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.

Robert Begley is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding a Series 63 designation and over 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial and its affiliated entities since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he is the CEO of Begley Capital Management LLC, a financial and insurance practice. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides comprehensive financial planning and investment consulting to individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and corporate clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary advisory services using analytical tools and supports a broad network of advisors with specialized municipal and public-finance expertise.

Jiahui Xu is a financial advisor at Cetera with five years of industry experience. Xu holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has previous experience at J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a large SEC-registered advisory firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a multi-manager platform with various portfolio management options, ranging from model portfolios to bespoke strategies, and oversees more than $256 billion in assets with over 10,000 advisors nationwide.

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.

Jocelyne Sandoval is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 10 years of industry experience. She has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and Wells Fargo Bank NA since 2017 and previously held roles at JP Morgan Chase Bank and JP Morgan Securities LLC from 2015 to 2017. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and based on modern portfolio theory, with a broader range of financial product offerings than typical for large institutional advisers, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

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.

Steven Norin is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 41 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015 and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery and firm-approved tools, and manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

David Jakl is a financial advisor with Osaic holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services and maintains roles as a swim team head coach for the Manta Rays Parent Association and as a tax preparer through his own business, J&C Financial Services. Osaic Wealth, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors through a wide network of affiliated advisors and multiple advisory platforms. The firm provides integrated brokerage and advisory services, offering a range of investment options and third-party solutions, with portfolios constructed using proprietary asset-allocation tools and risk-assessment methods.

Richard Pelfrey is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, based in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. He has 14 years of industry experience, including eight years at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch from 2012 to 2020, before joining Wells Fargo in 2020. 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 a range of brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Eric Escobar is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Capital Group for nine years. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a marketing business called Taco Mapper. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm operates nationwide with over 23,000 financial advisors and manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets.

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.

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.

Juan Ortiz is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Brea, CA, holding a Series 66 license and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at GWN Securities, Equitable Advisors, and AXA Advisors. There are no notable outside activities reported. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves a large client base primarily composed of high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to affiliated discretionary separately managed accounts, utilizing multi-asset model portfolios, written advice policies, and a formal alternative-investment process.

Sally Eskander is a financial advisor at Merrill with 7 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Merrill and Bank of America since 2006. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in a car detailing business in Rancho Cucamonga, California. 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, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional accounts.

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.