Powered by AI: Advisor Intelligence
October 19-20, 2026 | RENTON, WA
DAYS
SESSIONS
ATTENDEES
EXHIBITORS
WHY ATTEND?
Financial Advocates’ Ignite is 2 days of networking, fun and education. Most importantly, it is an opportunity to connect and exchange ideas, in person, with your peers.
By registering, you receive:
- Access to all keynote, main stage, and breakout speaker sessions
- Access to insight on niche topics like practice development, financial planning, and marketing
- Dedicated networking times to connect with industry professionals, advisors, and Financial Advocates team members
- An abundance of ideas and takeaways you can implement immediately in your practice
ABOUT THE VENUE
Located on the shores of Lake Washington, Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport, perfectly combines the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest with modern amenities. Enjoy close proximity to Sea-Tac International Airport, downtown Seattle and Bellevue, Mount Rainier National Park, Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, and more.
Use the button below to book your room at our reduced rate!
COUNTDOWN TO IGNITE
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Hour(s)
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CONFERENCE AGENDA
Coming Soon!
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
| START TIME | PRESENTATION TITLE | PRESENTER | ROOM |
| 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Registration Open | ||
| 11:00 AM | Welcome to Ignite General Session |
Tristin Redmon, Regional Branch Director Presented by Financial Advocates |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 11:30 AM | Unlocking Impactful Leadership General Session |
Brett Michener, Senior Practice Management Consultant Sponsored by Franklin Templeton |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 12:15 PM | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 PM | TBD Breakout |
Jason Storjohann Sponsored by Horizon Investments |
TBD |
| TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by Nationwide |
TBD | |
| Don’t Wait for the Rollover – Add Management & Earn Fees on Existing 401ks Breakout |
Darrell Szymanski, Director of SDBA Distribution Sponsored by Advisors Capital |
TBD | |
| 2:00 PM | TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by Helios |
TBD |
| Tax Deferred Real Estate Exchanges Breakout |
Drew Dedelow, Senior Vice President & External Wholesaler Sponsored by JLL |
TBD | |
| The Core 4 of Income Planning Breakout |
Eric Miller, Regional VP – External Wholesaler Sponsored by LibertyOne |
TBD | |
| 2:50 PM | Break with Sponsors | Exhibit Hall | |
| 3:10 PM | Bridging Generations: How You Can Help Your Clients Realize Their Wealth Transfer Goals General Session |
Doug Ewing, JD, CFP®, RICP, Vice President Sponsored by Nationwide |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 4:00 PM | Economic Update General Session |
Kevin Strauss, Portfolio Manager Sponsored by Advisors Capital |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 5:00 PM | Sponsor Reception Happy Hour | Exhibit Hall | |
| 6:30 PM | Sponsor Dine Arounds |
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
| START TIME | PRESENTATION TITLE | PRESENTER | ROOM |
| 8:30 AM | Networking Breakfast | ||
| 9:00 AM | Coffee Talk Group Meetings & Breakfast | TBD | |
| 10:00 AM | Welcome to Day 2 General Session |
Tristin Redmon, Regional Branch Director Presented by Financial Advocates |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 10:10 AM | How to Grow Your Practice using AI: Find New Clients, Deepen Relationships and Improve Critical Thinking General Session |
Optimal Advisor AI Presented by Financial Advocates |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 11:00 AM | The Model Practice: Optimizing Advisory Practices with Model Portfolios General Session |
Carl King, Senior Director Sponsored by Invesco |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 PM | TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by Franklin Templeton |
TBD |
| TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by Invesco |
TBD | |
| Creating the Perfect Roth Conversion Opportunity Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by Eagle Life |
TBD | |
| 2:00 PM | Milestones that Matter: Guiding Clients Through Retirement’s Most Critical Ages Breakout |
Heather Schreiber, RICP®, NSSA®, IRMAACP™ Sponsored by Security Benefit |
TBD |
| TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by BNY |
TBD | |
| TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by TBD |
TBD | |
| 3:00 PM | TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by TBD |
TBD |
| TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by TBD |
TBD | |
| TBD Breakout |
TBD Sponsored by TBD |
TBD | |
| 3:50 PM | Break with Sponsors | Exhibit Hall | |
| 4:15 PM | Planning for Surviving Spouse: Spousal Protection Strategies General Session |
Connor Coffey, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®, Advanced Planning Strategist Sponsored by Eagle Life |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 5:00 PM | Closing Session General Session |
Tristin Redmon, Regional Branch Director Presented by Financial Advocates |
Grand Ballroom 1 – 6 |
| 5:30 PM | Sponsor Reception | Exhibit Hall | |
| 6:30 PM | Evening of Celebration |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where is the Ignite Conference taking place?
