Danny O’Connell, MBA, is CEOof Next Level Insurance Agency, where he focuses on company-sponsored employeebenefits. He has built two insurance practices, started his own agency in 2016and has received numerous industry awards. With more than a decade ofexperience volunteering for Top of the Table, O’Connell has served as Top ofthe Table Global Council Member and Advisory Board Chair in 2024 and DivisionalVice President of the Top of the Table Annual Meeting in 2023.

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Derek Wong Tuck Kong beganhis career in financial services 17 years ago at Prudential Assurance MalaysiaBerhad. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computing, manages a team of10 and holds the record for the highest number of insurance cases closed in2023.

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Brendan Clune Walsh, president and managing partner of Catalyst Solutions Group, leverages his extensive experience in insurance and financial services to develop client strategies that maximize and protect wealth. A graduate of DePaul University, Walsh’s journey led him to success at Northwestern Mutual Insurance before joining his father and eventually completing their succession plan.

Tzu Hao Kuo served as the president of Taishin Life's 26th MDRT Promotion Association in 2024 and was a speaker at the 2023 MDRT Annual Meeting. He graduated from Ming Chuan University with a degree in accounting and is currently business director of the Primer Elite Team at Taishin Life Insurance, bringing 21 years of insurance experience with specialized expertise in financial, tax and risk management.

Jae Sung Park is the director of the headquarters at Incar Financial Service. Park is an expert in protected asset planning, retirement planning and financial consulting, holding qualifications as a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Fund Investment Advisor and Securities Investment Advisor. Park has 16 years of experience in the financial services profession, won the Platinum Annual Award as a director consultant at PCA Life and worked as a professional consultant at Mirae Asset Life.

Kotthanapat Thinbang serves as a district manager, holds a bachelor’s degree and has received various professional recognitions, such GAMA LAMP USA, TNQA, IQA and his company’s Top Producer award.

Carla Brown, FPFS, CFP, isCEO of Oakmere Wealth Management and the current president and chair of thePersonal Finance Society. With more than 28 years of experience in financialplanning, Brown has built an award-winning practice focused on helping clientslive their best lives through clarity and confidence. She is passionate aboutshifting the profession from products to people, inspiring advisors worldwideto embrace the transformative power of financial planning.

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Fiona Foo Yuet Ling, ChFC/S,is an executive senior manager with more than 10 years of experience infinancial planning. Since joining Great Eastern Financial Advisers Singapore in2014, she has been driven by her passion and conviction to build lifelongrelationships with clients and journey with them through different phases oftheir lives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business, specializes in wealthprotection and holistic financial planning, and is an active member of MDRT’sMembership Communications Division. She has also spoken at company and industryevents.

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Montserrat Mureddu holds a degree in organizational psychology and is a founding partner of Mureddu Multi-Family Office, a firm dedicated to protecting, growing and preserving the wealth of business families. Mureddu Gonzalez is a wealth consultant and insurance agent specializing in family finance, with an outstanding professional career spanning more than 15 years in the financial services profession. Her accomplishments include graduating with honors from Camino a la Cumbre, qualifying for Encuentro Élite and Simposio and being a 3-Diamond Agent.

Phil Thompson is a financial advisor and founder of Skye Wealth. After nearly burning out as a generalist, Thompson rebuilt his practice around one niche: insurance-only advice. Today, his company has grown 24x in six years, helping thousands of clients protect their futures. Known for his practical, straightforward approach, he speaks openly about the lessons he learned the hard way and how focus can transform both business growth and advisor well-being.

Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, LACP, CCP, began working in the financial services profession while in college. She has served as a NAIFA national trustee and is currently the national treasurer at WIFS, where she specializes in wealth management, employee benefits, fixed insurance and multiline insurance. She is the first executive vice president for Gateway Insurance and Financial Services and runs her own practice, which focuses on empowering women. She was the recipient of the 2019 NAIFA National Diversity Champion Award and was recognized by Investment News in 2020 as one of the top women to watch in the country.

