Diego Verdugo is a CFP® professional based in Phoenix, AZ, with 11 years of industry experience. He has held various roles within Principal Financial Services and its affiliates since 2012. Outside of his advisory work, Verdugo serves as Executive Vice President of Business Development for the Association of Latino Professionals of America and holds board positions with multiple nonprofit organizations focused on youth entrepreneurship, minority development, and community service. He is also a managing member of a construction company he co-founded with his wife. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager solutions, with investment implementation typically managed on a discretionary basis by third-party advisors.

Michelle Petrowski is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with seven years of industry experience, currently with Schwab Wealth Advisory. She has worked at several firms, including Vanguard Advisers and Ellevest, and is the CEO and founder of New Direction Financial Strategies LLC, which focuses on divorce financial analysis and related services. Petrowski also contributes as a public speaker and serves as a contributing editor for The Street: Retirement Daily. Schwab Wealth Advisory serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients by providing non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations. The firm’s advice relies on Schwab’s asset-allocation models and internal research and is characterized by at-least-annual reviews tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Sean Mahoney is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with 8 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Stonegate Capital Advisors and BMO Harris Bank. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, retirement-plan platform services, and outsourced chief investment officer services to individuals, corporations, pension plans, and other institutional clients. The firm combines asset-allocation modeling with third-party independent managers, employing both active and passive strategies across public and private asset classes.

Matthew Armistead is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC since 2015. He also holds a role at Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC, where he is a licensed insurance agent involved in the sale of life and accident/health insurance products. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to individual and institutional clients, utilizing a mix of discretionary wealth management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and outsourced CIO solutions. The firm emphasizes manager selection from a proprietary “Focus List” and employs both active and passive asset allocation strategies supported by quantitative and qualitative due diligence.

Christian Maracinaru is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 11 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Charles Schwab Bank and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. for 11 years and spent two years at Apple, Inc. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm also advises a donor-advised fund and offers customized portfolio management through dedicated portfolio managers.

Andrew Smith is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. since 1999. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab-referred clients. The firm’s advice is based on standard asset-allocation models and internal research, with a focus on tailored recommendations and typically involves separately managed accounts handled by third-party or affiliated money managers.

Brendan Weaver is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory based in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 17 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Charles Schwab, Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank and Securities. Schwab Wealth Advisory serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients, offering non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and wealth management consultations. The firm provides guidance on asset allocation and investment selection using Schwab’s internal research tools, with client trades requiring authorization and periodic reviews tailored to individual goals and risk tolerance.

Richard Myers is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Robinhood Markets, Inc. and The Vanguard Group, Inc. prior to joining Schwab. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning services primarily to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program. The firm’s advice is based on Charles Schwab & Co.’s asset allocation models and research tools, with investment recommendations tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance.

Michael Smith is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds a Series 66 designation. He has prior experience as a self-employed musician for 14 years and has worked in various insurance and advisory roles since 2020. He is currently associated with Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of Guardian Life. Park Avenue Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers tailored client relationships through advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, combining proprietary programs and third-party solutions.

Damian Shaw is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors. His prior experience includes roles at Charles Schwab Bank and Charles Schwab Trust Company. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a multi-manager approach that incorporates affiliated and third-party managers, proprietary research, and a variety of investment vehicles including mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.

Brent Fooks is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license. He has 18 years of industry experience and has been associated with United Planners and Rogers & Kirby for over a decade. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a secretary and board member for Base Camp Missions Corp. United Planners Financial Services serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm operates with an open-architecture platform using multiple custodians and third-party money managers, offering both fee-based and commission-based options through its network of 477 independent advisors.

William Brooks is a Series 65-licensed advisor at AE Wealth Management, LLC with one year of industry experience. He also serves as a wealth manager at Oxford Retirement & Estate Planning and teaches adult financial education classes through Dare to Retire U. Outside of his advisory roles, he works as a bartender at The Cross Eyed Cricket Watering Hole. AE Wealth Management provides fee-based portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, and ERISA plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes model portfolio and direct asset management programs with a range of investment strategies and supports third-party RIAs through sub-advisory and model-licensing arrangements.

Kristen Rose is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Scottsdale, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. She has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2011 and is also an agent with Agia, involved in non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Timothy Hatton is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. He previously led Hatton Consulting, Inc. for 21 years before joining Creative Planning in 2022. Based in Phoenix, AZ, he holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm emphasizes a financial-planning-led investment approach using low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by tax-loss harvesting and selective private market investments.

Christopher Wedlich is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with Series 63 and Series 66 designations and three years of industry experience. He previously worked at USAA FSB for ten years before joining Schwab. Schwab Wealth Advisory serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab Co.-referred clients, offering non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning based on Schwab’s standard asset-allocation models and internal research tools. The firm focuses on guidance tailored to client goals and risk tolerance, with trades executed only upon client authorization.

Carlee Hughes is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. Her background includes roles at United Financial Center and tax preparation services, and she serves as an adult education instructor at Pima Community College. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm employs independent Investment Adviser Representatives who utilize a variety of custodians and third-party money managers, with a significant portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary, client-directed basis.

Joseph Bergen is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C., Bancwest Investment Services, and Charles Schwab. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning, discretionary managed account programs, and broker-dealer services primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management using model and customized portfolios.

Evan Cole is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with 40 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Peachtree Life Finance. Outside of advising, he owns oil and gas rights leases in Ohio. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients by providing a range of advisory programs, investment management, and practice-management support. The firm offers discretionary model portfolios and various program structures while acting as a platform provider for affiliated advisors.

Emily Anderson is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. She previously worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Banner Health, Starbucks Coffee Company, the University of Arizona, and the U.S. Department of State. Schwab Wealth Advisory provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm utilizes Charles Schwab’s asset-allocation models and research tools to guide investment selection and conducts annual reviews tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Matthew Refner is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and possessing 10 years of industry experience. He previously worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. for six years before joining Schwab Wealth Advisory and Charles Schwab in 2021. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s guidance is based on standard asset-allocation models and internal research tools, offering tailored recommendations reviewed at least annually.