Louie A. Vargas is a Financial Advisor with the HQFV Wealth Management Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He provides financial advice and planning services to business owners, families, and retirees, helping clients develop personalized financial strategies tailored to their goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, and liquidity needs. Louie holds Series 7, 66, 9, and 10 FINRA registrations and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Louie began his career at Merrill in 2001 supporting ultra-high-net-worth clients in Merrill's Private Wealth Management office in Los Angeles. He became licensed to serve as a Market Supervision Manager in 2008 and later supervised UBS's International Wealth Management business across multiple states until returning to Merrill in 2020. With over 15 years of supervisory experience, he values collaborating with colleagues and providing clients access to comprehensive financial services. The son of a Mexican immigrant mother who worked at Merrill for more than 35 years, Louie is committed to promoting financial literacy and generational wealth building. He participates in Bank of America's Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership & Advancement (HOLA) mentorship program and has served as a youth mentor for over a decade. Louie is married and enjoys spending time with his family, preserving family recipes, and researching his family history dating back to 1700s Mexico.

Eric Esparza is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has been in the industry since 2026, previously working at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank. His background includes roles outside finance, such as positions at the Riverside County District Attorney's Office and Petco Health and Wellness. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program for a variety of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies supported by internal and third-party managers.

Margaret Sturdy is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Anaheim, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. She has been with LPL Financial (formerly LINSCO/PRIVATE LEDGER) since 2001. In addition to her advisory work, she occasionally sells health insurance. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves a broad range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, and retirement consulting, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by in-house and third-party research.

Moises Macias Jr. is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 17 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Bank of America, Merrill, and HomeStreet Bank. Outside of his advisory role, he is a baseball coach at Ayala High School in the Chino Valley Unified School District. LPL Financial is a national SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services supported by research, model portfolios, and various investment management options.

Laura Schroeder is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones, working in Yorba Linda, CA. She has 18 years of industry experience, all with Edward Jones since 2008. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a range of investment strategies, including discretionary wrap fee solutions and separately managed accounts. The firm operates under a fiduciary standard and manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Kevin Cheng is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Chino Hills, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2011 to 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Nicole Slapak is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 10 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Morgan Stanley from 2015 to 2021 before joining J.P. Morgan Securities and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank in 2021. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm uses quantitative asset-allocation modeling combined with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework when recommending strategies.

Gerald Hughes is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2015. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a nationwide network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and consulting services, utilizing model portfolios, research, and technology-driven strategies.

Edwin Ramirez is a financial advisor with Merrill who holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has 17 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Washington Mutual, J.P. Morgan Securities, and Bank of America. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations.

Tayra Martinez is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, bringing over nine years of experience in the finance industry. She integrates her background as a former small business owner to address the unique challenges individuals and families face in managing their finances. Born in Mexico and raised in the United States, Tayra values planning and perseverance, which informs her approach to financial advising. Her expertise encompasses family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, small business strategies, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income. Tayra holds the designations of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). She earned her High School Diploma from Rancho Santa Rosa High School and completed the Accredited Certificate Program from the College for Financial Planning. She is also fluent in Spanish and English. Beyond her professional life, Tayra is a mother of two and married to her high school sweetheart. Her personal interests include baseball, cooking, dancing, golfing, interior decorating, music, pickleball, spending time with her family, and traveling. Tayra participates in professional organizations such as the Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement and the Inland Empire Economic Partnership Regional Leadership Academy.

Randolph Schroeder is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Anaheim Hills, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has 22 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2000. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and corporate clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of advisors and branch offices, offering various advisory programs and affiliated investment products under a fiduciary standard.

Jeff Gonzales is a financial advisor at Edelman Financial Engines with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at various affiliates of Edelman Financial Engines since 2015. Edelman Financial Engines provides technology-enabled investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement-plan participants, and institutional clients. The firm combines proprietary modeling with planner delivery and online tools, offering diversified portfolios and both discretionary and non-discretionary advice.

Michael Salazar is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 25 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with UBS since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the Board of Adjustments for Secaucus, New Jersey, where he reviews and votes on variances related to the town’s aesthetics. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and uses proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor client plans.

Evelyn Walker is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at several firms including Wells Fargo and UnionBanc Investment Services. Her current role at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank began in 2018 and continues to the present. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Christopher Barney serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor, offering personalized wealth management strategies to help clients pursue their long-term financial goals. He utilizes investment insights from Merrill and banking services from Bank of America to create flexible strategies tailored to each client's unique financial situation. With 20 years of experience in financial services, Christopher specializes in assisting individuals and families with investment and wealth management needs, focusing on areas such as divorce transition planning, defined benefit plans, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, and retirement income. He holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Christopher earned a Bachelor's Degree from Brigham Young University. He is also involved in community activities such as Disaster Relief Transport and LDS Charities. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys basketball, gardening, and traveling.

Arnie Gonzalez is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill from 2003 to 2022 and has been with J.P. Morgan Securities and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2022. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Paulina Becerra Gonzalez is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Her prior work includes roles at Newnewfoods and Manuel Alarcon Trucking, as well as positions at UC San Diego. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals nearing or in retirement with significant investable assets, using a combination of research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, written Recommendation Reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated companies.

Gabriela Molina is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Ontario, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 23 years of industry experience. She has been with Primerica since 2005. Molina also engages in part-time sales of home security, automation products, and loan products through affiliated companies of Primerica. Primerica Advisors manages a wrap-fee asset management program serving individual, corporate, and charitable clients, with approximately $15.5 billion in assets under management. The firm utilizes model-driven investment strategies supported by third-party asset managers and offers a range of discretionary separately managed account options.

Michelle Rickard is a Series 66-licensed advisor at Merrill with three years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 1998. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary strategies developed by internal and third-party managers and serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Cory Leckie is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently with Osaic Wealth and previously worked at Mariner Independent Advisor Network, LLC, WealthPLAN Partners, and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as the executor of a family living trust. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a wide range of clients, including individual and high-net-worth investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers and multiple platforms. The firm employs asset-allocation tools and automated rebalancing to manage diversified portfolios that may include stocks, bonds, options, mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.