James Smith is a financial advisor at Prospera Financial Services, Inc. with 45 years of industry experience. He previously worked at UBS Financial Services Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as a trustee for the Newman Living Trust and is involved in a fixed insurance business. Prospera Financial Services, Inc. is a multi-team advisory firm with 271 advisors managing approximately $14.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other business entities, offering financial planning and portfolio management through multiple advisory programs and platforms.

Hector Luna is a financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors, and LPL Financial. Merit Financial Group is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, ESOPs, and institutional clients. The firm’s investment approach focuses on long-term, diversified asset allocation using centrally managed sleeves and model portfolios, with oversight by an internal investment team and committee.

Kent Boatwright is a financial advisor with Strategic Financial Concepts, LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at LPL Financial, The Yoakum National Bank, Primeway Federal Credit Union, and National Financial Alliance. Outside of his advisory work, he has engaged in ridesharing services as a driver for DoorDash and Lyft. Strategic Financial Concepts, LLC provides personalized investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and business entities. The firm offers discretionary investment management using both fundamental and technical analysis, model portfolios, and third-party money managers, with a notable emphasis on insurance-related activities integrated into its multi-team practice.

Elizabeth Switzer is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. She is currently with Larson Financial Group, LLC in Houston, TX. Her prior experience includes roles at Motley Fool Wealth Management, Wells Fargo Advisors, Moneta Group Investment Advisors, and Wells Fargo Clearing. Larson Financial Group, LLC provides financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, trusts, corporations, nonprofits, and pension plans, with a particular focus on doctors and related businesses. The firm utilizes a combination of model portfolios and custom discretionary programs employing strategic and tactical approaches, including option overlays and separately managed accounts, while also recommending third-party money managers and using AI-assisted tools to support research and documentation.

Mark Cohen is a financial advisor at Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 34 years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at National Securities Corporation and Fincadia. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in several business ventures including ownership of Cohen Sports & Entertainment and the Black Cohen Group, which operates in construction and healthcare products. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm primarily manages assets on a discretionary basis using a mix of advisor-driven and proprietary rule-based model allocations, with additional support from third-party sub-advisers.

Andrew Lichtenberger is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently serving at The Mather Group, LLC. He previously worked at Charles Schwab Bank, SSB and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc, among other financial and educational institutions. The Mather Group primarily serves high-net-worth individuals, family offices, trusts, corporations, and other entities, offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax and estate planning guidance, and family office services. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach with customized portfolio options and integrates AI and machine-learning tools alongside human oversight.

Kelly Rushing is a financial advisor with Arax Advisory Partners in Houston, TX, holding a Series 63 designation and over 54 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Arax in 2026, he worked at U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors and USCA Securities, with a 15-year tenure at UBS Financial Services. Outside of his advisory work, Rushing serves as a director of the Texas Historical Foundation and is a board member of the Open Door Mission, both nonprofit organizations. Arax Advisory Partners provides wealth management and advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, family offices, institutions, and businesses. The firm offers portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and private fund advisory, utilizing a combination of internal teams, external managers, and alternative investments.

Ernest Young is a financial advisor with intrua Financial in Shreveport, LA, holding a Series 63 designation and 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Intrua Advisory Group LLC (DBA: Cogent Advisory Group LLC) since 2014 and also associated with LPL Financial, LLC since 2010. Intrua Financial provides investment advisory, 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 asset allocations and investment policy statements, managing approximately $1.76 billion in client assets as of year-end 2024.

Joseph Savery is a financial advisor at Americana Partners, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Avalon Wealth Management. In addition to his advisory role, he is an independent licensed insurance agent in Texas, authorized to sell life, accident, and health insurance products. Americana Partners provides financial planning, consulting, and discretionary investment and wealth management services to individuals, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth international clients, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm customizes portfolios based on clients’ risk tolerances and objectives, utilizing a range of investment vehicles and technology platforms, and serves as adviser to multiple unregistered private pooled investment vehicles offered to qualified investors.

Bradley Covey is a CFP® with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Avidian Wealth Solutions, where he has served since 2021, and has held prior roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, STA Wealth Management, J.P. Morgan Securities, and JPMorgan Chase Bank. Covey is also a partner at Avidian Insurance Agency, an affiliated insurance business. Avidian Wealth Solutions is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth families, businesses, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm employs model-based managed solutions combined with sub-advisors and separately managed accounts, and it acts as both a fund sponsor and sub-adviser, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Christy Finken is a financial advisor with BOK Financial Securities, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. She has worked with affiliated entities including Bok Financial Asset Management, Inc. and Bokf, NA. BOK Financial Securities, operating as BOK Financial Advisors, serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, corporations, retirement plans, government agencies, municipalities, and institutional clients. The firm offers non-discretionary, fee-based investment management through its Guided Portfolio Solutions program, combining quantitative and qualitative research with model strategies across various investment objectives.

