Top financial advisors working with gen x clients and sales professionals

Shaun Kiriu is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he spent 12 years at Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a large national network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Matthew Kilmer serves as Sales Manager and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has worked since 1998. In this role, he focuses on assisting high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and corporate executives with tailored wealth management strategies that align with their long-term goals and priorities. His expertise includes advising on business succession, liquidity events, wealth preservation, multi-generational planning, executive compensation, retirement planning, and managing concentrated equity positions. Matt holds several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC). He is also designated by Merrill as a Retirement Benefits Consultant, working with corporate and institutional retirement plans of $10 million or more. A cum laude graduate of the University of Rochester, he has been recognized on the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list from 2018 through 2026. Beyond his client work, Matt holds leadership roles within Merrill and is active in community service. He currently serves as Chair of the Merrill Financial Advisor Advisory Council to Management (ACTM), representing Merrill advisors nationwide. He has over 15 years of leadership and board service with the Greater Rochester YMCA, including roles as Board Chair and Annual Campaign Chair. Matt resides in Pittsford, New York, with his wife and three daughters, and enjoys boating, golfing, skiing, and spending time with his family.

Ascension Advisors was created to deliver a more personalized level of service and financial planning. I believe an investment strategy should align with one's values, priorities, and purpose. I created a firm where advisors have the flexibility, technology, and autonomy to craft tailored strategies that empower clients to pursue their goals with intention and confidence. Early in my career, I learned to value quality over quantity—sometimes, less is more. Deep, meaningful relationships built on empathy and trust are the foundation of delivering true client value. Managed growth enables me to cultivate these relationships with intention and provide exceptional client experiences, regardless of client net worth. The need for comprehensive, personalized fiduciary financial planning continues to grow—particularly among select client segments. Ascension Advisors was created to meet that demand. While the core principles of building, managing, protecting, and transferring wealth remain constant, the broader economic and capital markets landscape is dynamic and continuously evolving. Clients are well served when partnering with an advisor who genuinely understands and appreciates their journey—and is committed to helping them reach their destination.

I founded Geiser Wealth Planning, LLC to help busy people by being their reliable, personal point of contact and to assist them with the important questions and decisions they face in the financial side of their lives. I have over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry with 18 years specifically focused on helping individuals meet their financial goals. Geiser Wealth Planning, LLC provides wealth and investment management using the Assets Under Management fee structure. Geiser Wealth Planning, LLC also specializes in helping Sales Professionals in the Pharmaceutical/Medical Supply and Healthcare industry. Please visit www.geiserwealthplanning.com for more details and information.

Jeffrey Smith is a CFP® professional with 21 years of experience in financial advising. He has been the sole advisor at North Shore Investment Consulting LLC since 2004. North Shore Investment Consulting LLC provides fee-only investment management, comprehensive financial planning, and consulting primarily to high-net-worth individuals, professionals, retirees, and select profit-sharing plans. The firm emphasizes Modern Portfolio Theory, diversification, indexing, and quantitative optimization, managing portfolios largely on a non-discretionary basis with client consent for trades.

Michelle Vargas, Certified Financial Planner™ is the President of Waymaker Financial Planning, a Fee-Only firm that provides transparent and accessible financial guidance. She enjoys helping clients navigate and plan all aspects of their financial life so that they will worry less about their future and free up more time to spend doing what they love. After earning a degree in Finance from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1990, she moved to Florida and started her career with Harcourt Brace Publishing. Her journey into personal finance began when she signed up for her 401K and wanted to learn about additional options to plan for retirement. This eventually led to working as a financial advisor and completing the extensive education requirements for becoming a CFP® in 1998. She believes her experience as a young professional searching for unbiased advice enables her to better serve Gen XY professionals because she remembers what it was like being in their shoes. As a former homeschool parent and the wife of a federal employee, she is passionate about helping women, homeschool families, and federal workers plan wisely for a comfortable financial future. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking in Colorado, barbecuing with family, and working in her garden.

Many blue-collar business owners spend years building successful companies but struggle with inconsistent cash flow, high taxes, and uncertainty about how to turn their business into a secure retirement. Unlike most financial firms that focus primarily on investments, I take a planning-first approach that connects your business strategy with your personal financial goals. As a CFP® professional and fee-only fiduciary advisor with 10+ years of experience, I help business owners integrate cash flow planning, tax strategies, risk management, retirement planning, and investments into one coordinated plan. Having experienced the challenges of business ownership firsthand and growing up in a family business, I understand that your business is often your largest asset. My goal is to provide the guidance and strategy business owners need to protect what they've built and create financial freedom beyond their business.

I believe that everyone should have access to a professional advisor who understands their needs and can help them achieve the lifestyle they desire. As a financial advisor, I am dedicated to learning about your personal goals and using them to build a retirement plan tailored to your unique situation. NexJenn Financial Services was founded in response to the demand for financial planning from my tax clients. Often squeezed between spending for their kids’ education, caring for an elderly relative and saving for their own retirement, many were anxious about their financial future. I have enjoyed helping my clients find a balance and focus on building a strong financial future. I am a CPA® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional®, as well as a Retirement Income Certified Professional®. Additionally, I am a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and the XY Planning Network. In my spare time, my husband and I volunteer at a homeless shelter. I also love to bike and travel and am an aspiring photographer. I have been married for 30 years and together with my awesome husband, we’ve raised three awesome kids.

I'm a fiduciary & CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER living in Indianapolis, Indiana but serving clients nationwide. For years I've helped individuals and families plan for retirement and other imporant financial decisions. In college, I studied economics with a concentration in finance. After college, I worked for large wealth management firm in Indiana and then a boutique financial advising office specializing in retirement planning. That firm was later acquired and after a few years working for the acquiring firm I left to start WealthGuides. As an advisor I've worked with clients age 22 to 92. While I've worked with a wide range of people, I've always found my passion was with working with people to create a plan for retirement. As an advisor I provide guidance to my clients on taxes, their investment portfolios, estate planning, & charitable giving amongst others areas. I show people where they can save on taxes and I give clarity and strategies for how my clients can maximize the potential for what they can spend on themselves and give to others. On the personal side I'm a runner, a reader, a cat dad, and a traveler. I also enjoy sipping on a nice glass of wine or whiskey.

I am a seasoned technology professional and an entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley. I have experience starting and running a software company that was venture-funded and subsequently acquired by a public company. During my high-tech career, I got intrigued by money matters such as savings, investments, insurance, taxes in order to achieve my family's financial goals. Out of curiosity, I spent time reading and researching various aspects of personal finance. I realized that there are a growing number of financial options available with increasing complexity in these choices. My passion towards financial planning ultimately resulted in pursuing formal education in financial planning, subsequently completing the CFP Board requirements to be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional. I launched Encover Personal Finance in 2018, primarily to help technology professionals achieve their financial life goals based on my own experience. I believe in serving clients honestly and transparently in a conflict-free manner. https://www.encoverpersonalfinance.com/about