Independent advisors focused on university employee in the US

Cary Cates is a CFP® professional with 11 years of experience in financial advising. He is the principal of Cates FP and Cates Tax Advisory, where he has worked since 2016 and 2017 respectively. Cary also served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas from 2013 to 2021. Cates FP serves individual and high-net-worth clients by combining investment management with ongoing financial and tax planning, as well as tax compliance services. The firm emphasizes client-specific asset allocation using primarily passive portfolios and integrates professional tax services, including tax return preparation and IRS representation, into its advisory approach.

James Bradley is a CFP® and CFA® with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Penobscot Financial Advisors since 2011 and previously held roles at Mid Atlantic Financial Management, Inc. and Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation. Outside of finance, he is a flight instructor and pilot at Maine Coastal Flight Center and serves as Treasurer and volunteer board member for Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County. Penobscot Financial Advisors is a team-based firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a multi-disciplinary investment approach with a long-term orientation and offers both comprehensive wealth management and standalone financial-planning services.

William Laundon is a financial advisor at Hunter Street Investment Advisors LLC with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Edward Jones since 2013 before joining Hunter Street in 2024. Hunter Street serves individual and high-net-worth households as well as retirement plans, trusts, charities, and business entities, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm employs a variety of analytical methods and strategies, combining institutional and alternative-markets experience to manage approximately $133.6 million in client assets.

Jon Michael Carrick is a Series 65-registered financial advisor at Hanson Financial Group with two years of industry experience. He has worked at Hanson Financial Group since 2023 and holds a full-time academic appointment at Stetson University since 2011. Outside of advisory work, Mr. Carrick serves as Director of Alta Peaks, Inc., an investment holding company. Hanson Financial Group primarily serves pooled investment vehicles and institutional or business clients, providing discretionary portfolio management through a tactical allocation approach that includes equities, fixed income, derivatives, and real assets. The firm is a single-adviser practice that uses a fixed fee structure rather than asset-based fees.

Timothy Lee is a CFP® professional at Bluestem Financial Advisors, LLC with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Bluestem, he worked at Costco Wholesale and Chipotle. Bluestem Financial Advisors serves individuals and families across various life stages, offering comprehensive financial planning, discretionary investment management, and tax preparation. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation with low-cost, passively managed index funds and ETFs and provides integrated tax and advisory services through a fee-only retainer model.

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.