Robert Holman is a CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST (CFA) and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®). The former is the gold standard for the investment management profession, and the latter is useful for advising on personal financial circumstances. I'm "The Defensive Advisor" because it is essential to understand when markets are conducive to building opportunistic profits and when risk-taking should be minimized. Former positions: • LPL Financial Advisor • TD Ameritrade Investment Consultant • Director, Financial Planning & Analysis Robert is a registered investment advisor and fee-only financial planner. His investing curiosity brought real understanding of investing, surpassing what can be learned in an academic setting. His investing beliefs center around knowing the signs of the times, what should be done about them, and seeking to build wealth in both up and down markets. Robert is a summa cum laude graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. He belonged to the honor societies Phi Kappa Phi (Overall Collegiate), Beta Gamma Sigma (Finance), and Beta Alpha Psi (Business). Robert was a member of Pi Sigma Epsilon (Management) and volunteered his time as an advisor to SCORE (U.S. Small Business Administration Consulting). Robert resides in Dallas, Texas, with his amazing wife Karen and three wonderful daughters, Beth, Nancy, and Emily. He is the Stewardship Leader for his local church and an active volunteer in many church ministries, including divorce recovery and marriage counseling. Read Robert’s 2-minute biweekly stock market insights report here:  https://www.defensiveadvisor.com/blog

Alex Andrade is a Series 65-licensed advisor with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Bulle Rock since 2006. Bulle Rock serves as investment manager to a private pooled investment vehicle and provides discretionary portfolio management to individual clients and trusts. The firm manages a long-short equity fund focused mainly on healthcare and consumer sectors, alongside long-only separately managed accounts that may include client-imposed restrictions.

Matt Zumbach is a CFA® charterholder and principal at Divergent Path Capital Management with prior experience at Northern Trust, Alight Solutions, Wall Street Prep, and AON Corporation. He currently serves as chief investment officer and president of the Baylor Oral Health Foundation, a nonprofit affiliated with Texas A&M University College of Dentistry. Divergent Path Advisors offers fee-only financial planning and non-discretionary investment consulting through fixed-fee, project-based written reports for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides customized, tax-aware strategic asset allocation advice without portfolio management or custody of client assets.

John Line is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience. He is the owner of John Line, CPA, Inc., and previously worked at Paladini Financial Advisors, LLC for 13 years. Outside of investment advisory, he provides accounting and tax preparation services through his CPA firm. John Line, CPA, Inc. serves primarily high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses model portfolios managed by unaffiliated sub-advisers and emphasizes diversification and long-term investment strategies.

Whitney Davis is a financial advisor at Davis Financial Services in Dallas, TX, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with five years of industry experience. Prior to founding her firm, she worked at LPL Financial, Freeport LNG, and Phillips 66. Outside of her advisory work, she owns Resurrezione, LLC, a non-investment-related business. Davis Financial Services provides discretionary asset management and financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and charitable organizations. The firm’s investment approach integrates behavioral, charting, cyclical, fundamental, and technical analysis, with portfolios managed on a discretionary basis and accounting/tax-preparation services offered to support integrated financial planning.

Melissa Crockett is a financial advisor at IS Capital Management in Dallas, TX, with 30 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has worked at firms including Kovack Advisors, Inc. and Trustmont Advisory Group, Inc. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as president of The Independent Security Company, Inc., a fixed insurance agency involved in sales of fixed annuities and life and health insurance policies. IS Capital Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients with conservative, income-oriented portfolios, emphasizing dividend-producing securities such as preferred stocks and closed-end funds. The firm provides ongoing investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan rollover education, employing a combination of fundamental, technical, cyclical, and charting analyses in portfolio construction.

Stanley Szafran Jr. is a financial advisor with Szafran Capital Management, LLC in Rowlett, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has held leadership roles at Trust Advisors, Inc. and Service Corporation International, where he serves as Director of Trust Investments and Vice President of Trust Advisors, Inc., a subsidiary of SCI. Szafran Capital Management provides fee-only investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, and corporations, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. The firm focuses on client goals and risk tolerance using a blend of fundamental and technical analysis, and manages a small number of client relationships with approximately $11.9 million in assets under management.

Alexis Buchholz is a financial advisor with BFG Wealth Management LLC in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. Prior to joining BFG Wealth Management, Buchholz worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2015 to 2019. Outside of advisory services, Buchholz is involved in insurance brokering through Buchholz Financial Group LLC and business consulting with BFG Capital Partners LLC. BFG Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, and business entities, managing approximately $32.8 million across about 56 client relationships. The firm employs fundamental analysis, quantitative methods, and modern portfolio theory to construct portfolios primarily from common stocks, ETFs/ETPs, and cash equivalents, offering a range of thematic strategies implemented on a discretionary basis.

