Patricia Wenzel is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with a financial services career that began in 1991. She has held roles including regional vice president of retirement plans and annuities for Lincoln, Nationwide, and MetLife. Since joining Merrill Lynch in 2007, she has supported clients with 401(k), defined benefit, and nonqualified deferred compensation plans, serving privately held middle-market businesses as well as individual private wealth management clients across various age groups. She holds a bachelor's degree from Tulane University with a double major in finance and international business. Patricia is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and holds the Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC™), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® (CPFA) designations. She has been recognized on multiple occasions by Forbes and Financial Times for her work in wealth management and retirement planning. Patricia has served on the board of the American Retirement Association and was president of the National Association of Plan Advisors from 2020 to 2021. She previously served on the board of the Prelude Music Foundation and volunteers with the San Jacinto Council of the Girls Scouts of America to teach financial literacy classes. Her personal interests include dancing, horseback riding, music, and singing.

Lance Branch is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Houston, TX, holding a Series 63 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2004. Outside of his advisory role, he is also involved in accounting and tax preparation through The Branch Group and manages an LLC associated with an RV park in Crystal Beach, Texas. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research and model portfolios.

Kyle Ruszkowski is a Senior Financial Advisor and a member of the Katcher/Ruszkowski/Fisher Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Clear Lake, Houston. He joined the team in 2020, shortly after earning his bachelor's degree in Business Management from the University of Arkansas. The group focuses on providing wealth management services with extensive expertise in retirement and investment planning. His client focus areas include college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, and retirement income. Kyle holds professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). The Katcher/Ruszkowski/Fisher Group was ranked on the Forbes Best in State Wealth Management Teams in 2023 and 2024. Outside of his professional work, Kyle's personal interests include adventure sports, fishing, music, scuba diving, and traveling.

Nida Bahalim is a financial advisor at Merrill with six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill since 2019 and Bank of America, N.A. since 2022. Prior to her career in finance, she spent ten years at Marriott International. Merrill, together 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 individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Cole Carey is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 10 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Credit Suisse Securities and UBS Securities before joining J.P. Morgan in 2023. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm combines quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework when recommending strategies.

Drew Powers is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Friendswood, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. He has worked with Ameriprise and its affiliate since 2013. Powers also manages an independent advisory business under DGW Worldwide, LLC. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides tailored retirement planning advice based on thorough investment research and tax-aware strategies.

Marshall Graham III is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 52 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016, following seven years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of advisory work, he holds minority ownership interests in several oil and gas royalty businesses. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory solutions. The firm’s investment approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options in its investment menus.

Benjamin Albaitis is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He provides customized financial strategies tailored to his clients' unique ambitions, aiming to bring optimal value to each professional relationship. Benjamin leverages the relationship between Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Bank of America to offer a wide range of services, including traditional banking, advanced investment products, and custom lending solutions. Benjamin began his career in financial services after graduating with a Bachelor's Degree from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a Financial Advisor in 2014. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and specializes in areas such as education planning, employee benefits planning, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, small business strategies, tax minimization, and retirement income. Beyond his professional role, Benjamin has been actively involved in community leadership through The Ohio State Alumni Club of Houston, serving on its board since 2014 and as its President from 2016 to 2020. In his free time, he enjoys adventure sports, bowling, fishing, scuba diving, and spending time with his wife and daughters.

Taylor Neel is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Houston, TX, bringing four years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at Texas Capital Bank, Kendra Scott LLC, and Gap Inc. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

Jennifer Morgan is a financial advisor at Merrill with 38 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 1995 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. Morgan is based in Houston, TX. Merrill, together 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 serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations using model-based and discretionary investment strategies.

Charles Church is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 43 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 2005. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, institutional and pension plans, charitable organizations, and government entities, offering financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and institutional fiduciary solutions.

Jennifer Marcontell is a CFP® and ChFC® with 26 years of industry experience. She is currently with Ameriprise, where she has worked since 2022, following a 23-year tenure at Edward Jones. Marcontell serves on the board of the Lee College Foundation and is a trustee of Faith Family Church. She is also the sole owner and president of Marcontell Wealth, LLC, which holds the Ameriprise franchise of Marcontell Wealth Management. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeted at individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing detailed recommendation reports that incorporate research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis. The firm operates as a large institutional entity delivering a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions.

Peter Wilson is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and eight years of industry experience. He has been with JPMorgan entities since 2011, including JPMorgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank. 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 through a team of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines institutional advisory operations with brokerage and investment management capabilities, delivering recommendations on a non-discretionary basis while clients retain final decision-making authority.

Joas De La Paz is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Bank and JCPenney. He also serves as a Communications Specialist in the US Army Reserves. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm employs a large-scale approach supported by research and analytics, offering both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Katelyn Karing is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and four years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Bank of America, Bernstein Private Wealth Management, and the University of Houston. Outside of her advisory work, she teaches yoga classes at multiple studios in Houston and streams video game content as an independent contractor. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services for Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Michael Hohertz is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Houston, TX, bringing 23 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at JPMorgan Securities LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank, LPL Financial, and Amegy Bank of Texas. Outside of his advisory work, he is an owner and partner in Cub Crafters, Inc., an airplane manufacturing company, and serves on the finance committee of Inprint, a Houston-based literary arts nonprofit. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers financial planning and investment consulting with mostly non-discretionary relationships, drawing on a range of portfolio management styles and affiliated research to support tailored client solutions.

Richard Brende is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Los Angeles, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its predecessor firms since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he assists with land development management for Land Tejas Companies, a business founded by his father. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services targeted at individuals nearing or in retirement, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide tailored recommendations. The firm serves clients with significant investable assets and integrates advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through affiliated entities.

Alora Anderson is a financial advisor at Merrill with 20 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2015. 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 a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

John Pendergraft is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in League City, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 19 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Primerica Financial Services and PFS Investments, Inc. since 2005 and briefly worked at Apartment Life in 2018. Outside of advisory work, he participates in the BNI Leadership Team and Membership Committee. Primerica Advisors offers discretionary asset management through its Lifetime Investment Program, providing model-driven strategies and a limited number of separately managed accounts primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm curates third-party asset managers and utilizes an operational model with tiered wrap fees rather than fixed fees.

Jason Powell is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving at Fidelity. His prior roles include positions at Valic Financial Advisors, Transamerica Financial Advisors, and World Financial Group. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base including retail and institutional investors, offering discretionary portfolio management, advisory work, and fund advisory. The firm uses a blend of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs, and is noted for its registration with the CFTC as a commodity pool operator and advisory roles to multiple registered investment companies.