Speakers

BY TIME

7:20 AM

  • Linda Bestepe is Head of Lending and Banking Services at MassMutual Wealth Management leading all lending and deposits solutions, ensuring effective oversight of our product suite, advisor sales and support, and referral relationships by providing financing and cash management capabilities to our clients and prospects who seek liquidity solutions.

    Linda joined MassMutual in 2022 and brings over 20 years of experience in executing data-driven growth strategies to cultivate multibillion-dollar portfolios for Fortune 500 finance leaders. Prior to joining MassMutual, Linda was Executive Director and Head of Referral Lending Solutions at UBS, where she led the Banking group’s referral lending financing for luxury assets, business, agricultural, and student lending. While at UBS, Linda also held the role of Head of New Product Strategy, launching UBS Bank USA’s Commercial Real Estate Lending and UBS Core Savings programs. Prior to rejoining UBS, Linda was at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A., where she held the position of Head of Sales and Business Management with strategic oversight of Banking and Lending initiatives in National Sales. Before joining Morgan Stanley, Linda held a variety of positions during her initial tenure at UBS in the areas of product management, business development, and sales enablement.

    Linda earned both a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fordham University and Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business. She is a registered securities professional with Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.

    Outside of work, Linda enjoys travel, traditional Armenian dancing, baking, reading, swimming whenever she can. Linda resides in Edgewater, New Jersey, with her husband, their twin daughters and two dogs.

  • A graduate of Georgetown University and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Patti Brennan is different. Not only does she provide comprehensive wealth management, she and her team create integrated strategies that are unique for each client. Patti is not just a number cruncher. She has the ability to see the impact of small details in the big picture, and is known for communicating complex, financial concepts into simple, meaningful terms.

    As a wife and mother of 4 children, Patti has learned to balance the most important job in the world with the needs of a growing company. Her husband, Ed, also owns a business, so their children have a real understanding of what it’s like to be an entrepreneur. Even so, evenings were always focused on family and the challenges they were all experiencing in their lives.

    Patti is a big believer in giving back to the community and currently resides on the boards of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine, Connect Thru Cancer and Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital Foundation Finance and Investment Committee, as well as other work with the hospital. She is also in high demand in the Financial Services Industry as a frequent speaker on best practices.

    Over the years, she has served on Chester County Hospital’s Main Board and is the former Chairwoman of the Retirement Plan Committee, the Chester County Economic Development Council, Southeastern Pennsylvania Development Council (SEEDCO) where she and a few select others approved SBA loans for small businesses in our community. Patti was the Captain of her Georgetown lacrosse team in college, and spent many years coaching young girls in field hockey and lacrosse. She is also a former Chairwoman of the National Advisory Board of Royal Alliance.

    Amongst all of those activities, Patti’s favorite position was teaching kindergarten CCD at St Agnes, giving her own 4 children the opportunity to be her “student teacher”. Even many years later, those students still come up to her and tell her that “trashball” was their favorite game in elementary school.

  • Beth is a human performance coach and consultant, speaker, author, and entrepreneur. With 25 years of experience working in financial services and performance development, Beth's passion is helping women achieve their dream lives both in and out of the workspace. From female financial advisors to entrepreneurs and career re-launchers, Beth has supported the best and brightest firms and leaders to clarify goals and accelerate desired results.

  • Holly is a business strategist, human performance coach and consultant, speaker and entrepreneur. With 25 years of experience working in financial services and performance development, Holly's goal is to help women achieve their dream lives both in and out of the workspace. From female financial advisors to entrepreneurs and career re-launchers, Holly has supported fortune 500 firms and start-ups to seek clarity and accelerate desired results.

Pre-Summit Session: Women Advisor Networking & Discussion Group

8:00 AM

  • Tony Sirianni is a 35 year industry vet, the publisher of two of the most successful Financial Advisor magazines in the industry, and the force behind the AdvisorHub website, the number one news site for Financial Advisors. He is the host of the top rated Tony Sirianni podcast, which features the industry's best CEOs, advisors, and thought leaders. He created an Advisor focused events business that gives thousands of advisors access and networking opportunities, along with national recognition in his annual 1,000 Advisors to Watch list. He is a consultant for Fortune 100 banks and Advisory firms, and a minority interest investor in a portfolio of RIAs. He is a founding partner in Steward Partners and Washington Wealth management, which later became Kestra Private Wealth, and a former Managing Director at 3 Wirehouse firms. Tony has a Law degree and a Masters Degree and lives in Virginia with his family.

