Nicole Smith is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with five years of industry experience. She is currently with Merit Financial Advisors and has previously worked at firms including Commonwealth Financial Network and OneAmerica Securities. Outside of financial advising, she serves as a board member for United Against Human Trafficking, where she advises on strategic planning and participates in organizational oversight. Merit Financial Group, LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $10.6 billion and serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach through customizable model portfolios and offers specialized services such as independent fiduciary and ESOP trustee work.

Brian Raupp is a financial advisor at Corda Investment Management, LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 credential with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Corda Investment Management since 2011. Corda Investment Management is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in client assets for about 1,359 clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, along with pension consulting, tax preparation, and access to attorney-led estate-planning services.

Andrew Miller is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Independent Solutions Wealth Management, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at NEXT Financial Group and Ameriprise. Miller is also involved in advisory consulting and business development through his affiliations with Independent Solutions Wealth Management and Peak Brokerage Services. Independent Solutions Wealth Management LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm managing approximately $1.54 billion in client assets, offering financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, and trusts. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation and a manager selection process centered on in-house due diligence and portfolio monitoring.

Lucas Veldhuis is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving at The Mather Group, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Linscomb & Williams, Pathstone, and Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. Before entering financial services, he worked at the Alaska Conservation Foundation for three years. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities, offering integrated financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm uses an evidence-based investment approach with multiple risk-based models and customization options such as direct indexing and ESG portfolios.

Mayobanex Martinez is a financial advisor at Insigneo Advisory Services, LLC with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at CITIGROUP for 11 years. Martinez is a board member and 26% owner of Space City Fulfillment LLC, a micro-fulfillment and last mile delivery service that is currently not operating. Insigneo Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and portfolio management to individuals, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients, including banking and thrift institutions. The firm offers customized allocations supported by firm-modeled portfolios and third-party research, with investment options spanning equities, fixed income, commodities, REITs, alternative investments, and private placements.

Elisa Fierro is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at The Mather Group, LLC since 2020. Prior to joining The Mather Group, she worked at Ellevest and Manske Wealth Management. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, and corporations, offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with customizable portfolio options and integrates AI and machine-learning tools to support market data analysis and client communications.

William Leake is a financial advisor with Sequent Planning, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 39 years of industry experience. He has been with Sequent Planning since 2018 and previously worked at Proequities, Inc. from 2013 to 2018. In addition to his advisory role, he manages an insurance business, Futurity First Insurance Group. Sequent Planning, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan sponsors, businesses, endowments, and nonprofits. The firm provides asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan services through a network of approximately 97 advisors who implement a diversified and tax-aware investment approach.

Javier Villanueva is a financial advisor at BBVA Global Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with three years of industry experience. His prior firms include UBS Financial Services, Merrill, and CitiBanamex. BBVA Global Wealth Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients, businesses, and family offices primarily through portfolio advisory and wrap-fee programs. The firm emphasizes a non-discretionary investment approach with asset allocation guided by investor risk profiles and input from BBVA S.A.’s Global Wealth Investment Committee, incorporating both strategic and tactical elements.

Deborah Sopher is a financial advisor at Trek Financial in Bellaire, TX, with 30 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Trek Financial since 2010, with prior roles at World Equity Group and Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments. Outside her work at Trek, she owns a group employee benefits firm, Strategic Benefits Solutions. Trek Financial serves individual and high-net-worth clients as well as institutional retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan services. The firm employs a blend of strategic and tactical investment approaches, incorporating AI tools and a wide range of systematic and alternative strategies in portfolio management.

Brian Ching is a financial advisor at Arax Advisory Partners with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors, LLC. Outside of finance, Ching is involved in several non-investment ventures in Houston, including serving as an ambassador for the Major League Soccer team Houston Dynamo, and owning and managing multiple restaurant and bar operations. Arax Advisory Partners is a multi-team wealth manager overseeing approximately $26.5 billion in regulatory assets through over 200 advisors. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and retirement plans, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting, and employs a combination of internal portfolio management, third-party models, and external manager relationships.

