Chester Zielinski Jr. is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica since 2012 and also has involvement in oil and gas exploration as a joint investor. Zielinski operates Zeke Zielinski LLC and is affiliated with WealthWave and World Financial Group. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, delivering services through a large advisor network and multiple program platforms. The firm utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers to implement its advisory model and offers integrated retirement plan solutions alongside affiliated mutual funds and insurance products.

George Pitra is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Independent Financial Group since 2011 and previously held roles at Capital Financial Services, Inc., Barron Moore Advisors, Inc., and Salomon Grey Financial Corporation. Pitra serves as a board member for the nonprofit organization RedRoverVentures.org. 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 offers financial planning and portfolio management through various platforms and combines strategic asset allocation with ongoing due diligence using a mix of active and passive investment models.

Robert Benton Arnold is a CFP® professional with 25 years of experience in financial advisory. He is currently with HighTower Advisors, where he has worked since 2020, and previously spent seven years at Frontier Investment Management Co. Arnold serves as president of the Financial Planning Association of Austin and is a director of the JD Abrams Charitable Foundation. HighTower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individual and institutional investors. The firm’s advisory approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, offering access to both affiliated and third-party managers and incorporating a range of investment vehicles and portfolio construction strategies.

Yi Mandeville Ott is a CFP® professional based in Austin, Texas, with one year of industry experience. Ott has worked primarily at Mariner Wealth Advisors, with previous roles at Dimensional Fund Advisors, Lisa Rhynes CPA, Santa Francis Hospital, and Stillwater Family Pharmacy. Mariner serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services, utilizing customized portfolios supported by an internal investment team and third-party managers.

Jasen Wallace is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Savant Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC, Ameritas Advisory Services, and Weinheimer Wealth Management. He is an ex officio director of the YMBL Sunshine Foundation, which aligns with the Austin Sunshine Camps’ strategic goals. Savant Wealth Management serves individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients with comprehensive wealth management, financial planning, and related services. The firm combines evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with actively managed strategies and offers integrated accounting, legal, and trust services through affiliated entities.

Elizabeth De Latorre is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 17 years of industry experience. She has worked at TIAA-CREF since 2019 and previously held roles at Merrill, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Guardian Life. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time financial planning and ongoing portfolio management with a fiduciary standard applied to its registered investment adviser services.

Teresa Hoffman is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. She previously served as president of Your Friendly Property Solutions, an LLC focused on wholesaling and flipping residential real estate. Beginning in 2025, she has also engaged in public speaking on financial topics. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers customized financial planning and management solutions, combining advisor-led discretionary strategies with model-based programs and digital advisory services.

Ann Conrad is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC in Austin, TX. She holds a Series 66 designation and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Transamerica, she worked at Edward Jones, Merrill, and Bank of America, and she was the owner of Conrad Creative Copy, LLC, a copywriting business that is now dormant. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners, providing managed and non-discretionary investment advice supported by Morningstar Investment Management’s proprietary portfolio construction and oversight tools. The firm operates at scale, focusing on asset allocation and retirement guidance for a large client base.

Raoul Celerier is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cerity Partners LLC since 2026. He previously worked at Austin Private Wealth, LLC and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Celerier holds an active real estate license and is involved in property management and real estate business ownership outside of his advisory role. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in assets as of December 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services and incorporates proprietary quantitative screening, manager selection, and alternative investment solutions within its investment framework.

Carlos Padilla is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Park Avenue Securities, Adair Financial PCG, LLC, and Farmers Financial Solutions. Padilla is also involved with Padilla Agency LLC, which focuses on the sale and solicitation of insurance. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and nonprofit organizations. The firm provides advisor-led discretionary management combined with model-based strategies, offering access to proprietary wrap programs, third-party advisory solutions, and a digital advisory platform.

Robert Johnson is a financial advisor at CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc. with 22 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has previously worked at Thornhill Securities, WealthForge, Realized Holdings, Kestra Financial, and Infinex Investments. CIBC Private Wealth Advisors offers investment and wealth advisory services to a diverse client base, including high net worth individuals, families, trusts, employee benefit plans, corporations, and investment companies. The firm combines internal expertise and external managers to deliver customized portfolio management, financial planning, and specialized strategies such as options hedges and structured notes.

Ryan Gilchrist is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2020 and is also involved with Agia and owns Imperial Cashmere, a luxury cashmere apparel business selling handmade scarves, beanies, and gloves. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily individual clients, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth investors, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed accounts using Envestnet’s platform, operating at scale with more than 1,200 advisors and a focus on centralized technology and model-based investment solutions.

Clay Johnson is a Series 66-credentialed advisor at Kestra Advisory with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and previously worked with Kestra Investment Services. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a business focused on data collection related to grant program evaluation. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a wide range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including fiduciary consulting, plan design, and investment advice, supporting approximately $79.8 billion in assets under management and serving clients such as sovereign wealth funds.

Michael Voltin is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC. Prior to joining Concurrent in 2024, he worked at Bank of America, Merrill, and Axa Advisors. He serves on the board of CoSource, Inc. and is involved with The Dan and Patricia Pickard Scholarship Foundation. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on customized, primarily long-term investment portfolios using ETFs, mutual funds, and other securities, supported by a network of approximately 286 advisors and over 13,000 clients.

John Knight is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and Allianz Life Insurance Co. Preferred since 2014. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with the Georgetown Church of the Nazarene. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory and broker-dealer services, leveraging proprietary and third-party investment models with both discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

Thomas Darilek is a financial advisor with D.A. Davidson & Co. in Austin, TX, holding a Series 63 designation and over 43 years of industry experience. Prior to joining D.A. Davidson in 2021, he worked at Southwest Securities Inc for eight years. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in oil and gas property leasing for royalties and mineral interests. D.A. Davidson & Co. offers investment advisory and brokerage services to employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm provides a range of services including ERISA retirement plan advisory, wrap fee programs, equity research, financial planning, and a private wealth program for clients with net worth above $20 million.

Erik Engh is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) based in Austin, TX. He holds Series 63 and 66 designations and has 13 years of industry experience. Engh has worked with Cadence Wealth Management LLC since 2019 and has been affiliated with Eagle Strategies and New York Life-related entities since 2013. Outside of advising, he is involved in several business ventures including music production and restaurant operations in the Austin area. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals and institutional investors, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored advice delivered through multiple program types, with most assets managed on a non-discretionary basis and a focus on fiduciary responsibilities in retirement planning.

Vanessa Mcelwrath is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience. She joined Creative Planning in 2024 after working at Ml&R Wealth Management, LLC from 2013 to 2024. Based in Austin, TX, she provides financial advisory services within a large enterprise firm. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by advanced portfolio management techniques and integrated retirement plan services.

Alison Cassorla is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC in Austin, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. Before joining Cerity Partners in 2026, she worked at Austin Private Wealth, LLC for five years and was self-employed in 2020. Cassorla also spent 20 years with Shalom Austin. Cerity Partners serves a broad range of clients including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, charitable institutions, and other entities, managing approximately $166.2 billion in assets as of the end of 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services featuring a proprietary investment framework that integrates quantitative screening with both third-party and direct security selection, along with access to private market strategies and OCIO services.

Daniel Schwartz is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors since 2021. Prior to joining Hightower, he worked at Bank of America and Merrill, where he held advisory roles from 2011 through 2021. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering strategies that emphasize manager selection and multi-manager solutions across mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and custom indexing.