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.

Michael Miller is a Certified Financial Planner® with 20 years of industry experience. He has been the principal advisor at Miller Premier Investment Planning LLC since 2007. His background includes military service, and he is involved in community activities such as pro bono debt counseling, financial literacy instruction, and volunteering with homeless ministries. Miller Premier Investment Planning LLC is an independent, fee-only firm serving individuals and families, primarily focusing on retirement planning and wealth management. The firm emphasizes asset allocation and fundamental analysis, providing personalized financial planning and investment management with a hands-on approach.

Michael Babcock is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience currently serving as CEO and Financial Life Planner at Azure Sky Financial Life Planning, LLC. He has previously worked with Perryman Securities, Inc. and Legacy Consulting Group, and also holds a Series 66 designation. In addition to his role at Azure Sky, he provides financial planning services under an independent contractor relationship with Origin Financial. Azure Sky Financial Life Planning, LLC offers values-based Financial Life Planning to individuals, couples, families, and charitable organizations, integrating life planning, financial planning, tax planning, and investment management. The firm emphasizes aligning clients’ personal values with their investments, providing options including socially conscious and Biblically Responsible Investing alongside a mix of passive and active strategies.

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.

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.

Travis Soppe is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cumbie Advisory Services, Inc. in Fort Worth, TX. He has been with Cumbie Advisory Services and Rhodes Securities since 2012. Cumbie Advisory Services, Inc. provides financial planning and investment management consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities. The firm operates as a non-discretionary investment consultant, focusing on diversified, low-cost portfolios and research-based approaches while assisting clients in selecting and monitoring independent money managers.

Corey Callaway is the sole advisor at Callaway Financial Services in Arlington, TX, holding a Series 63 designation with 41 years of industry experience. He has been involved with Callaway Financial Services and related entities since 2000. Outside of his advisory work, he is a 15% owner of Arlington Today Magazine. Callaway Financial Services provides portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, and third-party manager solicitation to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm employs an active, momentum-based investment approach using multiple analytical methods and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary supervisory services.

Edward Whelan is the principal of EMW Capital Advisors, LLC, an independent firm based in Fort Worth, TX. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 20 years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory role, Whelan serves as Chief Financial Officer of Bobby Cox Companies, Inc., a holding company with operations in restaurants, real estate, and ranching, and as Treasurer for CNR, Inc., a holding company with interests in chemical manufacturing and distribution. EMW Capital Advisors serves individual and trust clients through separately managed accounts and acts as adviser and general partner to a pooled private fund, also accepting corporate clients. The firm employs a value-oriented equity approach combining fundamental company analysis with a macroeconomic overlay and a proprietary ranking framework, implementing both long and short positions in portfolios tailored to client objectives.

Colby Van Sickler is the sole advisor at F3 Wealth Management, LLC in Arlington, TX, with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Citadel Wealth Management LLC prior to founding F3 Wealth Management in 2015. Outside of advisory services, he is involved in non-variable insurance, including life, health, disability, long-term care, and fixed annuities. F3 Wealth Management is an independent, single-advisor firm serving individuals, trusts, and estates. The firm manages approximately $8.4 million across about 41 client relationships, providing investment management through third-party sub-advisers, financial planning, and educational seminars. Clients select or approve portfolios constructed by sub-advisers, with many relationships involving client-directed investment decisions.

Chukwudi Uraih is a financial advisor at Lampados Financial Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. He has worked at Booz Allen Hamilton and serves in the United States Army Reserve. Outside of advising, he is the owner and CEO of Lampados Realty Group TX, LLC, a real estate business. Lampados Financial Group provides fee-only financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, families, professionals, and fund investors. The firm utilizes a proprietary methodology combining fundamental investment analysis with algorithmic cash-flow modeling to offer diversified, long-term, and risk-aware strategies alongside infrastructure-focused fund management.

Robert Helm is the sole advisor at Helm Investment, an independent firm based in Fort Worth, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 21 years of industry experience, with prior roles at Securities America Advisors, Securities America, Inc., and LPL Financial. He is also an independently licensed insurance agent specializing in life insurance. Helm Investment provides discretionary asset management primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients as well as select business entities. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis with tailored strategies and manages both separately managed accounts and a private pooled vehicle that includes cryptocurrency-focused investments.

