Bruce Krieg is a financial advisor at Midwest Investment Advisors, LLC in Fenton, Missouri, holding a Series 65 designation with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Midwest Investment Advisors since 2010 and also has a long-standing association with Kriegl Lohbeck & Co dating back to 1992. Midwest Investment Advisors serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, providing discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs multiple analysis methods and manages all portfolios in-house, overseeing a notably high client load for a solo advisor and maintaining an affiliation with an accounting firm to offer complementary services.

Richard Murray is a financial advisor with Midwest Advisors LLC in Saint Louis, MO, holding a Series 65 credential and 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Midwest Advisors LLC since 2012, including a period from 2017 to 2019 at Sorin Capital Management. Midwest Advisors LLC is a small, independent firm managing approximately $39.1 million on a discretionary basis for a select client base. The firm specializes in investment management focused on U.S. real estate industry securities, employing both long-short and long-only strategies with options used for hedging, and follows a fundamental, value-biased investment approach supported by frequent industry engagement and detailed research.

Jeffrey Mcgovern is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently the sole advisor at Haven Wealth Planning, where he has worked since 2022. Prior to that, he spent six years at Buckingham Strategic Wealth, LLC. Haven Wealth Planning provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an evidence-based, passive investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and the Fama–French framework, often utilizing index mutual funds and ETFs, and integrates financial planning with investment advice.

Daniel Heffernan is the principal of Heffernan & Associates, Inc. in St. Louis, MO, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 license with 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Heffernan & Associates since 1985. Heffernan is also licensed as a life insurance agent for fixed annuities with Jackson National Life Insurance Company and AssetMark Trust Company. Heffernan & Associates provides investment advice and financial counseling to individuals, families, and related entities, managing approximately $17.12 million in client assets as of December 31, 2024. The firm employs a fundamental, long-term investment approach with a focus on macroeconomic assessment, credit analysis, and valuation, operating primarily on a non-discretionary basis with ongoing consultation and financial planning services.

Monica Gamblin is a financial advisor at Integra Wealth Advisors in Dallas, TX, with 19 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked previously at First Heartland Capital, Inc. from 2011 to 2016. In addition to her advisory role, she operates The Gamblin Group, providing tax representation and preparation services. Integra Wealth Advisors serves individual clients by offering comprehensive financial planning and tax-related services, with a focus on acting as a liaison to third-party money managers rather than managing assets directly. The firm also conducts public seminars and workshops aimed at educating clients and the public at no charge.

Michael Piper is the principal of Michael Piper, LLC, an investment management firm based in Saint Louis, MO. He holds the PFS™ designation and has two years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory role, Piper owns and authors for Simple Subjects, LLC, a publishing company, and serves as a volunteer board member for the Bogle Center for Financial Literacy. Michael Piper, LLC provides financial planning and investment advice to individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and small businesses. The firm emphasizes passive investing with a focus on tax efficiency and sequencing risk, and integrates tax and accounting considerations into its planning approach.

With nearly 25 years of experience in investment research, portfolio management, and advisory operations, I founded my RIA to provide expert guidance to financial advisors and investors. As a CFA Charterholder, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®), my goal is to simplify the complexities of investing and help clients make informed decisions about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, annuities, alternatives, and private investments. For advisors, I offer tailored support for creating model portfolios, conducting investment committee meetings, and developing retirement plan strategies, all aimed at enhancing advisor-client relationships and delivering better outcomes. Over the years, I’ve worked in various roles, from equity research and fixed income trading to serving as the de-facto Chief Investment Officer for a large RIA. My services cover a wide range of needs, including life insurance analysis, capital gains budgeting, structured product and annuity evaluations, options-based strategies for individual stock positions, IPS reviews, enhanced prospect conversions, and the development of customized model portfolios. I pride myself on providing data-driven insights to help advisors improve their practices, better serve their clients, and grow their businesses. In addition to my professional work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and four kids, golfing, traveling, coaching youth sports, and mentoring students. I’m passionate about investing in future generations and advancing the fields of finance and investing. My technical expertise, combined with a personal approach, allows me to work alongside advisors to elevate their client offerings, streamline operations, and achieve lasting success.

Ethan Oetter is a financial advisor at Long River Investment Management LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Twin Springs Investments, LLC, where he continues to provide contract administrative support. Long River Investment Management LLC is an independent, single-advisor firm managing approximately $71.8 million across various client types, including individuals, trusts, and institutions. The firm employs a dual-strategy approach combining concentrated value stock selection with ETF-based global diversification, emphasizing long-term, tax-efficient portfolio management tailored to client objectives.

Douglas Ramey is the sole advisor at Saint Louis Investment Advisors Inc., an independent, SEC-registered firm based in Collinsville, IL. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 20 years of industry experience, including over two decades at his current firm. Saint Louis Investment Advisors manages approximately $61.5 million for a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutional accounts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation approach using a core-and-satellite portfolio construction with passive index funds and ETFs as the core and selective active managers as satellites, managing portfolios on a discretionary basis with global diversification.

Kyle Parke is the sole advisor at Parke Investment Management, Inc. in St. Louis, MO, holding a Series 65 credential with 28 years of industry experience. He has led his independent firm since 1993 and has also been associated with Holiday Inn Corp. since 1992. Parke Investment Management serves primarily individual clients through discretionary portfolio management and occasionally provides financial planning at no additional charge. The firm manages a modest asset base for a limited client roster, employing a broad range of investment vehicles and utilizing borrowing and derivatives strategies within separately managed accounts.

