Top advisors focused on business succession planning in District of Columbia

Dexter Walker is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015 and MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY llc since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is a 40% owner of Washington DC Inferno, LLC, a professional women's squash franchise. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm’s planning process includes structured discovery and firm-approved tools but does not provide individual security recommendations as part of standalone planning.

David Cunningham is a financial advisor with Westbourne Investment Advisors Inc. in Annapolis, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Westbourne Investment Advisors since 2007 and has been with Cunningham Capital Management, LLC since 2012. Westbourne Investment Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, pension plans, and non-profit organizations. The firm employs an equity-oriented, buy-and-hold investment strategy supported by fundamental analysis and technical review, managing approximately $359 million across about 420 accounts.

Stephen Dunbar III is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Atlanta, GA, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Equitable Advisors since 2010, previously associated with AXA Advisors, LLC during the same period. Outside of advising, he writes a monthly financial column for Kiplinger and is involved as an owner and investor in a family-run baking business. Equitable Advisors serves individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement-plan support, and access to asset management through LPL programs and third-party asset managers. The firm operates a hybrid referral and implementation model that combines advisory and brokerage services tailored to clients’ goals, risk tolerance, and time horizons.

Anne Whiting is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Chicago, IL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 14 years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at O Long Law, LLC, Churchill Capital USA, Inc., and Rodan + Fields. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on holistic, goal-based financial planning rather than portfolio management. The firm offers these planning services either on a one-time or ongoing basis and allows clients to integrate planning with managed accounts through a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan.”

Heather Ramlal is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and nine years of industry experience. She has held roles at HLR Financial Solutions Inc and Amplify, an education company, alongside her ongoing work with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2016. Ramlal is also president of HLR Financial Solutions Inc, an S corporation established for expense documentation purposes. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a model portfolio approach implemented through third-party managers and proprietary platforms such as Transamerica ONE and TFA365.

Ethan Siekkinen is a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2023. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and has experience outside finance with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual investors, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis supported by a proprietary equity market valuation model.

Michael Ipp is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. in Livingston, NJ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 41 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he works as an independent contractor for 1792 Wealth Advisors. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth and non-HNW clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and municipal entities. The firm offers financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting, emphasizing tailored financial plans developed through detailed client interviews and risk profiling.

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.

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.

Jerald Liesman is a financial advisor at Frost Investment Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. and Frost Bank since 1993 and 1987, respectively. Frost Investment Services is a retail-focused, SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and managed account programs that integrate model portfolios from its affiliate with third-party managers, utilizing a research-driven investment process and providing optional tax and ESG overlay services.