Shawn Peach is the sole advisor at Peach Wealth Management in Arlington, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of experience at the firm. Prior to founding Peach Wealth Management, he worked in various educational roles across multiple school districts from 2014 to 2023. Peach Wealth Management provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals and families, focusing on retirement planning, cash flow analysis, and estate planning coordination. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis to build portfolios primarily from ETFs, mutual funds, equities, and fixed income, managing accounts in line with clients’ objectives and risk tolerance.

Brian Phillips is the sole advisor at Phillips Ray Capital Management, Inc., an independent registered investment adviser based in Fort Worth, TX. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 28 years of industry experience. Phillips has been with his firm since its founding in 2002. Phillips Ray Capital Management serves approximately 98 clients, managing about $59.5 million in assets. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and consulting services to individuals and certain institutional clients, employing both fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolios according to client objectives, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs.

Tempest Williams is the principal advisor at The Tempest Financial Group PLLC in Fort Worth, TX, with 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) from 2016 to 2019. Outside of financial advising, Williams owns and manages Storm Catering & Smoked Meats, a catering company specializing in smoked meats. She also serves as an officer of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Alumni Association, supporting her alma mater and local schools. The Tempest Financial Group provides comprehensive financial planning, insurance strategies, and consulting primarily through virtual engagements for individuals, high-net-worth households, and business owners. The firm emphasizes a planning-led approach and fundamental analysis to guide asset allocation and investment recommendations, offering services such as retirement and estate planning, tax planning, business succession, and educational seminars.

Tory Giddens is a financial advisor at Fort Eagle Wealth Management with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Fortis Capital Advisors, Westlake Wealth Management, and Edward Jones. Giddens also engages in fixed insurance product sales on a limited basis. Fort Eagle Wealth Management is an independent advisory firm serving individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and other advisers. The firm offers tailored portfolio management, financial planning, and insurance products, employing investment strategies informed by Modern Portfolio Theory and a combination of fundamental, technical, cyclical, and charting analyses.

Shane Wilkins is the sole advisor at Wilkins Advisors, LLC, an independent firm based in Fort Worth, TX. He holds a Series 65 credential and has three years of experience in financial advising. Wilkins also works as a Management Analyst for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he applies Lean Six Sigma methodologies and serves as an instructional cadre for process improvement projects. Prior to his advisory role, he spent three years at Fordham University. Wilkins Advisors serves private individuals, families, trusts, small businesses, retirement plans, and other business entities, providing financial planning, discretionary asset management, and portfolio supervision. The firm employs a core-and-satellite investment approach combining value-oriented and passive strategies, guided by fundamental analysis and modern portfolio theory, with services tailored through client-specific Investment Policy Statements.

Garrison Leach is the sole advisor at G.P. Leach Securities LLC in Aledo, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cheldan Capital Management, L.L.C. and J.S. McNair Advisors. G.P. Leach Securities LLC provides quantitative portfolio management and advisory services to institutions and individual investors, offering a range of separately managed strategies executed primarily through exchange-traded funds. The firm employs a systematic, research-driven approach using proprietary models and incorporates derivatives and leverage where suitable, operating as a boutique manager with a broad and sophisticated strategy set.

Richard Stroud is the principal advisor at Stroud Investment Consulting with 47 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services and JPMorgan Securities. Stroud holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is also a licensed insurance agent, dedicating a portion of his time to insurance sales. Stroud Investment Consulting is an independent, single-advisor firm offering discretionary investment management and integrated financial planning to individuals, families, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other business entities. The firm employs a mix of quantitative and qualitative analysis, modern portfolio theory, and charting to construct diversified portfolios across various securities.

Johnny Parker is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Parker Wealth Group, LLC, where he has worked since 2023. Prior to this, he was associated with Synergy Securities and has maintained a long-standing role at Parker & Richardson, P.C. Outside of his advisory work, Parker serves as president of Texas Insurance Agency, Inc., is a member of Tax Resolution Specialists, LLC, and acts as CFO for Victory Telecom, Inc. Parker Wealth Group, LLC is a state-registered investment adviser providing discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and fee-based financial planning to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and private business owners. The firm employs a blended investment process utilizing technical, fundamental, and cyclical analysis, offering tailored portfolios based on clients’ risk tolerance, time horizon, and liquidity needs.

Ricardo Rivas Alas is the sole advisor at Lambda Wealth Management LLC in Fort Worth, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of experience at the firm. He concurrently holds a full-time engineering management position at Corning Optical Communications, where he has worked since 2015. Lambda Wealth Management LLC provides continuous investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm uses fundamental analysis combined with modern portfolio theory to construct diversified portfolios, focusing on traditional asset classes without recommending alternative investments or performance-based fees.