Richard Baldwin is the sole advisor at Baldwin Wealth Management, LLC in St. Louis, MO. He holds the CFA® designation and Series 63 license, with 15 years of industry experience. Baldwin has led his independent firm since 2010, focusing on investment management and financial consulting. Baldwin Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, endowments, foundations, businesses, and participant-directed retirement plans, providing fiduciary investment advice and portfolio management. The firm employs a long-term investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing diversified asset-class allocations with rules-based tilts and a buy-hold-rebalance strategy.

Christopher Harrell is a financial advisor at CKHFinancial LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including NEXT Financial Group, LPL Financial LLC, and Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of advising, he is an adjunct professor teaching finance courses at Harris-Stowe State University and is a licensed independent insurance agent involved in life and health insurance. CKHFinancial LLC provides fee-based financial planning, consultation, and investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm focuses on long-term, diversified portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and fixed income, offering individualized advice with fiduciary responsibility and employing third-party management and co-management arrangements.

John Gower is the sole advisor at John C. Gower, CFP, EA, an independent firm based in St. Louis, MO. He holds the CFP® and Series 65 designations and has seven years of industry experience, with his firm operating since 1996. In addition to financial advising, he also provides tax preparation services. The firm offers fee-only financial planning and discretionary investment management primarily for high-net-worth individuals, small businesses, trusts, and retirement plans. It employs a strategic asset-allocation approach focused on diversification, cost containment, tax management, and ongoing portfolio oversight.

Charles Heisner is a CFP® and Series 65-registered financial advisor with 24 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Heisner Financial, LLC, an independent firm he founded in 2001 in St. Louis, MO. Heisner maintains an active CPA license, which he uses to supplement his financial advisory services. Heisner Financial, LLC provides personal financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, and select business clients, integrating tax, bookkeeping, and business consulting with investment advice. The firm manages approximately $37 million in client assets on a non-discretionary basis and offers both ongoing and hourly consulting engagements.

Joseph Darpel is a CFP® with 32 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is the principal advisor at Smart Steps Wealth Management LLC, having previously worked at Gunpowder Capital Management, Hayden Royal, and Raymond James Financial Services. He is also president of Jos F Darpel Investment Co., a non-investment-related support company. Smart Steps Wealth Management LLC offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical investment analysis and provides institutional and retirement-plan services alongside individual wealth management, including the use of derivatives in managed accounts.

Michael Mariani is a financial advisor with Consolidated Wealth Management in Clayton, MO, holding a Series 65 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Asset Planners, Inc. since 2016 and Buckingham Asset Management, LLC since 2011. Outside of his advisory work, Mariani and his wife operate a property management LLC that manages a small number of multi-family investment properties for a family member. Consolidated Wealth Management provides individualized financial planning and portfolio management for high-net-worth and other individual clients. The firm’s approach emphasizes fundamental analysis and long-term buy-and-hold strategies, utilizing diversified allocations with low-cost exchange-traded funds and software-driven scenario analysis.

Michael Leara Sr. is a financial advisor at Gateway Advisors, LLC in St. Louis, MO, with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Gateway Advisors since 2005, alongside roles at WFG Advisors, LP and Williams Financial Group since 2003. Outside of advisory work, he serves as Executive Director of the Missouri Gaming Commission and is involved in commercial land development consulting and law enforcement equipment sales through his ownership of Jupiter, LLC and Defense Logistics, LLC. Gateway Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and consulting services primarily to institutional and pooled clients, using a combination of technical and fundamental analysis to guide active management across equities, bonds, and pooled investment products.

Ethan Rush is the sole advisor at Sigma Advisors, LLC in St. Louis, MO, with 10 years of experience in financial advising and a Series 66 designation. He has prior experience at Rush Penn, LLC, and has maintained a legal practice as an attorney since 1988, primarily focusing on estate planning. In addition to his advisory role, he provides legal counsel separately under his own law practice. Sigma Advisors offers financial planning, investment management, and single-family office services to individuals, trusts, estates, foundations, and single-family offices, serving high- and ultra-high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes portfolio management using passive, low-turnover ETFs and no-load mutual funds, operates on a non-discretionary basis, and employs a flat annual fee structure.

Stephen Harris is a financial advisor at Vanda Advisers, an independent sole-proprietor firm based in Saint Louis, MO. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 10 years of industry experience. Prior to founding the firm, he had a long corporate career designing and marketing software for broker-dealers and investment managers. He also serves as an unpaid treasurer managing investments for a nonprofit organization. Vanda Advisers provides individualized investment advice and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, couples, and employers, including 401(k) plan guidance. The firm employs an investment process that considers historical returns, market conditions, fund manager experience, and economic and political factors, focusing on mutual funds, ETFs, and bonds with holdings typically held for several months or longer.

Garrett Gould is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He is the principal of Halyard Financial, LLC in St. Louis, MO, and previously worked at Equity Advisors of Kentucky. In addition to his advisory role, he owns and operates Halyard Tax, LLC, a tax preparation business. Halyard Financial is an independent investment adviser managing approximately $23.3 million across 46 client relationships. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and business entities, focusing on passive portfolio construction using index funds and ETFs within a modern portfolio theory framework, supplemented by fundamental and technical analysis. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management alongside hourly and subscription-style comprehensive financial planning, integrating tax considerations into portfolio design.