Leslie Merrithew is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Merrithew & Thorsten, Inc. in San Diego, CA. She has been with the firm since 1998. Merrithew & Thorsten serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on professionals near retirement or undergoing major life changes. The firm provides comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, and tax services, emphasizing tax-aware strategies and lower-volatility portfolios.

Joseph Stella is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Harvesting Gains Corporation and has held prior roles at Cetera, Presidio Capital Management, First Allied Advisory Services, First Allied Securities, and Gould Asset Management. Harvesting Gains Corporation provides investment and planning services primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, business owners, and trusts and estates. The firm’s approach integrates discretionary portfolio management, 1031 like-kind exchange advisory, private placement advice, and comprehensive financial planning, combining fundamental analysis and tax-efficient strategies with a long-term buy-and-hold orientation.

Michael Taylor is a CFA® charterholder with two years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Counterpoint Asset Management LLC since 2021. Prior to this, he worked at Tablature, LLC and Seeking Alpha, LLC. Counterpoint Asset Management provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and other entities. The firm employs a mix of passive and tactical fund allocations driven by mean-variance optimization and systematic quantitative strategies, and is notable for its affiliation with an owned mutual fund complex where it serves as both manager and sub-adviser.

Patrick Fischer is a financial advisor at Coastwise Capital Group, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at firms including Fingage and Blume Global. In addition to his advisory role, Fischer serves as a business setup consultant for Womply, a technology company supporting small businesses. Coastwise Capital Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm manages a diverse range of asset types and offers investment approaches that include fundamental and technical analysis, as well as access to digital assets and derivative strategies.

Jeran Van Alfen is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at Centered Financial in Carlsbad, CA. His prior roles include positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Seaside Wealth Management, and Anchor Bay Securities. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed insurance agent providing fixed insurance products. Centered Financial serves individuals—including high-net-worth and non-HNW households—as well as pension plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting, utilizing a mix of fundamental and technical analysis with a focus on both long-term strategies and tactical asset allocation.

Arthur Johnson is a financial advisor at Mundoval Capital Management, Inc. in La Jolla, CA, holding a Series 65 credential with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm, he worked at Fusion Academy and has been the owner and music producer at Studio VII Productions, LLC, a music production business. Mundoval Capital Management provides discretionary asset management services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and investment companies. The firm employs a fundamental, long-term global investment approach tailored to each client’s objectives and also offers ERISA plan services and limited-scope fiduciary advice.

Matt Clarke is a financial advisor at GROW Funds LLC in La Jolla, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with five years of industry experience. Prior to his advisory role, he spent ten years working at Saint Marys High School and the University of San Diego. GROW Funds LLC provides discretionary portfolio management and pension consulting to individuals, retirement plans, businesses, and institutional investors. The firm manages separately managed accounts as well as privately offered pooled vehicles and special-purpose vehicles, employing bottom-up fundamental research and opportunistic strategies across various asset classes.

Robert Seid is a financial advisor at Blue Summit Wealth Management in San Diego, CA, with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Blue Summit Wealth Management since 2015, with prior experience at Cetera Advisors LLC. Outside of advising, he works as a commercial fisherman. Blue Summit Wealth Management serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, as well as qualified retirement plans and private trusts. The firm provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management, emphasizing sustainable and socially responsible investing through a structured planning process and regular portfolio reviews.

Jason Brustkern is a Series 65 licensed advisor with Kelley Investments in Del Mar, CA, where he has worked since 2026. He has over 25 years of experience, including a long-standing role with Scott & Cronin, LLP since 2001. Kelley Investments provides discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $238 million across roughly 216 client relationships, employing proprietary portfolio strategies focused on growth at a reasonable price with a buy-and-hold approach and moderate turnover.

Brad Saenz is a financial advisor at Coastwise Capital Group, LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with five years of industry experience. He previously worked at Coastedge Partners LLC from 2016 to 2018 before joining Coastwise Capital Group in 2019. Coastwise Capital Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm manages a broad range of asset types and serves both non–high-net-worth and high-net-worth households, employing fundamental and technical analysis and including investment in digital assets when appropriate.

