Ronald Blau is a financial advisor with Capital Synergy Partners, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Synergy Partners since 2011 and also works with National Life Group. Blau serves as a board member of the Jewish Free Loan Association of Greater Phoenix, a nonprofit organization. Capital Synergy Partners serves individual clients across a range of wealth levels, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers. The firm operates as both an RIA and a broker-dealer, offering advisory services primarily on a non-discretionary basis with a multi-method investment approach that includes mutual funds, equities, bonds, and covered-option strategies.

Aksana Munoz is a financial advisor at Benefit Financial Services Group with 11 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with BFSG and its related entities since 2013. Benefit Financial Services Group serves individual investors, families, corporations, trusts, charitable organizations, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm offers wealth management, institutional pension consulting, and tax and accounting services, focusing on diversified, outcome-oriented portfolios and providing ERISA fiduciary services for retirement plans.

David Petray is a financial advisor with Syndicated Capital, Inc. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 37 years of industry experience. He has worked at Syndicated Capital since 2001 and was previously with A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. since 1998. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as a luxury travel advisor and also works as a mortgage advisor on a part-time basis. Syndicated Capital, Inc. provides money management, portfolio management, and wealth management services to individuals, trusts, corporations, and 401(k) plans. The firm manages approximately $137 million on a discretionary basis and offers customized investment programs tailored to clients’ objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizons.

Mark Ferdi is a financial advisor with J.Derek Lewis & Associates, Inc. in Newport Beach, CA. He holds a Series 66 designation and has six years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at The Carlyle Group and High Rhodes Investment Group. Outside of his advisory role, he works part-time as a business consultant for Astro Pak. J.Derek Lewis & Associates, Inc. serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporate entities, managing approximately $1.78 billion in assets across about 7,400 accounts. The firm’s investment approach centers on client profiling, formal investment policy guidelines, and asset allocation models emphasizing mutual fund and ETF selections, with integrated brokerage, insurance, and third-party manager relationships.

Melani List is a financial advisor with Asset Planning, Inc. in Los Alamitos, CA, holding a Series 65 credential and eight years of industry experience. She has been with Asset Planning since 2016. Asset Planning Inc. provides personal financial planning and investment management services to individuals, families, and related entities such as trusts and family businesses. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation approach combining passive index/ETF exposure with selected active funds, dividend-paying equities, and individual bonds, tailoring portfolios on a client-by-client basis.

Carl Lachman is a CFP® and Series 65-registered financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Eclectic Associates, Inc. since 2003 and is currently a member of their 11-advisor team. Eclectic Associates, Inc. is a fee-only, SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, trusts, retirement-plan participants, charities, and businesses. The firm provides discretionary investment management and integrated financial planning, managing over $1.4 billion in assets through diversified portfolios that utilize Modern Portfolio Theory and long-term holdings.

Andrew Papp is a financial advisor with Ministry Partners Securities, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ministry Partners Securities since 2014 and concurrently at ACP Financial since 2005. Outside of his advisory work, he occasionally preaches at churches and plays drums in live bands. Ministry Partners Securities serves individuals, trusts, estates, churches, faith-based organizations, and qualified retirement plan participants, offering financial planning and consulting with an explicitly Christian approach to stewardship. The firm primarily refers clients to selected third-party asset managers while providing ongoing advice and planning tailored to clients’ religious or ethical values and financial objectives.

Ronnie Mejia is a financial advisor with Horter Investment Management, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and nine years of industry experience. He has worked with Horter Investment Management since 2016 and serves as CEO of Defense First Financial, LLC, a financial services business specializing in life insurance and annuities. Mejia is also the owner of RON MON CORP, a real estate management company. Horter Investment Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, trusts, pension plans, corporations, and insurance-company clients. The firm employs a combination of tactical and passive multi-manager portfolios, model and custom portfolios, and offers access to third-party money managers and alternative investments as part of its ongoing investment supervision.

Frank Zito is a financial advisor with B.B. Graham & Company, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms including Merrill, Bank of America, and Coker & Palmer, Inc. In addition to his advisory role, Zito is an independent insurance agent, spending a small portion of his time on insurance sales. B.B. Graham & Company provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, trusts, estates, corporations, and small businesses. The firm manages approximately $322 million and offers a mix of fundamental and technical investment strategies across various asset classes, delivering both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Darren Vera Cruz is a financial advisor at Hamilton-Bates Investment Research, Inc. with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Hamilton-Bates since 2018. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law as an attorney specializing in estate planning. Hamilton-Bates Investment Research, Inc. provides asset management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm utilizes a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis along with both long-term and short-term trading strategies, managing approximately $61.36 million in discretionary client assets.

