CFP®-certified, charitable giving & philanthropy financial advisors in Cedar Rapids, IA

Justin Kensinger is a financial advisor with BCG Securities, Inc. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with BCG Securities since 2013. Kensinger also operates a DBA, Kensinger & Co., LLC. BCG Securities serves institutional retirement plans and individual clients with accounts generally above $25,000, offering portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and related advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored investment policy development and often implements advice on a non-discretionary basis, with a focus on third-party manager due diligence and a variety of investment analyses.

Stephen Mickelson is a financial advisor at Red Cedar with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has previously worked at Cetera Advisors LLC and Stonefield Investment Advisory. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a soccer referee. Red Cedar Advisory serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and small businesses, providing asset management, financial planning, consulting, and ERISA plan participant advisory services. The firm manages accounts on a discretionary basis using fundamental and technical analysis along with asset-allocation strategies, and employs option- and derivative-based approaches that contribute to active trading and portfolio complexity.

Wendy Nemecek is a financial advisor at CWM, LLC with 33 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at firms including Carson Wealth, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, TN Weber Nieland, Private Advisor Group, LLC, and LPL Financial. Outside of advising, she is a notary and owns a small office cleaning business. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, foundations, endowments, corporations, and institutional clients through a network of over 600 advisors. The firm employs model portfolios managed by an Investment Committee and offers a range of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan solutions, and sub-advisory capabilities.

Michael Dawson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Cedar Rapids, IA, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., and has operated Selk Dawson Tax Services since 2007. In addition to his advisory role, Dawson provides tax preparation and bookkeeping services through Mike Dawson Bookkeeping and Selk Dawson Tax Service. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and brokerage services supported by proprietary and third-party research, with both discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

William Hahesy III is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Grit Family Office, LLC, where he has worked since 2017, and previously held roles at BerganKDV Wealth Management, LLC and Bergan Paulsen. Outside of his advisory work, he has ownership interests in several privately held companies in the manufacturing and overhead door sales industries. Grit Family Office serves high-net-worth individuals and small businesses, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and third-party adviser referrals. The firm follows a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach with an emphasis on asset allocation, risk tolerance, and regular portfolio monitoring across a range of traditional and alternative investments.

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor at Seasons of Advice Wealth Management with 42 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of finance, she is a singer who sells her own vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book titled "Congenital Alterable Transmissible Asymmetry: The Spiritual Meaning of Disease and Science." Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm follows a life-cycle investment approach called the “Seasons of Advice” process and offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and specialized fixed-income programs through sub-advisors.

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money managers.

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

Edward Blatz serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. He specializes in working with high net-worth individuals and families, focusing on estate and wealth management needs. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985, he has provided personalized financial solutions tailored to his clients' risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment goals. Edward's expertise encompasses a range of areas including college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, managing new wealth, individual and corporate investment strategies, and retirement income planning. He collaborates closely with clients' tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to ensure comprehensive management of clients' financial and personal affairs. Edward is recognized as a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Edward holds a Bachelor's Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Outside of his professional work, he has interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

Patrick Ferguson is a financial advisor at Intentional, LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Commonwealth Financial Network. In addition to his advisory role, Ferguson is licensed to sell fixed and traditional insurance products. Intentional provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan consulting for businesses and institutions. The firm combines fundamental, technical, and economic analysis in its investment approach and offers due diligence and monitoring of alternative and private investments for qualified investors.

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.

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.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.