Opening Remarks: The Future of Advice

8:15 AM

  • Ronald J. Kruszewski is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Stifel Financial Corp. and its principal subsidiary, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated. He joined the firm as Chief Executive Officer in 1997 and was named Chairman in 2001.

    Mr. Kruszewski currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). He previously served as Chairman of the American Securities Association (ASA) from 2019 through 2021 and on the Federal Advisory Council of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Board of Directors from 2014 through 2019. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for FutureFuel Corp. and on the Board of Trustees for Saint Louis University and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation. He is a graduate of Indiana University.

    Active in community affairs, Mr. Kruszewski serves as a member of the Chair’s Council for Greater St. Louis Inc. He is also past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Downtown STL, Inc. and past non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Angelica Corporation. In addition, he is a member of the St. Louis Chapter of the World Presidents’ Organization, and under Mr. Kruszewski’s leadership, Stifel became a member of the World Economic Forum in 2023. In 2019, Mr. Kruszewski won the Horatio Alger Award and was selected for membership in the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, which honors individuals who have overcome adversity to achieve success and who have demonstrated commitment to higher education and charitable endeavors. In 2024, he was elected to the Horatio Alger Association’s Board of Directors.

Bullish on Wealth Management

8:35 AM

  • Joseph W. Montgomery, CFP®, AIF®, Founder and Managing Director-Investments of The Optimal Service Group of Wells Fargo Advisors.

Billion Dollar Advisor Spotlight

8:50 AM

  • Tony Marek, CFA, CPA, Managing Director, is the Global Head of Product Strategy for the Income team within the Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions Platform and the Head Income Strategist for US Wealth.  As a strategist, he works closely with the various investment departments to build portfolios and provides a comprehensive view of markets and capabilities within BlackRock.  Mr. Marek's service with the firm dates back to 2009.

  • Manali Patel, CFA, CAIA, is Director of iShares Product Commercialization at BlackRock, Inc. In her role, she leads go to market strategy for iShares Equity ETFs strategies, utilizing data-driven client insights to develop marketing plans to swiftly scale new products and capture commercial opportunities.

  • Dan is a member of the Index Investments Group at FTSE Russell. He leads FTSE Russell businesses for the Americas involving the creation of Synthetic Index Investments, which is comprised of total return swaps, OTC derivatives and risk managed index investment product delivered in various wrappers.

    Prior to joining the London Stock Exchange Group in 2019, Dan oversaw product & business development as a Partner at Alaia Capital, a derivative focused asset manager that created the first publicly offered ’40 act funds delivering risk managed ETF exposure by using FLEX options. The pioneered framework has since been leveraged for the creation of Defined Outcome ETFs.

    Before Alaia Capital, Dan spent 16 years in senior coverage and structuring roles for derivatives, structured products and quantitative indexes referencing equities, interest rates, currencies, and commodities at Morgan Stanley, Barclays and Goldman Sachs.

    Dan received his Bachelors in Science with a concentration in Finance from the University of Florida.  He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and held securities licenses from FINRA in Series 7, 63, 3, and 55.  He resides in Montclair, New Jersey with his wife and two children.

How to Use Options ETFs within Portfolios

9:25 AM

  • Mary Ann Bartels is a recognized and an award winning strategist that spent 35-years on Wall Street analyzing and communicating trends in the economy, equities, bonds, commodities and exchange traded funds. Ms. Bartels held many roles at Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. She also held portfolio manager roles at Zweig-Avatar in New York and Batterymarch in Boston. Mary Ann is an Institutional Investor All-American Research ranked analyst for six consecutive years for her work in Technical Analysis.