Zhiqi Liu is a financial advisor with American Fundstars, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. Prior to joining American Fundstars in 2022, Liu worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney from 2019 to 2022, as well as at Jupai Global and a law office earlier in his career. American Fundstars serves high-net-worth individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients with portfolio management and advisory services. The firm employs a flexible, opportunistic investment approach across multiple asset classes and combines SEC-registered advisory duties with broker-dealer and licensed insurance activities, also acting as adviser and sponsor to pooled investment vehicles.

Michael Healy is a financial advisor with Seamount Financial Group Inc, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 43 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial LLC since 2025 and previously spent 25 years with Grove Point Investments, LLC, as well as 34 years at Seamount Financial Group. Seamount Financial Group serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and business entities by providing wealth management, discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm manages over $665 million for several hundred clients and integrates both fundamental and technical analysis within its discretionary investment approach.

Faith Lee is a financial advisor at Syndicated Capital, Inc. in Brea, CA, holding a Series 63 designation with 27 years of industry experience. She has been with Syndicated Capital since 2003. Syndicated Capital, Inc. provides money management, portfolio management, and wealth management services to individuals, trusts, corporations, and 401(k) plans. The firm manages approximately $137 million on a discretionary basis and offers customized advisory programs tailored to each client’s objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

Joseph Turner is a financial advisor with Ministry Partners Securities, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ministry Partners Securities since 2013 and previously spent eight years at Ministry Partners Investment Co. Turner serves on the board of directors for Christian Care Ministry and the Health Care Sharing Ministries Alliance, contributing to business operations and strategic planning. Ministry Partners Securities serves individuals, trusts, estates, churches, and faith-based organizations, providing financial planning and consulting with an emphasis on integrating clients’ religious or ethical values into investment strategies. The firm refers clients to selected third-party asset managers and delivers ongoing advice while maintaining a dual registration as both an investment adviser and broker-dealer.

Mark Rylance is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 20 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with RS Crum Inc. since 2003, working at the Newport Beach, CA-based firm as part of a six-advisor team. RS Crum, Inc. provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and business consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and small businesses. The firm uses individualized asset-allocation models focused on minimizing investment costs and employs formalized policies such as mutual fund share-class selection and transaction-fee analysis, along with supervised use of third-party artificial intelligence tools.

Cherie Wang is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Valley Wealth Strategies, LLC. She has previously worked with LPL Financial, LLC and National Planning Corporation. Outside of advisory work, she teaches at Cerritos College and is a certified notary public. Valley Wealth Strategies, LLC advises individuals, families, trusts, and various organizations, offering customized investment management and financial planning. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach and manages over $1.2 billion in assets, with a notable portion managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Carol Somoano is a CFP® professional with 20 years of experience in financial advising. She has been with Asset Planning, Inc. since 2005. Asset Planning, Inc. provides personal financial planning and investment management services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and family businesses. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation framework combining passive index/ETF exposure with selectively chosen active funds, dividend-paying equities, and individual bonds, tailoring portfolios to each client’s needs.

Josealfredo Rendon is a financial advisor at Apriem Advisors in Irvine, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with six years at the firm and a total of four years of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Bank of America and Lyft. Apriem Advisors provides wealth management, customized portfolio management, retirement plan advisory, and charitable investment services primarily to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as 501(c)(3) non-profits. The firm utilizes a combination of Tactical Index, Passive Index, and Apriem Index approaches and employs both fundamental and technical analysis in portfolio management.

Christopher Ballard is a financial advisor with Check Capital Management Inc. in Costa Mesa, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Check Capital Management since 2012. Check Capital Management, Inc. manages assets for individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, corporations, and other entities, and serves as investment adviser to the Blue Chip Investor Fund. The firm employs a fundamentals-based, “Warren Buffett style” investment approach focused on intrinsic business value and margin of safety, offering various program structures tailored to client objectives and risk tolerances.

Faramarz Amiri is a financial advisor with Secura Financial in Orange, CA. He has over a decade of experience in the financial services industry, including roles at World Financial Group, Inc. and New Century Financial Alliance & Insurance Solutions, where he also works as an insurance agent. Secura Financial provides fee-based personalized financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to a range of clients, including individuals and institutions. The firm employs strategies based on fundamental and cyclical analysis and uses a variety of investment techniques, including option writing and derivatives, while also offering third-party manager placements and co-advisory services.