DESCRIPTION OF THE ADVISORY FIRM Our firm is dedicated to providing individuals and other types of clients with a wide array of investment advisory services. Our firm is a limited liability company formed under the laws of the State of Utah in 2009 and has been in business as an investment adviser since 2020. Our firm is owned by CD Kesler Wealth Management, Inc., PM Norman Wealth Management, Inc., Haydar Properties, LLC, GGS Wealth Management, Inc. and Brett Keller, which are owned and managed by Chris Kesler, Paul Norman, Darcy Wride and Garrett Smith respectively. The purpose of this Brochure is to disclose the conflicts of interest associated with the investment transactions, compensation and any other matters related to investment decisions made by our firm or its representatives. As a fiduciary, it is our duty to always act in the client’s best interest. This is accomplished in part by knowing our client. Our firm has established a service-oriented advisory practice with open lines of communication for many different types of clients to help meet their financial goals while remaining sensitive to risk tolerance and time horizons. Working with clients to understand their investment objectives while educating them about our process, facilitates the kind of working relationship we value. In addition, our firm has developed a unique planning process that is strong enough to be time tested but flexible enough to handle changing market. Our planning method called the CLIMBTM method which is designed to help guide you to and through retirement systematically. The CLIMBTM Process simplifies financial planning and asset management so as to not overwhelm you from the start. The CLIMBTM Process includes (1) Characterizing your goals; (2) Leveraging our knowledge; (3) Implementing a plan; (4) Monitoring and reviewing your accounts; and then (5) Benefiting from your hard work. TYPES OF ADVISORY SERVICES OFFERED Wrap Asset Management: Please refer to our Part 2A, Appendix 1 (“Wrap Fee Program Brochure”) for more information regarding our Wrap Asset Management service offering. Pontera® Held Away Accounts Service: In certain instances, our firm will provide an additional service for client’s held away accounts through the Pontera platform (“the platform”). The accounts are not directly held in our custody (i.e., held away), but are ones wherein we still have discretion, and may leverage an Order Management System to implement tax-efficient asset location and opportunistic rebalancing strategies on behalf of the client. These are primarily 401(k) accounts, HSA’s, and other assets we do not custody and cannot manage through our Wrap Asset Management service. If our firm offers a client this service, then a link will be provided to the client allowing them to connect an account(s) to the platform. Once the client’s account(s) are connected to the platform, our firm will review their current account allocations. Our firm will then review these accounts on a regular basis and when deemed necessary, our firm will rebalance the account considering client investment goals and risk tolerance. Any change in allocations will consider current economic and market trends. ADV Part 2A – Firm Brochure Page 5 Ascend Investment Partners Discretionary Advisory Services Ascend offers separately managed accounts traded on a discretionary basis through First Clearing and the Advisory Services of Wells Fargo Advisors through their Advisory Program Account. A separate agreement will be entered into between the client and First Clearing, that is in addition to the Advisory Contract that you will enter into with Ascend. Program fees are paid to First Clearing and a portion of these fees will be paid to Ascend. Fees will be automatically deducted from your account at First Clearing. Fees will not be more than 2.50% of assets held within the Program. Retirement Plan Consulting: Our firm provides retirement plan consulting services to employer plan sponsors on an ongoing basis. Generally, such consulting services consist of assisting employer plan sponsors in establishing, monitoring and reviewing their company's participant-directed retirement plan. As the needs of the plan sponsor dictate, areas of advising may include:
• Establishing an Investment Policy Statement – Our firm will assist in the development of a statement that summarizes the investment goals and objectives along with the broad strategies to be employed to meet the objectives.
• Investment Options – Our firm will work with the Plan Sponsor to evaluate existing investment options and make recommendations for appropriate changes.
• Asset Allocation and Portfolio Construction –

Our firm will develop strategic asset allocation models to aid Participants in developing strategies to meet their investment objectives, time horizon, financial situation and tolerance for risk.
• Investment Monitoring – Our firm will monitor the performance of the investments and notify the client in the event of over/underperformance and in times of market volatility.
• Participant Education – Our firm will provide opportunities to educate plan participants about their retirement plan offerings, different investment options, and general guidance on allocation strategies. In providing services for retirement plan consulting, our firm does not provide any advisory services with respect to the following types of assets: employer securities, real estate (excluding real estate funds and publicly traded REITS), participant loans, non-publicly traded securities or assets, other illiquid investments, or brokerage window programs (collectively, “Excluded Assets”). All retirement plan consulting services shall be in compliance with the applicable state laws regulating retirement consulting services. This applies to client accounts that are retirement or other employee benefit plans (“Plan”) governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). If the client accounts are part of a Plan, and our firm accepts appointment to provide services to such accounts, our firm acknowledges its fiduciary standard within the meaning of Section 3(21) or 3(38) of ERISA as designated by the Retirement Plan Consulting Agreement with respect to the provision of services described therein. Annuity Consulting: For annuity products that are commissioned products Ascend Investment Partners advises on these as a consultant only. Ascend Investment Partners does not get paid by commission. Ascend Investment Partners can advise on commissionable products already owned by clients or that clients are considering purchasing as part of financial planning. For clients who would like advice and servicing help on these commissionable products, they can assign Mutual Securities, LLC as the agent. Mutual Securities provides servicing and then contracts with Ascend Investment Partners to provide investment advisory services for those clients who have provided written consent. Mutual Securities ADV Part 2A – Firm Brochure Page 6 Ascend Investment Partners pays Ascend Investment partners for consulting on these accounts and policies. See Item 10 for details on this arrangement. TAILORING OF ADVISORY SERVICES Our firm offers individualized investment advice to our current Wrap Asset Management clients. General investment advice will be offered to our Retirement Plan Consulting, and Referrals to Third Party Money Management clients. Each Wrap Asset Management client has the opportunity to place reasonable restrictions on the types of investments to be held in the portfolio. Restrictions on investments in certain securities or types of securities may not be possible due to the level of difficulty this would entail in managing the account. Pontera® Held Away Accounts Service: In certain instances, our firm will provide an additional service for client’s held away accounts through the Pontera platform (“the platform”). The accounts are not directly held in our custody (i.e., held away), but are ones wherein we still have discretion, and may leverage an Order Management System to implement tax-efficient asset location and opportunistic rebalancing strategies on behalf of the client. These are primarily 401(k) accounts, HSA’s, and other assets we do not custody and cannot manage through our Wrap Asset Management service. If our firm offers a client this service, then a link will be provided to the client allowing them to connect an account(s) to the platform. Once the client’s account(s) are connected to the platform, our firm will review their current account allocations. Our firm will then review these accounts on a regular basis and when deemed necessary, our firm will rebalance the account considering client investment goals and risk tolerance. Any change in allocations will consider current economic and market trends. Participation in Wrap Fee Programs Our firm offers and sponsors a wrap fee program. Asset Management services are only offered through wrapped accounts, which are managed on an individualized basis according to the client’s investment objectives, financial goals, risk tolerance, etc. Please see our firm’s Wrap Fee Program Brochure for more information. Regulatory Assets Under Management As of December 31, 2023, our firm manages $483,025,666 of client assets on a discretionary basis and $27,946,976 on a non-discretionary basis.