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Guests & Co-Hosts

John Neal

John Neal directs PTI Securities’ Peoria, Arizona office serving the firm’s clients in the Phoenix metro area and across the Western U.S. He oversees day-to-day operations, including client services, investor education, staff management and marketing. John has more than 15 years of management experience in the securities and financial services industry. He joined PTI Securities in 2003 in this role. Prior to that time, he was a branch manager with Phoenix area firms, Granite Capital Management and, most recently, Independent Financial Management. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, John earned a bachelor’s degree in international management from Arizona State University in Tempe. Away from work, John enjoys reading, live music and outdoor activities. He also volunteers with the St. Vincent De Paul Society and the Lupus Foundation of America. Married with two children, John and his family live in Peoria, Arizona.

Chris Manns

Christopher Manns manages PTI Securities & Futures’ global commodities area and is a research analyst. He devotes much of his time to monitoring and analyzing the latest international commodities reports and financial research. This allows him to keep the firm’s management well informed so that they can, in turn, apprise their clients on pertinent information. Christopher has more than 18 years of securities and financial services experience. Prior to joining PTI Securities, he was a floor broker for AE Staley at the Chicago Board of Trade, and worked for the grain division of Rodman & Renshaw. He has authored many commodities articles and training materials, and speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. Christopher earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Christopher lives with his wife in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Read more.

Kent Casson

Kent grew up on a grain farm in Central Illinois, between Fairbury and Chenoa.

He has a passion for agriculture and journalism. At a very young age, he set up his own
small radio station on his farm. He would broadcast to his mom in the house and his
dad out in the tool shed. During this time, he also did chores on the family farm.

At the young age of 15, Kent started working at the local radio station, WJEZ in Pontiac,
Illinois as a part-time board operator and weekend announcer. He worked here
throughout high school and college in various capacities, including production, news,
and live on-air announcing.

When the station’s longtime news director passed away suddenly in February of 2002,
Kent became interim news director, a position he would hold for several years serving
listeners in Pontiac and Livingston County.  Kent added program director to his title in
2006, eventually overseeing the entire programming department at WJEZ.

In June of 2011, Kent won the Illinois Broadcaster’s Association Silver Dome Award for
best local newscast in medium market radio for the state of Illinois. The IBA Silver
Domes recognize outstanding achievement in broadcasting. Kent was honored for his
work covering a tornado which heavily damaged the towns of Dwight and Streator in
2010.

Kent created the Central Illinois Farm Network website in June of 2010, combining his
passions of agriculture, rural living, broadcasting and journalism. In August of 2012,
Kent decided to leave the radio station to devote all of his time and talents to the website
and radio network, which he built.

Kent continues to farm with his father and grandfather on their grain farm in Livingston
and McLean Counties. He took a more active role in the family farming operation in
2011. He is married to Rebecca and they have one son, Kasen and a daughter named
Kenadee.

David Andalman

Technical Analyst, DACS Research, PTI Securities & Futures

David Andalman joins the Stocks & Jocks show every Monday and Wednesday morning. He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and earned his bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Illinois, and then his MBA in Finance and Marketing from Indiana University. David traded for a year at the MidAmerica Commodity Exchange before starting the DACS Research Newsletters on commodity futures, which were the first all-technical research newsletters at the CME. Currently, he has been a senior wealth manager and portfolio strategist for over 23 years. He holds registrations in Series 3, 4 (Options Principal), 7, 55, 63 and is a registered Commodity Trading Advisor. Read more.