  • Vince’s career spans 28 years in U.S. wealth management, international wealth management and private banking. He joined Sanctuary Wealth in 2019 after serving on Merrill Lynch’s senior leadership team and executive committee. As Managing Director, Vince ascended into the role of one of six divisional executives responsible for leading Merrill Lynch’s Wealth Management business. He also served as a Bank of America Market President in Texas, selected by the CEO to bring together various statewide lines of business to deliver the bank’s strategy to clients and the local community. Vince built his early reputation as a successful financial advisor first at Shearson Lehman, then at Merrill Lynch, earning the designations of Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor (CRPC®) and Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®).

Markets, the Economy, & the Impact of the Election, Introduced by Vince Fertitta

10:10 AM

  • At Merchant, Tim is engaged across all aspects of the Firm, with a day to day focus on driving the company’s key growth initiatives and directing the overall corporate strategy. Prior to Merchant, Tim was an early stage Partner at Dynasty Financial Partners, where he was in charge of strategic implementation and advisor identification firm-wide for the Dynasty Network. Prior to Dynasty, Tim was Head of Global Platforms for New York-based alternative asset manager, SkyBridge Capital, where he was in charge of building and managing the Firm’s global platform sales activities.

    Previous to SkyBridge, he was an original member of the Permal Group’s Hedge Fund of Fund US Private Client Platform Distribution Team, where he launched and developed the firm’s US distribution arm and brand. Earlier, he worked on Permal’s Institutional Sales team which involved interfacing with pensions, endowments, foundations and institutional consultants across the Permal product suite. Tim currently serves as Special Advisor to the Board for the Family Office Association in Greenwich, CT and is on the Membership Committee of the Core Club in New York. He is a graduate of St. Lawrence University.

Trends & Nuances in the Advisor Marketplace

10:25 AM

  • As a senior sales executive, Chief Revenue Officer, and transformational business leader, I bring a reputation of success in driving exceptional growth for innovative companies in the FinTech, WealthTech, Crypto, Blockchain, Custody, and Prime Brokerage sectors. I excel at building high-performance sales teams backed by effective processes, forming account relationships with market-leading companies at scale, and positioning future-focused organizations to compete and win in highly competitive global markets. Merging a collaborative leadership style with a diverse background spanning a range of business functions-I work effectively at every level, inspire standout contributions from my teams, and rally stakeholders around a shared vision to consistently surpass expectations, regardless of the market, situation, or challenge.

AI-Powered Growth: The Edge of Data-First Firms

10:40 AM

  • Robb Baldwin is the Founder, President and CEO of TradePMR, a growth-minded, service-oriented technology, and custodial services firm built by RIAs for RIAs.

    Robb began his career as a financial advisor, transitioning to become a fee-only advisor in the '90s. After a problematic transition occurred following his custodian's acquisition, he knew advisors and their clients deserved better. He envisioned a custodial services provider uniquely focused on offering technology tools and extraordinary support to RIAs. In 1998, Robb founded TradePMR. After more than 20 years in business, the firm's focus has not wavered.

    In 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2024, TradePMR's Fusion platform was the #1 rated custody platform in advisor satisfaction in the annual Software Survey by Bob Veres and Joel Bruckenstein. Financial Planning magazine also recognized Robb as one of the "20 People Who Will Change Wealth Management in 2020."

    Throughout his career, Robb has earned numerous securities licenses, including Series 7, 24, 53, and 4, which are registered with TradePMR. Today, TradePMR continues to fulfill Robb's original goal of helping advisors find their true independence by providing what he believes is the absolute best technology and service in the industry.

Rainmakers Aren’t Born, They are Made

11:05 AM

  • Brandon manages client engagements, thought leadership, and research. He brings insight, creativity, and analytical know-how to our clients’ most complex challenges.  He specializes in providing strategy for evaluating the strategic direction of a firm whether that be through internal succession or the external market.

    Brandon enjoys writing about industry challenges and trends, especially RIA M&A and the next-gen talent landscape.  He authors and leads the annual M&A research for “The RIA Deal Room” which was recognized as the Industry Research Initiative of the Year in the 2021 Wealth Management Industry Awards.  Brandon regularly contributes to major industry publishers such as Wealth Management, Barron’s, Citywire, ThinkAdvisor, and AdvisorHub.  Brandon has been recognized as a ThinkAdvisor Luminary in Dealmaking and Growth and as an InvestmentNews 40 Under 40 honoree.

