Ariana Marek is a financial advisor at Beacon Financial Group in Dallas, TX, with seven years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill, Bank of America, and Apex Fintech Solutions prior to joining Beacon Retirement Planning Services Inc. Ariana’s background includes roles in both financial services and education. Beacon Financial Group provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement and trust consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to customize portfolios according to client goals and risk tolerance.

Robert St Claire is a financial advisor with CFO4Life in Coppell, TX. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Blume Capital Management. CFO4Life serves affluent individuals, business executives, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities by providing comprehensive financial planning, discretionary investment management, retirement plan advisory, corporate financial wellness programs, and cash-management solutions. The firm emphasizes diversified asset allocation and uses technology platforms like Morningstar, BlackRock’s Aladdin, and Orion to monitor portfolios.

John Congdon is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Peak American Investment Advisors, Inc. in Plano, TX, with six years of industry experience. He has been with Peak American Investment Advisors since 2020 and is also involved with Peak American Financial Group, Inc. as a Client Solutions Manager focused on insurance sales. Peak American Investment Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary wealth management and comprehensive financial planning, integrating retirement tax strategy, insurance coordination, and estate planning. The firm employs a blend of technical and fundamental analysis and uses a third-party platform to support portfolio management and client services.

Nathan Hilliard is a CFP® at Moss, Luse & Womble, LLC with over eight years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Moss, Luse & Womble, he worked at Level Legal for three years and PricewaterhouseCoopers for six years. Moss, Luse & Womble serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities by providing discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm uses a tactical allocation approach based on fundamental analysis and proprietary investment models tailored to client risk profiles, offering integrated services including accounting and tax preparation.

Shashin Shah is a CFP® and CFA® with 32 years of industry experience, currently serving at SFMG Wealth Advisors since 2016. He participates as an ambassador for the CFP Board and contributes to the Investments and Wealth Institute as well as Wiley's CIMA review and guide. Shah is also a part-owner of Confidence Period, LLC, a private investment entity based in Plano, Texas, though he has no active management role. SFMG Wealth Advisors is a Dallas-area wealth management firm managing approximately $2.96 billion in client assets with an 18-advisor team. The firm offers personalized wealth management combining financial planning and portfolio management for individuals, families, retirement plans, trusts, and corporate clients through a planning-first process and a centralized Investment Committee that applies strategic asset allocation and tactical adjustments.

Justin Elovitz is a financial advisor at Lemnis Capital with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Innovation Partners LLC and Equitable Advisors, LLC. Prior to his financial services career, he held various roles including at Bent Tree Country Club and several educational institutions. Lemnis Capital is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $97.9 million for about 352 clients. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and direct indexing solutions, serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities through a combination of model portfolios and customized asset-allocation strategies.

Lynn Hebert is a CFP®-designated financial advisor at Perryman Financial Advisory, Inc. in Dallas, TX, with four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Perryman, Hebert worked for eight years at Lufkin Independent School District. Perryman Financial Advisory, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser with a six-advisor team managing approximately $796 million for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a combination of fundamental and technical analysis alongside ongoing portfolio monitoring and rebalancing.

Max Tiraboschi is a financial advisor at GDS Wealth Management with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Before joining GDS Wealth Management in 2025, he worked at Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC and held positions in automotive sales and marketing. GDS Wealth Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients with financial planning, consulting, and discretionary portfolio management. The firm manages approximately $1.28 billion in assets across a multi-advisor team, using model portfolios based on Raymond James research that range from balanced to fully equity-focused allocations.

Cameron Teel is a CFP® with two years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Moss, Luse & Womble, LLC. His background includes roles at Howard, LLP and BKD, LLP, as well as experience in accounting and education sectors. Moss, Luse & Womble serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities with discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm uses a tactical allocation approach based on fundamental analysis and proprietary investment models to align portfolios with client risk profiles.

Mark Filardi is a financial advisor with Astra Wealth Management Group in Plano, TX, holding a Series 63 designation and 39 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Wells Fargo Advisors. Filardi is involved as a partner in Astra Wealth Management Group and owns companies operating as registered investment advisors. Astra Wealth Management Group provides wealth management, investment management, financial planning, retirement plan advisory, and a subscription-based consulting service to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach using diversified portfolios and incorporates options and derivatives in separately managed accounts.