Michael Kaplan is a financial advisor with Prospera Financial Services, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 34 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Prospera in 2021, he worked at Morgan Stanley and its affiliated entities from 1992 to 2021. Outside of advisory services, Kaplan owns and operates Kaplan Travel Services, where he acts as a travel insurance agent, and he is involved in buying and selling gold, silver, metals, and fine watches through TXGOLDBUYER. Prospera Financial Services is a multi-team advisory firm with 271 advisors managing approximately $14.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities through a variety of advisory programs and platforms, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Sean Nimmo is a financial advisor at Chilton Capital Management LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Credit Suisse Securities and Lehman Brothers. Outside of his advisory role, he co-manages SNL Stables, a horse boarding facility operated by his spouse. Chilton Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio and wealth management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pooled vehicles, and institutional accounts. The firm employs a fundamental, bottom-up research process with strategies including Growth & Income, High-Quality Tax-Exempt, REIT, and Defined Risk, and offers trustee and fiduciary services through its affiliated trust company.

Jeff Manwaring is a CFP® and Series 65 licensed advisor with 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Avidian Wealth Solutions since 2021 and previously spent 13 years at Fca Corp. Manwaring is based in Houston, TX. Avidian Wealth Solutions is an SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth families, businesses, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $3.99 billion in assets and offers investment management, financial planning, and ERISA-plan advisory services, utilizing model-based solutions, sub-advisors, and separately managed accounts.

Adam Gross is a financial advisor with Advisory Services Network and holds a Series 65 designation. He has 17 years of industry experience, having previously worked at SMS Capital Management and APG Capital Management. Gross has been with Advisory Services Network since 2017. Advisory Services Network provides investment advisory and planning services to individuals, families, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans through a large network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a flexible approach that includes discretionary and non-discretionary management and a variety of investment vehicles.

James Hodges is a financial advisor at Avidian Wealth Solutions in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 25 years of industry experience. He previously worked at STA Wealth Management, LLC from 2020 to present and at Semita Asset Management from 2015 to 2020. Avidian Wealth Solutions provides investment management, financial planning, and advisory services to individuals, families, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of managed model solutions and customized portfolios, frequently uses third-party sub-advisors, and actively manages pooled and private funds.

Alexandra Neault is a financial advisor at CORDA Investment Management, LLC in Houston, TX, with four years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Florida Financial Advisors and Trinity Wealth Securities. Outside of her advisory roles, she has experience in the hospitality industry, including positions at Gangchu Chicken & Beer and Silverado Golf and Country Club. CORDA Investment Management is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in client assets. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and offers pension consulting, tax preparation, and estate-planning services.

Nicholas Bare is a CFP® with seven years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Linscomb and Williams Inc. since 2019 and previously spent five years at Blue Ridge Technologies. Nicholas is based in Houston, TX. Linscomb Wealth, Inc. provides comprehensive wealth planning, portfolio management, and investment consulting to individual, high-net-worth, and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, foundations, and retirement plans. The firm offers specialized family office services and retirement-plan fiduciary consulting, utilizing model portfolios and customized strategies through collaboration with an internal Investment Committee.

Ryan Bridges is a financial advisor at Simplicity Wealth in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bridges Wealth & Planning, Green Tweed, Huntsman Corp, JSC Federal Credit Union, Sage Products, and ALM First Financial. He is also involved with Grad Plan LLC, operating under the name B-FinancialWise. Simplicity Wealth serves a diverse client base that includes individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, institutional investors, and other financial firms. The firm offers advisory services ranging from financial planning to managed account platforms, typically using a fund-of-funds approach with ETFs, mutual funds, and individual securities, supported by ongoing portfolio monitoring and due diligence of third-party managers.

Raymond Knezek II is a financial advisor with Sequent Planning, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and six years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including JPMorgan Chase Bank and Edelman Financial Engines. Knezek also serves as a field underwriter for Futurity First Insurance Group, focusing on retirement planning and estate protection. Sequent Planning, LLC (doing business as Futurity First Wealth Management) is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan sponsors, businesses, endowments, and nonprofits. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan services utilizing a structured risk framework and a combination of firm-developed and third-party manager models.