    Brandon resides in Phoenix and, thus, always roots for the Sun Devils. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Kristi, and chasing his two young daughters and son.

  • Scott Danner, Head of the Legacy Division at Steward Partners, is a driving force in the financial services industry. He leads M&A initiatives that help empower advisors to grow and secure their legacies with Steward Partners. As the Founder of Freedom Street Partners, Scott transformed small firm into over a $3 billion in AUM as of December 2023 powerhouse with over 40 advisors across seven states. His next-gen advisory model helps equip advisors to transition their practices successfully, ensuring their businesses thrive beyond retirement.

    A dedicated coach and author of Freedom Street, Scott's leadership is rooted in a commitment to health, faith, and family. He is deeply involved in his community, spearheading a wine festival that has donated $2.7 million to local charities over 15 years. Scott has received numerous accolades, including Forbes Best-in-State and Raymond James Chairman's Council honors.

    Scott Danner is a relationship-driven leader, focused on making a lasting impact both in his industry and his community.

  • As Managing Director and Head of Momentum Independent Network, Scott sets the strategy and direction for the firm while leading the senior executive team in shaping and communicating the values and operating principles of the organization.

    He joined Momentum in 2023, and has more than 25 years of diverse private banking & wealth management experience. Prior to joining Momentum, Scott served as Divisional Manager of the Institution Services Wealth Management team at LPL Financial.

    He's held senior management roles at BBVA Compass Wealth Management, Wells Fargo Advisors, and Citigroup Global Markets.

  • Chris Mone is an Executive Vice President of Wedbush Securities. He serves as the head of the Wealth Management division, and is a member of the Presidents’ Executive Committee and Management Committee of the firm. Wedbush Securities is one of the largest securities firms and investment banks with headquarters on the West Coast. Founded in 1955, and built on a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, Wedbush remains an independent, family and employee-owned, fully diversified, self-clearing financial services firm and true American success story. With over 25 years of experience in various leadership roles in the financial services industry, Chris joined the leadership team at Wedbush in 2019 to embark on a new chapter of growth.

    With over 28 years of experience in the finance industry, Chris formerly held roles such as President of U.S. Markets for Wilmington Trust Wealth Advisory, President of the Greater Los Angeles region of BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Managing Director of UBS Wealth Management, and was a top Financial Advisor with Prudential Securities and Edward Jones.

    Chris earned his bachelor’s degree in English and Literature from St. John’s University and his Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law. He holds his Series 3, 7, 8, 63, and 65 licenses.

  • Chris Reedy is National Managing Director, Head of Business Development for Schwab Advisor Services, an industry-leading custodian in the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) model, serving nearly 15,000 firms with over $4 trillion in assets under management. He leads the organization responsible for the sourcing, development, and on-boarding of independent investment advisors looking for the custodial, operational, and trading support that Schwab provides to RIA firms. Clients include wealth managers, asset managers, multi-family offices, regional independent broker dealers, turn-key asset management providers, and advisors moving to the independent RIA model who have left other financial institutions, as well as current RIAs who seek a new custodian.

    Before joining Schwab in 2012, Mr. Reedy was a financial advisor and branch manager with Morgan Stanley for 14 years. He holds a B.A. from Southern Illinois University. He has series 7, 9, 10, 63, 65 registrations. 

Mastering Inorganic Growth through M+A, Moderated by Brandon Kawal

11:45 AM

  • As Director of Advisor Sales for FP Alpha, Ian works with prospective financial advisors demonstrating how to use the FP Alpha platform to offer comprehensive financial planning in a scalable manner. Prior to FP Alpha, Ian was with Hartford Funds as an Investment Specialist, focused on working with financial advisors to find investment solutions to help accomplish client goals. Outside of the “office,” Ian enjoys playing ice hockey or golf, and lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with his wife and two kids.

  • As a Director on the Client Services team, Jesse works with prospective clients as they explore a partnership with Altfest Personal Wealth Management. Much of his work is focused on tying financial planning and investment management concepts to each new client’s personal life goals to enhance outcomes. He evaluates opportunities and inefficiencies in a client’s financial situation in order to provide a clear Financial Planning Roadmap and insight to clearly outline the value of our client experience.