David Julian is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Corda Investment Management, LLC since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Morgan Stanley and UBS Financial Services, as well as Wyatt & Mirabella, PC. In addition to his advisory work, Mr. Julian is involved in providing estate planning services through HK Legacy Law, PLLC, an independent law firm offering attorney-led document preparation and legal services. Corda Investment Management is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in client assets for over 1,300 clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning, including services tailored to high-net-worth individuals and retirement plans, and provides access to in-house tax preparation and attorney-led estate planning through a formal referral arrangement.

Caleb La Vergne is a financial advisor at Arax Advisory Partners in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation. He has been in the industry for less than a year, with prior experience that includes roles at USCA Securities LLC, US Capital Advisors, and the University of Houston. Outside of financial services, he was involved with the Houston Dog Walking Club and Meadowlake Pet Resort. Arax Advisory Partners is a multi-team wealth manager overseeing approximately $26.5 billion in regulatory assets. The firm serves a broad client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and retirement plans, offering diverse services such as financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and advisory services to pooled private funds.

Thomas Whitby III is a Certified Financial Planner® with 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Mission Wealth Management, LP since 2025 and previously worked at Logic Capital Management, LLC for 13 years. He is also appointed with various life insurance and annuity companies. Mission Wealth Management is a multi-team advisory firm serving affluent and high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients. The firm provides customized wealth management, financial planning, and portfolio management services using a broad range of investment strategies, including alternative investments and tax-aware trading.

Jennifer Marshall is a financial advisor at Chilton Capital Management LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with two years of industry experience. She has been with Chilton Capital Management since 2020 and previously worked at Westwood Holdings Group, Inc. for 20 years. Chilton Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm employs sector-specialized teams and a fundamental, bottom-up research process focused on long-term capital growth and income, offering a variety of investment strategies and serving clients such as insurance companies and registered investment companies.

Christopher Bourgeois is a financial advisor with World Equity Group, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. Prior to joining World Equity Group in 2017, he worked at Woodforest Financial Services and Raymond James Financial Services. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of Innovation Capital Assurance and SMART Group Houston, and is a partner in Exponent Prosperity Accelerator Advisors, LLC, a business consulting firm. World Equity Group provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth clients, business entities, non-profits, and financial institutions. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers, employing model-based and customized investment strategies across discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Ana Salas is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 24 years of industry experience. She is currently with Intrua Financial and has previously worked at Private Advisor Group and LPL Financial. Salas provides administrative support to Intrua Financial, an independent investment advisor firm. Intrua Financial offers investment advisory and portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, foundations, small businesses, and plan sponsors. The firm employs a combination of fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and technical and cyclical analysis to create customized investment strategies.

Jeffrey Thompson is a financial advisor at New Edge Wealth with 13 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked for Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC for 14 years. New Edge Wealth primarily serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, foundations, trusts, and other institutional clients. The firm focuses on asset allocation and investor behavior to guide portfolio construction, utilizing a combination of independent managers, model strategies, proprietary solutions, and AI-assisted analytics.

Sabrina Ortega is a financial advisor at Linscomb Wealth, Inc. in Houston, TX, with three years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at RBC Capital Markets, Charles Schwab Bank SSB, Charles Schwab & Co., Frost Bank, Sprint, and Home Depot. Linscomb Wealth provides comprehensive wealth planning, discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, and investment consulting for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, foundations, and retirement plans. The firm also offers specialized family office services and retirement-plan fiduciary consulting, constructing customized client portfolios with an emphasis on written investment policies, diversified asset allocation, and ongoing management.

Amanda Ton is a financial advisor with Arax Advisory Partners in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 38 years of industry experience. She previously worked at U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors, LLC, and USCA Securities LLC. Arax Advisory Partners is an SEC-registered multi-team wealth manager overseeing approximately $26.5 billion in assets with more than 200 advisors, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and retirement plans. The firm offers a range of services including financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing internal and external managers alongside tailored asset-allocation strategies.

John Sicola is a financial advisor with Gradient Advisors, LLC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license, with six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at AE Wealth Management, The Lloyd Financial Group, and his own firm, Sicola Advisory Group, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal charity organization. Gradient Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, estates, and corporations. The firm supports a network of 169 advisors across 154 offices and employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor strategies, typically delivering portfolio services on a non-discretionary basis.