Speakers

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7:50 AM

  • 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.

  • Tammy Williams joined Cooke Financial Group in 2016 and, in 2025, was promoted to President. As one of the team’s lead wealth advisors, she specializes in executing comprehensive wealth plans and guiding clients through every stage of their financial journey.

    Tammy works directly with individuals, families, and non-profits, focusing on building lifelong relationships, delivering personalized service, and helping clients navigate complex wealth management decisions with clarity and confidence.

    Before her career in financial services, Tammy spent seven years as a professional softball player. She competed with the U.S.A. Women’s Softball National Team, played in Japan’s Professional League for Denso, and was a member of the NFP Chicago Bandits. This unique background instilled in her the discipline, resilience, and team-first mindset she now brings to her clients and colleagues at Cooke Financial Group.

Pre-Summit Session: Women Advisor Networking & Discussion Group

8:30 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

8:40 AM

Tech Revolution: Risks & Opportunities in Wealth Management

  • 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.

9:00 AM

  • Vince’s career spans 33 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®).

Scaling Through Inorganic Growth

9:15 AM

  • Paul Schroeder is a QQQ Equity Product Strategist on Invesco’s Factor and Core Equity ETF Strategist team. He focuses on promoting the adoption of the Invesco QQQ Trust and Invesco Innovation Suite by discussing implementation strategies and creating thought leadership content.

    Prior to his current role, Paul was a Product Manager for the Factor and Core Equity ETF team, covering over 75 equity ETFs in both the US and Canadian-listed Invesco ETF lineups. Paul joined Invesco in 2015 as a Regional Advisor Consultant covering wirehouses, broker-dealers, and RIAs.

    Prior to joining Invesco, Paul was a financial advisor with TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab. Paul earned a BS in Management, BS in Accounting, and the Advanced Accountancy Certificate from Purdue University.  Paul is also a Chartered Market Technician.

Innovation & AI Integration with InvescoQQQ

9:45 AM

  • Fred serves as the Head, Banking and Lending for RBC Wealth Management – U.S., joining the firm in 2017. In his role, Fred is charged with setting and implementing the deposit and lending capabilities used by RBC’s financial advisors with their clients, including RBC Credit Access Line, Tailored Lending, and RBC Cash Sweeps. Fred specializes in leveraging technology to enhance the FA-client experience through the lens of helping advisors be a holistic wealth manager of both sides of their client’s balance sheet.

    Fred came to RBC Wealth Management – U.S. after co-founding Supernova Technology based in Chicago, IL, where he was instrumental in establishing RBC’s partnership with Supernova, the technology partner that powers RBC Credit Access Line. Prior to co-founding Supernova, Fred was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and Merrill Lynch. Fred earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He lives in Edina, Minnesota with his wife, Melissa, and two young sons, Max and Liam.

Serving the Future of Wealth: Strategies for Attracting & Retaining UHNW Clients

10:35 AM

  • James Mellin is the Head of Advice and Wealth Management for Equitable Advisors and a member of Equitable’s Operating Committee.

    In his current role, he leads the growth strategy for Equitable Advisors — the company’s network of 4,600 financial professionals nationwide — including advisor development, performance and training.

    A nearly four-decade veteran of the company, Mr. Mellin began his career as a financial professional and steadily advanced through various leadership roles at Equitable Advisors, including district manager, branch manager and Chief Sales Officer.

    Mr. Mellin earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Michigan. He holds professional designations as a Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter.

Building & Managing High Achieving Teams

10:50 AM

  • Ed Coyne joined Sprott in January 2016 and has more than 25 years of investment management and sales experience. Mr. Coyne is the Host of Sprott Radio, a lively podcast series that provides in-depth intelligence on precious metals and critical materials investments, featuring subject matter experts.

