Top equity Recipients (RS/RSU, SOP, ESPP) financial advisors in Columbia, MD

Freddie Watson is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 45 years of industry experience. He has been with Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. since 1989. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of Watson Family Farms LLC, a farming business. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is an enterprise firm serving individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans, including educators in 403(b) and 457(b) programs. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management with advisor- and firm-managed model portfolios, and access to third-party managers, supported by an in-house Investment Management & Research team.

Max Hoffman is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience. He is currently with Fidelity Investments and previously worked at Equitable Advisors. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery. The firm employs a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction.

Eric Wells is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. since 2023 and has concurrent experience with the federal government and T. Rowe Price dating back to 2010. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, employing a range of portfolio management strategies and proprietary models.

Jeffrey Grodsky is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cetera. His prior roles include positions at Avantax Investment Services and Carmichael & Associates Inc. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved with Palumbo Financial & Tax Services LLC, where he provides tax preparation and accounting services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm supporting a nationwide network of independent advisors, serving individual, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with a range of portfolio management options, including model portfolios, third-party managers, and bespoke strategies, with over $256 billion in assets under management.

Eric Armentrout is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Columbia, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at T Rowe Price and Equitable Advisors. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, utilizing an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates in its financial planning approach.

Daniel Memo is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been in the financial services industry since 1998 and began his career with Smith Barney. Daniel focuses on serving high net worth individuals and business retirement planning. He holds FINRA Series 7, 66, 3, and 31 registrations. Daniel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from John Carroll University. He also holds professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). His areas of expertise include college education planning, corporate benefits, equity compensation services, retirement income, and small business strategies. Daniel is active in the Poland community where he resides with his wife, Erin, and their four sons. He participates in organizations such as the Poland Community Baseball Association, Poland Flag Football, and St. Vincent De Paul. He has served as a board member of the Rich Center for Autism and is affiliated with Magic of Michael. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys baseball, basketball, football, golfing, swimming, table tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Jorden Bastien is a financial advisor at LifeSteps Financial with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with LifeSteps Financial, formerly Foothill Financial Advisors, since 2012. LifeSteps Financial is a team-based registered investment adviser with seven advisors managing approximately $443 million in client assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, businesses, and retirement plan participants, offering investment advisory and financial planning services alongside bill payment and reconciliation and a short-term cash management program for high-net-worth clients.

Ken Mason is an Executive Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role he has held since 2025. In this capacity, he works closely with clients to develop wealth strategies that incorporate their workplace benefits, aiming to support them in pursuing their financial goals. Ken emphasizes building trust through a consultative approach, ensuring clients receive personalized and understandable financial plans. He is committed to helping clients achieve peace of mind by focusing on what matters most to them. Specific details about his education, credentials, or personal interests were not provided.

David Snapp is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Thomasville, NC, with 10 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and the Series 66 license and has been with Edward Jones since 2015. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including households across the wealth spectrum, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of advisory strategies alongside affiliated mutual funds and specialized investment services.

Michael Elliott is a CFA® charterholder with two years of experience in the financial industry. He currently works at Harbour Capital Advisors, LLC, where he has been since 2024. Prior to this, he held roles at CFRA Research, Avascent, Raymond James & Co., and Marriott & Co Investment Banking. Harbour Capital Advisors serves ultra-high-net-worth families and charitable organizations, managing approximately $701 million for around 55 clients. The firm uses customized investment policy statements, mean-variance optimization, and a core-satellite investment approach that includes both liquid public securities and alternative investments, alongside wealth-transfer and family-governance services.