Ruben Benavides is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions with BBVA Wealth Solutions Inc., BBVA Compass Insurance Agency, BBVA Securities Inc., and COMPASS Bank from 2015 to 2021. Outside of his advisory work, he is an owner and landlord of a rental property unrelated to his investment activities. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account that uses algorithmic risk assessment and invests via mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Brian Esway is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Austin, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 24 years of industry experience. Esway has been with Eagle Strategies since 2006 and is also affiliated with New York Life Insurance Company and Nylife Securities LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he volunteers as a youth baseball coach for Western Hills Little League. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and corporate and charitable organizations. The firm primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis and offers multiple program types tailored to client objectives, operating within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

James Wolslager is a financial advisor at &Partners with 25 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 credential and has worked with firms including Merrill, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Outside of finance, he is involved in managing several full-service restaurants in Austin, Texas. &Partners serves a diverse client base that includes high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, and institutions. The firm offers investment management and advisory services through a mix of proprietary and third-party strategies, utilizing the Envestnet platform and NFS brokerage infrastructure.

Alexander Sweeney is a financial advisor with Integrity Alliance, LLC in Cedar Park, TX. He holds Series 66, Series 63, and Series 65 licenses and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Integrity Alliance, he worked at The Vanguard Group and has experience in fixed insurance sales. Integrity Alliance is a large advisory and brokerage firm serving individual investors, corporations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm supports over 300 independent advisors managing approximately $5.4 billion in client assets and offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, including discretionary and non-discretionary accounts with access to third-party managers.

Joshua Ford is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. and holds a Series 66 designation. He has nine years of industry experience, including prior roles at LPL Financial and Thrivent Financial. Outside of his advisory work, he provides private baseball instruction for children in Cedar Park, TX. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, offers financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm utilizes multiple advisory platforms and third-party asset managers, combining predominantly long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and discretionary or non-discretionary account management.

Steven Sutton is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Sanctuary Advisors since 2021 and previously worked at Sanctuary Securities, Inc. and World Equity Group. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as executor for a family estate. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charities through a nationwide network of more than 400 independent adviser representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting with a range of investment approaches and a fiduciary standard when advisory agreements are in place.

Juan Barcena is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Barcena Financial Group and 6Pillars Financial Services. Barcena serves as a board member for both the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Foundation for Better Business Bureau. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Christian Zajac is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at Colonial Savings, F.A. from 2014 to 2021. 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 offers integrated services closely tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Deron Ferrell is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 43 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Transamerica since 2012. His background includes roles at WealthWave and Netlaw, as well as involvement in oil and gas exploration and leadership of Ferrell Financial Enterprises Inc. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services with proprietary and third-party investment models, managing approximately $1.66 billion in discretionary assets as of the end of 2025.

Carla Jones is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 11 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Alpaca Securities LLC, Nationwide Investment Services, J.P. Morgan Securities, and Bank of America, among others. 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’s integrated approach leverages proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and savings rates, delivering both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Julie Weekley is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 31 years of industry experience. She has worked with Kestra Advisory and Kestra Investment Services since 2016. Additionally, she is an insurance agent involved in soliciting and servicing life insurance and annuity products. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including plan sponsors, institutional, and individual clients. The firm offers a range of services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and manages a wide array of investment platforms and third-party solutions.

Manfred Von Ehrenfried II is a ChFC® credentialed advisor with 29 years of industry experience, currently with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Austin, TX. He has been with Transamerica since 2016 and is also an author of several aerospace books. Von Ehrenfried has served as a director for the Manned Spaceflight Operations Association and contributes to the National Space Society’s AD Astra Magazine. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients, including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services through proprietary and third-party model portfolios, with options for discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Anna Thouin is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 license and has worked at Schwab Wealth Advisory Inc. and Charles Schwab since 2023. Prior to her career in financial advising, she spent time in full-time education and had roles in hospitality. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s advice is based on Charles Schwab & Co.’s asset allocation models and internal research tools, offering tailored recommendations without discretionary trading authority.

Querube Mena is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Lakeway, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has eight years of industry experience. Mena has worked at GWFS Equities, Inc., MML Investors Services, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Charles Schwab. 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 emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within integrated recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Emma Melone is a financial advisor at D.A. Davidson & Co. with Series 66 registration and one year of industry experience. Before joining D.A. Davidson, she worked briefly at Equitable Advisors, LLC, and has experience outside finance, including roles at Cintas Corporation, Illinois State University, and in healthcare settings. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including retirement plans, individual investors, and charitable organizations. The firm operates under the Advisers Act fiduciary standard and offers a range of services such as ERISA retirement plan advisory, comprehensive financial planning, and a private wealth program for high-net-worth clients.

Armando Hernandez is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA and TIAA-CREF since 2010. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model distinguishes between one-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, utilizing both model and customized portfolios.

Mitchell Shubert is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Round Rock, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2014 and is also associated with Agia, where he serves as an agent for non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed models and operating at scale with over 1,200 advisors.

Harold Rives III is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, bringing 35 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and The New England Guild, Inc. He serves on the board of Voce, Inc., a professional choral ensemble, and participates on the investment committees for St. John's Episcopal Church and the New Britain Museum of American Art. Private Advisor Group provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting for individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model utilizing a range of investment strategies and technology platforms while offering both proprietary and third-party managed account solutions.

Ryan Damra is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory in Austin, TX. His work history includes roles at Charles Schwab & Co., Bank of America, Merrill, VALIC Financial Advisors, and Frost Bank. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning primarily to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain referred clients. The firm’s approach relies on Charles Schwab’s asset allocation models and internal research, offering tailored recommendations reviewed at least annually without exercising discretionary trading authority.

Joseph Won is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Pflugerville, Texas, holding a Series 66 license and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at Rocket Dollar Inc and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s approach integrates proprietary and third-party planning methodologies with Empower’s administrative platforms, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates.