Large-firm, retirement income strategy financial advisors in Charleston, IL

Ryan Mefford is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Charleston, Illinois. Prior to his current role, he worked at Pilson Auto Center for five years. Mefford is also associated with First Mid Bank and Trust and First Mid Wealth Management, where he is involved in developing comprehensive financial plans for clients. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes risk profiling and analytical tools to tailor its non-discretionary planning and investment consulting to client goals and supports a broad advisor network and affiliated advisory firms.

Andrew Grahn is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with nine years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 66 license. His prior experience includes roles at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc and Wells Fargo Clearing. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services and develops tailored recommendations using proprietary research and tools.

Kelsey Swing is a financial advisor with Cetera Planning Partners, holding a Series 65 designation and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cetera Planning Partners, Kelsey worked at Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. and is also a partner and accountant at Gilbert, Metzger & Madigan, LLP, a CPA firm where she has worked since 2002. She serves as a board member and treasurer for two nonprofit organizations, Eastern Dominican Christian Mission and Sexual Assault Counseling & Information Service. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on pre-retirees and retirees with services including investment management, comprehensive financial planning, and Social Security optimization. The firm’s investment process centers on diversified portfolios of mutual funds and ETFs tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance, supplemented by additional services such as tax planning, bookkeeping, and estate planning through a third-party provider.

Dustin Sloat is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Charleston, IL, holding CFP® and Series 66 credentials with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2017 and previously spent two years at R&M Pipeline. Outside of advising, he serves on the board of Cornerstone Daycare in Charleston, participating monthly in decisions regarding facility operations. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Jeffrey Oetting is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at FSC Securities Corporation and Eastern Illinois University, where he serves as an instructor in the School of Business. Oetting is also the owner of a recovery collections agency and involved in managing rental businesses. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors and employs advanced tools such as asset-allocation models and automated rebalancing to manage portfolios across multiple asset classes.

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.