Thanapat Soikampada, FChFP, is a life insurance agent with more than eight years of experience in the profession and has demonstrated outstanding performance by qualifying for MDRT at the start of his career, followed by his continued commitment toward Life membership. Soikampada has expanded his role by sharing knowledge on sales and financial planning with new agents in his company and by serving as a guest speaker for special sessions at educational institutions and hospitals. He has been recognized with several honors, including APFinSA, NAA and the company’s Agent of the Year award, reflecting his expertise and strong professional standards.

Nathan Graff, CFP, BFA, hasbeen helping clients manage their financial puzzles since 2008. He aims tounderstand his clients’ goals, so he can provide customized and creativesolutions to ensure their visions for themselves and their families become a reality.Graff attended Southern Oregon University, the University of Oxford and OregonState University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy.He holds Series 7 and 66 Securities Registrations with LPL Financial and anOregon health and life insurance license.

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Thanapat Soikampada, FChFP, is a life insurance agent with more than eight years of experience in the profession and has demonstrated outstanding performance by qualifying for MDRT at the start of his career, followed by his continued commitment toward Life membership. Soikampada has expanded his role by sharing knowledge on sales and financial planning with new agents in his company and by serving as a guest speaker for special sessions at educational institutions and hospitals. He has been recognized with several honors, including APFinSA, NAA and the company’s Agent of the Year award, reflecting his expertise and strong professional standards.

Kotthanapat Thinbang serves as a district manager, holds a bachelor’s degree and has received various professional recognitions, such GAMA LAMP USA, TNQA, IQA and his company’s Top Producer award.

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Carla Brown, FPFS, CFP, isCEO of Oakmere Wealth Management and the current president and chair of thePersonal Finance Society. With more than 28 years of experience in financialplanning, Brown has built an award-winning practice focused on helping clientslive their best lives through clarity and confidence. She is passionate aboutshifting the profession from products to people, inspiring advisors worldwideto embrace the transformative power of financial planning.

Derek Wong Tuck Kong began his career in financial services 17 years ago at Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computing, manages a team of 10 and holds the record for the highest number of insurance cases closed in 2023.

Fiona Foo Yuet Ling, ChFC/S, is an executive senior manager with more than 10 years of experience in financial planning. Since joining Great Eastern Financial Advisers Singapore in 2014, she has been driven by her passion and conviction to build lifelong relationships with clients and journey with them through different phases of their lives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business, specializes in wealth protection and holistic financial planning, and is an active member of MDRT’s Membership Communications Division. She has also spoken at company and industry events.

Nathan Graff, CFP, BFA, has been helping clients manage their financial puzzles since 2008. He aims to understand his clients’ goals, so he can provide customized and creative solutions to ensure their visions for themselves and their families become a reality. Graff attended Southern Oregon University, the University of Oxford and Oregon State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy. He holds Series 7 and 66 Securities Registrations with LPL Financial and an Oregon health and life insurance license.

Ross G. Hultgren, CFP, DFP, is a senior financial advisor at Community Chapman Welsh. He has 38 years of experience in the financial services profession, currently works with pre-retirees and the recently retired, and has received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to the community and his clients.

R.J. Kelly, AEP, MSFS, is the founder and chief visionary officer of Wealth Legacy Group Inc., a firm that specializes in meeting the diverse needs of successful entrepreneurs, professionals and their families. His strengths and talents lie in his ability to quickly grasp complicated and delicate situations, communicate complex ideas in easy-to-understand ways, and find integrated solutions for clients through holistic and multidisciplinary methods that other advisors often overlook, dismiss or simply are not aware of.

Danny O’Connell, MBA, is CEO of Next Level Insurance Agency, where he focuses on company-sponsored employee benefits. He has built two insurance practices, started his own agency in 2016 and has received numerous industry awards. With more than a decade of experience volunteering for Top of the Table, O’Connell has served as Top of the Table Global Council Member and Advisory Board Chair in 2024 and Divisional Vice President of the Top of the Table Annual Meeting in 2023.