    Prior to joining Altfest, Jesse previously worked with Focused Wealth Management where he was Vice President of Wealth Management and led the firm’s business development initiatives in the employer-sponsored retirement plan market.

    Jesse is a graduate of Skidmore College where he obtained a B.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in Government. He also received the school’s Chinese Language Prize.


Fueling Organic Growth with AI-Powered Advanced Planning Tools

1:05 PM

  • Tom plays a critical role in preserving the firm’s strong culture and accelerating its growth as a leading provider of wealth management and banking services to entrepreneurs, professionals and families throughout the United States. He leads the day-to-day operations of the firm’s Private Client Group, comprised of more than 2,100 advisors in 42 states.

    In March 1994, Tom joined Dain Bosworth (a predecessor of RBC Wealth Management­–U.S.) as a financial advisor. Applying the lessons he learned on the ice about teamwork, Tom quickly moved up the ranks to become a leader in the organization—first as an assistant branch director in Minneapolis, then complex director in Milwaukee, then divisional director and now president.

    In addition to his leadership role with RBC Wealth Management–U.S., Tom is a board member of RBC U.S. Group Holdings LLC, RBC’s intermediate holding company (IHC). He is the co-executive sponsor of the RBC Wealth Management–U.S. Diversity Leadership Council. He is also an active member of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Private Client Group committee to advocate on behalf of advisors and investors.

  • Patti has been a financial advisor and wealth manager with RBC Wealth Management since 1998. She began her career in 1985 as a financial advisor with Alex. Brown & Sons. Patti is part of RBC’s Private Wealth Group, a select group of advisors serving high-net-worth individuals and institutions. She is a member of the firm’s Senior Consulting Group and has been consistently named to the firm’s Chairman’s Council, offered to RBC’s top 150 advisors.

    In conjunction with the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Patti completed the Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) program. This rigorous study helps wealth advisors develop specific strategies for high-net-worth families, with the goal of minimizing taxes, accumulating and protecting assets, maximizing growth of capital, and transferring wealth to the next generation.

    Patti earned a bachelor’s degree from Duke University in 1978, graduating summa cum laude, and earning membership to the Phi Beta Kappa honorary society. In 1991, she graduated from the Wharton School Securities Industry Institute program. In addition, she completed the U.S. SIF Foundation Course: Fundamentals of Sustainable and Responsible Investment from the Center for Sustainable Investment Education.

    Patti plays an active role in the Baltimore Annapolis community. She is currently on the board of trustees and is vice chair of The Baltimore Community Foundation, where she serves as chair of the Investment Committee. She is also on the board of Overseers and Investment Committee for the Baltimore School for the Arts, which is a leading pre-professional arts high school. In addition, she serves on the board of the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.

    Patti has been recognized as an outstanding leader in Anne Arundel County. She previously served on several local boards, including the YWCA of Anne Arundel County, The Key School, and Maryland Hall for the Performing Arts.

Aligning Values with Investments

1:35 PM

How to Navigate Investing in Dividend ETFs in a Falling Rate Environment

  • Eric Beyrich joined Sound Income Strategies as an Equity Portfolio Manager in 2020.

    Prior to joining SIS, Eric spent over 30 years as a fundamental value investor: 17 as an Analyst, 11 as a Portfolio Manager, and 3 as a Corporate Strategist. During that span, he was also a partner and Head of Marketing at KR Capital Advisors. Additionally, for the 8 years that he was Head of Equities at Loews Corporation, Eric’s portfolios consistently outperformed the S&P 500.

    Eric holds a BA in Economics from Rutgers College, an MBA in Finance and International Business from NYU, and a Graduate Diploma in Financial Strategy from Oxford. He also holds the CFA and CFP designations.

1:50 PM

  • Sarah Carlson owns a financial services firm in Spokane, WA. She has over 25 years of experience helping people live their best lives through sound financial advice. Her passion is helping women overcome the negative stigmas about money and changing the narrative.

  • Elizabeth is the Senior Vice President, National Field Director at LPL Financial. She previously held various positions at UBS. She is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross.

