Alexander Lessard is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Independent Financial Group since 2010 and also owns The Palisades Financial Group, a DBA for fixed insurance and financial planning services established in 2009. Outside of his advisory work, Lessard serves on several nonprofit boards, including Thomas Aquinas College and the Cornerstone Forum, and teaches online courses in the history and philosophy of Catholic education. Independent Financial Group, LLC is a dual-registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm offers a range of brokerage, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, with approximately $11.3 billion in regulatory assets under management and a national network of Investment Adviser Representatives.

Randy Takayama is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Brea, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at TKYM, Inc., FirstService Residential, and World Financial Group. Outside of advisory work, he performs internal audits in property management at FirstService Residential. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers across multiple platforms to deliver its services.

Zhongkai Wang is a Series 66-licensed advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He has been with Independent Financial Group since 2016 and previously worked at IBS Electronics. In addition to his advisory role, Wang is employed by Banny Financial Services and works as an insurance agent outside of Independent Financial Group. Independent Financial Group is a large enterprise firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, business owners, and plan sponsors. The firm offers investment advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan services, utilizing a mix of in-house and third-party model portfolios and maintaining a dual role as both a registered investment adviser and an active broker-dealer.

Yuliang Cao is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Pasadena, CA, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having three years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Co., as well as experience in education at Cal State University Fullerton and Orange Coast College. He is the owner of Wanm Inc., a dormant non-investment related business. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis, working within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Andreas Ispas is a Series 66 licensed advisor with PlanMember Securities Corporation and has experience working with Brancov Financial Services and in educational roles at Marymount Manhattan College and Santa Monica College. He provides administrative and trade support as well as fixed insurance sales and services through Brancov Financial Services. PlanMember Securities Corporation offers retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, serving as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation approach and manages risk-based mutual fund portfolios to support its comprehensive education, planning, and support services.

Martin Petoyan is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Glendale, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked with multiple affiliated entities including Syndicus Financial & Insurance Services LLC, Clear Compass Financial and Insurance Services, and Blue Cedar Financial and Insurance Solutions. Petoyan operates several registered businesses for selling New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, charitable, and corporate clients, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored advice through various program types and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Nicholas Lancaster is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 14 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors and Next Level Concepts Inc since 2012, and has worked with World Financial Group, Inc. since 2008. Lancaster is also the owner of Next Level Concepts Inc, a pass-through entity. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs model portfolios and third-party managers across multiple platforms, managing approximately $1.7 billion in regulatory assets under management.

Michael Anderson is a CFP® with 17 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Empower Advisory Group and has prior experience at Advised Assets Groups, GWFS Equities, Bank of America, and Merrill. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily for employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated approach emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Nicolas Kirsch is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Los Angeles, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Commonwealth, he worked at Equitable Advisors and has academic experience from Loyola Marymount University. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad adviser-support platform including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement and plan consulting, and custody and clearing services.

Jamal Thompson is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory in Burbank, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2020 and has also worked with Kestra Investment Services, LLC since 2014. He serves as a consultant for Domari Wealth Management, providing investment advice through an independent RIA. Kestra Advisory Services offers investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to institutional and individual clients, including fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and advisor-managed accounts. The firm serves very large institutional investors and provides access to multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.

Gregory Manukian is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Glendale, CA, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Eagle Strategies in 2025, he was associated with NYLIFE Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company since 2023. He is a board member of Centse Financial Literacy, where he provides financial literacy seminars to schools and organizations, and volunteers with the Employer Fraud Task Force to raise awareness about workers compensation fraud. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and provides advisory solutions primarily on a non-discretionary basis through a broad network of affiliated investment adviser representatives.

Vaspour Antanesian is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Glendale, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 10 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Equitable Advisors and Axa Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is co-founder and CEO of Elit Productions, a film production and marketing company, and co-founder of Vertical Brace Inc., a medical equipment startup in pre-launch. He also serves as managing partner at LA Wealth Partners, focusing on fixed and index annuities and fixed life insurance products. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients with discretionary managed accounts, financial planning, and access to third-party sub-advisers and model portfolios. The firm offers a range of managed-account programs, including SMA, UMA, and fund-strategist options, and is notable for its legacy use of market-timing and technical-momentum strategies.

Jason Lersch is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Capital Group Private Client Services, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA. He previously worked at Capital Bank and Trust Company for five years before joining his current firm in 2021. Capital Group Private Client Services provides discretionary investment management primarily to high-net-worth individuals and charitable organizations, utilizing a multi-manager approach that combines separately managed accounts, mutual funds, ETFs, and access to private-equity and alternative strategy funds.

Javier Escamilla is a CFA® charterholder with six years of industry experience. He is currently with Capital Group Private Client Services, Inc., where he has been since 2021. Prior to this, he worked at Capital Bank & Trust Company and Capital Group Companies. Capital Group Private Client Services provides discretionary investment management primarily to high-net-worth individuals and charitable organizations, utilizing a multi-manager approach through separately managed accounts, mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investment vehicles.

Christopher Ganey is a CFP® professional affiliated with Cerity Partners LLC in Los Angeles, CA, with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, he held roles at Edward Jones and was involved with Dulles Little League. He also has experience in education through positions at Pepperdine University and Loudoun County Public Schools. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a diverse national clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm emphasizes tailored asset allocation and manager selection, combining proprietary quantitative methods with external managers and individual securities.

Erin Furman is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Glendale, CA, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses with nine years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at NYLIFE Securities LLC, New York Life Insurance Company, and Cumby Spencer & Associates. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base of individuals and institutions, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations across various program types and manages a substantial majority of assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Luis Fondevila is a financial advisor with Surety Investment Services in Los Angeles, CA, holding a Series 63 designation and over 30 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Surety Investment Services since 1982 and has worked with IRM Distributors, Inc. since 1998. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as President and Agent of Surety Investment Services, where he provides leadership and sales support. Surety Investment Services primarily serves individual clients along with pension plans, trusts, businesses, and estates, offering financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a dual fee-and-commission model, emphasizing long-term investing and utilizing a range of securities and insurance products, including fixed and variable annuities and life insurance.

Juan Corona is a financial advisor with Citigroup Global Markets, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has been with Citigroup since 2011. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a wide range of investment advisory programs and brokerage services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs, supported by internal standards and oversight committees.

Stephan Miskjian is a CFP® and CFA® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving at Creative Planning. His prior roles include positions at Pensionmark Financial Group and kPlans Investment Services. He volunteers on the Investment Committee for the International School of Los Angeles Burbank. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, institutions, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, tax-efficient strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets.

Shu Kaneko is a financial advisor at TLG Advisors, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with firms including LPL Enterprise and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. Outside of advising, Kaneko is a real estate broker with Bluepine Real Estate. TLG Advisors serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and pension plans. The firm focuses on manager selection and ongoing portfolio monitoring, using fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory to build diversified portfolios, and offers both traditional advisory services and a direct-to-consumer digital program.