Michael Merk

Elijah has been a fee-only financial planner for over eight years. In 2025, he started Essa Financial to provide transparent and client-centric financial advice to folks in the Louisville community and beyond. As a teacher, Elijah’s favorite part about being a financial planner is communicating complex planning topics to clients in ways that are more easily understood. He enjoys the education aspect of being a planner, especially in a one-on-one environment. He values deep relationships with clients, and is always willing to listen and learn. He also believes exceptional client service (and swift communication) is the cornerstone of financial planning. Elijah is actively involved in the profession. He is an active volunteer with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), having previously served on their Genesis board for young advisors for five years and currently serving on the South Region board as the Membership Chair. He also reviews scholarship applications for the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning, which provides assistance to qualified candidates for the CFP® exam. In addition to his role as a planner, Elijah teaches part-time as an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville. Elijah resides in Louisville with his wife, Sarah, and dogs, Landon and Korra. Aside from financial planning and teaching, Elijah spends his time frequenting local coffee shops, running (short distances) around his neighborhood, playing video games, watching the Minnesota Timberwolves, and of course, spending time with friends and family.

My name is Ryan Stith, and I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. I am also the founder of Pivot Point Wealth. I founded Pivot Point Wealth to help families, like my own, develop a better understanding of their financial lives in a way that provides clarity, simplicity, and purpose in their decision-making. I believe this is best achieved when our decisions around money and life match our values. We are all on a financial journey guided by the actions and decisions we make along the way. As a financial planner, I feel it is my job to serve as a guide, whether that means helping you discover what values are truly important to you or simply acting as a signpost to point you in the right direction when you come to a crossroads. On a more personal note...I’m a ginger by birth, planner by nature, and teacher’s husband by choice. I was born and raised in the small town of Brandenburg, KY where I live with my wife (DeAnna), our two kids (Madeline & Henry), and our dog, Penny. I'm a huge University of Kentucky basketball and football fan (Go Big Blue!), as well as loyal English Premier League football follower. In my spare time, you’ll find me outside running, in the garage tinkering and finding any excuse to use power tools, or on a patio enjoying time with friends and family.

Phillip Gross is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in St. Matthews, a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky. He works with clients throughout the Louisville area and across the country, focusing on personalized wealth management strategies that align with clients’ long-term financial goals. His client expertise includes college education planning, corporate and employee benefits, executive compensation, family wealth management, legacy planning, retirement planning, tax minimization, and managing new wealth. A Louisville native, Phillip graduated from St. Xavier High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky, graduating Cum Laude. He holds professional designations as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Phillip follows a personal philosophy of working one-on-one with clients to develop flexible financial strategies tailored to their unique objectives. Outside of his professional role, Phillip values community involvement and has a tradition of volunteering locally. His personal interests include basketball, bowling, football, golfing, traveling, watching movies, and spending time with his family and his dog, Óscar.

Kaiz Freeman is currently the Vice President, Wealth Planner at Fidelity Investments, where he has been serving since 2025. He has multiple years of experience in the financial services sector, holding various roles including Financial Consultant and Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments, Financial Planning Specialist at Northwestern Mutual, and Territory Consultant at Jefferson National. Mr. Freeman attained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation in 2019. His professional focus is on helping individuals understand their financial situations and building long-term relationships to support their financial security. Outside of his professional career, Mr. Freeman has interests that include football, golf, hiking, military service, motorcycles, and traveling.