Erin Schullery is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Benefit Financial Services Group with three years of industry experience. She has worked at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and Aon, and previously held roles outside finance, including at Bentley University Undergraduate Admissions and Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue. Benefit Financial Services Group advises individuals, trusts, family entities, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans through its wealth management and institutional services divisions, managing substantial discretionary assets and offering diversified investment strategies that include model-based allocations and options-based borrowing programs.

Jennifer Olson is a CFP® and CFA® at Apriem Advisors with 10 years of industry experience. She has been with Apriem Advisors since 2007, working within a team of 13 advisors based in Irvine, CA. 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 and plan participants. The firm uses a combination of Tactical Index, Passive Index, and Apriem Index approaches and offers additional services including standalone financial planning, estate-planning through third parties, and an online consolidation tool called Apriem Total View.

Gary Hicklin is a financial advisor at Lifetime Financial, Inc. with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked previously at Horter Investment Management and independently as a life and annuity insurance sales agent. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a supervisor in information technology for the County of San Luis Obispo. Lifetime Financial, Inc. provides portfolio management and fiduciary services to individual and high-net-worth clients, using customized investment strategies and third-party sub-advisors rather than model portfolios. The firm also offers alternative investment consulting and maintains affiliated insurance and real estate businesses.

Melissa Wright is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 16 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with Compak Asset Management in Newport Beach, CA, where she has worked since 2021. Her prior experience includes roles at Securities America, Inc. and ALIGN WEALTH ADVISORS. Compak Asset Management provides discretionary investment management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, and trusts, utilizing model strategies and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis guided by an internal Investment Committee. The firm offers portfolio supervision, standalone financial plans, and access to separately managed accounts and alternative investments.

Xiao Qiu is a financial advisor at American Fundstars with two years of industry experience. They have been with American Fundstars Financial Group LLC since 2024. American Fundstars serves high-net-worth individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering portfolio management and advisory services. The firm employs a flexible investment approach across multiple asset classes and strategies, managing most client assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Alexander Dardick is a financial advisor at JRS Investments and Wealth Preservation, LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at firms including Trilogy Capital, Hightower Advisors, and National Planning Corporation. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as a Student Success Team Leader at Tutorly, an online tutoring company focused on customized learning for K-12 students. JRS Investments and Wealth Preservation, LLC provides discretionary portfolio management to individuals, trusts, and small businesses, employing a fundamental investment approach that incorporates macroeconomic review to create customized portfolios based on clients’ goals, time horizons, and risk tolerance.

Matthew Melendez is a CFP® professional with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Capital Synergy Partners since 2014. He also holds an Enrolled Agent credential and operates a tax preparation business, Melendez Company & Associates Inc., as well as a fixed insurance sales business. Capital Synergy Partners serves individual clients across various wealth levels, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and third-party money manager programs. The firm operates with both RIA and broker-dealer registrations, delivering predominantly non-discretionary advice supported by fundamental, technical, and cyclical investment analysis.

John Borcich is a financial advisor at Vanguard Capital with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Vanguard Capital and its affiliated firms since 2009. Vanguard Capital provides discretionary investment management and financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $171 million across about 180 client relationships. The firm implements investment decisions based on written client profiles and plans, emphasizing risk management through diversification, rebalancing, and selective use of covered-call strategies.

Stuart Scholten is a financial advisor with Accelerate Retirement, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Accelerate Investment Advisors LLC since 2024, following a decade at Kestra Investment Services, LLC and 12 years at NFP Retirement, Inc. Accelerate Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, trusts, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm constructs customized portfolios using a variety of investment vehicles and offers comprehensive retirement services, including plan design and fiduciary support.

Ronald Hudspeth is a financial advisor with Yosemite Capital Management in Newport Beach, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 31 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at CW Advisors, Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Charles Schwab. Yosemite Capital Management is a team-based SEC-registered investment adviser with six advisors managing approximately $369 million for around 266 clients. The firm offers customized portfolio management, a range of financial planning services, and third-party manager oversight, typically using model risk profiles and a mix of ETFs, mutual funds, and alternative strategies.

