Bernadette Youngsil Kim

Marc Ortega is a financial advisor at MDO Financial Planning, LLC in Edinburg, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. He has worked at MDO Financial Planning since 2022 and has been employed by Edinburg CISD since 2010. Ortega is also a licensed insurance agent. MDO Financial Planning is an independent, single-advisor registered investment adviser serving primarily individual clients with discretionary portfolio management and written financial planning. The firm employs a long-term trading strategy using various analytic methods and requires clients to custody assets with Altruist.

Deandris Watts is a financial advisor at Vesica Wealth Acquisition in McAllen, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has two years of industry experience, including roles at MML Investors Services LLC and Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company. His background also includes five years with Marksman Shipping. Watts is involved in developing a fintech application as an outside business activity. Vesica Wealth Acquisition provides non-discretionary investment advisory services and financial planning to individuals, families, and small business owners. The firm’s approach centers on fundamental analysis and long-term asset allocation, offering a mix of hourly planning, subscription trade alerts, and portfolio guidance while allowing clients to retain decision authority.

James Palumbo is a financial advisor with Global Wealth, LLC in Colorado Springs, CO, holding a Series 63 designation and 30 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Oxford Asset Management, LLC for 23 years and Dynamic Advisor Solutions, LLC for 4 years. In addition to advising, he is an author and publisher of six books and serves in volunteer leadership roles for several nonprofit organizations. Global Wealth, LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, households, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm uses client-specific investment policies and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis along with Modern Portfolio Theory to manage approximately $14.9 million in discretionary assets.

Rolando Perez Jr. is the sole advisor at Animus Wealth Management, LLC, based in McAllen, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has 10 years of industry experience. His background includes roles at New York Life Insurance Company, NYLIFE Securities, and Eagle Strategies, among others. Outside of advising, he is involved as a managing member of REA General Contractors LLC and serves as an officer of Percisne Consulting LLC, which consults in the small-scale manufacturing textile industry. Animus Wealth Management serves individuals, nonprofit organizations, retirement plans, and corporate clients. The firm employs fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory to build diversified portfolios and manages approximately $12 million on a non-discretionary basis while also monitoring third-party money managers.

Justin Krider is the principal of Normaltown Financial LLC in McAllen, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of experience in financial advising. Prior to founding Normaltown Financial, he spent 21 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition to his advisory role, he manages Krider Property Holdings LLC, an entity focused on estate investments. Normaltown Financial LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, wealth management, and financial planning services. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach using a combination of fundamental, technical, cyclical, and charting analysis and offers standalone financial planning as well as insurance products through its licensed agency affiliation.

James Reyna is a financial advisor with Walter J. Reyna, Inc. in McAllen, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.W. Cole Financial, Inc., Walter J. Reyna, Inc., Lincoln Financial Securities Corp., and Renya Financial. Outside of advisory work, he is a partner at Efraim James, LLC, a real estate development business where he manages accounting and materials selection. Walter J. Reyna, Inc. provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a fundamentally driven, risk-focused investment approach using primarily exchange-traded funds and offers ongoing portfolio monitoring and advisory services.