. The firm uses a process-driven, five-step planning approach and emphasizes long-term, tax-aware investment strategies combined with behavioral considerations.

Karie Swanson is a CFP® professional with one year of experience in financial advising at KFG, LLC. Prior to joining KFG, she worked for 12 years at NorthWestern Energy. KFG, LLC serves individuals, business owners, retirees, families, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations by providing integrated financial planning and portfolio management. The firm follows a process-driven planning approach combined with a long-term, tax-aware investment strategy, and offers services including estate and tax planning, business succession planning, and financial coaching.

Christopher Hanson is a financial advisor with RIA Advisory Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 28 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at VisionPoint Advisory Group, LPL Financial, and Principal Financial Group. Outside of advising, he operates a small ranch in Piedmont, South Dakota. RIA Advisory Group, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other entities. The firm employs a mix of equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, insurance products, and private placements, managing accounts primarily on a discretionary basis using both fundamental and technical analysis.

Benjamin Paulding is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with three years of industry experience. He is currently with KFG, LLC and has previously worked at Freidel & Associates and Steward & Company, LLC. Outside of advisory work, Paulding serves as treasurer and a board member of Preferred Security Components of Pennsylvania, a vehicle detection systems company. KFG, LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, families, business owners, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a process-driven, five-step planning approach and emphasizes long-term, constant-weighting asset allocation with tax-aware investment techniques.

John Lund is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at RIA Advisory Group, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at BFC Planning, Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, Garnett Investment Strategies, LPL Financial, Securities America Advisors, and BankFirst Wealth Management. He serves on several boards, including as Treasurer for Behavioral Health Specialists and Renewed Hope Christian Community, Vice President of the Norfolk Country Club Board, and Secretary of the Norfolk Catholic Schools Foundation. RIA Advisory Group, LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and other entities. The firm manages a diversified portfolio including equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, insurance products, and private placements, typically managing accounts on a discretionary basis with a focus on both long- and short-term trading strategies.

Nathaniel Gehring is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at KFG, LLC. He has previously worked at Kahler Financial Group, Inc. and KeatsConnelly. KFG, LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, business owners, retirees, families, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a process-driven planning approach that integrates technical strategies with clients’ values and behavioral factors, emphasizing long-term asset allocation, tax-aware investment techniques, and the use of third-party managers.

Cecilia Fleming is a CFP® professional at KFG, LLC with three years of industry experience. She previously worked at Kahler Financial Group and EVOadvisers. Outside of advisory work, she operates a tax preparation service for long-haul truckers based in Midlothian, VA. KFG, LLC serves individuals, business owners, professionals, retirees, families, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated financial planning and portfolio management using a process-driven, five-step planning approach and a long-term, constant-weighting investment philosophy with tax-aware strategies.

Deidre Budahl is a financial advisor with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. in Rapid City, SD, holding a Series 65 designation and 10 years of industry experience. She has been a partner and accountant at Casey Peterson, Ltd., a regional CPA firm, since 2003. Budahl serves on the board of Monument Health - Rapid City Hospital and is the Board Chair for the South Dakota Board of Accountancy. Avantax Planning Partners provides investment advice and planning primarily to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses through collaborative arrangements with independent CPA firms. The firm employs model-based style allocation strategies and offers discretionary portfolio management with tax-intelligent overlays and centralized trading.

Carter Howell is a financial advisor at Seacrest Wealth Management, LLC with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Seacrest, he worked in roles with the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves and has a background including five years at Augustana University. Seacrest Wealth Management is a multi-advisor firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm uses a customized, long-term investment approach combining fundamental and technical analysis, supported by artificial intelligence tools and human review, managing approximately $1.53 billion in assets.

Jeffrey Meyer is a CFP® and CFA® with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Seacrest Wealth Management, LLC. He has worked with Seacrest Wealth Management since 2008 and has been associated with SeaCrest Investment Management since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he holds leadership and board positions in various nonprofit organizations, including serving as Grand Knight for the Knights of Columbus and board member roles with the Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore and the South Dakota Children's Home Foundation. Seacrest Wealth Management is a multi-advisor firm managing approximately $1.53 billion and serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a customized, long-term investment approach that integrates fundamental and technical analysis, using both internal and third-party AI tools as decision-support.