Independent financial advisors working with founders and business owners in Mount Vernon, OH

J. Howard is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at LifePro Asset Management, Kestra Financial Services, Goldberg, Clouse & Edgell, and Merit Advisors, LLC, where he is also an owner involved in financial strategy and insurance sales. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Whole in One Ministry, participating in monthly meetings and fundraiser planning. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a broad platform of services such as model portfolio solutions, discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and self-directed brokerage support.

Lance Spearman is a financial advisor with ValMark Advisers, Inc. in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, holding 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Valmark Securities, Inc. since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he sells group health and life insurance contracts with carriers outside of ValMark’s insurance arrangements. ValMark Advisers serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, plan sponsors, and institutional users through a network of approximately 280 investment advisory representatives. The firm offers diversified, goal-based model portfolios primarily using mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, supported by proprietary platforms and comprehensive advisory and back-office services.

I'm Zach, founder and lead advisor of Mount Vernon Financial, an independent fee-only fiduciary RIA based in Mount Vernon, Ohio, serving clients across the state and beyond. I started this firm because too many people get advice that's built around a product or a sales quota instead of their actual life and I wanted to build something more personal. My desire is that all prospects and clients can see that I start from a place of genuine care. Trust is only built if care, integrity and honesty are evident. As an advisor, I lean on evidence-based investing and tax-efficient planning. I hold the CEP and CFP® designations. Before starting Mount Vernon Financial, I spent years with High-Net-worth clients helping with equity planning through corporate brokerage solutions at Morgan Stanley and advising clients directly at TD Ameritrade. I've seen how both big firms and everyday investors operate, and I built this practice to give you the best of both. Mount Vernon Financial is intentionally set up alongside a local CPA firm, so your tax picture and your financial plan aren't living in two separate silos. Whether you're starting off, nearing retirement, or somewhere in between, I would be honored to have a conversation to see where we can help.

Joshua Lambert is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 22 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 14 years before joining LPL Financial in 2019. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, and institutional platforms, supported by various investment strategies and advisor tools.

Gregory Coffing is a CFP® professional with 27 years of experience in the financial services industry, all with Edward Jones. He holds a Series 63 license and is based in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of Kokosing Gap Trail, contributing to the maintenance and development of the local bike trail. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory services including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

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 Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

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.

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

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 Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

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 Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.