Independent advisors focused on married/couples/partners in Georgia

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor with Merrill, holding a Series 66 credential and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill in multiple capacities since 2011, with brief stints at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities in 2022. Merrill serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and institutional clients, offering managed account programs, discretionary portfolio management, and brokerage services. The firm employs a range of program strategies and manager-constructed portfolios, with oversight from its CIO and platform management, and leverages its affiliation with Bank of America to support trading, lending, and capital markets activities.

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.

Claxton West is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2017. Prior to that, he was employed at the University of Georgia and Aflac. West has a 35% ownership interest in a trucking and logistics business called Big Red and serves as a finance committee member at Madison Baptist Church. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related products and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Kelsey Mc Knight is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Commerce, GA, holding a Series 66 designation with three years of industry experience. Kelsey has been with Edward Jones since 2013. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and operates through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Thomas Mason is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Corient with nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fisher Investments and AssuredPartners Investment Advisors. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm uses a team-based investment model to create customized, goals-based asset allocations and integrates risk management through factor models, stress testing, and manager due diligence.

Kayla Santos is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Warwick, RI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and previously at MetLife and MetLife Securities. Outside of her advisory role, she is an independent insurance agent specializing in life, fixed annuities, disability, long-term care, and health insurance. Mass Mutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser subsidiary of MassMutual that serves individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, using firm-approved software and tools to analyze client goals and deliver written financial recommendations.

Sandra Conroy is a Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Vice President with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She has been active in the financial services industry since August 1985, providing clients with wealth management services that address both individual and complex financial needs. Her professional focus includes education planning, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, tax minimization, and retirement income. Sandra’s approach centers on developing personalized strategies tailored to clients’ short- and long-term financial objectives, emphasizing the importance of understanding life priorities beyond markets and returns. Her credentials include the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation, and she holds a High School Diploma/GED from Greenville Central School. Prior to her financial career, Sandra managed Arthur Murray Ballroom Dance Studios in Florida and Arizona and became a franchise owner and operator in Denver. She also trained as a Medic in the U.S. Army Reserves. Outside of her professional work, Sandra is married with two children and three grandchildren. Her personal interests include dancing, golfing, and traveling.

Ben is the founder of Ketwich Capital LLC ("Ket-Cap") which serves the financial and investment needs of professionals and families. Ben is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and a Certified Kingdom Advisor®. Prior to founding Ket-Cap in 2017, Ben spent a decade working on Wall Street at UBS and Neuberger Berman. As an equity analyst in 2008, he had a front-row seat to the housing bubble burst and the collapse of the global economy. This experience taught him the dangers of financial salesmanship (mortgages in this case) and the pitfall wealth can bring when there is no plan or purpose. Ben is passionate about helping others become secure, content, and generous in their wealth. Ben has facilitated financial courses including Financial Peace University, Charting Your Legacy, and the Journey of Generosity (Generous Giving). In his personal time, Ben can be found either outside with his wife and two young children or building something around the house. He is an avid reader of books related to money, history, and theology.

Robert Kaercher is a financial advisor at Smith & Howard Wealth Management, LLC in Atlanta, GA, with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Smith & Howard Wealth Management since 2010. Smith & Howard Wealth Management is an SEC-registered team serving individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting, managing approximately $646.5 million in discretionary assets.

Peter Bittermann is a financial advisor with Westminster Financial Advisory Corporation, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Westminster Financial since 2011 and has also worked at RBC Capital Markets Corporation since 2008. Westminster Financial Advisory Corporation provides investment supervisory services and general investment advice to individuals, families, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, small businesses, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes a diversified, multi-asset class investment approach with a buy-and-hold orientation complemented by tactical adjustments and manages portfolios using various securities, mutual funds, ETFs, and option strategies.

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.

Edwina Martin is a financial advisor at Waverly Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and Teradata Corp for eleven years. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning. Waverly Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, employing a combination of centralized and customized investment strategies across traditional and alternative asset classes.

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Safeguard since 2020 and previously held roles at LifePro Asset Management, LLC, Martin and Associates Insurance Services, Inc., and Martin Wealth Management, LLC. Hart is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education (NACFF), providing unbiased fiduciary financial education. Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party sub-advisers, and fee-based financial planning. The firm employs a fundamental-analysis investment process with a preferred horizon of two to ten years and manages over $600 million across approximately 1,800 client relationships.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently with Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously worked at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Santander Securities LLC provides investment advisory and related services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm offers wrap-fee advisory programs and financial planning services, delivering investment advice through the FMAX managed-account platform with discretionary portfolio management and ongoing suitability reviews.