Top factor investing / smart beta financial advisors working with high-net-worth individuals in Gaithersburg, MD

Martin Depetris is a financial advisor at Fidelity with seven years of industry experience and holds the Series 66 designation. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America, Merrill, H. Beck, and Scottrade, as well as four years at Fidelity Investments, LLC. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including an IRS-qualified Charitable Gift Fund and registered investment companies. The firm employs a systematic investment approach that combines proprietary research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Matthew Bacon is a CFP® professional with 14 years of experience in financial advisory. He currently works at MAI Capital Management, LLC and has held previous roles at Carmichael Hill & Associates, University Federal Credit Union, CUSO Financial Services, MSI Financial Services, and New England Securities. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, institutional clients, and sports professionals. The firm employs a range of portfolio management strategies and serves as both product sponsor and adviser to mutual funds and private investment vehicles.

Cornell Abod is the sole advisor at Beacon Investment Advisors LLC with a Series 65 credential and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Beacon since 2003 and is also the owner of C.P. Abod & Co., LLC, an accounting firm, as well as Beacon RPC, LLC, a retirement plan consulting company. Beacon Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary wealth management, portfolio management, and financial and retirement planning services to individuals, families, high-net-worth households, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $542 million in discretionary assets and uses fundamental analysis to develop client-specific investment plans that often include diversified portfolios and derivative strategies.

Mariah Lightfoot is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial, based in Gaithersburg, MD, and has eight years of industry experience. She has worked at LPL Financial since 2019 and previously held roles at Mass Mutual Investors Services, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co, MGM National Harbor, and Capella University. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions and supports its advisors with proprietary research, third-party strategies, and various operational tools.

Robert Costello is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at several firms including Grove Point Investments, H. Beck, and Prudential. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in rental property management. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services, utilizing proprietary and third-party model portfolios across discretionary and non-discretionary platforms.

Joseph Hage is a financial advisor with Financial Trust Asset Management Chartered in Boca Raton, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Citigroup, Cetera Investment Advisers, and BB&T Investments. He is also part owner of Financial Trust Research Partners, LLC, where he conducts and reviews investment research. Financial Trust Asset Management serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and other advisers, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, OCIO services, and sub-advisory/model licensing. The firm employs a blend of quantitative, fundamental, and technical analysis through proprietary models and indexes, and its setup includes unique features such as affiliated research and distribution arrangements that extend its proprietary strategies to third-party platforms.

Tiffany Stoner is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 16 years of industry experience. She is currently with Avier Wealth Advisors in Bellevue, WA, where she has worked since 2024. Her prior experience includes roles at Badgley Phelps Wealth Managers, Brighton Jones, and Charles Schwab. Avier Wealth Advisors provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, families, and various business entities. The firm emphasizes broad asset allocation strategies using primarily mutual funds and ETFs, incorporates factor research into equity allocations, and offers integrated planning and portfolio management services, including handling held-away assets.

Ryan Paul is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, where he has worked since 2016. His prior experience includes roles at Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in tax preparation and accounting on a limited basis. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services manages over $122 billion in assets and provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a diversified, risk-class based investment approach utilizing both passive and active managers, supported by an internal Investment Committee.

Keith Johnson is a financial advisor at Associated Investment Services, Inc. with 12 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Securities America Advisors and Securities America Inc. He has been with Associated Investment Services since 2017. Associated Investment Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individual investors, small corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable institutions. The firm offers model portfolio and separately managed account programs through third-party managers and its affiliate Kellogg Asset Management, delivering advisory services via the Envestnet/NFS platform with a predominantly non-discretionary investment approach.

Pranay Dureja is a financial advisor at Dorsey, Wright & Associates, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Nasdaq, Merrill, and Bank of America. Outside of finance, he is a co-founder and partner of Studio Suzuki, a small record label promoting and distributing local musical artists. Dorsey, Wright & Associates provides discretionary investment management to individual investors and offers research, model licensing, and advisory services to institutional and professional clients. The firm’s investment approach is based on technical analysis, utilizing Point & Figure charting and relative strength methods across multiple asset classes.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor with Seasons of Advice Wealth Management in New York, NY. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 43 years of industry experience, including roles at Ameriprise Financial Services and RBC Capital Markets. Outside of her advisory work, she records and sells vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book on the spiritual meaning of disease and science. Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm uses a proprietary planning process that integrates goal tracking, asset allocation, and tax planning, tailoring investment recommendations to each client’s objectives and risk tolerance.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.