Edward Whelan

Michelle Vargas, Certified Financial Planner™ is the President of Waymaker Financial Planning, a Fee-Only firm that provides transparent and accessible financial guidance. She enjoys helping clients navigate and plan all aspects of their financial life so that they will worry less about their future and free up more time to spend doing what they love. After earning a degree in Finance from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1990, she moved to Florida and started her career with Harcourt Brace Publishing. Her journey into personal finance began when she signed up for her 401K and wanted to learn about additional options to plan for retirement. This eventually led to working as a financial advisor and completing the extensive education requirements for becoming a CFP® in 1998. She believes her experience as a young professional searching for unbiased advice enables her to better serve Gen XY professionals because she remembers what it was like being in their shoes. As a former homeschool parent and the wife of a federal employee, she is passionate about helping women, homeschool families, and federal workers plan wisely for a comfortable financial future. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking in Colorado, barbecuing with family, and working in her garden.

Kyle Lee is a financial advisor at Bard Investment Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential with one year of industry experience. Prior to founding Bard Investment Group in 2025, he worked at American First Finance, People 2.0, ACE Cash Express, and D.R. Horton. In addition to his advisory role, he maintains a separate contract programming business. Bard Investment Group provides financial planning, portfolio management, and educational seminars primarily for individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and small businesses. The firm emphasizes low-cost, broadly diversified index funds and ETFs, with portfolio management conducted on a non-discretionary basis and regular client reviews.

Lacy Rogers is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience currently serving as the sole advisor at The Dedicated Dollar in Fort Worth, TX. Her prior roles include positions at Hilltop Securities Inc. and Morgan Stanley. The Dedicated Dollar provides investment management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, including business owners. The firm utilizes a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach with primarily passive portfolios and automated model platforms, offering project-based, hourly, and ongoing comprehensive planning engagements.

Kevin Freeman is the sole advisor at Freeman Global Investment Counsel in Keller, TX. He holds the CFA® designation, Series 63 and 65 licenses, and has 21 years of industry experience. He has operated Cross Consulting and Services, LLC since 2004. Freeman serves on the board of directors for Galectin Therapeutics, a publicly held company, and provides consulting to major financial services companies on the nature and future potential of their businesses. Freeman Global Investment Counsel offers portfolio management and investment supervisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm emphasizes global equities and employs a combination of charting, fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, managing client assets directly without outsourcing to third-party managers.

Joel Light is the sole advisor at Light Capital Management LLC in Colleyville, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with seven years of industry experience. He has managed Light Capital Management since 2018 and also operates Light Capital LLC, a personal investment entity for trading his own assets. Light Capital Management LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a range of investment strategies, including the use of leverage, derivatives, and alternative investments, and offers both discretionary portfolio management and one-time financial plans tailored to clients’ risk tolerance and time horizons.

Matthew Beeby is a financial advisor at Harvest Capital Management in Aledo, TX, with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Stephens from 2014 to 2018. Outside of advisory work, he owns and manages residential real estate investments through MHB Real Estate Investments, LLC. Harvest Capital Management provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a long-term, modern portfolio theory approach with fundamental analysis, offering services such as portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting.