Damon Friedman is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked at Commonwealth Financial Network since 2021 and previously spent five years with an independent financial group. Outside of advising, he is a co-owner of Caliber Pacific Construction, a general contracting business. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that supports a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm provides a broad range of managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement and plan consulting, and custody/clearing services.

Ladislao Kalmar is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 19 years of industry experience. He has held positions at multiple firms including Petersen International Underwriters and WealthWave, and is involved with several business ventures such as Kalmar & Associates and Galarraga Engineering Consultant. Additionally, he works as an agent for Champion Health, focusing on employer/employee health benefit plans. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers to deliver its services through multiple program platforms.

Jared Johnson is a financial advisor with Planmember Securities Corporation in Temecula, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has 24 years of industry experience. Johnson is involved in multiple business activities including leadership roles at Lighthouse Capital Planners and Living Trustify, an online service providing legal forms and information. Planmember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, functioning as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation approach and manages unitized, risk-based mutual fund portfolios, offering education and support services such as seminars and personalized retirement planning.

Victoria Blackwell Rivas is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 66 and Series 63 registrations and seven years of industry experience. She has worked at Commonwealth since 2021 and has held roles at San Diego State University and TD Ameritrade Institutional since 2018. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a broad adviser-support platform with discretionary and nondiscretionary managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement and plan consulting, and custody and clearing services.

Sergey Lyubyatinskiy is a financial advisor at GWN Securities Inc. with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Equitable Advisors and AXA Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is also involved in fixed insurance and annuity business as an agent. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients, including high-net-worth individuals. The firm offers discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios, employing a range of investment strategies from traditional asset allocation to legacy market-timing and momentum-based methods.

Sun Dinh is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at BBVA Wealth Solutions, CUSO Financial Services, Bank of America, and Merrill. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based investment programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account that uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and delegates portfolio management to approved strategists.

Rhonda Maxwell is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with 33 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing. She has been with Stratos Wealth Partners and affiliated LPL Financial since 2020. Stratos Wealth Partners provides advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers an open-architecture Strategic Wealth Management platform that supports both advisor-managed and model-based portfolios and employs a range of affiliated and third-party sub-advisors to implement customized investment strategies.

Eldon Gutierrez is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at Edward Jones for five years and spent nine years with Enterprise Holdings before entering the financial services sector. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an online discretionary model account available by invitation to employees. The firm’s approach utilizes algorithmic risk assessment and delegated portfolio management with mutual funds and ETFs.

Tiffany Dugas is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving at Empower Advisory Group. Her prior roles include positions at Valic Financial Advisors and Charles Schwab. She also owns mineral rights inherited from her family, which may generate royalty payments. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, delivering integrated services linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates in its financial planning approach.

Jadie Driscoll is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and bringing 12 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic in 2025, she worked at Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., and Raymond James and Associates. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed portfolio models with discretionary management and optional tax and ESG overlay services.

Melissa Diaz is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones and Bank of America. Outside of her advisory role, she owns Cali Bev Co., a mobile bartending service that caters private events. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, along with services for Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s investment approach focuses on long-term portfolio returns and integrates closely with affiliated Empower platforms for recordkeeping and execution.

John Brown is a Series 66–licensed financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience. He is currently with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC and has previously worked at firms including Raymond James & Associates, Hartford Funds, and Invesco Advisers. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through various managed advice programs and investment education services. The firm relies on Morningstar Investment Management for portfolio construction and oversight, and serves a large client base primarily with non-discretionary assets.

Anthony Valdez is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC, Mr. Market Brewing Co, LPL Financial, LLC, and Empower Financial Services, Inc. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors, their participants, and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated approach leverages proprietary and third-party methodologies focusing on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within the framework of Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Arturo Aguilar is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 designations. Prior to joining Empower Advisory Group in 2025, he worked at GWFS Equities, PNC Bank, and BBVA subsidiaries. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, offering integrated services tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and operates at a large scale with a high client-to-advisor ratio.

Yazmin Valdez is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Murrieta, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and three years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank, as well as six years at Briseno Tire & Towing before entering financial services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm uses an integrated model connected to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Steven Lebaron is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 35 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with LeBaron Financial Group, Inc. and Independent Financial Group since 2006. Lebaron also provides estate planning services as an independent contractor with Anchor Legal, PC. Independent Financial Group, LLC is a dual-registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm offers brokerage, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services through a national network of Investment Adviser Representatives.

Kalpnesh Patel is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Prudential Insurance Company of America and Accenture Inc. He is also involved with RH Benefits Insurance Services, Inc., where he works as an insurance agent focusing on Medicare, life insurance, and annuities. 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, retirement-plan advisory, and fiduciary services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party sub-advisers, and custom strategies.

Britton Meland is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Temecula, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Celestar Corporation, Net Law, Bryant & Associates Certified Public Accountants, WealthWave, Lockhead Martin Corporation, and WFGIA. Outside of financial advising, he owns Meland Marine, LLC, a business involved in small boat handling, transportation, and maintenance. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm provides advisory and broker-dealer services through proprietary model portfolios, third-party money managers, and both fee-based and commission-based products.

Mark Fitzpatrick is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at Empower Retirement, ICMA RC, Advised Assets Group, LLC, and GWFS Equities, Inc. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management services primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm delivers services through an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates.

Dennis Odin is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked with WealthWave since 2018, Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012, and World Financial Group since 2007. Outside of advising, Odin is involved in the sale of insurance and non-insurance products affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm delivers services through a large advisor network and multiple program platforms, utilizing model portfolios and third-party managers for investment implementation.