Independent financial advisors working with executives in Blacksburg, VA

James Barnes is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021 and previously held roles at Bb&T Securities, LLC and Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. Barnes also serves as an adjunct instructor for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s Virginia Search and Rescue program. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, implementing advice through a combination of discretionary manager relationships and consulting services.

Zachary Smith is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving at The Kelly Group. His prior roles include positions at OLIO Financial Planning and Partners in Financial Planning. Before entering the financial advisory field, he worked with the Virginia Tech Athletic Department and at Virginia Tech. The Kelly Group advises individuals, families, trusts, nonprofits, corporations, and qualified retirement plans, managing over $1 billion in regulatory assets. The firm employs a team-based approach, using diversified model portfolios primarily made up of institutional mutual funds, and emphasizes ongoing monitoring and behavioral coaching.

Jamie Lynn Byram is a CFP® professional with one year of experience in financial advising. She is the principal of Peace Within Financial, a firm she has led since 2024, following prior roles at EVOadvisers and Locker Financial Services. Byram also provides personal financial consulting and education through Peace Within Financial Counseling, LLC, where she writes and speaks about personal finance topics. Peace Within Financial is a fee-only advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and families with comprehensive financial planning and non-discretionary investment management. The firm emphasizes functional asset allocation, long-term buy-and-hold strategies, and educational seminars delivered in a classroom setting.

Christine Smith is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate since 2005. Smith serves on the Board of Directors for Rotary and has held leadership roles with Rotary International and the American Business Women's Association. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals nearing or in retirement, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored recommendation reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its extensive network of advisors and affiliated companies.

Meghan Kuczmarski is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2018. Prior to joining Edward Jones, she was involved with Peacework Development Fund Inc and worked as a self-employed consultant. She holds volunteer leadership roles with the Newcomers Club and Virginia Tech Alumni Association NRV Chapter, and previously served as past president of the Kiwanis Club in Blacksburg, VA. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions, supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services and holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. She has 10 years of industry experience, including roles at MetLife Securities and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In addition to her advisory work, she operates as an independent insurance agent specializing in life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, utilizing firm-approved tools to develop collaborative, goal-oriented financial plans.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.