    Before joining Sprott, he was a Principal and Investment Specialist for 18 years at Royce & Associates, a small-cap value manager located in New York City and the investment adviser to The Royce Funds. Before joining Royce, Mr. Coyne worked with Zweig Mutual Funds and Neuberger Berman as a Regional Sales Director. He began his career at Reich & Tang, a provider of deposit, liquidity and cash management solutions for banks, broker-dealers, investment advisors, institutional investors and public entities. Mr. Coyne earned his Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Missouri. He also holds a Series 7 license, administered by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

An Investor’s Guide to Precious Metals & Critical Materials

11:05 AM

Passing the Torch: Strategies for Succession, Acquisition, & Advisor Development

  • Brian Mora is the Senior Vice President of Experienced Advisor Recruiting. In this role, Mora leads a nationwide team of recruiters and field leaders responsible for bringing quality experienced advisors from across the industry to Ameriprise Financial.

    He joined Ameriprise Financial as a financial advisor in 2001 and was promoted into field leadership in 2002. Over his 20+ years with the firm, Mora moved into increasingly senior leadership positions within the company’s branch and independent advisor channels before assuming his current role. Mora has a track record of recruiting advisors to Ameriprise, helping financial advisors grow and diversify their practices, and developing strong leaders. 

    Mora is a father of two and an avid endurance athlete who has completed nine Ironman events. He enjoys spending time with family and coaching his children’s sports teams. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit organization, Special Compass.

    Mora is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®), Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA®) and holds industry licenses 7, 24, and 66. He earned his B.S. in Business Administration and Finance and Management from Montclair State University.

11:35 AM

  • Gianna is an Associate with Merchant, supporting underwriting and portfolio management for Merchant Wealth Partners. Gianna is also an Associate with GPS Investment Partners, sourcing, evaluating, and executing private equity and debt opportunities across a variety of sectors.

    Prior to joining Merchant, Gianna was a strategy consultant with Accenture, aligned to the Telecom, Media, and Tech (TMT) practice, helping clients build business cases for new product opportunities and operating margin improvement.

    She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2017 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.

  • 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.

  • Stan Gregor is the CEO of Summit Financial LLC. As a senior executive with over 30 years of experience, Stan has operated in banking, private wealth management, investment management, fiduciary trust services, fixed income trading, investment banking, retirement services, insurance, financial planning, and public finance. He has also been involved in acquiring and integrating some of the largest and most complicated banking, wealth management, insurance, and capital markets businesses and cultures with a demonstrated track record of increasing productivity, profitability and shareholder value.

    Most recently, Stan was the founder and Co-CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald Wealth Partners (CFWP). Under his leadership, CFWP grew to over $5 billion in assets in less than two years through several strategic acquisitions of RIA’s, independent advisors, and wire house teams.

    Prior to joining Cantor Fitzgerald, Stan was the Head of Wells Fargo Wealth Management -Eastern US Markets and President of Wachovia Wealth Markets. He provided executive leadership to the Eastern U.S. Markets and headed up the Wealth Insurance Division overseeing: the private bank, wealth brokerage, investment management, fiduciary trust services, financial planning, and insurance. Stan was responsible for leading nearly 5,000 team members generating revenues of $2.5 billion with $69 billion of investment fee-based AUM, $19 billion of deposit balances, and $16 billion of loans.

    Prior to Wachovia, Stan was CEO of Commerce Capital Markets, where he directed private wealth management, brokerage, asset management, fixed income trading, derivatives, investment banking, retirement services, insurance, and public finance.

    Subsequently, Stan was CEO of Quick and Reilly (Q&R) as one of the visionaries that transformed Q&R from a transactional discount broker to a full-service advisory company. When Q&R was acquired by Bank of America, Stan stayed on as co-CEO of Bank of America Investment Services until 2005.

    Over nearly a decade at Citigroup, Stan had several senior executive level roles leading different divisions including consumer banking, private wealth management, and Citigroup as Northeast Group Executive Vice President.

  • Mr. Irizarry has over 25 years of experience in financial services. Prior to joining Republic, Marc was the Founder of MSI Capital Management (“MSI”), a strategic consulting and advisory practice serving traditional and alternative asset management firms in addition to wealth management firms.

