Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC

Rakesh Patel is a financial advisor with Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2012 to 2022 before joining his current firm in 2022. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and public entities, offering both brokerage and advisory services. The firm utilizes proprietary capital market models to tailor asset allocation recommendations and provides a range of financial planning and portfolio management options.

John Beynon is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC since 2022. His prior roles include positions at City National Bank and RBC Capital Markets Corporation. He is also involved in family estate and wealth planning through partnership and trustee roles in several family investment entities. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and advisory services with a collaborative planning process informed by proprietary modeling. The firm operates as both a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser, providing tailored asset allocation recommendations and a range of financial services.

James Stewart is a financial advisor at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 credential and has been with Stifel Independent Advisors since 2003. Outside of his advisory role, Stewart coaches high school basketball and is involved in managing family farm trusts and a limited liability company focused on purchasing and renovating foreclosed homes. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a collaborative planning process that incorporates proprietary market analysis to create tailored asset allocation recommendations.

Thomas Baker is a financial advisor with Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 35 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc and UBS Financial Services Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he manages a homeowners association in Fredericksburg, VA. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services with a collaborative planning process that incorporates proprietary modeling and tailored asset allocation recommendations.

James Tate Sr. is a CFP® professional with 37 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently affiliated with Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2022, following seven years at Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is secretary of the Myakka River Trails Homeowners Association in Venice, FL. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering both brokerage and advisory services. The firm employs a collaborative planning process that uses proprietary investment models to develop customized asset allocation strategies.

Christopher Howard is a financial advisor at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC in St. Louis, MO, holding CFP® and CFA® designations with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel Independent Advisors since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, Howard is a partner in Community Financial Management, LLC, which provides tax preparation and accounting services. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and governmental entities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a collaborative planning process that incorporates proprietary research and probabilistic modeling to deliver tailored asset allocation recommendations.

Patrick Wittekind is a financial advisor with Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 37 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel Independent Advisors since 2004 and has also been self-employed since 2003. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and public entities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses a collaborative planning process with proprietary modeling to tailor asset allocation recommendations and provides a range of financial services depending on client needs.

John Thomas is a financial advisor with Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC in St. Louis, MO, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. since 2015 and has been with Stifel Independent Advisors and Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2009. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and government entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses a collaborative planning process supported by proprietary modeling to provide tailored asset allocation recommendations and operates as both a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser.

Perris Kaufman is a financial advisor with Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors, J.P. Morgan Securities, and Banc of California. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services with a focus on tailored asset allocation recommendations based on proprietary modeling. The firm operates as both a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser, providing a broad range of affiliated financial services.

Les Frate is a financial advisor with Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC in Mentor, Ohio, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel Independent Advisors since 2004. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a collaborative planning process using proprietary modeling to tailor asset allocation recommendations and maintains both brokerage and fiduciary relationships depending on client needs.

Mark Stofan is a CFP® with 39 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC since 2024. He previously worked at LPL Financial for six years and Wayne Hummer Investments for five years. Outside of his advisory role, he is president of Stofan Agazzi Investments LLC. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses a collaborative planning process that incorporates proprietary market assumptions and probabilistic modeling to tailor asset allocation recommendations.

John Woeste is a financial advisor at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel Independent Advisors since 2003 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in writing books, screenplays, theatrical shows, and board games as a creator and writer. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm utilizes proprietary capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling to develop tailored asset allocation recommendations and provides a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions.

Matthew Wischmeier is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Century Securities Associates, KBW, and Stifel. He is also a notary for the State of Missouri. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services tailored through a collaborative planning process based on proprietary market assumptions and probabilistic modeling. The firm operates both advisory and brokerage businesses, providing a broad range of financial services supported by affiliated trust and banking capabilities.

Duane Daniels is a CFP® and ChFC® with 26 years of experience at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC, based in Fort Myers, FL. He has been with the firm since 2000. Daniels is also a partner in Community Financial Management, LLC, an investment advisory and tax preparation business. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm emphasizes a collaborative planning process that incorporates proprietary market models to develop tailored asset allocation strategies.

Staci Atwood is a financial advisor at Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC with 30 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Stifel Independent Advisors since 2012, with ongoing tenure at Stifel dating back to 1995. Outside of her advisory work, she serves on the finance committee and administrative board of St. Matthew Church and is treasurer of the Althoff Catholic High School Parents and Friends Club. Stifel Independent Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and municipal entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a collaborative planning process that uses proprietary capital market assumptions to develop tailored asset allocation recommendations.