I'm the founder of SCM Investment Services in Lake Elmo, MN — a fee-only, fiduciary advisory firm built on one belief: everyone deserves honest financial advice from someone legally required to put their interests first. My path here started on the trading floor at the Chicago Board of Trade, where I transacted over $1 billion in US Treasury Notes daily and later served as VP and Director of Discretionary Trading Operations. With degrees in Computer Science and Chemistry, I've always approached investing as a hard science — not a sales pitch. I earned my MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the epicenter of evidence-based investing. No commissions. No exceptions. I've been quoted as a financial expert in CNN Money, Fortune, the Chicago Tribune, US News, and Investment News.

Sam Schuette is a seasoned wealth advisor with over two decades of experience helping individuals and families plan for financial security and life milestones. As Vice President and Wealth Advisor at GreenUp Wealth Management, Sam works with clients to develop financial strategies tailored to their goals — including retirement planning, investment guidance, and overall wealth management.  Before joining GreenUp, Sam spent more than a decade at Scottrade, Inc., where he built strong client relationships and led teams of investment professionals. He also served in financial advisory and wealth planning roles at several other firms, bringing a depth of practical experience across markets, financial planning disciplines, and client service.  Sam holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture & Food Business Management with a focus in Finance from the University of Minnesota. Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, outdoor activities, and community engagement.

Peter O'Brien is a financial advisor with MPM Financial Corporation in Maplewood, MN. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 37 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Voya Financial Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he is also a licensed insurance agent involved in the sale of fixed insurance products. MPM Financial Corporation provides discretionary asset management primarily for individual investors and qualified retirement plans, including limited-scope ERISA 3(21) fiduciary support. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios to client objectives and employs third-party model managers and UMA platforms as part of its investment approach.

Justin Munger is a financial advisor at VIP Financial Associates with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Sawtooth Asset Management and Sawtooth Solutions before joining Premier Capital Management, LLC dba VIP Financial Associates in 2016. Outside of advising, he owns Premier Pet Services, LLC, a pet sitting and cleanup service, and has been involved as an independent life and health insurance agent since 2002. VIP Financial Associates provides financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm emphasizes individualized asset allocation using fundamental and technical analysis and relies on third-party model managers and due diligence services for portfolio construction and monitoring.

Thomas Thompson is the principal of Thompson Financial Transitions Inc. in White Bear Lake, MN, with 29 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and securities licenses Series 63 and Series 65. Thompson has a background that includes roles at SagePoint Financial and Kristi Seifert, LLC, and he also works as an independent insurance agent selling life insurance, long-term care, and annuities. Additionally, he assists with tax preparation and serves as power of attorney managing investments and financial affairs for a family member. Thompson Financial Transitions Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and consulting for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory approach, utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, with discretionary trading authority and direct management of insurance contract assets alongside platform-based solutions.

James Wilkinson is the principal of Wilkinson Capital Management, LLC, an independent investment advisory firm based in St. Paul, MN. He holds Series 63 and 65 licenses and has 24 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Merrill, UBS Financial Services, Piper Sandler & Co., and Strong Capital Management. Wilkinson has operated his current firm since 2016. Wilkinson Capital Management provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm manages approximately $97 million across about 98 clients, employing a primarily long-term, customized approach with diversified portfolios consisting of low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, individual stocks, bonds, and occasionally unaffiliated independent managers.

Jesse Sell is a CFP® with 31 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Prevail Financial Partners, LLC since 2019. Prior to founding Prevail, he worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 11 years. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Treasurer and Secretary for his neighborhood Homeowners Association in West Lakeland, Minnesota. Prevail Financial Partners is a state-registered independent advisory firm that provides portfolio management, investment advice, and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm manages approximately $63.7 million across 70 client relationships, employing a client-driven investment process that includes asset allocation, dollar-cost averaging, and both long- and short-term trading, with a focus on non-discretionary account management.

Jay Radke is a financial advisor with Investors Choice in Stillwater, MN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at Investors Choice from 1999 to 2018. In addition to his advisory role, Radke has been a licensed life insurance agent since 1984, providing insurance products to clients as needed. Investors Choice is an independent firm offering financial planning, investment advisory, and portfolio management services to individual clients. The firm manages approximately $1.41 million across a limited number of accounts, using a customized investment approach that incorporates various analysis techniques and a range of instruments, including mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, options, CDs, and annuities. The firm also sells insurance products and offers fixed and variable annuities, combining fee-based advisory and insurance services.

David Hammer is a CFP® and ChFC® with 14 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Hammer Advisory Services, Inc., a firm he founded in 2010 and continues to lead. Hammer Advisory Services provides non-discretionary direct asset management and financial planning to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, estates, and business owners. The firm uses a combination of fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory to build tailored portfolios, operating on a non-discretionary basis that requires client approval for trades and conducts quarterly account reviews.

