Large-firm, retirement income strategy financial advisors 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.

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.

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.

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, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Gordon Brown III is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Edward Jones since 2008. 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 programs and investment options, operating under a fiduciary standard.

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.

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

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.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

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, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.