Large-firm, private / alternative investments financial advisors in Towson, MD

James Simmons is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and The Simmons Partnership, Inc. since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in the sales and service of fixed life insurance and annuity contracts as an insurance agent. The Simmons Partnership, Inc. advises individuals, trusts, foundations, pension plans, and corporations, serving both high-net-worth and non-HNW clients with financial planning, retirement-plan consulting, and portfolio management. The firm constructs portfolios based on client-specific asset allocation guidelines using a variety of investment vehicles and provides services on discretionary and non-discretionary bases.

Michele Beernink is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in Towson, MD, holding a Series 65 credential and bringing 16 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Verdence Capital Advisors, Private Advisor Group, and LPL Financial. She also serves as Director of Private Wealth Services at Capital Financial Partners, LLC. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to institutional and individual clients, including plan sponsors. The firm offers fiduciary consulting, plan design, and investment advice supported by due diligence, serving a diverse client base that includes large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Austin Smith is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Towson, MD, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and The Legacy Group, Inc. since 2017 and previously held positions at the United States Postal Service and Trazzi and Grasso. Outside of his advisory role, he is an independent insurance agent with The Legacy Group, Inc. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, trusts, and retirement-plan sponsors. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals, utilizing proprietary and third-party model strategies with both discretionary and non-discretionary investment options.

Joseph Valletta is the principal of HR Investment Consultants, Inc. in Baltimore, MD, holding a Series 65 credential with 35 years of industry experience. He has been with HR Investment Consultants since 1994. Outside of advisory services, he co-owns Pension Data Source, Inc., a firm that publishes fee benchmarking data for retirement plans. HR Investment Consultants, Inc. provides specialized retirement-plan consulting to corporations, institutions, and associations with participant-directed plans, focusing on 401(k) and 403(b) sponsors. The firm operates as a solo practice serving a limited client base, offering non-discretionary fiduciary and non-fiduciary consulting services without managing client assets.

Thaddeus Pedzich is a financial advisor with Cetera who holds the ChFC® designation and has 36 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera and its affiliates since 2021 and previously spent seven years with VOYA Financial Advisors. He serves as president and owner of Green Gate Technology, Inc., where he manages business, financial, accounting, and personnel activities, and is a member of the finance committee at Life Bible Fellowship Church. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered adviser operating a large nationwide network of independent advisors, serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various portfolio management and financial planning services, supporting a wide range of program structures and custodial relationships.

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.

Thomas Trefzger is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Hantz Financial Services, Inc. since 2018 and previously held roles at Sprint and Cleveland State University. Hantz Financial Services, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth households, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business owners. The firm offers financial planning and wealth management primarily through ETF-based model portfolios across five risk levels, supplemented by third-party managers and Direct Indexing, and combines advisory, broker-dealer, mortgage, and insurance activities under one platform.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management and operated Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate planning services to a diverse client base including individual households, institutional clients, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment process and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, manager search, and tax-lot accounting services.

Richard Brandi is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab based in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank ssb since 2003 and 2005, respectively. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm offers a mix of non-discretionary and discretionary investment guidance, leveraging multi-asset model portfolios and research from its Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Geoffrey Tomes is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Noyes Advisors LLC for 11 years and David A Noyes & Company for 26 years. His other business activities include involvement in fixed life and health insurance and fixed annuities. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services employing various analytical approaches and maintains distinctive features such as negotiated performance-based fees for large institutional clients and affiliations with specialized asset management firms.

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, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.