Susan Sylvest is a financial advisor at Murphy & Sylvest with 20 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has led Sylvest Advisors, LLC since 2013. Murphy & Sylvest provides portfolio management, financial planning, and project-based consultations to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation approach grounded in modern portfolio theory and uses multiple analytical methods to select investments, reviewing client accounts at least annually.

Jason Freeby is a financial advisor at GDS Wealth Management with the designations ChFC® and Series 66. He has one year of experience in the financial industry, having previously served in the United States Marine Corps for 31 years. He is also involved in managing a rental real estate property outside of his advisory role. GDS Wealth Management provides financial planning, consulting, and investment management services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm manages approximately $1.8 billion in assets across 22 advisors and uses model portfolios supported by research from Raymond James, focusing on asset allocation rather than individual security analysis.

Benjamin Gerald is a financial advisor at Quartz Partners Investment Management with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at firms including MassMutual Investors Services, New York Life Insurance Company, and Eagle Strategies. Gerald is the founder and president of 75INC LLC, a professional networking association, and serves as president of NAIFA - Dallas. He is also co-founder and managing partner of Audible Financial Group and Audible Consulting, focusing on fixed insurance solutions and coaching insurance agents. Quartz Partners Investment Management provides model-based investment management for individual investors, retirement plans, institutions, and financial intermediaries. The firm combines top-down macro analysis with bottom-up stock selection across multiple model portfolios, offering discretionary account management and advisory services through various delivery platforms.

Kimberly Atchley is a financial advisor at Guidestone Advisors in Dallas, TX, with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at GuideStone Financial Resources, Wells Nelson & Associates, LLC, and TAYLOR STEPHENS, Inc. Outside of her advisory role, she works part-time helping with pizza delivery and restaurant support. Guidestone Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers a range of programs that incorporate affiliated GuideStone Funds within a faith-based investing framework and integrates model portfolios with third-party investment options.

Ian Fritz is a financial advisor at Castleview Partners, LLC in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Fisher Investments. Castleview Partners provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, non-profits, and retirement plans, offering both discretionary portfolio management and access to third-party money managers. The firm uses a combination of internally managed models, third-party model marketplaces, and direct holdings, supported by its aiAlpha platform which delivers operational and trading services to Castleview-managed and external accounts.

Ryan Wood is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience. He currently serves at Lemnis Capital and Innovation Partners LLC and previously worked at Equitable Advisors and Axa Advisors. Lemnis Capital is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $97.9 million for around 352 clients. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and direct indexing solutions for individuals, retirement plans, and trusts, using both model portfolios and customized strategies.

Ryan Ferguson is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Insight Wealth Partners in Plano, TX. He has been with the firm since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, Ferguson is a partner at Ferguson Group, LLC, where he prepares a limited number of tax returns, and he is involved in commercial real estate management as the managing member of 3333 Premier Properties, LLC. Insight Wealth Partners provides asset management, comprehensive financial planning, pension consulting, and referrals to third-party money managers for a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm uses a multi-advisor team approach and employs investment strategies that combine both strategic and tactical asset allocation with fundamental and technical analysis.

John Hea is a CFA® charterholder with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Ackerman Capital Management in Dallas, TX since 2010. He is also the managing member of AMONKEYS, LLC, a marketing business where he designs logos and apparel sold through his fishing club. Ackerman Capital Management provides investment advisory services to individuals, families, charitable entities, corporations, and retirement plans through separately managed accounts and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs written investment policies and typically uses exchange-traded funds and no-load mutual funds, while also sponsoring private investment partnerships that include municipal fund exposures and multi-strategy digital-asset funds.

Bruce Griffith is a financial advisor at AssetBuilder, Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with AssetBuilder since 2007. AssetBuilder provides investment management and financial planning services to a range of clients including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a buy-and-hold, asset-allocation strategy based on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on diversification primarily through Dimensional Fund Advisors products, with portfolios tailored to client objectives and risk profiles.

Niko Puritz is a CFP® professional at Ascentis Wealth Management, LLC in Dallas, TX, with seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments and Veracity Capital LLC. Ascentis Wealth Management advises individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional and corporate clients, providing financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management. The firm uses tailored, goal-oriented strategies that incorporate strategic and tactical asset allocation across multiple asset types and manages approximately $595 million in assets.