Alpha Wealth Strategies

Clark has been in the financial consulting business since 1980 and has been on Worth magazine's list of top advisors in America since 1996. A past contributing editor to the American Association of Individual Investors Journal from 1990 until 2003, he has authored or co-authored over 40 published articles on investment and financial planning topics. Clark has a Master's degree in Accounting and a BBA in Finance from the University of Iowa Tippee School of Business. A past member of the national Resource Panel that advises the AICPA's Center for Investment Advisory Services on investment issues, he currently serves on the executive committee of the AICPA's Personal Financial Planning Division.

Versant Capital Management, Inc.

As president of Keats, Connelly & Associates, Inc., Tom's primary role is to formulate and implement investment policy for the firm's clients, supervise the management of their portfolios, and monitor world financial markets. He earned his MBA with an emphasis on finance from Arizona State University and has been in the financial services industry since 1986. He has had the honor of having been selected by Worth magazine as one of the top financial advisors in the United States. Tom holds the professional designations of Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He is a member of the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR) and the Financial Planning Association (FPA). Tom currently serves as an executive board member for National Advisors Holdings, a board member of Comprehensive Wealth Management, LLC, and an advisory board member to Rydex Funds. He has also served as an advisory board member to TIAA-CREF and an editorial advisory board member and contributing editor for the Journal of Financial Planning.

Fee-only insurance consultant

One of the few fee-only insurance consultants in the nation, Mr. Daily consults to individuals, businesses, trustees and financial planners, and he specializes in insurance and annuities. He is the author of The Individual Investor's Guide to Low-Load Insurance Products (1990) and Life Insurance Sense And Nonsense (1992), and is an editorial consultant to Bottom Line Personal and Medical Economics. A CFP®, Mr. Daily practices in New York City. Visit Glenn Daily's website, a resource for making good decisions about insurance.

Wheaton Wealth Partners, LLC

John provides Wheaton Wealth Partners with a broad background of skills in the financial services industry. His main role is to provide operational oversight, focus and vision. Prior to joining the firm he was Managing Director and Chief Information Officer for McDonnell Investment Management, LLC. His 30 year career spans roles as President and owner of Financial Outfitters, Inc., Vice President and Manager of Information Technology at Nuveen Investments, and Senior Vice President and Director of Information Technology at Van Kampen Funds. His career has been characterized as one that introduces change in a collaborative fashion. John’s leadership was instrumental in integrating the Van Kampen Funds acquisition of American Capital Corporation during the 1990s. In 1979 he earned his Bachelor of Business degree from Western Illinois University with an emphasis in Quantitative Information Science.

John also brings life experience of a 50 something. He and his wife Julia have been married for over 30 years and have raised four boys. Together they have experienced putting them through college and weddings, being empty nesters and caring for a special needs sibling and aging parents. John enjoys working with people experiencing life changes and their pursuit of a fulfilling life.

Investec Advisory Group, L.P.

Daniel has been in the financial services industry since 1999 and is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional. He designs financial plans and portfolios for clients and oversees Investec's Marketing department. A vice president of Investec Asset Management Group, Inc. (IAMG), Daniel also advises clients on life, disability, and long-term care insurance. Investec is located in Houston, Texas.

Retirement Income Center

After working for nationally recognized financial planning and accounting firms in the 1980s, Bob founded Financial Design Center in 1998 which he liquidated in 2011 and replaced with Retirement Income Center to promote his specialty as a Retirement Income Planner. Bob is also the publisher and author of Retirement Income Visions^TM, a weekly blog that has been published every Monday since August, 2009. The blog features innovative strategies for creating and optimizing retirement income. Bob helps people coordinate all aspects of their financial life, which is why he augmented his CPA with a CFP™ designation in 1986 and became fully licensed in insurance. Bob received a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers College in 1978 and an MBA in Accounting from Rutgers Graduate School of Management in 1980. He also holds a Masters of Science in Taxation (MST) from Golden Gate University. Bob is currently pursuing the new Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP^TM) designation through The American College. Retirement Income Center is located in Newport Beach, California.

The Hogan-Knotts Financial Group, Inc.

Timothy Knotts graduated with honors from the University of California, Davis in 1984 with a BS degree in Environmental Planning and Management, and graduated from the College for Financial Planning in 1988 with a certificate in Financial Planning. Timothy has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner since January 1989 and is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the Estate & Financial Planning Council of Central New Jersey, and NJ FPA's Pro Bono and Government Relations Committees.

Timothy is a frequent speaker to many professional and lay audiences on financial planning, published a column on financial planning in a local newspaper, and taught financial planning as an adjunct faculty member at Monmouth University in New Jersey. Timothy has served his community on the Boards for the Monmouth Council of Boy Scouts; the Monmouth Unit of the American Cancer Society; the Central Jersey Chapter of the International Association for Financial Planning; the Estate & Financial Planning Council of Central NJ; the West Long Branch, NJ First Aid Squad; the Red Bank, NJ First Aid Squad; and the West Long Branch, New Jersey Chapter of Lions International. He is a NJ State Certified EMT-B, a P.A.D.I. Certified Advanced Open Water S.C.U.B.A. diver, and an FCC Amateur Radio General License holder. Timothy is married, has four children, and has made his home in NJ since 1985.