Eric Bell is a financial advisor at Hamilton-Bates Investment Research, Inc. with 32 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance, and J.P. Morgan Private Wealth Advisors. Beyond advising, he serves on the board of the Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County and is president of two organizations: African Wealth Management, Inc., which focuses on marketing to Africans and African Americans, and Kanyiri-Bell Upendo, a nonprofit developing an assisted living facility in Kenya. Hamilton-Bates Investment Research advises individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses, managing approximately $61 million in discretionary assets. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis and offers both strategic and tactical asset allocation programs tailored through individualized portfolio management and model portfolios.

Cole Ducote is a Series 65-licensed advisor with Apriem Advisors, based in Irvine, CA, and has worked in the financial industry for two years. He has been with Apriem Advisors across two periods, totaling five years, with prior experience at Seek Business Capital and Herc Rentals. Apriem Advisors provides wealth management and customized portfolio services primarily to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as 501(c)(3) non-profits. The firm employs a mix of tactical and passive investment approaches and offers additional services such as retirement plan advisory, charitable investment services, and an online portfolio consolidation tool.

Erin Nelsen is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. She has been with Asset Planning, Inc. since 2007. Asset Planning, Inc. provides personal financial planning and investment management to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and family businesses. The firm uses 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.

James Konon Jr. is a financial advisor with Hollencrest Capital Management, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Hollencrest since 2005. Hollencrest Capital Management provides wealth management and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth and ultra-affluent families, trusts, business owners, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm’s investment approach integrates Modern Portfolio Theory with a combination of traditional equities, fixed income, alternatives, private investments, and tax-aware strategies, and it actively sponsors and manages private funds and direct private investment transactions.

Bonnie Wusz is a CFP® professional with 43 years of industry experience, currently serving at BW & Associates, Inc., a firm she has been affiliated with since 1989. She previously worked at Girard Securities, Inc. from 2002 to 2017 and Cetera Wealth Services, LLC from 2017 onward. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses in addition to her CFP® designation. BW & Associates, Inc. manages individual portfolios and provides financial planning and consulting to individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a long-term, asset-allocation-driven approach focused on buy-and-hold strategies using mutual funds and ETFs, operating primarily on a non-discretionary basis with client approval for all trades.

Noah Sosa is a financial advisor at Miramontes Capital, LLC in Newport Beach, CA, with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Lincoln Financial Securities Corp and has a background including roles in education and the food service industry. Miramontes Capital advises individuals, high-net-worth clients, and retirement plans, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and 529 account services. The firm manages accounts on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases, using a range of investment approaches including active trading strategies and sub-advisors.

Jeffrey Barrera is an advisor at Miramontes Capital, LLC in Newport Beach, CA, with 28 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and 66 licenses and has worked at Raymond James Financial and Tax & Wealth Management, LLC. Barrera is also the owner and president of Retirement By Design, Inc., a support company. Miramontes Capital serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and retirement plans by offering financial planning, portfolio management, and 529 account services. The firm manages accounts on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases and employs a range of investment strategies, including long- and short-term trading and options techniques.

Connor Campbell is a financial advisor with CLG LLC in Long Beach, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 10 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at PKS Investments and Cetera, with a seven-year tenure at CETERA Advisor Networks LLC. He serves as a board member of the 5 Ryan Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on financial assistance and fundraising. CLG LLC works with individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a range of analytical methods and investment strategies, including use of derivatives and third-party sub-advisors, and provides both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Laurel Hackett is a financial advisor with BW & Associates, Inc. in Orange, CA, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and with 27 years of industry experience. She has previously worked at Girard Securities, Inc., Cetera Wealth Services, LLC, and has had multiple roles at BW & Associates since 2010. Hackett is also a licensed notary who provides complimentary notarization services for her clients. BW & Associates, Inc. provides investment management, portfolio management, and financial planning services to individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a long-term, asset-allocation approach focused on mutual funds and ETFs, operating largely on a non-discretionary basis with a high asset-per-advisor ratio.

Moeez Ansari is a financial advisor at Compak Asset Management with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Compak Asset Management since 1999 and Compak Securities Inc. since 2002. Ansari hosts a one-hour "Market Wrap" talk radio show for 20 hours per month, recorded live at the firm’s Newport Beach office. Compak Asset Management is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.2 billion on a discretionary basis for over 1,000 clients. The firm offers investment supervisory services, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services, employing model-driven asset-allocation strategies and a tactical approach to portfolio management.