    Before founding MSI, Marc joined fellow Goldman Sachs alumni in the successful launch and growth of Chiron Investment Management, where Marc served as Chief Administrative Officer and Head of Strategy. Chiron specialized in global asset allocation and quantamental investing, raising over $3 billion dollars in AUM before a sale to a strategic buyer. Marc was a member of the firm’s Operating, Risk, and Investment Committees and oversaw global multi-asset portfolios in the Global Financial Services and Financial Tech sectors.

    Marc previously served as a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs where he built the top-ranked sell-side Equity Research franchise in Asset Managers. He was ranked as one of Americas Best Stock Analysts by Bloomberg/Greenwich Associates. Marc oversaw a global sector team covering over 30 publicly traded asset managers, leading groundbreaking initial public offerings for prominent alternative asset management franchises, including Blackstone, Ares, Apollo, KKR, Carlyle Group, and Oaktree, among others. Coverage included many of the largest traditional asset managers and specialist firms, such as BlackRock, Franklin Resources, T. Rowe Price, Invesco, and multi-boutique/affiliate firms such as AMG.

    Marc is a Wealth and Asset Management Advisory Board Member for Lightyear Capital and an Independent Board Member of Shriram Asset Management. Marc also sits on the Investment Committee of Bergen County’s YJCC. He is an active alum of Cornell University in areas including fundraising for the University and led Goldman Sachs Research Division on-campus recruiting efforts.

    Marc has spent decades observing, listening to leaders, and studying the evolution of firms in the Asset Management and Wealth Management industries. Over multiple market cycles, he guided many of the world’s largest institutional investors’ investment decisions in the public asset management sector.

Lessons From a Record-Breaking Year in M+A, Moderated by Gianna Parella

1:15 PM

  • Fernando De Leon is the founder and CEO of Leon Capital Group, a holding company overseeing twelve independently-managed subsidiaries in the three divisions: financial services, healthcare and real estate. Leon operates as a diversified holding company that takes the lead conceiving, developing, owning, and operating businesses.

    Founded as a modest real estate development company in Texas, Leon has since evolved into a diverse holding company, capable of operating successfully across multiple geographies and industries. Today, Leon’s subsidiaries and externally managed companies encompass ~ 4,000 employees.

    In Leon’s real estate holdings, Mr. De Leon has made real estate investments with an asset value of $15B+. Leon Capital has invested in or developed approximately 20,000 rental housing units, 25M SF of industrial, 15M SF of retail, self-storage, healthcare assets, and 10,000 lots of land in residential subdivisions. Additionally, Leon Capital, along with the Perot Companies, co-founded a European industrial operating company, which has developed over 40M SF of logistics assets in the European Union.

    In Leon’s healthcare branch, Mr. De Leon and his team at Leon founded and currently operate Specialty Dental Brands, Frontline Dental Implant Specialists, Advanced Medaesthetic Partners, Physician Directed Partners, Texas Heart Partners, Mattison Avenue, and Turnwell Mental Health which collectively manage over 600 locations and provide healthcare to approximately 2 million people annually.

    Leon Financial currently operates the investment management business and its various fund offerings. Leon Financial operates Bastion Insurance, Finsurity Premium Finance and Patient Capital, a specialty lending business designed to increase the accessibility of all Americans to critical health care offerings.

    Mr. De Leon is a co-founder of Crexi, one of the largest digital marketplaces connecting buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants in the commercial real estate sector. Crexi’s intelligence products support 3M real estate professionals with real time transaction data.

    Mr. De Leon began his career as an analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York. He received a BA, cum laude, from Harvard College, where he was a Hoover Foundation Scholar and a National Coca Cola Scholar.

    Mr. De Leon received the Horatio Alger Award and was inducted into the organization’s membership in 2025. Additionally, the De Leon Family Foundation focuses its work on poverty in south Texas and northern Mexico, and expanding access to healthcare. The foundation’s De Leon Scholars program awards scholarships to ten students annually across the state of Texas, who endeavor to improve their communities.

  • 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.

How to Invest in the RIA Wave: Leon Capital as Direct Owners

1:30 PM

  • 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.

