Paul Nickel

Thomas Hintz is a financial advisor with KONZA Capital Advisors in Manhattan, KS, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been a partner at Varney & Associates CPA's since 1977, where he provides investment advice incidental to tax and accounting services. Konza Capital Advisors is a fee-only firm owned and operated by Hintz that offers discretionary portfolio management and financial advice to individuals, trusts, and IRAs. The firm manages approximately $16 million in client assets and primarily uses low-cost mutual funds and ETFs to implement client-directed allocations.

Michael Hammersmith is the principal advisor at Heartland Wealth Strategies LLC in Manhattan, KS, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 17 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Heartland Wealth Strategies in 2018, he worked at Central Financial Services and Ameritas Investment Corp. Outside of advising, he is a partner in a retail liquor store and a fitness center in Maple Hill, KS. Heartland Wealth Strategies provides personalized financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a risk-oriented, asset-allocation approach using diversified mutual fund and ETF portfolios, with regular account reviews and client-imposed investment restrictions.

Stuart Heckman is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as the principal advisor at No Coast Financial Group. He has held roles at Garrett Investment Advisors and CGN Advisors and is an Associate Professor of Practice at Texas Tech University. He also owns Heckman Research Consulting, LLC, a non-investment-related business. No Coast Financial Group is a fee-only independent advisory firm serving individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm employs asset-allocation strategies based on Modern Portfolio Theory and fundamental analysis, offering tailored portfolio management with options for socially responsible investing and educational seminars.

Derek Lawson is a CFP® with nine years of experience at Priority Financial Partners in Manhattan, KS. He has held academic positions at Kansas State University since 2015, currently serving as an assistant professor teaching CFP Board Core Content classes and conducting research. Prior to his current role, he also worked at Texas Tech University. Priority Financial Partners is a small advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with comprehensive financial planning and investment management. The firm employs a passive, asset-class-based investment approach, focusing on diversified, cost-efficient portfolios tailored to client risk profiles.

Anthony Hayden is a financial advisor at Keating Financial Advisory Services with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Raymond James Financial and Keating & Associates, Inc. Hayden is the founder of Abundance Alliance, a nonprofit supporting community causes and entrepreneurial philanthropy. Keating Financial Advisory Services primarily serves pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate retirement plans, and other institutional clients, managing $330 million in plan assets. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, focusing on mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income, along with financial planning and consulting services.