Stephen Cheng is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 33 years of industry experience, including roles at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and World Financial Group since 2001. He is also involved in the sale of insurance products affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses, delivering services through a large advisor network and multiple program platforms. The firm’s advisory model primarily utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers, supported by proprietary and external solutions.

John Micek IV is a financial advisor at IEQ Capital, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. Prior to joining IEQ Capital, he worked at Third Leaf Partners and Criterion Capital Management. Outside of his advisory role, Micek is the proprietor of Red Stitch Wine Group, a winery in Napa, California, and serves as a director of a cybersecurity start-up, Circle Systems. IEQ Capital provides portfolio management and advisory services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients. The firm’s investment approach is centered on macroeconomic research and client-specific policy statements, utilizing a diverse mix of liquid strategies, independent managers, and private alternatives.

Hadi Ahmadi Aval is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) and operates Aval Financial Strategies and Insurance Solutions, Inc., through which he brokers non-registered insurance products. His prior experience includes roles with NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Co. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and corporate and charitable clients. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, primarily on a non-discretionary basis, and provides tailored recommendations within an integrated New York Life structure.

Xiao Lin is a Certified Financial Planner® with five years of experience at Transamerica Financial Advisors and additional background as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst since 2026. She has worked in health insurance sales and related businesses for over 15 years and is involved with Zhong Shi & Associates, Inc., a spouse-owned non-investment business. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a wide range of clients including individuals, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering advisory and broker-dealer services through proprietary and third-party investment models with both discretionary and non-discretionary options.

Mark Branson is a CFA® charterholder with 22 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with Cerity Partners, LLC, where he has worked since 2026. His prior experience includes 20 years at Cornerstone Capital, Inc. and five years at RCM. Cerity Partners serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, business entities, charitable institutions, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of the end of 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management and investment services, employing a client-specific investment framework that integrates quantitative screening, manager selection, and both third-party and direct investment strategies.

Denny Tsuei is a financial advisor with HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms including Citigroup, TD Ameritrade, Scottrade, and Charles Schwab. Tsuei is also a dual-hatted Bank Officer at HSBC Bank (USA) N.A., where he engages in the sale of bank-related products alongside his advisory role. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations through various client-directed and discretionary strategies. The firm employs a structured investment process with model risk profiles and leverages both affiliated and third-party providers for advisory, fund selection, and administrative services.

April Sullivan is a financial advisor at Corient with five years of industry experience. She holds Series 66, Series 63, and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Portola Partners, Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth, Amazon Logistics, Curran and Lewis, and First Republic Investment Management. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers and employs risk management tools and continuous portfolio monitoring to align with client objectives.

Rafael Velez III is a financial advisor with MAI Capital Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. He previously worked at LPL Financial, LLC for 14 years and at Summit Financial Advisors, LLC for 27 years. Velez serves as a vice president and board member of Youth Experience Sponsorship, a nonprofit organization. MAI Capital Management provides investment management, wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages $72.3 billion in assets and offers customized portfolio management across multiple strategies, integrating financial planning and other services into client relationships.

Jeffrey Lin is a financial advisor at Corient with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at firms including Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth, Inc. and Portola Partners. Jeffrey has been with Corient and its related entities since 2020. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and specialized offerings such as family office and corporate trustee services.

Jarrad Schultz is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 66 license with four years of industry experience. He is currently with IEQ Capital, LLC and previously worked at City National Rochdale for six years and Wells Fargo & Company for three years. IEQ Capital provides portfolio management and investment advisory services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, and other entities. The firm’s investment approach centers on macroeconomic research and client-specific Investment Policy Statements, utilizing a combination of liquid strategies, independent managers, and private alternative investments.

Diana Pastrana is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with six years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at LPL Financial, Royal Alliance Associates, LLC, Equitable Advisors, LLC, Chewse, and UCSF Medical Center Parnassus. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm with approximately 379 advisors and $18.6 billion in assets under management. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, nonprofits, and institutional clients, offering customized portfolio management and financial planning through an open-architecture platform integrating multiple third-party managers.

Douglas Poetzsch is a financial advisor at IEQ Capital, LLC with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked for Citi Private Bank for 11 years before joining IEQ Capital in 2024. IEQ Capital provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and advisory services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients. The firm’s investment approach includes centralized macro and manager research, the use of independent managers, and allocation to both liquid and private alternative investments.

Adrianne Flores is a Series 66 licensed advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with three years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Alameda Financial Group, Koehler & Associates CPA's Inc, and Staples, Inc. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and pension plans. The firm utilizes both active and passive strategies through multiple platforms and third-party asset managers, offering tailored investment solutions based on client risk profiles.

Rodney Suzuki is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Park Avenue Securities, MassMutual, and Prudential. He is also involved in outside insurance sales on a limited basis. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of Guardian Life, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, and organizations. The firm offers advisor-led discretionary management alongside model-based strategies through proprietary and third-party platforms.

Lirong Shan is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Transamerica Financial Advisors, Shan worked at several real estate and mortgage firms. Outside of financial advising, Shan is involved in the restaurant industry as a nutritionist, creating healthy new food offerings. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses. The firm employs a model portfolio approach supported by third-party managers and offers multiple advisory platforms such as Transamerica ONE and TFA365.

Samuel Biscaro is a financial advisor at IEQ Capital, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms, including Certuity and First Republic Investment Management, Inc. Prior to his finance career, Biscaro was employed at Salesforce, Well Health, and General Dynamics Land Systems. IEQ Capital provides portfolio management and advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, endowments, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach combines centralized macroeconomic research with client-specific Investment Policy Statements, utilizing a mix of liquid strategies, third-party independent managers, and private alternative investments.

Cameron Smith is a financial advisor at IEQ Capital, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at UBS Financial Services from 2015 to 2023. IEQ Capital provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and advisory services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, foundations, endowments, donor-advised funds, and private funds. The firm focuses on separately managed accounts and family-office services, employing a centralized investment process that includes independent manager research and allocation to both liquid and private alternative investments.

Shannon Blackmon is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 12 years of industry experience. She has worked at firms including Thomas Doll and Earned Wealth Advisors before joining Creative Planning in 2025. Outside of her advisory work, she founded and formulates handcrafted personal care and beauty products through a hobby business called Oyabloom, LLC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach featuring low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure while offering a range of retirement plan services and affiliated legal and accounting resources.

Canji Liang is a financial advisor with HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in Fremont, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has five years of industry experience. Prior to joining HSBC Securities in 2025, Liang worked at Charles Schwab for five years and held a position at HSBC Bank USA. Liang also serves as a Bank Officer for HSBC Bank (USA) N.A., an affiliate of HSBC Securities, in addition to their advisory role. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. offers managed account programs to individuals, retirement accounts, charitable organizations, and corporations through various client-directed and discretionary options, with investment strategies supported by HSBC Global Asset Management and affiliated providers.

Yanna Chen is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 10 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2016. Chen's career also includes experience with WFGIA and the California Public Utilities Commission. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm provides both advisory and broker-dealer services, offering fee-based wrap programs, model portfolios, access to third-party money managers, and commission-based products.