Hyatt Regency Lake Washington
1053 Lake Washington Blvd North
Renton, WA 98056
Who can attend the conference?
The Ignite Conference is exclusive to advisors and their staff. We are not able to accommodate family and guests at the conference.
How do I book a hotel room?
Booking details coming soon!
I am driving to the meeting – where do I park?
The Hyatt offers both valet and self-parking. Parking costs cannot be validated by the hotel.
I am flying – how do I get to the hotel?
It is approximately $30 for ride-sharing and taxis from the Seattle Tacoma airport. Ride share meet-up and the taxi stand are located on the third floor of the airport parking garage. The transfer from SEA to the Hyatt Regency is approximately 15 minutes.
What time zone will I be in during the Ignite Conference?
You will be in the Pacific time zone when you are in Renton at the Ignite Conference.
What is the weather like in October?
Washington weather averages highs in the upper 50s and lows in the mid-40s in October. You may want to bring an umbrella or waterproof jacket in case of rain, and a warm coat in case of cold weather.
What do I wear to meetings and events during the conference?
Business casual attire is appropriate for all business meetings and functions at Financial Advocates Ignite Conference.
Business casual includes sweaters, blouses, skirts, dresses, slacks/trousers, polo, or button-down shirt. Jackets are optional.
It is likely to be cool in meeting rooms – a jacket or sweater is recommended.
Presentation Title
Speaker: Name, Title
Sponsored by Sponsor
Description here
The Core 4 of Income Planning
Speaker: Eric Miller, Regional VP – External Wholesaler
Sponsored by LibertyOne
Retirement planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Join us as we explore the “Core 4” of income planning—a practical framework designed to help advisors address the four biggest challenges facing retirees: reducing volatility, combating inflation, managing taxes, and navigating client emotions. Discover how a tangible, easy-to-understand investment story built around resilient businesses and rising dividends can simplify client conversations and strengthen long-term retirement strategies.
Don’t Wait for the Rollover – Add Management & Earn Fees on Existing 401ks
Speaker: Darrell Szymanski, Director of SDBA Distribution
Sponsored by Advisors Capital
ACM’s PathFinder platform is targeted to clients whose employers offer qualified plans with a Self-Directed Brokerage Account (SDBA), including 401k,403b, 401a and 457 plans. PathFinder is available as an IAR and can be offered to any participant in a plan with a Brokerage Window. The goal is providing guidance from a financial professional and ongoing professional management of their plan assets without a rollover or in-service withdrawal. PathFinder is available to participants in plans custodied at Fidelity, Schwab, TIAA-CREF, Alight and Empower.
How to Grow Your Practice using AI: Find New Clients, Deepen Relationships and Improve Critical Thinking
Speaker: Optimal Advisor AI
Presented by Financial Advocates
This session gives advisors a clear view of how leading practices are evolving, highlighting the AI-driven capabilities reshaping business development and client service. It then focuses on what can be applied today, with live demos showing how advisors are already using AI to find new opportunities, deepen client relationships, and make better decisions. The session concludes with a practical look at AI agents and why building AI fluency now gives advisors a strong competitive edge.
