Garrett Gates is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. He is currently with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, with prior experience at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of advisory programs through discretionary and non-discretionary relationships.

Erick Montiel is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC for nine years before joining his current firm in 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved consultatively in a family business and shares responsibilities related to a commercial property investment. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse clientele, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate and retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of firm- and third-party investment models, strategic asset allocation, and both active and passive portfolio management to develop tailored client strategies.

Duane Knopke is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in Escondido, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 50 years of industry experience. He worked at LPL Financial for 11 years before joining Independent Financial Group in 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in selling life, health, and disability insurance as an independent contractor. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, corporate and pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services using both firm and third-party models, combining strategic asset allocation with active and passive investment exposures.

Ira Tweed is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Carlsbad, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Capital Analysts, Great American Advisors, and Mass Mutual Life Insurance. Outside of his advisory work, he has involvement in insurance-related businesses, including brokering term life insurance and maintaining fixed annuity policies. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers financial planning and retirement plan advice, manages a diverse mix of model portfolios, and employs both strategic and tactical investment approaches overseen by an Investment Management & Research team.

Evan Cohen is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Edward Jones and Morgan Stanley. Cohen is based in San Diego, CA. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, and institutions, offering a range of services such as financial planning, advisor-managed programs, model portfolios, and retirement plan consulting. The firm combines individualized asset allocation and active monitoring with access to proprietary and third-party strategies across multiple custodians and platforms.

Nathan Sorkin is a CFP® with two years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. He has worked at Stratos since 2022 and previously held positions at San Diego State University, the City of Del Mar, and Torrey Pines High School. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers financial planning, advisor-managed programs, model portfolios, and retirement plan consulting through a large network of investment adviser representatives who provide both discretionary and non-discretionary management using proprietary and third-party strategies.

Halle Hewitt is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with Series 65 credentials and one year of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at WCG Wealth Advisors, LLC, Fides Wealth Strategies Group, and various non-financial roles including in education and hospitality. She has been involved with the YMCA San Diego and San Diego State University during the past several years. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, offering financial planning, advisor-managed wrap and non-wrap programs, model portfolios, and retirement plan consulting through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm combines individualized asset allocation with access to proprietary and third-party strategies and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Nicholas Clark is a financial advisor at Primerica Advisors with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior work includes roles at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and MML Investors Services. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers both brokerage and advisory services, with a range of proprietary and third-party investment programs and integrated financial planning and consulting solutions.

John Foster is a CFP® with 34 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Independent Financial Group, LLC since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life, where he worked for 20 years. Outside of advisory services, he teaches financial professionals at Guardian on the Living Balance Sheet software and is also engaged in authoring books. Independent Financial Group, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and pension plans, offering financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms and third-party managers. The firm combines strategic asset allocation with active and passive investment approaches, providing tailored client strategies developed by its Investment Adviser Representatives.

Chau Lai is a CFP® and ChFC® with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry, currently affiliated with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities. His career includes long-term roles at both firms since 1999 and 2002, respectively. He serves as Vice Chair of the Philanthropy Committee on the UC San Diego Alumni Board. Park Avenue Securities, doing business as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser owned by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. The firm provides financial planning, retirement consulting, and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, and corporate clients.

Colin Domonoske is a financial advisor at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Brown Wealth Management and Allegiance Inc. before joining Stratos in 2020. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations, providing financial planning, advisor-managed programs, and retirement plan consulting through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm combines individualized asset allocation and active monitoring with access to proprietary and third-party strategies across multiple custodians.

Laurel Packham is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Oceanside, CA. She holds a Series 66 designation and has 23 years of industry experience. Laurel has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies and New York Life since 2013 and 2014, respectively. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, emphasizing tailored recommendations and primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Antonio Montalvo is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has worked with Eagle Strategies since 2021 and has longstanding ties to New York Life and Nylife Securities Inc., with over four decades at these firms. Outside of his advisory role, he is an owner of rental property. Eagle Strategies serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types and focuses primarily on non-discretionary asset management within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Eron Reyes is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 63-registered advisor with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2019, following roles at Seaside Wealth Management and Wells Fargo. Reyes is also a consultant and contributor to Simplicity Ops Academy, where he helps develop educational course content on general finance concepts. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds with investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers to implement customized discretionary portfolios, supported by tax and accounting integration and administrative family office services.

Michael Tobin is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Hartford Funds Management Company, LLC, Hartford Funds Distributors, LLC, LPL Financial, and Invesco Advisers, Inc. He has worked with Capital Growth Inc. and Independent Financial Group since 2026. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporate and pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes firm- and third-party models, combining strategic asset allocation with multi-manager portfolios and ongoing due diligence, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through multiple platforms.

Doan Nguyen is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors based in San Diego, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance, and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in Medicare plan sales. Primerica Advisors serves a diverse retail client base, offering brokerage and advisory services along with financial planning and retirement consulting. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies through proprietary and third-party platforms and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Dena Schwartz is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 29 years of industry experience. Her prior firms include LPL Financial, Wells Fargo Investments, and Mutual Service Corporation. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate and pension plans. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management across multiple platforms, and utilizes a combination of passive and active investment strategies tailored to client risk profiles.

Jerald Van Houten is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 28 years of industry experience. His prior affiliations include Cetera Wealth Services, Cetera Advisor Networks, and Cetera. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in teaching and coaching through organizations such as Kingdom Advisors and the John Maxwell Group, and he serves as Central Valley Chapter President for the Main Street Chamber. Independent Financial Group, LLC offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutions. The firm provides financial planning and portfolio management using both firm and third-party models, combining strategic asset allocation with ongoing manager due diligence.

Michael Tallon is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2021. His prior roles include positions at JP Morgan Securities, Strategic Advisers, Inc., and Fidelity Investments. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers and provides integrated tax and accounting services alongside traditional portfolio management.

Samuel Ramirez is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Hightower Advisors in 2025, he worked at Kelly & Wohlner Group and Northrop Grumman, and served ten years in the US Navy. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through a network of Advisor Practices. The firm’s approach includes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, as well as proprietary research and diverse portfolio construction techniques.