Top advisors focused on family business 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.

Edward Blatz is a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in working with high net-worth families and closely-held businesses, focusing on estate and wealth management strategies. Edward partners closely with clients’ tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to provide a comprehensive approach to managing both financial and personal aspects of their lives. His services include performance assessment, personalized guidance, and periodic reviews to help clients progress toward their individual financial goals. Edward joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985 and has over 40 years of experience developing tailored financial solutions that consider clients’ risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment objectives. His areas of expertise encompass college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management, managing new wealth, investment strategies, and retirement income. 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). Edward is also a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Outside of his professional work, he has personal interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

Eric Scovill is a financial advisor at Storehouse Wealth Management, LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Bedrock Digital Asset Management, MML Investors Services, and Mass Mutual Life Insurance. Outside of advising, Scovill is co-owner of Bedrock Digital Asset Management and YouAre Launched LLC, a business consulting and syndication company. Storehouse Wealth Management provides multi-family office services, investment management, and fee-based financial planning primarily to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and small business owners. The firm uses computer models, economic research, and ongoing monitoring to manage diversified portfolios and offers family-office services including estate and tax planning, philanthropic guidance, and business consulting.

Robert Mainello is a CFP® professional with over 10 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked at Waldron Private Wealth since 2022 and previously held roles at Wells Fargo Bank and SEI Investments. Outside of his advisory work, he owns a sports marketing business that arranges paid public appearances for professional athletes around the Philadelphia area. Waldron Private Wealth is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach with a diverse mix of investment vehicles, including alternative allocations and less-liquid strategies, supported by ongoing portfolio monitoring and rebalancing.

Christian Nelson is a financial advisor at IEQ Capital, LLC with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 designations. Prior to joining IEQ Capital in 2019, he worked at First Republic Securities Company and First Republic Investment Management from 2015 to 2019. IEQ Capital provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and advisory services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, and private funds. The firm’s investment approach includes centralized macro and manager research, use of independent managers, and allocation to liquid and private alternative investments.

Robert Neuman is a financial advisor with FIDERE Advisors in Minnetonka, MN, holding a Series 65 designation and five years of industry experience. Before joining FIDERE, he worked at Boulevard Wealth Management and spent over two decades at Koch Petroleum Group and Marathon Petroleum Co. FIDERE Advisors provides advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, and small businesses. The firm emphasizes long-term strategic portfolio allocation, primarily recommending mutual funds and ETFs, and offers financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, family-office and business advisory, insurance advisory, and research and valuation projects.