Michele Gawthrop

Amy White is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with 27 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and Steffes Financial, Ltd. before founding Prairie Ridge Asset Management, LLC in 2017. Amy operates as the sole advisor at Prairie Ridge, based in Overland Park, KS. Prairie Ridge Asset Management serves individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans with discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory-based investment approach focused on global diversification and fundamental analysis, and is notable for its pension consulting and retirement-plan advisory offerings.

Michael Hazell is a financial advisor at Penn Wealth Management in Lenexa, KS, with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has led Penn Wealth Management since 2008. In addition to his advisory role, he operates Penn Wealth Publishing, producing investment-related articles for a subscribing audience. Penn Wealth Management is an independent, fee-only advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, and small businesses with discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a strategic asset-allocation, core/satellite investment approach and manages approximately $15 million across various account types.

John Clark is a CFP® and CFA® with three years of experience at Wolf Bay Wealth Partners, where he is the sole advisor. He also serves as an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Missouri - Kansas City and supervises the university's Student Fund. Wolf Bay Wealth Partners provides investment management, financial planning, and educational seminars to institutions, pooled vehicles, nonprofit and corporate clients, as well as individual investors. The firm combines modern portfolio theory with fundamental, technical, cyclical, and factor analysis, offering discretionary portfolio management and periodic reviews, and is notable for its academic leadership and focus on client education.

John Chladek is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience. He founded Chladek Wealth Management, LLC in 2009 and previously worked at TMFS-Providence, LLC. The firm serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, providing financial planning and discretionary investment management. Chladek Wealth Management applies modern portfolio theory and fundamental security analysis to create diversified, risk-based portfolios, utilizing no-load mutual funds and ETFs while maintaining trading discretion. The firm offers both one-time and ongoing financial planning, portfolio management, and advisory services for held-away retirement accounts, with additional estate plan coordination through an independent third-party provider.

Mark Nasche is the sole advisor at Nasche Asset Management LLC in Overland Park, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 41 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Oppenheimer & Co for 11 years before founding his current firm in 2020. Nasche Asset Management LLC provides asset management and investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, and small businesses using separately custodied accounts. The firm employs a value-oriented, primarily long-term investment approach with tactical flexibility and manages accounts on a non-discretionary basis, requiring client approval before trades.

Melinda Bell is a financial advisor at Retirement Roots Wealth Management LLC in Overland Park, KS, holding a Series 65 designation with five years of industry experience. She has worked with several firms including Gradient Advisors LLC and AE Wealth Management, LLC. In addition to advising, she owns and operates American Senior Benefits dba Retirement Roots LLC, where she provides insurance products and services. Retirement Roots Wealth Management LLC is a solo, state-registered advisory firm that offers comprehensive financial planning and consulting to individual clients. The firm refers clients to third-party money managers, notably Gradient Investments, and monitors their performance and suitability over time rather than managing portfolios directly.