Large-firm, social Security optimization financial advisors 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 a Series 66 designation and has worked at LPL Financial since 2019, following 14 years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Lambert is also licensed as a non-variable insurance agent. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and various investment strategies.

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.

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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Cassandra Sanchez is a financial advisor at Financial & Tax Architects, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Fisher Investments, TIAA, US Health Advisors, and various other firms. Sanchez also had involvement with Drunken Donkey, reflecting experience outside the financial sector. Financial & Tax Architects provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on those nearing or in retirement. The firm offers proprietary “Private Wealth Strategies” that use ETFs, individual securities, and trend-aware rebalancing, with accounts reviewed monthly and customizable strategies to meet client needs.

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Charles Pyfer III is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wealthspire Advisors since 2024. Prior to this, he spent 15 years at Private Ocean. Wealthspire Advisors provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and family office support to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a relationship-driven, customized investment approach that emphasizes diversified, institutional-style asset allocation and utilizes a range of investment vehicles and third-party platforms for comprehensive portfolio management.

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.

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

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.

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 and previously at AXA Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for the nonprofit Alpha Light Fund Inc., focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, retirement plan, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, leveraging LPL-sponsored programs and endorsed TAMPs to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.