Ira S. Cohen is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Bakersfield, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and having 45 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS Financial Services since 2007. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through a range of brokerage and investment advisory services, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management and proprietary research to develop customized financial plans.

Rick Scott is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 40 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Ameriprise, having joined in 2023, and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and WELLS FARGO Advisors from 2013 to 2023. Outside of his advisory role, he manages his own business, Rick L. Scott, LLC, which is not investment-related. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services primarily for individuals nearing or in retirement who meet specific asset criteria. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored, written recommendations in partnership with its advisors.

Matthias Bellamy is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Bank of America, Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, and diverse experience outside of finance including work at Chick Fil A and Uber Technologies. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, offers managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, providing model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Patrick Bailey is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at LPL Financial since 2014. Bailey is also the owner and manager of Electric Spin Club, a fitness boutique. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Richard Valenzuela is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes over a decade at Bank of America, N.A./Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. He is currently based in Bakersfield, CA. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm integrates large institutional advisory operations with brokerage and investment management capabilities, delivering recommendations on a non-discretionary basis.

Oscar Barbosa is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Bakersfield, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank since 2022, with prior roles at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, and Wells Fargo Bank NA. Outside of his advisory work, he owns and manages two rental properties. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to discretionary separately managed accounts and offers multi-asset model portfolios supported by in-house research and alternative investment options.

Salvador Jimenez is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Bakersfield, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and seven years of industry experience. His background includes roles at CarMax and service in the United States Army Reserves. 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 an ESG eligibility framework in its recommendations.

David Ivarie is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Bakersfield, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2011 and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning. The firm employs structured discovery conversations and proprietary planning tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Tate Williamson is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He specializes in areas including college education planning, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, tax minimization, and retirement income. Tate holds several professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He earned a Bachelor's Degree from the California State University System and an Associate of Science from Bakersfield College. Tate is fluent in both Spanish and English. He is involved with professional organizations including the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and the Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce, and participates in the community through the American Petroleum Institute. His personal interests include baseball, basketball, billiards, bowling, chess, cooking, football, golfing, reading, and spending time with his family.

Mario Orellana is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he works directly with clients to define their financial goals and develop portfolio strategies aimed at helping them achieve these objectives. Mario provides ongoing advice and adapts financial plans as clients' situations evolve. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and earned a Bachelor's Degree from the California State University System. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Mario assists clients with a range of financial needs, including general investing, retirement planning, and preparing for unexpected expenses. Mario emphasizes understanding what matters most to his clients and their families to create tailored strategies that align with their priorities. He invites clients to discuss their goals and concerns to receive personalized guidance through various stages of their financial journey.

Bradford Mcnaughton II is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been working as a financial advisor with Merrill for the last ten years, focusing on helping clients achieve their financial goals through proper planning and wealth management. Born and raised in Bakersfield, California, Bradford pursued a career in finance from a young age. He completed two internships with Merrill, one during high school and another while in college. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Vanguard University of Southern California. Bradford started his career at Merrill Edge in 2014 before transitioning to Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been for the past eight years. He holds professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Bradford's client focus areas include education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, small business strategies, and retirement income. He is involved in the Kern River Conservancy and has personal interests in adventure sports, cooking, fishing, gardening, spending time with his family, and surfing.

Sherod Waite is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 19 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL in 2025, he worked at SCF Investment Advisors, SCF Securities, and Moneywise, Inc., where he was involved for over a decade each. Outside of his advisory work, Waite owns Woolworth's Luncheonette and The Basement at Woolworth's, both non-investment-related businesses in Bakersfield, CA. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, combining a broad advisory platform with a range of non-advisory financial services.

Barton Bussell is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Bakersfield, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he is an owner and manager of 16GC, LP. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services. The firm’s IPS-driven approach incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broader range of financial products, such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options, than many large institutional advisers.

Gary Sampson is a CFP® professional with 40 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2018. Prior to that, he worked at UBS Financial Services Inc. for 10 years. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Bakersfield, CA. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary options. The firm’s investment approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, incorporating a broad range of financial products including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Charles Hudgins Jr. is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2011. Based in Bakersfield, CA, Hudgins focuses on wealth management services within a large institutional firm. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including financial planning and estate strategies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in assets and employs a structured planning process utilizing proprietary tools and market simulations.

John Lock is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Bakersfield, CA, where he has worked since 2013. He has 13 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he owns rental and family properties in California and Virginia. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of investment strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fees, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Jason Cohen is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Bakersfield, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 22 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2007 and operates a separate business, Ira S. Cohen, since 2000. Outside of his advisory work, Cohen serves as a trustee for the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Foundation and has been involved with the Kern Community Foundation as a board member. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services. The firm provides tailored financial planning and portfolio management, supported by proprietary research and a broad platform of capital markets and advisory services.

Douglas Amstutz is a financial advisor with Merrill in Bakersfield, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 50 years of industry experience. He has worked at Merrill since 1991 and concurrently with Bank of America since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the board of the Bakersfield East Rotary Foundation, advising on the distribution of foundation funds to local charities. 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 strategic and model-based investment approaches for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors, combining internal and third-party management with account administration and custody support.

Shane Bryan is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services since 2022. His prior roles include positions at ValMark Advisers, Inc. and Valmark Securities, Inc., where he worked for five years, as well as at Independent Financial Group. Bryan serves on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Kern County, a nonprofit organization. UBS Financial Services Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individual, corporate, and institutional clients, offering a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions supported by proprietary research and model-based asset allocations. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services, including futures commission merchant activities and market-making.

Linda Ahmed is a financial advisor with Merrill in Bakersfield, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Bank of America, JP Morgan Securities LLC, JP Morgan Chase, and Allstate Insurance. 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, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.