Eric Brown is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group in Houston, TX, holding Series 66, Series 63, and Series 65 licenses with four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Truist, USAA, Broadway Bank, LPL Financial, Amherst Holdings, Capco, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm uses an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Tyler Chandler is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 10 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at GWFS Equities, Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, and Wells Fargo Bank, NA. Outside of finance, he owns and operates a carpet cleaning business. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, delivering services through an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Zhizhi Ma is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC since 2021. Prior to this, Ma has been involved with MIG-MA Investment Group since 2006 and has held roles at Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. and Ameritas Investment Corp. since 2003. Outside of advisory services, Ma is licensed as an independent insurance agent focusing on fixed insurance products through MIG-MA Investment Group. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, charitable and corporate entities, and retirement plans. The firm offers fee-based asset management and retirement-plan advisory services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party sub-advisers, and custom strategies, with a significant focus on plan sponsors and participants.

Carl Thompson is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 63 designation and 41 years of industry experience. He has worked at Independent Advisor Alliance since 2018 and previously held roles at Independant Financial Partners and LPL Financial. Thompson manages his advisory services through Independent Advisor Alliance, an independent firm separate from LPL Financial. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm employs a network model with independent advisory representatives and integrates multiple portfolio management strategies supported by technology platforms.

Gerardo Pena Magana is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has previously worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and UBS Financial Services. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member of ERAT North America LLC, a manufacturing company. Oppenheimer serves a broad client base including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory and brokerage services. The firm’s investment approach includes strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and a variety of investment vehicles, with a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary management tailored to client objectives.

Joseph Armstrong is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mass Mutual Investors Services, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, and MetLife Securities Inc. Armstrong also serves as a notary public, providing this service to clients when delivering trust documents. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that offers discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios for individual and business clients. The firm operates a large network of advisors and manages billions in assets, delivering advice through a variety of managed-account programs and model portfolios.

Vernon Perry is a CFA® charterholder with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving at Sarofim International Management Co. in Houston, TX. He has worked at Fayez Sarofim & Co. since 2013. Sarofim International Management Company provides discretionary investment management primarily to non-U.S. institutional clients, including pension plans, retirement systems, endowments, and insurance companies, while also serving corporations, small businesses, and individual accounts. The firm emphasizes fundamental research and manages equity and fixed-income portfolios with a focus on capital preservation, low turnover, and a bottom-up investment process.

Hiram Cortes is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation with 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association. Oppenheimer serves a wide range of clients including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering advisory and brokerage services such as investment management, consulting, and retirement planning. The firm employs strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and various investment strategies, with a notable role as a qualified custodian and a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Anthony Gracely is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Fayez Sarofim & Co. since 2011. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Houston, TX. Fayez Sarofim & Co. provides discretionary investment management to institutional and individual clients, including pension plans, endowments, foundations, and registered investment companies. The firm employs a bottom-up research process focused on large-cap, high-quality companies and offers a range of equity and fixed-income strategies while generally avoiding derivatives, leverage, short selling, and market timing.

Johanan Farrington is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at VALIC Financial Advisors and Agia. Outside of his advisory role, Johanan occasionally works as a photographer specializing in portrait photography for individuals and families. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, delivering services through an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and client savings rates in its financial planning approach.

Daniel Connally is a CFA® charterholder with 20 years of experience at Fayez Sarofim & Co., where he has worked since 2006. He is based in Houston, TX. Fayez Sarofim & Co. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving institutions, retirement plans, endowments, corporations, and high net worth individuals. The firm emphasizes bottom-up fundamental research with multi-year investment horizons and focuses on large-cap, liquid equities, offering a range of equity and fixed income strategies, sub-advisory services, and private placement opportunities.

Richard Welch is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66, 65, and 63 designations. His prior roles include positions at GWFS Equities, Inc., Generation Equity, SolarWinds, Insight, and Capital One Investing LLC. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Thomas Bass is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and LPL Financial. Bass operates his advisory business through Independent Advisor Alliance and maintains related business entities for tax and investment purposes. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base, including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and leverages technology platforms to support estate planning and asset aggregation.

David Dickens is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services. He has previously worked at Manulife Asset Management and John Hancock for 14 years. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm’s advisory offerings include financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Colin Hanks is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with a Series 65 designation and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Personal Capital, the Houston Astros, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to certain retail clients. The firm utilizes an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Aaron Spear is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Valic Financial Advisors, Bank of America, and Merrill. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent representatives. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management and consulting services and utilizes multiple program structures combining in-house manager selection and third-party strategies, supported by technology tools and centralized due diligence.

Marisa Gu is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation with less than one year of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Ally Financial and Fidelity Investments, as well as work with educational institutions such as the University of Texas at Austin and several high schools. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services advises a diverse client base ranging from individual investors to institutional clients, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and specialized wealth programs supported by a comprehensive and integrated advisory platform within the broader Goldman Sachs ecosystem.

Robert Walsh is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Fahnestock & Co. Inc. since 2003. Oppenheimer serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations, offering advisory and brokerage services such as investment management, consulting, and retirement services. The firm employs strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and a variety of investment strategies, while also acting as a qualified custodian and providing both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory programs.

Mary Gunn is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Commonwealth Financial Network since 2015 and has been associated with Selah Financial Services since 2014. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients. The firm offers a variety of advisory programs and services, including discretionary model portfolios and personalized investment solutions, while providing operational and practice-management support to affiliated advisors.

Karen Ho is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Houston, TX, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. She has 25 years of industry experience, including 12 years at Nationwide and Nationwide Securities, Inc. She is also involved in fixed life insurance products as an agent. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients through discretionary managed accounts and financial planning. The firm manages approximately $3.65 billion across more than 37,000 accounts and offers a range of managed-account programs and model portfolios, including both traditional and legacy market-timing strategies.