William Gecks is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2013. Additionally, he is an agent with Agia, involved in non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed investment models and operating at scale with over 1,200 advisors.

Daniel Sarmiento is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Gainesville, FL. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with the firm since 2025. Prior to his advisory role, he worked in the food service industry and fitness sector. He is also appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products for AGIA. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

John Murray is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Partners in Gainesville, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 21 years of industry experience. He has worked with IFP Securities, LLC, Independent Financial Partners, Covenant Wealth Management, and LPL Financial. Murray is a volunteer with Stop Children’s Cancer, contributing to their annual fundraising events. Independent Financial Partners is a nationwide firm that offers investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a network of independent advisors. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform with over $12 billion in assets under management and is noted for its retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting capabilities.

Howard Timberlake is a financial advisor with J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. in Gainesville, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with J.W. Cole Advisors since 2009 and has operated his own firm, Consolidated Financial Planning, since 1999. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Timberlake Preserves LLC, a tour guidance business. J.W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and retirement plans through a national network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm provides portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, access to third-party managers, and various managed account solutions, implementing investment decisions through both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Julio Sarmiento is a financial advisor with VALIC Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at VALIC Financial Advisors since 2001 and is also an agent with Agia. Outside of finance, he serves as a press box announcer for University of Florida football and baseball games and provides official game statistics for CBS Sports broadcasts. VALIC Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models and operating at scale with over 1,200 advisors.

Cody Clayson is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Gainesville, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2018 and is also associated with Agia, where he serves as an agent offering non-securities insurance products. Outside of financial advising, he is a member and capital provider of A&C Business Ventures, LLC, an event equipment rental business. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, wrap programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Geoffrey Southwell is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 27 years of industry experience. His career includes prior roles at LPL Financial and Fross and Fross Wealth Management. TIAA-CREF’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and separate broker-dealer services primarily to individuals linked to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management through model portfolios and customized portfolios managed under client-approved investment policies.

Ralph Robbins III is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Gainesville, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 1999 and also serves as an agent with Agia, focusing on non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, wrap programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Shaun Files is a financial advisor with Merrill in Gainesville, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. He has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2019 and previously spent five years at Verizon Wireless. Outside of his advisory role, he also sells secondhand items such as video games and books on eBay. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies to a wide range of individual and institutional clients. The firm integrates with Bank of America’s broader corporate platform, enabling access to a diverse set of investment products and services.

Zarko Ivanov is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and J.P. Morgan Securities since 2020, following six years at Valic Financial and Valic Financial Advisors. 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 and investment management capabilities, delivering advisory services on a non-discretionary basis.

Roney Dos Santos Ramos is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with five years of industry experience. He has worked at Thrivent and its affiliates since 2020 and previously held positions at ABS Global Inc and Ourofino Saude Animal. Thrivent Investment Management offers Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, providing written recommendations on a broad range of financial planning topics without discretionary trading authority. The firm’s approach integrates holistic, goal-based analyses and allows clients to combine planning with managed accounts under a consolidated billing option called WealthPlan.

Michele Dubois is a Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, serving clients in Gainesville, Florida. She has been providing wealth management guidance and services since 1994. Michele holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida and professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Accredited Estate Planner (AEP), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Michele specializes in family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, LGBT wealth planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, women and wealth, and tax minimization. She utilizes multiple disciplined financial strategies tailored to meet the unique goals of her clients. She is qualified as a Senior Portfolio Advisor and manages custom investment strategies on a discretionary basis, selecting from a wide range of Merrill model portfolios and third-party investment strategies. In addition to her professional work, Michele is involved with civic and charitable organizations including the Alachua Conservation Trust and Girls Place, Inc. She balances her professional commitments with personal interests such as boating, cooking, football, gardening, hiking, interior decorating, music, spending time with family, traveling, and yoga.

Jeffrey Hogue is a CFP® professional with 27 years of industry experience, currently advising clients at UBS Financial Services since 2015. He is based in Gainesville, FL, and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, Mr. Hogue serves on advisory committees for the Community Foundation of North Central Florida and Anthem Community Church, providing guidance on budgeting and community outreach. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through a combination of brokerage and investment advisory services, utilizing proprietary research and model-based asset allocations to tailor financial plans. The firm integrates institutional trading capabilities with wealth management, offering a broad range of products and services including discretionary portfolio management and alternative investments.

Michael Relyea is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and a member of Relyea, Barcelona, Sperrazza & Associates. He has worked in the financial services industry since 1997, gaining experience in various positions across three different firms. This diverse background contributes to his approach to providing financial advice. Michael is part of a team that includes partners Mylene Barcelona and Charles Sperrazza, along with assistants Chelsea Pagoaga and Teresa Proulx. The team combines different skill sets to deliver comprehensive resources and perspectives to clients, enhancing the likelihood of achieving their financial goals. He holds the professional designations Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Michael earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Richmond and completed an Accredited Certificate Program at the American College.

Neil Palka is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He works closely with clients to develop personalized financial strategies that align with their individual goals and changing market conditions. Neil offers expertise in a variety of areas including divorce transition planning, employee benefits planning, executive compensation, retirement income, and services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits. His approach involves identifying clients' priorities, setting and tracking progress towards goals, and adjusting plans as needed throughout different phases of wealth creation, preservation, and transfer. Neil holds a high school diploma from Cocoa Beach High School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida. He has earned several professional designations, including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). He is actively involved in professional and community organizations such as the Gator Family Giving Council, mentors first generation college students, and provides financial literacy training to University of Florida student athletes. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Neil enjoys boating, fishing, running, swimming, traveling, volleyball, and spending time with his family.

Regina Onkst is a CFP® professional with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameriprise since 2020. Her prior experience includes roles at Ameriprise Financial Services Inc and UBS Financial Services Inc. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved in real estate ownership in Alachua, Florida. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for clients with at least $1 million in net investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, non-discretionary recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Steven Summers is a financial advisor with Stifel in Gainesville, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel since 2009. Summers is also a commissioned notary public. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services supported by proprietary investment analysis and asset allocation methodologies.

Lane Abraben is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Gainesville, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes two separate periods at First Magnitude Brewing Co. from 2015 to 2019. Charles Schwab serves primarily 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 offers both non-discretionary and discretionary investment options, supported by multi-asset model portfolios and a centralized operational structure.

Toika Lankenau is a financial advisor at Merrill with 29 years of industry experience. She has held her current role at Merrill since 2006. Lankenau holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies to a broad client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate fiduciaries.

Parag Adhyaru is a financial advisor with Merrill in Gainesville, FL, holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill since 2016 and has been with Bank of America, N.A. since 2019. Outside of his advisory role, he and his wife operate a sole proprietorship that offers their primary residence as a temporary filming location. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate fiduciaries.