Charles Joseph Stermetz

James Ward is a financial advisor at J Ward Financial in Morgan Hill, CA, holding CFP® and Series 66 credentials with five years of industry experience. He has worked at Simplicity Investments, The Leaders Group Inc, and Pathfinder Financial Solutions, among others. In addition to advising, Ward operates a law practice specializing in estate planning and elder law and owns a realty business. J Ward Financial provides discretionary investment management primarily for high-net-worth individuals, families, and trusts, focusing on asset-allocation strategies tailored to clients’ age, health, liquidity needs, and risk tolerance. The firm manages approximately $15.8 million across about 21 client relationships and may engage third-party advisers to assist with portfolio management.

Edward Rodden is the sole advisor at Disciplined Growth Capital, LLC, an independent firm based in Aptos, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and has 21 years of industry experience. Rodden previously worked at Charles Schwab and 3 Factor Indexing, and he is also the owner of Central Coast Partners, a business consulting firm. Disciplined Growth Capital provides ongoing portfolio management primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients, tailoring Investment Policy Statements to client goals and risk tolerance. The firm employs a combination of fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory with a long-term trading focus, offering diversified portfolios across multiple asset classes.

Brenda Friederich is a CFP® and Series 66-certified financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. She is the principal of Abundit Wealth, an independent registered investment adviser based in San Jose, CA, where she has worked since 2023. Her prior experience includes roles at Mariner Independent Advisor Network and Rnp Advisory Services. Friederich is also a licensed insurance agent in California. Abundit Wealth serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, providing comprehensive financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and pension consulting. The firm follows a long-term, systematic investment approach grounded in modern portfolio theory, utilizing broadly diversified mutual funds and ETFs, and partners with a third-party asset manager for portfolio implementation and reporting.

Michael Garber is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience and the principal of Michael Garber Financial Planning, an independent advisory firm. He has worked at Keysight Technologies, Inc. since 2014 in an internal organizational consultant role focused on sales skills development. Michael Garber Financial Planning serves individuals and families through a fee-only, independent model offering comprehensive financial planning, investment consulting, tax preparation, estate-plan review, risk management, and small-business planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, cost-minimizing investment approach using passive vehicles and operates on a retainer- and project-based fee structure without discretionary trading authority or acceptance of commissions.

Michael Zaplitny is a CFP® professional based in San Jose, CA, with 29 years of experience at Fireside Financial Planning, Inc., which he founded in 1997. He also operates Fireside Tax Consulting Inc., where he provides tax preparation and related services. Fireside Financial Planning, Inc. is an independent advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, small businesses, and institutional clients with both financial planning and portfolio management. The firm’s approach integrates a range of analyses and generally focuses on long-term investments in mutual funds, ETFs, and ETNs, while also offering services to corporate pension and profit-sharing plans and charitable institutions.

Ying Chen is a financial advisor with Wolfe Signal Capital LLC in San Jose, CA, holding a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. She is also a Senior Analyst with Aurum Equity Partners, a position she will hold until the end of September 2025. Wolfe Signal Capital LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, using a blend of fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and quantitative models to tailor portfolios according to client risk tolerance and objectives. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and fixed-fee financial plans, with a distinctive investable universe that includes venture capital funds and private placements.