Pro Financial Solutions, LLC

Glenn Mickelson is president of Professional Financial Solutions, LLC and has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional since 1997. He received a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance from Central Washington University, and taught the CFP® education program as an adjunct instructor at George Washington University.

Glenn is married and has two daughters. He enjoys skiing and working out, taking his family to Woody's Ice Cream in his ’69 Mustang convertible, and playing blues guitar.

Brighton Financial Planning, Inc.

John Middleton is an experienced portfolio manager and has held key investment management roles since 1992. He joined Brighton Financial Planning, Inc. in August 2008 and assumed ownership in February 2010. Prior to Brighton, John spent 7 years with the Invesco Quantitative Strategies Group as a senior director and client portfolio manager, where he was responsible for with more than $2.5 billion in assets under management and authored white papers on such topics as Quantitative vs. Fundamental Enhanced Index Managers, SMID Cap strategies, and Transaction Cost Management. Prior to Invesco, John was senior vice president at Mutual of America Capital Management and held several key positions at Raymond James & Associates and its subsidiaries.

John holds an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Tampa and a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University. He is a Board Trustee and a member of the Finance Committee and the Fundraising Committees for the Center for Educational Advancement and is a member of the CFA Institute, the New York Society of Security Analysts, the CAIA Association, and the Financial Planning Association.

Moses & Singer LLP

Gideon is a partner with the New York City law firm of Moses & Singer LLP, where he co-chairs the Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation group. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and a member of the advisory boards of BNA's Tax Management and The Practical Accountant. Gideon is the co-author of the BNA Tax Management Portfolio on Asset Protection Planning. He is the chair of the International Estate Planning Committee and immediate past chair of the Committee on Asset Protection Planning of the American Bar Association's Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section, and vice-chair of the New York chapter of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). He lectures frequently on asset protection and estate planning to professional groups including the University of Miami's Philip Heckerling Institute, the New York University Federal Tax Institute, the New York State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Southern Federal Tax Institute, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is also licensed as a certified public accountant.

Searcy Financial Services, Inc.

Michael Searcy is the president of Searcy Financial Services, Inc., a financial planning and investment management firm that was rated one of the Top Wealth Managers in the nation by Wealth Manager magazine for the past 10 years. Michael is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, a Chartered Financial Consultant, and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst™ designee, with over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been featured as one of the “Most Experienced Independent Financial Advisors” by BusinessWeek in 2009 and one of the “150 Best Financial Advisors for Doctors” by Medical Economics in each of their bi-annual reports published in 2002-2006.

Michael has served as president of the Kansas City Chapter of the Financial Planning Association, adjunct faculty member for the College for Financial Planning and the University of Missouri at Kansas City, education chairman and president for the Kansas City Chapter of the Institute of Certified Financial Planners, and as an advisory board member to the National Committee of the International Association for Financial Planning.

Michael has authored numerous books on wealth management and financial planning and enjoys barbequing with his family and running. He has completed multiple marathons, including one in Antarctica.

Trovena, LLC

Trovena, LLC is a leading wealth management firm made up of a team of seven CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals with over 80 years of combined experience. The firm was rated one of Reuters Top Advisors in 2008 and ranked within the top-70 of advisory firms in a survey by Wealth Manager in 2009. With two offices in California, one in Texas, and one in New Jersey, the firm serves a wide range of clients from New York to Hong Kong, most of whom are physicians, corporate executives, entertainers, athletes, attorneys, retirees, and business owners.

Advisor Checklist

Stephen Wershing coaches financial advisors to be more effective and successful, and attract more clients and referrals, by developing more client-connected and client-driven practices. His process of collecting systematic and objective client feedback and using it to reorient an advisor’s practice effectively engages an advisor’s best clients to drive the strategic plan of the business. He consults financial practitioners on many practice management issues, including strategic differentiation, client advisory boards, and implementing technology.

Steve entered the investment and financial planning industry in 1987. His most recent executive positions include President of Ensemble Financial Services from 2002 – 2010, and Chief Operating Officer of Wall Street Financial Group from 1998 – 2002. He has been quoted in many trade and popular publications, including Financial Planning, Investment Advisor, Financial Advisor, Investment News and USA Today. He has presented to industry groups including the National Broker-Dealer Conference of the Financial Planning Association and the Investment Advisor Magazine Wealth Advisor Summit and is a blogger on Advisors4Advisors.com.

The Baran James Company

James Zalenka is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and founding principal of The Baran James Company, an independent financial planning firm that focuses on investment, retirement, estate, and insurance planning. He has been successfully advising business and individual clients since 1990. Jim received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Ohio University in 1981. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association and serves on the Board of Directors for DMI Companies., Inc. Jim is also president of Highpointe Homeowners Association and Finance Council member and parishioner at St. Stanislaus Kostka in Pittsburgh, where he resides.