Kevin Stone is a CFP® professional with 28 years of experience in financial advising. He has been with Pacific Capital Associates in San Diego, CA, since 1991. Pacific Capital Associates serves individual clients, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, providing portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and account monitoring. The firm employs a valuation-driven, value investing strategy with global diversification and emphasizes cost control through low-cost index ETFs alongside selective use of actively managed funds.

Scott Frank is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 65 credentialed financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Stone Steps Financial, LLC since 2015, a fee-only advisory firm based in Encinitas, CA. Stone Steps Financial provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients, employing a passive, asset-class-based investment approach using index mutual funds and ETFs. The firm manages over $105 million in discretionary assets and offers additional services including retirement plan consulting and small-business advisory.

James Paulsen is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience. He currently serves as the sole advisor at Taxable Wealth, having previously worked for 10 years at Guggenheim Funds Distributors LLC. Outside of financial advising, he holds a passive ownership interest in a clothing company through TAVIK Holdings, LLC. Taxable Wealth provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, with a focus on passive portfolio construction using low-cost index funds, fundamental analysis, and ongoing portfolio review. The firm also offers tax return preparation and consultation on digital assets, managing about $91.25 million in discretionary assets across roughly 40 clients.

Jonpaul Ursick is a financial advisor at SCSC Advisors, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. Prior to joining SCSC Advisors, he worked at LPL Financial and Deloitte. SCSC Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers customized portfolio construction using fundamental and technical analysis, and provides fiduciary retirement plan services including ERISA Section 3(21) and 3(38) plan management.

Andrew Sontag is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group, Inc. since 2008. He holds a Series 66 designation and works out of Carlsbad, CA. Carlsbad Wealth Advisory Group offers discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning to a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth households, trusts, foundations, and charitable organizations. The firm’s investment approach centers on asset allocation using primarily exchange-traded funds (ETFs), focusing on low expense ratios, internal diversification, and liquidity, while managing all client assets in-house.

Denise Barrett is a financial advisor with Cornerstone Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Carlsbad, CA, holding a Series 65 designation and bringing 12 years of industry experience. She is also the founder and president of Barrett Solutions Inc., a bookkeeping and payroll services business. Additionally, Barrett serves as owner and CEO of Cornerstone Family Office, Inc., a family business management firm. Cornerstone Wealth Advisors, Inc. serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing financial planning and discretionary investment management through a proprietary strategic asset-allocation framework. The firm also offers specialized ERISA plan services and employs fundamental and cyclical analysis with routine due diligence on third-party managers.

Daniel Osgood is a financial advisor with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as President and CEO of DCO Wealth Management. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Tate Asset Management since 2012 and DCO Wealth Management since 2009. Tate Asset Management and DCO Wealth Management provide investment supervisory services, discretionary advisory, and financial planning to individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, and corporate entities. The firm offers portfolio management and consulting tailored to client goals, employing a variety of asset types and trading strategies, and is noted for its ERISA-focused retirement plan services and institutional fiduciary work.

Mary Limoges is a financial advisor with Centurion Counsel Inc in San Diego, CA, holding a Series 63 designation and 44 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Osaic Wealth, Inc. for 23 years before joining Centurion Counsel. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as Secretary of Puppy Toes, Inc., a non-investment-related corporation. Centurion Counsel offers a discretionary Strategic Asset Allocation wrap-fee program serving individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $58.5 million across about 143 accounts, using Modern Portfolio Theory and optimization software to construct diversified portfolios tailored to client risk and reward objectives.

Daniel Krause is a financial advisor with Counterpoint Asset Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Counterpoint and its affiliated entities since 2011. Krause is also a partner in Romulus Group, LLC, an investment-related activity involving personal private investments. Counterpoint Asset Management provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts and estates, utilizing mutual funds and ETFs. The firm employs a combination of mean-variance optimization, passive and tactical fund allocations, and systematic quantitative strategies, and maintains an affiliated mutual fund complex that anchors a significant portion of client portfolios.

Gregory Jackey is a financial advisor with Axion Wealth Advisors in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Laurel Wealth Advisors, Inc. for nine years and is also affiliated with Integrated Wealth Concepts, LLC. Jackey is a licensed insurance agent in addition to his advisory roles. Axion Wealth Advisors provides portfolio management and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations, employing a combination of cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis in their investment approach.