Independent advisors focused on umbrella liability in the US

Scott Eccker is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since beginning his career at Merrill in 1980, he has provided financial guidance to attorneys, physicians, business executives, and entrepreneurs. His expertise includes financial strategies, retirement income planning services, and liability management. Scott is also a specially qualified Portfolio Manager, managing personalized and defined investment strategies on a discretionary basis that may involve individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch model portfolios, and third-party investment solutions. Scott holds a Bachelor's degree with a concentration in Economics and Finance from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business. He carries the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Over his career, he has developed long-term client relationships, some spanning more than three decades, and serves multiple generations of families. He was named to the 2023 Forbes “Best in State Wealth Management Teams” list as part of the Eccker Bujdos Andrews Group.

Kirsten Halpin is a CFA® charterholder with Alaska Wealth Advisors in Anchorage, AK. She is part of a 12-advisor team at the firm. Alaska Wealth Advisors provides financial planning and discretionary portfolio management for individual and institutional clients, including IRAs, trusts, and employer-sponsored plans. The firm manages approximately $1.156 billion in discretionary assets and employs a long-term, risk-managed investment approach utilizing individual fixed-income portfolios and multi-asset models that emphasize low-cost index funds.

Spencer Hawkins is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience and the principal of Spencer Hawkins Investment Adviser, LLC since 2018. He also owns and operates Protected World Insurance Agency, an independent insurance agency representing all major lines of insurance. Hawkins has prior experience with Southeast Investments, N.C. Inc., where he worked from 2014 to 2018. His firm provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, families, business owners, and employer-sponsored plans. The firm’s investment approach uses written policy statements and model portfolios based on fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, favoring largely passive, cost-efficient, and tax-aware strategies oriented to long-term objectives.

Anthony Corsino is a financial advisor at Zen Financial Planning, LLC in Andover, MA, holding the CFP® and ChFC® designations with six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Merrill Lynch and Raytheon and serves as an adjunct lecturer for Regis College and Boston University’s Financial Planning Programs. Corsino also works as an independent insurance agent. Zen Financial Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and business owners. The firm offers customized investment strategies based on clients’ goals and risk tolerance, combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis with Monte Carlo planning, and provides ERISA 3(21) retirement-plan advisory services.

Leah Bryan is a financial advisor at Bryspen, Incorporated, holding a Series 65 designation with 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Bryspen since 1993. Bryspen provides advisory services to high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients, offering comprehensive financial planning and investment supervisory services. The firm manages a substantial portion of assets on a non-discretionary basis and emphasizes a fundamental, analytical investment approach tailored to each client’s specific circumstances.

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 financial advisor at Waverly Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and Teradata Corp for eleven years. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning. Waverly Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise adviser serving individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, employing a combination of centralized and customized investment strategies across traditional and alternative asset classes.

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 Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Safeguard since 2020 and previously held roles at LifePro Asset Management, LLC, Martin and Associates Insurance Services, Inc., and Martin Wealth Management, LLC. Hart is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education (NACFF), providing unbiased fiduciary financial education. Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party sub-advisers, and fee-based financial planning. The firm employs a fundamental-analysis investment process with a preferred horizon of two to ten years and manages over $600 million across approximately 1,800 client relationships.

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.