Top Advisor Spotlight

2:05 PM

  • Scott has over 19 years of experience in the financial services industry. Most recently, Scott served as the Senior Director of Wealth Management for Principal Financial Group for 13 years. Scott acquired over $7 billion in assets in his tenure. In 2002, Scott co-founded Locorr - a third-party national distributor of alternative investments. In 2006, Scott founded WallSteetUnites.org (WSU), a 501(c)3 that coordinates charitable events for advisors nationwide. In 2017, he received the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Service Award. Scott received his Juris Doctorate from William Mitchell and a BBA in Finance and Business Economics from the University of Notre Dame. Currently, Scott serves on the Forbes Finance Council as a Contributing Editor.

Fiduciary First Client Banking

2:20 PM

  • Pedro joined Global X in 2019 as a Research Analyst covering the Thematic Growth suite of ETFs, including those in the Technology, People, and Infrastructure categories. Prior to joining Global X, Pedro held the role of Equity Research Analyst at Cabot Wealth Management where he worked on the firm’s growth-oriented investment strategy, utilizing ETFs to construct multi-asset class portfolios. Pedro earned his MBA from the Bertolon School of Business at Salem State University and a BA from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB) in Venezuela. Pedro is fluent in Spanish and conversational in Italian.

How Tech is Transforming Defense & Security

3:10 PM

  • David serves as a managing partner of Firstrust Financial Resources and Vice Chairman of Karr Barth Associates. His focus includes professional development, strategic planning, and driving growth initiatives across the firm, including mergers & acquisitions. Together, these organizations consist of more than 350 associates.

    With over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, Mr. Fleisher focuses on designing and implementing individual financial plans, portfolios, and corporate benefits. He works closely with families navigating life-altering financial events, providing strategic, personalized planning. A leader in the industry, he has appeared on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business, and KYW News Radio for business commentary.

    David is also dedicated to his community, currently serving as mayor of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and as an active member of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees, where he earned his BS in Finance.

Empowering Expansion: 3 Pillars to Scaling

3:30 PM

  • Olivia Eisinger is the Head of Advisory at Apex Fintech Solutions. In her role, Olivia leads the advisory channel, where she aims to help the businesses lean into technology and operational efficiency to expand their reach and deliver the digital experience that today's consumers expect.

    Previously, Olivia spent over twelve years in financial services, largely focused on the advisory segment. As Vice President, Strategic Relationship Management at TD Ameritrade, she worked closely with some of the most successful advisory firms to understand their business models, solve challenges, and provide them with the tools needed to reach their goals. Olivia also served as Vice President, Technology Consulting at TD Ameritrade, where she was responsible for consulting with RIA businesses to develop technology strategies and navigate the evolving fintech landscape.

    In her personal life, Olivia enjoys being active outdoors with her husband Todd, daughter Rosalind and son Isaac. They reside in Morris County, NJ.

  • Bob was instrumental in establishing 1792 Wealth Advisors and is now responsible for managing the Raymond James branch office. As branch manager, RJFS and managing partner, 1792 Wealth Advisors, Bob Milligan has many responsibilities, but the one he holds dearest is serving the families and individual clients, including retirees, corporate executives, widows and divorcees, who have put their trust in him. It’s the very reason Bob got into the business in the first place back in 1996.

    Bob has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and, as a result, has seen many kinds of market environments and has the ability to help his clients through them.

    Throughout his career, Bob held several senior-level roles in branch management, client relationship management and investment management. He was a senior vice president and branch manager at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and a vice president and investment strategist with Wachovia Wealth Management.

    He began his financial career in 1996 as a wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch, where he built and managed a successful practice providing customized investment solutions and comprehensive wealth plans to individuals, families and institutional investors. He is a graduate of Hofstra University.

    In the community, Bob serves as board chair of the Adult Day Center of Somerset County and has been a member of their board since 2013. He is also a board member of Ridge Sports Foundation. He is a professionally trained philanthropic auctioneer who specializes in calling live benefit and charity auctions. Bob has worked with many of the leading nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in New York and New Jersey as the auctioneer for their major benefit events. It has created a tremendous value for the organizations he serves and consistently helps them maximize their fundraising efforts.

