Mark Connely is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Primerica Advisors and Park Avenue Securities. He has worked at Guardian Life Insurance Company since 1998 and has been with Primerica Advisors since 1999. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in a music business venture and operates several business entities related to insurance and investment activities. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, offering both brokerage and advisory services. The firm utilizes a range of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and provides various account-level solutions such as lending and donor-advised funds.

Emily Hopkins is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with six years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Prime Capital Investment Advisors, EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, and VALIC Financial Advisors. Hopkins is based in Houston, TX. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with services including asset management, financial planning, and third-party manager selection. The firm employs a diverse investment approach featuring core/satellite, thematic, and tactical strategies, and offers family office services along with integrated tax planning and financial administration through its affiliated accounting subsidiary.

Michael Porter is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Houston, TX, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. He has 30 years of industry experience, including over 18 years with Eagle Strategies and affiliations with New York Life Insurance Co. Since 1995, he has also been appointed with various outside insurance carriers for brokering non-registered products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis, operating within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Kell Grady is an advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and based in Houston, TX. Grady has less than one year of industry experience, having previously worked at Texas Financial Advisors, Target, and Fort Worth Country Day, among other roles. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and multiple wrap programs through a large network of advisors, utilizing technology-driven unified managed accounts and third-party model managers.

Caleb Robinson is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has held roles at Union Financial, Principal Securities Inc., Principal Life Insurance Company, Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Outside of finance, he teaches part-time neuroscience and human anatomy courses at UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Kartik Jambulapati is a financial advisor with Prime Capital Financial in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Prime Capital Investment Advisors, LLC since 2018 and previously spent four years with Ascende Wealth Advisers, Inc. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a range of services including asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan sponsor and trustee services, and family office offerings, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management strategies.

Gary Sagarnaga is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His prior work includes 13 years at Girard Securities, Inc. He also operates as a sole proprietor managing insurance and investment recommendations. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including institutional and individual investors. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and employee education, and supports complex investment solutions through multiple management platforms.

Nahif Chowdhury is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cerity Partners in 2026, he worked for six years at Fisher Investments and has professional experience outside the financial industry at Walmart. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporations, charitable institutions, and institutional investors. The firm offers a range of services such as investment management, financial planning, tax and insurance support, and access to alternative and private-market investments, emphasizing diversified asset allocation and customized portfolios.

La Tika Tillis is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 18 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously spent 10 years at Streettalk Advisors, LLC before joining Hightower in 2023. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm’s advisory approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers across a range of investment strategies.

Andrew Cashiola is a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Morgan Stanley and Ameriprise Financial Services. Independent Financial Group, LLC is a dual-registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm offers brokerage, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan services, managing approximately $11.3 billion in regulatory assets through a national network of Investment Adviser Representatives.

Hadi Kusumo is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and is involved in several business activities including estate planning services through LSPN Pro, LLC, and managing office property as president of Dreambuilders Star LLC. Kusumo is also engaged with Inheritguard LLC, providing education and client communications related to estate planning. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses, delivering services through a large advisor network and multiple program platforms. The firm’s advisory approach primarily utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers, with a focus on integrated retirement plan solutions and affiliated mutual funds and insurance products.

Jennifer Zittel is a financial advisor at United Planners Financial Services of America with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance, and NEXT Financial Group. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a wide range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and estates. The firm employs independent Investment Adviser Representatives and offers a mix of advisory and brokerage services, with a large portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Douglas Carroll is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with eight years of industry experience, currently with Mariner Wealth Advisors in Houston, TX. He previously worked at SMS Capital Management and MPR Associates. Carroll serves as treasurer for the Woodland Heights Community Association. Mariner Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and tax services. The firm employs customized discretionary portfolios supported by an internal team and third-party managers, with a notable integration of tax and accounting services.

Nicholas Lyons is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He currently works at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and previously spent 10 years at The Goff Financial Group. Lyons also served in the United States Army Reserve for seven years. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach utilizes Modern Portfolio Theory with globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios and employs a range of implementation options such as ETFs, mutual funds, and direct indexing.

Larry Mott is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. He has worked with Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he provides continuing professional education seminars for CPAs and other professionals. Park Avenue Securities LLC serves a diverse retail client base with brokerage and advisory services, offering proprietary and third-party investment programs along with financial and business consulting. The firm manages approximately $15 billion in regulatory assets and supports a range of investment strategies and account services.

Brandon Atkinson is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2015 and also serves as an agent for non-securities insurance products with Agia since 2022. 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, wrap programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Tom Lam is a financial advisor at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. His prior experience includes roles at Corebridge Capital Services, Inc. and American General Life Insurance, as well as involvement with ZenCosmic Jiu Jitsu. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients such as retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management, and plan-sponsor consulting through a variety of program structures, emphasizing recommendation-based, non-discretionary advice.

Angela Bryant is a financial advisor at VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. in Houston, TX, with 15 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with VOYA Financial Advisors since 2015. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as secretary for the nonprofit organization Q'ING FOR A CAUSE and works as an independent insurance agent. VOYA Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base, including retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals. The firm offers a variety of advisory services through multiple program structures, emphasizing recommendation-based relationships and a combination of advisory and brokerage services.

Zachary Davenport is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at J.B. Hunt. Davenport also serves as an agent for AGIA, where he sells non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed account services through a large network of advisors and uses advanced technology platforms to support its client solutions.

Sean Granere is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Creative Planning since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, Granere owns Hack Shack, a business providing baseball lessons, and teaches high school students how to fish through FBC Fishers of Men. Creative Planning offers comprehensive investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment approach focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.