Gary Pulford is a financial advisor at Ritholtz Wealth Management with 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Ritholtz since 2017 and previously worked at Private Asset Management, Inc. for 12 years. He holds a Series 63 designation. Ritholtz Wealth Management serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients, offering comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a goal-based investment process emphasizing asset allocation and behavioral finance principles, utilizing diversified low-cost ETFs and tactical overlays alongside alternative investments.

Andrew Purmort is a financial advisor with Cooper McManus in Irvine, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cooper McManus since 2004 and also leads Purmort Group, Inc., where he serves as president and an independent insurance agent. In addition to his advisory roles, he volunteers with a local neighborhood watch program. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans by providing financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm uses a fundamentally driven investment process with a broad range of instruments and offers both standalone planning engagements and ongoing asset management relationships.

Todd Schneider is a financial advisor with Ascentis Independent Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Golden State Equity Partners and Cutter Financial Group, and has operated Schneider Wealth Management, LLC since 2011. Outside of advisory services, he is a licensed insurance agent in Texas. Ascentis Independent Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities by offering asset management, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm utilizes a mix of discretionary management, third-party managers, and platform solutions, including a Private Direct Investments program that allocates clients into illiquid private funds under a documented allocation policy.

Christina Orta is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cooper McManus. She has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. since 2020 and has been with Cooper Financial Group and Securities America, Inc. since 2014. Outside of her advisory role, she is treasurer and board member at Hillcrest Christian School. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans by providing financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a fundamentally driven investment approach, utilizing a broad range of securities and model asset-allocation portfolios tailored to client objectives.

Steven Behrle is a financial advisor with Prospera Financial Services, Inc. in Irvine, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 42 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at B. Riley Wealth Advisors, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, and Prudential Equity Group. Prospera Financial Services, Inc. is a multi-team advisory firm with 271 advisors overseeing approximately $14.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other business entities, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and access to multiple advisory programs and platforms.

Charles Farrell III is a financial advisor with Cooper McManus in Irvine, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cooper McManus since 2009 and previously at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and Securities America, Inc. Outside of financial advising, he has been involved in real estate sales and mortgage brokerage. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a fundamentally driven investment process across a broad range of instruments and utilizes model asset-allocation portfolios via sub-advisors and co-advisory platforms to tailor client allocations.

Bijou Schmidt is a financial advisor with Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Fortis in 2025, Schmidt worked with Tend Financial and Insurance Solutions, Eagle Strategies (NY Life), NYLife Securities LLC, and New York Life Insurance Company. Outside of finance, Schmidt is the owner of Holy Schmidt Coffee Co., a coffee roasting business established in 2014. Fortis Capital Advisors is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, businesses, retirement plans, institutional clients, and other advisers. The firm offers customized portfolio management and financial planning solutions, incorporating a range of active, passive, tactical, and ESG-aware strategies, and utilizes third-party sub-advisors to support specialized investment approaches.

Joseph Perricone is a financial advisor at Aegis Capital Corp. with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has a background that includes several years in hockey organizations, most recently serving as a goalie coach for Frontier Selects. Aegis Capital Corp. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual investors, retirement and benefit plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary account options and access to managed account programs through RBC and AXOS platforms.

Paul Toohey is a financial advisor at TCFG Investment Advisors, LLC with 51 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and has worked at multiple firms including The Planners Network, Inc. and National Planning Corporation. Outside of advising, he serves as Treasurer of the Orange County Harley Owners Group. TCFG Investment Advisors, LLC manages approximately $639 million in client assets through a team of 29 advisors, serving individuals, profit-sharing plans, charities, and businesses. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and access to third-party money managers, using a variety of analytical strategies and maintaining custodial relationships with Pershing, Charles Schwab, and Equity Trust Company.

Jace Beck is a financial advisor with Trek Financial in San Clemente, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He previously worked at AXA Advisors, LLC for 17 years before joining Trek Financial in 2020. Outside of advising, Beck is involved in fixed insurance businesses and serves as a health insurance agent. Trek Financial serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as institutional retirement plans, offering discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan fiduciary services. The firm employs a blend of strategic and tactical investment approaches, integrating advanced portfolio construction techniques and AI tools while providing access to a broad range of model and alternative investment strategies.