Richard Corse is the principal of Westmont Capital Advisors, LLC in Dallas, TX, with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Westmont Capital Advisors since 2012 and also leads Corse Consulting, Inc., a management consulting, investment banking, and litigation support firm he has operated since 1989. Westmont Capital Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plans, trusts, and estates. The firm offers customized, goal-based portfolio management and financial planning, using a range of investment vehicles and providing both discretionary and non-discretionary services.

Karen Ehmke is the principal of Springwood Financial Advisors, an independent firm based in Dallas, TX. She holds the PFS™ designation and a Series 65 license, with 22 years of industry experience. Since 2004, she has led Springwood Financial Advisors, which she operates as a single-advisor firm. Springwood Financial Advisors provides investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, trusts, small businesses, and corporate pension plans. The firm emphasizes a long-term, evidence-based investment approach using low-turnover passive funds and model portfolios, and offers additional services including accounting-affiliated tax support and employee benefit plan consulting.

Eric Hudson Jr. is the sole advisor at Hudson Wealth Management, LLC in Dallas, TX, with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at GAF Materials Corporation since 2016. Hudson Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting services primarily to employee benefit plans, institutional clients, and other entities. The firm customizes portfolios using fundamental and cyclical analysis and offers plan-level services including fund selection advice, investment performance monitoring, and participant education seminars.

Lance Riddle is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience and the sole advisor at Optimal Wealth Advisors, LLC in Dallas, TX. He has led the firm since 2009 and also works as an independent insurance agent. Optimal Wealth Advisors serves individual investors, including many high-net-worth clients, providing financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a relatively conservative investment approach focused on asset allocation frameworks and tailors strategies based on client goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

Fadi Boury is a financial advisor at Investor’s Advantage with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Investor’s Advantage since 1991, with a two-year period at Per Stirling Capital Management from 2019 to 2021. Investor’s Advantage is a fee-only registered investment adviser offering discretionary investment management and tailored advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, trusts, corporations, and a range of institutional clients including insurance companies and sovereign wealth funds. The firm employs a fiduciary investment approach that combines low-cost, market-cap-weighted index funds for equity exposure with active fixed-income management, operating without commissions and using institutional-quality custodial platforms.

James Crank is the managing partner of J C Texas Investment Advisors, Ltd., an independent firm based in Dallas, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 22 years of experience in investment advisory services. Prior to founding his firm in 2003, Mr. Crank has been involved in multiple business ventures, including real estate and oil and gas partnerships, and serves as co-trustee for several family trusts. J C Texas Investment Advisors, Ltd. provides discretionary investment advisory services primarily through separately managed accounts to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional accounts. The firm’s investment approach is based on fundamental analysis and typically involves concentrated equity and fixed-income portfolios designed to align with each client’s objectives and risk profile.

Janet Mac Innis is a financial advisor at WhiteStone Wealth Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation. She has over 11 years of prior experience at Globe Life, Inc and currently holds concurrent roles with WhiteStone Wealth Advisors and Gmac Family Financial. WhiteStone Wealth Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis with long- and short-term strategies, offering personalized managed accounts supported by sub-advisory relationships and a wrap-fee platform.

Kathy Stewart is a financial advisor at Kurtin Financial Advisers, LLC in Dallas, TX, with 19 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Kurtin Financial Advisers since 2007. Kurtin Financial Advisers is an independent, single-advisor firm serving high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, and charitable entities. The firm provides customized investment portfolios and strategic wealth planning, often incorporating direct investments and cash-flow-oriented positions, and works with an unaffiliated sub-advisor for tactical trading.

Weston Haaf is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Vantage Wealth Management LLC, having joined the firm in 2023 following eight years at Fidelity Investments. Outside of advisory work, he manages a residential real estate rental property through Living Life Properties LLC. Vantage Wealth Management LLC serves high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, business entities, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, implementing diversified, risk-based portfolios tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Connor Davis is a financial advisor at Lake Highlands Capital Management in Dallas, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Sands Capital Management and PhysAssist Scribes. Lake Highlands Capital Management provides discretionary investment management through separately managed accounts and bespoke advisory projects. The firm serves a diverse client base ranging from individuals to institutional investors, employing a concentrated investment approach that combines fundamental research with technical analysis across various geographies and sectors.

John Canada is a financial advisor with Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC and holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 19 years of industry experience and has worked at Fusion Investment Advisors, LLC since 2012. In addition to his advisory role, he works as an insurance agent, enrolled agent, and mortgage broker, offering Medicare and elder care planning products as part of his services. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients with discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm uses a customized investment approach combining internally developed and third-party asset allocation models, implementing strategies with ongoing supervision and periodic rebalancing.

Kyle French is the sole advisor at FLB Capital Management, LLC in Rowlett, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at FLB Capital Management since 2008 and at ProMark Securities Inc. since 2003. In addition to advisory services, he is a licensed insurance agent selling fixed annuities, life insurance, and health insurance. FLB Capital Management provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, businesses, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm employs multiple security analysis methods and generally pursues a long-term investment strategy, while offering discretionary portfolio management and financial planning consultations.