Helen Jayne West, APFS, has been in the financial services profession for 36 years, owning and running her own company as the principal director for 23 years. Committed to lifelong learning, West has earned many additional qualifications and has participated in the Strategic Coach program for nearly 20 years. She believes that by taking time each day to focus on your goals and being intentional about them, along with making a note of any improvements, you are programming your brain for a better life in the future.

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Curtis  V. Cloke, LUTCF, RICP, is a recognized thought leader in the retirement  industry, known as one of the brightest minds in retirement education and  academia today. He is an adjunct professor with The American College of  Financial Services and an inspiring keynote speaker, sharing his passion,  knowledge and love for the art of retirement planning with audiences  worldwide. Cloke received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Financial  Hall of Fame in 2025, is a frequent guest on radio and TV commentary  programs, and has been featured on a variety of news media platforms.

Anthony Matthews Jones, BSc (Hons), QFA, is a sought-after speaker who has presented at MDRT events as well as other major conferences all over the world. He is an active MDRT member and is passionate about sharing his expertise and strategies with his fellow financial advisors.

Atsushi Hirao is affiliated with the Risk Management Laboratory, he works closely with accounting firms nationwide to deliver integrated consulting services covering insurance, life planning, and business succession. As a dedicated advisor, he is committed to supporting the long-term financial well-being of clients and helping individuals and business owners navigate complex financial decisions with confidence.

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Vincent Gan, ChFC, CLU, is an executive senior director with Great Eastern Financial Advisers Singapore and has been in the financial services profession for 20 years. He specializes in agency leadership, training and development, with a passion for helping financial consultants grow purposefully and sustainably. A graduate of the National University of Singapore, Gan has served on industry councils, spoken at international forums and received numerous company and industry accolades.

Paresh B. Shah, CFP, is themanaging principal for PareShah Partners and CEO of Merkkuri Wealth Advisors.As a wealth strategist for the past 30 years, Shah helps individuals andbusinesses create innovative financial strategies that protect today and buildfor tomorrow. He specializes in pension and profit-sharing, asset protection,estate planning and business succession planning, and co-hosted the talk show“Money & Prosperity.” His professionalism and active service in thecommunity, including his support of many charitable organizations, make him atrusted advisor within the financial services profession.

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Travis D. Manning, CFP, CLU, is the president of The Evers Financial Group Inc. and has more than 25 years of financial planning experience in retirement income and estate planning. He studied anthropology, language, software engineering and computer science in post-secondary schools.

Alejandro Márquez Espinosa, LCIC, has 31 years of experience in the financial services profession and proudly leads AME Consulting, a successful wealth management firm that administers an insurance portfolio of more than 9,000 policies.

Gail Singh, CIAM, FCAA, is a financial strategist and chief executive officer of GMS Associates International Ltd. (incorporated with Guardian Life of the Caribbean Ltd). With more than 30 years of experience in auditing, accounting and finance, Singh is a certified chartered accountant, a certified quality manager, project management professional and a chartered insurance agency manager. She has received awards for Leadership in Quality Excellence and Outstanding Financial Strategy. Passionate about financial empowerment, Singh is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations pivot with purpose, plan strategically and achieve lasting success.

Jane Lim is the founder anddirector of Prosper Financial Planning and has more than 15 years of globalexperience in financial services. She is passionate about helping her clientsbuild financial resilience and achieve financial freedom. Lim holds an MBA fromUNSW, where she received the 2022 Business School Dean’s Award for Service. Shealso holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a Bachelorof Business in financial planning from RMIT.

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Sarah Helen Hogan, ACII, is the director and owner of KBA,where she leads a team of financial advisors specializing in retirementplanning, business financial planning and succession planning. She has receivedaccolades for her exceptional leadership and client-focused service, such asbeing named Team Leader of the Year and Financial Adviser of the Year in theNorth West at the 2019 Professional Adviser Women in Financial Advice Awards,among many other nominations for her inspiration and mentorship. In addition tobuilding lasting relationships with clients and their families, Hogan alsoactively volunteers at numerous charitable organizations.