David Hobbs is a CFP® and CFA® affiliated with Corient, with five years of industry experience. He previously worked at Bordeaux Wealth Advisors and Ernst & Young. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and utilizes risk management tools and stress testing to align portfolio exposures with client objectives.

Jason Shapiro is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors who holds a Series 63 designation and has 16 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Northwestern Mutual and Guardian Life Insurance Company. He serves as a board member for the Foundations Board at El Cab and owns JShap Financial, Inc. Primerica Advisors serves a diverse retail client base, offering brokerage and advisory services, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a mix of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and supports various account-level services, including securities-based lending and donor-advised funds.

Efren Ortiz Espinoza Jr. is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 license and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Wealth Enhancement, he worked at LPL Enterprise LLC and held outside employment with Athleisure Inc. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans by providing financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets, employing a diversified investment approach that blends passive and active managers guided by an internal Investment Committee.

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.

Tyler Venegas is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Merrill, Vanguard Advisers, TIAA-CREF, and USAA Investment Services Company. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, leveraging integrated platforms tied to recordkeeping and administration. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and offers both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

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.

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.

Dianne Davis is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network in San Diego, CA. Her career includes roles at LPL Financial LLC, Neuberger Berman BD LLC, Banc Of America Investment Services, and Merrill. 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 around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement consulting, and custody services.

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.

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.

John Rey is a CFP® professional with two years of experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and JM Financial Strategies. He previously worked at Tushaus Group, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he teaches leadership training with the Carmelite Sisters in San Diego. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and operational support, allowing advisors discretion to construct client portfolios while offering managed model portfolios and distinct program structures.

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.