Bridging Generations: How You Can Help Your Clients Realize Their Wealth Transfer Goals
Speaker: Doug Ewing, JD, CFP®, RICP, Vice President
Sponsored by Nationwide
Learning how to use empathy with clients and take the lead in legacy planning can help you build multigenerational relationships and grow your business. The course covers:
- Why financial professionals should take the lead in legacy planning
- Helpful insights into estate planning and beneficiary designations
- How to translate concepts into real life and connect with the next generation
The Model Practice: Optimizing Advisory Practices with Model Portfolios
Speaker: Carl King, Senior Director, Invesco Global Consulting
Sponsored by Invesco
People, process, and technology—these are the three growth levers in any advisory business. When we run our practice like a business, we make intentional decisions about how those levers are aligned to support growth.
The Model Practice session shares how model portfolios can bring consistency to the investment process, creating scale, and freeing up time to focus where advisors add the most value—knee to knee with clients. Participants will walk away with clear ways to:
- Unlock capacity
- Sustain growth
- Shift from operator to business owner
Economic Update
Speaker: Kevin Strauss, Portfolio Manager
Sponsored by Advisors Capital
A dynamic look at the big forces shaping today’s markets, from shifting interest rates to global geopolitics and the outlook for economic growth. This conversation focuses on what it all means for advisors and their clients, with practical insights on avoiding common missteps and positioning portfolios to navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Unlocking Impactful Leadership
Speaker: Brett Michener, Senior Practice Management Consultant of Franklin Templeton
Sponsored by Franklin Templeton
Emotional intelligence is an essential personal and business skill. Yet it is also one of the lowest-rated competencies among leaders and executives surveyed. This interactive course helps financial leaders improve their emotional intelligence, focusing on self-awareness. It offers key learning opportunities such as sharpening your decision-making skills, boosting team performance, resolving conflicts constructively and building stronger client relationships. The course includes interactive exercises, real-world case studies and personalized feedback to help you become a more effective and empathetic leader.
Planning for Surviving Spouse: Spousal Protection Strategies
Speaker: Connor Coffey, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®, Advanced Planning Strategist
Sponsored by Eagle Life
When a spouse passes away, it’s critical to ensure the surviving spouse is protected by a retirement strategy that allows them to maintain their lifestyle. This presentation explores the impact of spouses passing on Social Security, Medicare, and taxes. It illustrates why surviving spouses assume a disproportionate amount of risk and concludes with a detailed case study that demonstrates the critical points of the presentation.
Milestones that Matter: Guiding Clients Through Retirement’s Most Critical Ages
Speaker: Heather Schreiber, RICP®, NSSA®, IRMAACP™
Sponsored by Security Benefit
This session will equip financial professionals with the knowledge and tools to navigate key retirement age milestones and turn them into meaningful planning opportunities. Attendees will learn to identify critical ages that trigger planning conversations, evaluate age-specific strategies to optimize retirement income, including underutilized Social Security claiming options and important Medicare considerations, and apply a milestone-based planning framework. The goal is to help advisors guide clients through each retirement stage with confidence, clarity, and personalized strategy, strengthening client relationships and enhancing long-term planning outcomes.
The Core 4 of Income Planning
Speaker: Eric Miller, Regional VP – External Wholesaler
Sponsored by LibertyOne
Retirement planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Join us as we explore the “Core 4” of income planning—a practical framework designed to help advisors address the four biggest challenges facing retirees: reducing volatility, combating inflation, managing taxes, and navigating client emotions. Discover how a tangible, easy-to-understand investment story built around resilient businesses and rising dividends can simplify client conversations and strengthen long-term retirement strategies.
Tax Deferred Real Estate Exchanges
Speaker: Drew Dedelow, Senior Vice President & External Wholesaler
Sponsored by JLL
Learn how Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) function as 1031 exchange replacement properties and how subsequent 721 UPREIT exchanges can provide investors with diversification, professional management, and potential liquidity while maintaining tax deferral.
Name
Title
Sponsored by Sponsor
Bio here
2026 SPONSORS
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