Karl James Thoeni

Peter Mu is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Wealth Cairn, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company. He is also licensed to sell insurance products as part of his professional activities. Wealth Cairn provides advisory services to institutional and individual clients, specializing in portfolio management, pension consulting, and financial planning. The firm employs a long-term investment approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and often implements strategies through third-party managers with ongoing due diligence.

James Ward is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with four years of experience in financial advising. He is the principal of J Ward Financial, an independent firm based in Morgan Hill, CA. In addition to his financial advisory work, Ward is an attorney specializing in estate planning and elder law and owns businesses in real estate and insurance. J Ward Financial provides discretionary investment management and financial planning primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, and their trusts. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes asset allocation based on a comprehensive risk analysis and employs third-party platforms and advisers to manage client portfolios.

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.

Charles Stermetz is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at EquityFTW. His prior roles include positions at Moss Adams and Blue Barn Wealth, as well as teaching engagements at Utah Valley University. EquityFTW is an independent firm providing fee-only financial planning and consulting to individuals, corporations, and businesses. The firm offers written financial plans and advice across various areas, including retirement, tax, estate, cash-flow, business planning, and equity-compensation analysis, focusing on planning and coordination rather than asset management.

Alex Baier is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with RLS Private Wealth Consulting, Inc. and previously worked at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and Foresters Financial Services. RLS Private Wealth Consulting provides family office services, wealth concierge, and comprehensive financial planning for families, business owners, and individual clients. The firm focuses on advisory, coordination, and implementation support, using third-party custodians and managers for investment execution, and emphasizes family office operations and education programming without offering discretionary investment management.

Rhonda Staelgraeve Secor is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at RLS Private Wealth Consulting, Inc. since 2016. She previously spent four years as a stay-at-home mom. Rhonda is also an advisory board member of Monterey County Bank. RLS Private Wealth Consulting offers family office services, wealth concierge, and comprehensive financial planning for families, business owners, and individual clients. The firm focuses on advisory, coordination, and implementation support, utilizing third-party custodians and managers for investment execution, and emphasizes family office operations and education programming.