Mental Health & Succession Planning

1:45 PM

5 Biggest Mistakes when Investing in Alternatives

  • Matt is a Managing Director and heads our US distribution team. He has been working in the financial services industry since 1998.

    Prior to joining Prospect, Matt served as Director, for Stepstone Global, one of the largest investors in the private markets. At Stepstone, Matt was responsible for distribution of Stepstone’s HNW funds to registered investment advisor (RIA) firms.  Prior to that, Matt was a Regional Consultant, for Black Creek Capital Markets (Now Ares Wealth), a specialist in real estate investment products. Before that he worked for Franklin Square Capital Partners in a similar role. Prior to Franklin Square, Matt spent 8 years as a Managing Principal at LMCG Investments in Boston, responsible for managing the firms private client team.

    Matt received a BA from Oswego State University. He holds FINRA 7, 63, 65 and 26 licenses.


2:00 PM

  • David Lau is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DPL Financial Partners, a firm focused on the distribution of financial products geared toward the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and fee-based advisory channels. Prior to founding DPL in 2014, David served as COO and architect of Jefferson National, a leading insurance carrier focused on RIAs and fee-based advisors. Earlier in his career, David helped build E*Trade Bank, and its predecessor Telebank, which was the nation’s first internet bank.

  • Mike Reidy is Senior Vice President & National Sales Manager of the RIA Channel for Security Benefit, where he oversees the distribution of Security Benefit's next generation retirement savings and income strategies for Registered Investment Advisors. He has been in the Financial Services industry for over 25 years, having held field sales positions and a variety of National Sales Leadership roles. Mike earned his BA from Iona University in New Rochelle, NY and holds his Series 7, 24, 26, 63 and NYS Life Insurance Licenses.


Annuities Evolution: How RIAs are Benefitting From Changes in Annuities

2:20 PM

  • Paul Dietrich serves as the Chief Investment Strategist at Wedbush Securities, where he is responsible for managing investments for private investors, retirement funds, and private institutions as part of the Fairfax Global team.

    Prior to joining Wedbush, Paul was the Chief Investment Strategist at B. Riley Financial. Before that, he served as the CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Fairfax Global Markets LLC, and earlier, he held the same role at Foxhall Capital Management Inc. from 1999 to 2012.

    Paul's career began in law, where he practiced as an international corporate attorney, working with prominent Washington, DC law firms, including Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (now Squire Patton Boggs) and Jones Day. He provided advisory services on privatization and economic development issues to the World Bank and various governments across Asia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union.

    In addition to his legal experience, Paul has a diverse background in media and public service. He served as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Saturday Review, one of the U.S.'s oldest cultural magazines. He was also elected as a State Representative in the Missouri General Assembly for four years.

    Paul is a frequent on-air commentator and contributor to leading business and financial media, offering insights on market trends and investment strategies. His commentary has been featured in prominent publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, London Times, International Herald Tribune, Singapore Times, and South China Morning Post. From 1994 to 1997, he served as editor of the Reuters Emerging Markets Guide and Reuters Asian Stock Sourcebook.

    Paul is the President of the Institute for International Health and Development, founded by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate David Morse in 1982. He has been involved with several prestigious boards, including the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America, the National Advisory Board of Harvard University’s School of Public Health’s AIDS Institute, and the Advisory Group on International Health Systems Assessment at the New York Academy of Sciences. He has also been a member of the Advisory Board of the John Templeton Foundation, served on the Development Committee of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and sat on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Foundation and the American-European Community Association.

    Paul is the editor of the book “A Guide to American Foreign Policy” (1982) and the author of a forthcoming book set to release in 2026.

  • 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.

Taking Advantage of Volatile Markets

2:55 PM

  • Kraleigh Woodford is Executive Vice President, Growth Strategy & Enablement within LPL’s Client Success division. In this role, she is responsible for client growth initiatives across the firm, including same store sales and client retention strategy, growth programs and resources, success management enablement, and analytics. This involves working directly with clients to identify opportunities to accelerate the growth of their business, while offering capabilities and leverage points to help them achieve their goals.

    Since joining LPL in 2020, Raleigh has built and led services designed to help advisors and institutions maxime their success, including the Investor Focused Solutions virtual advice channel, Marketing Solutions, and comprehensive advice services like Financial Planning, Tax Planning, and High-Net-Worth Services. Before joining LPL, Kraleigh spent more than 20 years at UBS where she held a variety of leadership roles within the US and global wealth management businesses focused on wealth management marketing, internal and client communications, client experience, and emerging affluent strategy.

    Kraleigh earned her bachelor’s degree in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University. She is based in Austin TX.

Chart Your Path to Calculated Growth

3:15 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.

  • As President and Managing Partner of the firm, Joel E. Burris has played an integral role in the growth and continued success of GCG Advisory Partners. Joel began his career at GCG in 2003 as a Financial Advisor and joined leadership in 2010. In 2015 after becoming Managing Partner and President the firm began a concentrated growth strategy. From 2018 – 2024 GCG has grown from $500 million in AUA to over $2.4 Billion in AUA. GCG has done 10 acquisitions and owns approximately $1.4 Billion of AUM. GCG has 15 equity shareholders comprised of partnered advisors and executive leadership. 

  • 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.

  • 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 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. 

The Firm of the Future, Moderated by Greg Banasz

3:55 PM

  • Cullen Rogers is Chief Investment Officer at Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC. In his role he leads the team responsible for portfolio oversight, trading execution, and strategy development, and serves as the portfolio manager for the exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

    Prior to joining Wedbush, Cullen served as Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Ascendant Advisors, where he led the management of actively traded mutual fund strategies, specializing in U.S. equities and opportunistic credit, after beginning his career as an analyst at Salient Partners (now Westwood Group). Additionally, he has developed and implemented multiple quantitative investment frameworks and systematic trading platforms within the fintech investment management space. 

    Cullen holds a FINRA Series 65 and received his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also Chief Investment Officer of Qapital Invest, LLC, a registered investment adviser and affiliate of Wedbush Fund Advisers, LLC.

Investing in the AI Revolution

4:10 PM

  • Craig is a financial services and technology expert with 15+ years’ experience who motivates teams to deliver a best in class client experience. He joined TD Ameritrade in March 2015 and focuses on helping advisory firms grow their business through technology integration and practice management consulting. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, he held positions at TD Ameritrade, New York Life and Mainstay Investments. Craig graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from The College of New Jersey, located in Ewing, New Jersey. He resides in Colonia, NJ with his wife and two children.

  • Jim Dickson is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, private investor, and innovator in wealth management with over four decades of experience in the financial services industry. Renowned for his advocacy for independent financial advisors, Jim is a visionary leader with experience in designing and implementing high-growth strategies for advisory firms.

    Jim’s deep understanding of the industry landscape positions him as a driving force behind transformative change, empowering advisors and firms to thrive in an ever-evolving marketplace. His growth mindset for RIAs and independence-seeking advisors prioritizes an “advisor-first” approach, tailored to an advisor’s values and long-term vision.

    Jim co-founded Elevation Point with Mark Penske in 2024 to serve as a value-aligned growth partner to independence-focused advisors and RIAs. Jim previously founded and built nationally recognized wealth management firm Sanctuary Wealth, which he launched in 2018. He was the visionary behind Sanctuary Wealth’s Partnered Independence platform, providing elite advisors with all of the tools, services, and resources needed to fully and effectively serve their clients. Under Jim’s leadership, it grew rapidly into one of the industry’s top RIA firms, with more than $25 billion in assets and 76 partner firms in 28 states by 2023, when he left the firm.

    Prior to Sanctuary Wealth, Jim spent 20 years as a senior divisional executive building and leading strategy for Merrill Lynch in Indianapolis and Chicago. He began his career as an accountant at Ernst & Young in Indianapolis.

    Jim received his bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Butler University, where he later served on the Board of Trustees for six years. He has been a leadership conference judge for FFA, a national non-profit organization preparing middle and high school students for careers in agricultural science, business, and technology.

Strategic Blueprint for RIAs: Driving Growth & Building a Future-Ready Team

4:30 PM

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Lessons From the Gridiron