Independent advisors focused on married/couples/partners in Maryland

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Rockville, MD, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities, JP Morgan Chase Bank, and TD Bank. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a DBA for his LPL business. LPL Financial provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, institutions, and high-net-worth households. The firm offers a variety of delivery options supported by an in-house research team, combining large-scale advisory operations with a broad range of financial products.

James Cannon is a financial advisor at Cannon Wealth Group LLC in Eagle, Idaho, with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has led his independent firm since 2014. Cannon Wealth Group LLC is a fee-based financial planning and investment management firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers tailored investment programs, comprehensive planning, and specialized pension consulting, including ERISA advisory and discretionary investment manager services.

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.

Christina Cunningham is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor at Spire Wealth Management, LLC with six years of experience. She previously worked at Cardinal Wealth Management and First Financial Group, and has a background in education from the University of Dayton and Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. Spire Wealth Management provides investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, trusts, and retirement plans, offering a range of strategies including passive, active, and hybrid tax-aware allocations, as well as access to separately managed portfolios and wrap programs. The firm incorporates proprietary risk overlays and operates joint ventures to manage model portfolios for its clients.

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.

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.