Top advisors focused on young families in Colorado

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. She has one year of industry experience, including roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. Prior to entering the financial industry, she worked in education for eight years. Outside of advising, Kristin is an author and publisher of a basketball coaching notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base with a range of brokerage and advisory services, utilizing proprietary and third-party investment strategies across various account types and investment vehicles.

Ava Bollinger is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. She has held roles at Charles Schwab Bank, SSB and Charles Schwab since 2020. Charles Schwab serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary investment options alongside brokerage, custody, and financial planning services.

Parker Stanford is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Charles Schwab. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Stanford Senior Services, LLC, a company focused on elder care accounting and bookkeeping. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning and a broad range of advisory programs supported by structured discovery processes and firm-approved tools.

Terry Thomason is a financial advisor with Replica Wealth Advisors Inc in Colorado Springs, CO, holding a Series 65 designation and 11 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Replica Wealth Advisors in 2019, he worked at Gradient Advisors, LLC and Mountain Range Financial Advisors. He also operates an insurance agency specializing in life insurance, Medicare, long-term care, and annuity products. Replica Wealth Advisors is an independent firm providing financial planning, educational seminars, and access to investment management through third-party managers and sub-advisors. The firm focuses on non-discretionary client relationships, assisting with portfolio selection and ongoing monitoring rather than direct portfolio management.

Steven Arrigan is a financial advisor with Geneos Wealth Management, Inc. in Wheat Ridge, CO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Geneos Wealth Management and Joseph S. Sturniolo & Associates, Inc. since 2006. Geneos Wealth Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment advisory, and brokerage services. The firm employs a variety of analytic approaches and investment strategies, combining continuous account monitoring with discretionary trading authority for most accounts.

Garrett Dahm is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been providing financial guidance since 2017. He specializes in developing strategies and offering advice tailored to the short- and long-term financial objectives of individuals, families, and businesses. As a qualified Portfolio Manager, Garrett manages discretionary Personalized and Defined Strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management model portfolios, and third-party investment options. His areas of focus include family wealth management, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, liquidity management, retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and strategies for sports and entertainment clients. Garrett earned a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He completed his high school education at Prospect High School and attended Harper College without earning a degree. Outside of his professional role, Garrett has a background in classical guitar, having performed solo and with orchestras worldwide since the age of four. Notably, he performed in multiple cities in Australia during the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics. He lives in Mt. Prospect with his wife Tanya and their son Jace. His personal interests include golfing, ice hockey, practicing guitar, and spending time with his family.

Jon Bernier is a CFP® and ChFC® with 23 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with TandemGrowth Financial Advisors, LLC in Alpharetta, GA since 2000. TandemGrowth Financial Advisors serves individuals, high net worth households, trusts, and estates with comprehensive wealth management and financial planning, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside retirement-plan oversight and account aggregation tools. The firm uses a strategic, long-term investment approach across equity-risk spectrums, incorporating mutual funds, ETFs, independent managers, and alternative investments, and provides unique services such as a NextGen program and healthcare planning partnerships.

WHY JERRY CHOSE TO BE A FINANCIAL PLANNER: His lack of financial literacy was not by choice. It was because personal finance was not taught in school or in his community. As a first-generation wealth builder, Jerry's money journey has been shaped by a profound understanding of both cultural and financial expectations. His experiences have uniquely positioned him to empathize with the challenges faced by first-generation families, inspiring a distinctive approach to financial guidance. His moment of profound solitude occurred during his transition from the Marine Corps back to civilian life. In uniform, Jerry felt in control, with camaraderie, financial stability, and a consistent salary. However, the day he left, all that stability vanished giving way to a cascade of emotions - depression, anxiety, and fear. Jerry, who had grown up facing financial hardships, relying on food stamps, and public aid, knew it was time to stop merely talking about wanting to build wealth and start acting. The realization struck deep: He needed to make a difference not just for himself, but for others facing similar issues. Motivated by a desire to help his family and friends, Jerry decided to be the guide he wished he'd had. He obtained his license, college degree, and joined a firm not only to enhance his life but the lives of other 1st-time wealth builders. After a few years of helping high net worth individuals grow their assets, Jerry felt the firm wasn't built to help families like his. In 2024, Jerry took the leap and launched Confianza Wealth Management as a guide for aspiring wealth builders. Jerry is on a mission to empower 1st-time wealth building families. Jerry wants to bridge the financial planning accessibility gap by helping these millennial families take control of their financial futures.

David Martula is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Fee-Only Financial Planning since 1991. Fee-Only Financial Planning serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, by providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm emphasizes a low-cost, buy-and-hold investment approach using no-load mutual funds, tailoring recommendations to clients’ goals and life stages.

Ai Mendoza is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where she collaborates with clients and their families to develop financial plans aimed at achieving their goals. She has held this role since 2022. Prior to joining Fidelity Investments, Ai worked as a Private Client Banker at JP Morgan Chase from 2019 to 2022, gaining experience in client financial services and banking. Outside of her professional career, Ai enjoys family activities, fishing, social events with friends, gardening, and outdoor adventures.