  • Robert Russo is the founder of Independent Advisor Alliance. As Chief Executive Officer, he creates and leads the execution of the firm’s long-term business strategy, identifies new opportunities for impact, advisor recruitment, firm growth, and operations.

    Prior to founding IAA, Robert was a financial advisor, first with AG Edwards, then with LPL. His entrepreneurial spirit, combined with his experience as a financial advisor, drives his knowledge and passion for empowering and supporting independent advisors to grow and succeed.

    Robert holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management from the University of Tennessee and his Series 7, Series 24, and Series 66 licenses.

    Raised outside of Philadelphia, PA, Robert has lived in Charlotte since 2006, where he currently resides with his wife, their two sons, and their Golden Retriever, Reese. An avid sports fan, you’ll find him cheering on his favorite team or coaching his sons’ teams when he’s not in the office.

Mastering Organic Growth, Moderated by Greg Banasz

4:10 PM

Winning Client Relationships Through Transparency and Collaboration

  • Monish Verma is the Founding Partner and CEO at Vardhan Wealth Management. He is a Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist with 30 years in the wealth management business.

    Prior to founding Vardhan Wealth Management, Monish was a Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at UBS Financial Services Inc. – running the Verma Wealth Management Group. Monish previously worked at Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley. He graduated Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Pre-Law and a minor in Business.

    Away from the office, Monish is active in the local community. He is past president and current member of the INDO American Chamber of Commerce and charter member of the Indus Entrepreneurs, Michigan Chapter. He is an avid tennis player. Monish and his wife, Roshnee, reside in Novi, Michigan and are the proud parents of three wonderful boys.

4:25 PM

  • Greg has served as the Chief Marketing Officer for Steward Partners since 2014. As a key member of the leadership team, he is responsible for developing and executing the organization’s corporate marketing strategy. Greg utilizes his vast marketing experience and strong understanding of the financial services industry to grow the firm’s presence and attract top industry talent.

    He leads his team in the tireless pursuit of being ahead of industry marketing and communications trends so they can implement progressive tools and resources that enhance partnerships. Greg also works closely with media consulting teams, marketing agencies, recruiting executives and operations to develop and implement strategies with proven results.

    In addition to marketing, internal and external communication is also imperative to the firm’s success and future growth, ensuring information is clear, timely and relevant.

    Greg often relies on his background in art and interest in design to blend his 30 years of experience in financial services, bringing him to what he describes as the most enjoyable phase of his career. Not only can he meld these two complex disciplines together, but he also appreciates the opportunities to mentor the next generation of leadership and participate in panel discussions to share and educate others in the industry about marketing-related topics and trends. He is also passionate about teaching others, regardless of the industry, to track their efforts and success. Through his experiences tracking marketing metrics, he has translated this skill to other industries, teaching others how to keep score and the importance of tracking for continuous improvement.

    He began his career with Legg Mason, where he held various roles in his thirteen years, from Operations Manager to Regional Administrative Officer. Before joining Steward Partners, Greg held several leadership roles with Smith Barney/Morgan Stanley in multiple locations. Greg earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Towson University. He has remained an active community member and previously held roles on the Special Gifts Committee of the Frederick Memorial Hospital, the Good Samaritan Order of FMH Health System and The Tivoli Society for The Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, MD. He has also led and participated in several community and national benefit programs, including The National Kidney Foundation, Big Brothers & Sisters of Maryland and Montgomery County School’s Financial Literacy Program.

Developing a Billion Dollar Brand

4:40 PM

  • Matt has represented multiple Fortune 500 financial institutions, in addition to many small and middle market firms. He has also served as counsel to more than 150 financial advisers throughout his career. Matt appears on behalf of clients in arbitrations (including FINRA and AAA) and in state and federal courts. Among other things, Matt has represented clients in 100+ FINRA arbitrations, including both industry and customer disputes.

    He also frequently advises broker-dealers, RIA firms and financial advisers in connection with transitions and recruiting matters. Matt serves as a go-to resource for multiple broker-dealers for transition and recruiting-related matters. He also is consulted as an outside general counsel for multiple RIA firms.

What Keeps Me Up at Night: FINRA 2025