CFP®-certified advisors focused on charitable giving & philanthropy in North Dakota

Jamey Pesek is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2015. Outside of advising, he is a partner in TRI-J Partners, LLC, an entity established to manage shared leased office space and related expenses. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions, with investment implementation typically carried out on a discretionary basis by the third-party managers.

Cynthia Fason is a financial advisor at Osaic with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at Securities America Advisors and Securities America Inc for nine years. Outside of her advisory role, she is a partner in a family farm partnership and participates in managing related decisions. Osaic Wealth, Inc. is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA member broker-dealer serving a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing risk-tolerance assessments and portfolio optimization tools to manage accounts across various investment vehicles.

Brenda Cook is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Minot, ND, holding the Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2000. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved as a general partner in a family farm partnership in Ruso, ND. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and maintains a large national network of advisors and branch offices.

Kim Weaver is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors and holds the ChFC® and Series 63 credentials. She has 42 years of industry experience and has been associated with Guardian Life Insurance Company and Park Avenue Securities since 1999. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved with Financial Architects, Inc., a Guardian general agency. Primerica Advisors operates as part of Park Avenue Securities LLC, serving a broad retail client base through both brokerage and advisory services. The firm offers various investment programs and financial planning solutions supported by proprietary and third-party strategies.

Benjamin Brandt is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving at Capital City Wealth Management, Inc. in Bismarck, ND. He has hosted the Retirement Starts Today Radio podcast since 2015 and is the sole member and content creator for Retire Ready Resources LLC, where he produces books, podcasts, YouTube channels, and online courses related to retirement. Capital City Wealth Management, Inc. serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning through a wrap fee program. The firm uses diversified, risk-based portfolios tailored by investment policy statements and risk-tolerance questionnaires, employing strategic, tactical, and dynamic allocation approaches with ongoing reviews.

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor at Seasons of Advice Wealth Management with 42 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Outside of finance, she is a singer who sells her own vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book titled "Congenital Alterable Transmissible Asymmetry: The Spiritual Meaning of Disease and Science." Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm follows a life-cycle investment approach called the “Seasons of Advice” process and offers discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and specialized fixed-income programs through sub-advisors.

Richard Martin is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds a Series 63 designation and has 28 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cetera in 2025, he spent over two decades with Avantax Advisory Services and related entities. Outside of his advisory role, Martin is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, where he provides tax preparation and accounting services. Cetera Investment Advisers serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and retirement plans through a large network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary solutions, utilizing a combination of advisor-managed accounts, model portfolios, and third-party managed options.

Thaddeus Phelps is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC since 2019 and previously spent 14 years with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Phelps owns a tax preparation business and an accounting support service, and he serves in fiduciary roles such as trustee and executor. Advance Wealth Management Service, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management through a wrap asset management program and emphasizes an individualized approach with asset allocation supported by fundamental, sector, and technical analysis, including risk management strategies such as put options and conservative cash instruments.

Edward Blatz is a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in working with high net-worth families and closely-held businesses, focusing on estate and wealth management strategies. Edward partners closely with clients’ tax advisors and estate planning attorneys to provide a comprehensive approach to managing both financial and personal aspects of their lives. His services include performance assessment, personalized guidance, and periodic reviews to help clients progress toward their individual financial goals. Edward joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1985 and has over 40 years of experience developing tailored financial solutions that consider clients’ risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and investment objectives. His areas of expertise encompass college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management, managing new wealth, investment strategies, and retirement income. Edward holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Adelphi University and has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Edward is also a member of The Blatz-Rooney Group, which was named to the 2024 Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams" list. Outside of his professional work, he has personal interests in golfing, reading, and tennis.

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.

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.

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Her prior work includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center. She also maintains an independent insurance agency representing various insurance companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse clientele including individual investors, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and access to third-party sub-advisers through multiple account platforms.

Ethan Siekkinen is a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2023. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and has experience outside finance with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual investors, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis supported by a proprietary equity market valuation model.

Thomas Mcintire is a CFP® with 33 years of experience in the financial services industry, currently affiliated with Raymond James Financial in Irving, TX. His prior roles include positions at Cadent Capital, LLC, Insurance Planners & Advisors Group, and The Guardian Life Insurance Company. He serves as a board member and finance committee member for the Dallas Rotary Club Foundation, overseeing investments and supporting the foundation’s philanthropic efforts. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual investors, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and municipalities. The firm provides financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting, emphasizing tailored strategies developed through client collaboration and supported by extensive research and asset-allocation analysis.

Jace Hart is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Leo Wealth, LLC since 2023. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Leo Wealth provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm employs a combination of diversified ETF model portfolios and systematic single-stock models, utilizing sub-advisors and third-party managers to implement specialized strategies.