Christian Richards III is a financial advisor at Cooper McManus with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Mariner Wealth Advisors, Newport Advisory, and David Meltzer & Associates. Richards serves as president and board member of Richards, Lathrop & Associates. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans with financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a fundamentally driven investment process using a broad range of instruments and offers both standalone planning and ongoing asset management relationships.

Samuel Saleh is a financial advisor at Savvy with six years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. His career includes roles at Bank of America N.A., Merrill, New York Life Insurance Co, Pontem General Trading, Sobha, and Depa. Savvy provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, businesses, ERISA plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment plans that typically use a primarily index-based, long-term approach supplemented by active equity portfolios and tax-aware direct indexing, integrating third-party fintech tools and specialized sub-adviser strategies.

Matthew Todsen is a financial advisor at Cooper McManus with 24 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Cambridge Investment Research, Securities America, Inc., Pacific West Financial Consultants, LPL Financial, and UBS Financial Services. Todsen serves as vice-chairman of Orange County Advisors in Philanthropy and treasurer of Advisors in Philanthropy. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans, offering financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a fundamentally driven investment process using a broad range of securities and utilizes model asset-allocation portfolios via sub-advisors and co-advisory platforms to tailor client allocations.

Erin Williams is a financial advisor with TCFG Investment Advisors, LLC in Mission Viejo, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Axis Advisors, Inc., Girard Securities, Inc., and Balboa Wealth Partners, Inc. She is also president and owner of ErinMW, Inc. TCFG Investment Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs various analytical strategies and offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside financial planning and consulting services.

Calvin Chu is a financial advisor with ValMark Advisers, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining ValMark Advisers and ValMark Securities, he worked at FDP Wealth Management and has experience outside finance through his time at Omomo Tea Shoppe. ValMark Advisers serves individual and institutional clients through a network of approximately 280 advisors, offering diversified, goal-based portfolios and a range of investment management and retirement planning services. The firm emphasizes multi-asset allocation using mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers, supported by proprietary platforms and comprehensive due diligence.

Alyssa Tacconelli is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Mariner Independent with one year of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Edward Jones and Kovitz Investment Group Partners, LLC. Mariner Independent serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, coordinated tax support, insurance solutions, and access to alternative investments through a network of 119 investment adviser representatives.

Michael Hamrick is a financial advisor at Empirical Wealth Management with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked in educational roles at Chapman University, Santa Barbara City College, Corona del Mar High School, and Palm Desert High School, as well as with Sejuiced. Empirical Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pensions, profit-sharing plans, and private pooled vehicle investors. The firm employs a diversified investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of services including investment management, financial planning, tax preparation, and retirement-plan consulting, supported by affiliated businesses in real estate, insurance, and estate planning.

Terry Kerr is a financial advisor with Cooper McManus in Irvine, CA, holding a Series 63 credential and 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cooper McManus since 2017 and previously at Securities America Inc and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner and CEO of Kerr Financial Inc, an independent insurance agency. Cooper McManus serves individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer retirement plans with financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs a fundamentally driven investment process using a variety of securities and model portfolios, and it coordinates with outside legal professionals for estate-planning needs.

Cynthia Alston is a financial advisor with Citizens Private Wealth who holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 19 years of industry experience. Her prior work includes positions at Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Securities, and First Republic Investment Management. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in property management through ownership of two real estate-related businesses in Anaheim, California. Citizens Private Wealth is a multi-team registered investment adviser serving high-net-worth individuals, families, and various institutional clients. The firm focuses on long-term, tailored asset allocation within an open-architecture investment framework and offers discretionary portfolio management alongside consulting services for multigenerational families and closely held businesses.

Anthony Molina is a financial advisor with Wedbush Securities Inc. in Newport Beach, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc, STIFEL, Wells Fargo Clearing, and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as secretary and board member for Safety Systems Technology (NV), Inc., a manufacturer of safety equipment. Wedbush Securities provides investment advisory and broker-dealer services to individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients, offering a range of solutions including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, institutional research, and prime services.