Michael Heflin is a financial advisor at YES Wealth Management with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at BMO Capital Markets Corp., GMB Capital Partners, and S Capital Wealth Advisors. He is the founder and CEO of Class Action Connection, a business that assists individuals and businesses in recovering compensation from class action settlements. YES Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm employs a primarily long-term, risk-managed asset allocation approach using fundamental analysis and a mix of ETFs, mutual funds, and individual securities, with an investment program that notably includes derivatives in separately managed accounts.

Brian Peterson is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Endurance Financial Group since 2020. Prior to this, he worked at Sagepoint Financial, Inc. from 2014 to 2020. Endurance Financial Group, operating as Blended Family Financial, is a fee-only registered adviser that specializes in wealth management, investment management, project-based financial planning, and educational workshops. The firm focuses on blended-family financial issues and uses a proprietary Planning Built for Life® process, offering tiered wealth-management packages tailored to clients’ evolving needs.

Kyle Playford is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Freedom Financial Partners LLC in Oakdale, MN. He has worked at multiple firms, including AdvisorNet Wealth Management and Pine Grove Financial Group. In addition to his advisory role, he is an insurance agent with FFP Insurance LLC. Freedom Financial Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension/profit-sharing plans, providing portfolio management, financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and insurance advisory services. The firm employs a combination of active and passive strategies guided by Modern Portfolio Theory and customized investment policies.

James Heflin is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at S Capital Wealth Advisors, LLC since 2016. Heflin is currently affiliated with YES Wealth Management in Mahtomedi, MN, a firm with three advisors. YES Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $127 million for around 100 clients, following a primarily long-term, risk-managed asset allocation strategy that incorporates ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and the use of derivatives in separately managed accounts.

Matthew Brandeen is a CFA® charterholder currently with Freedom Financial Partners LLC, where he has worked since 2025. Prior to joining Freedom Financial Partners, he was with Wealth Enhancement Group and AgriBank. He has professional experience in financial services starting in 2021. Freedom Financial Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension/profit-sharing plans, offering portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and insurance advisory services. The firm uses a combination of active and passive investment strategies guided by Modern Portfolio Theory and customized investment policy statements.

Stefan Liiste is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience and is affiliated with Lions Gate Sovereign Capital, LLC. He has worked at Context Financial Group since 2005 and briefly at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. in 2005. Lions Gate Sovereign Capital is a small, state-registered investment adviser serving individual clients, including high-net-worth households, as well as certain trusts and estates. The firm offers financial planning, plan implementation, and non-discretionary portfolio management, focusing on cyclical analysis and technical methods to guide multi-year, theme-driven investment strategies.

Kathleen Liiste is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Lions Gate Sovereign Capital, LLC. She has worked at Context Financial Group since 2005. Lions Gate Sovereign Capital is a small advisory firm that serves individual investors, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, ongoing asset management, and a multi-format web-based education program called Rapid Transformation Wealth, which is available to clients and non-clients. Its investment approach emphasizes cyclical and technical analysis, focusing on concentrated exposure to asset classes in long-term uptrends, with primarily non-discretionary trade implementation.

Brian Lahr is a financial advisor at One Life Financial Group, Inc. in White Bear Lake, MN, with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 registrations and has previously worked at Clover Financial Technologies, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with the Lahr Family Farm. One Life Financial Group provides discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial life planning for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm customizes investment strategies based on client goals, time horizons, and risk tolerance, utilizing fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Michael Koob is the sole advisor at Koob Wealth Management, LLC in White Bear Township, MN, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 35 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services and LPL Financial before founding Koob Wealth Management in 2013. Koob also holds a life insurance agent license. Koob Wealth Management provides investment advisory and planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts and estates. The firm emphasizes individualized portfolios with written investment policy statements, using fundamental analysis and both long- and short-term strategies, and is notable for managing most client assets on a non-discretionary basis while sponsoring a wrap-fee asset management program through LPL Financial.

Samuel Emmer is a financial advisor at Endurance Financial Group with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he held positions at Bunker Hills Golf Club and Carbones Pizzeria. Endurance Financial Group serves individual, high-net-worth, and business clients by providing ongoing investment management and comprehensive financial planning on a fee-only basis. The firm’s investment approach combines quantitative ranking models and fundamental analysis within a Modern Portfolio Theory framework and is notable for incorporating held-away accounts into household asset calculations.

Sarah Kang is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience currently advising at UAK Diversified Wealth Advisors. Her prior work includes two years at James Andre LLC. Outside of financial advising, she teaches piano at the MacPhail Center for Music and operates a small private piano studio. UAK Diversified Wealth Advisors serves individual clients across the wealth spectrum, offering discretionary asset management, tiered financial planning, and consulting. The firm focuses on evidence-based, low-expense ETF and mutual fund portfolios managed with quantitative and fundamental analysis, and provides specialized planning services for high-net-worth households.