Philipp Ballmaier is a financial advisor at PNC Wealth Management with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at The Vanguard Group and Charles Schwab. Outside of his advisory role, he is a freelance writer, a habilitation specialist with Arizona Autism, and a content creator for the YouTube channel Timeless Devotionals. PNC Wealth Management provides retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including a digital discretionary model account offered as an invitation-only pilot for PNC Bank employees. The firm uses algorithm-driven risk assessments and delegates portfolio implementation to third parties, focusing on mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Cory Bass is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory Inc. in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Schwab Wealth Advisory since 2012 and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. since 2000. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering annual financial reviews and investment recommendations using Schwab's asset allocation models and research tools. The firm operates as an internal advisory unit within the Schwab ecosystem and does not directly charge clients for its services, distinguishing its approach from many enterprise wealth managers.

Jonathan Braaksma is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and is also involved with Black, Gould, & Assoc. as an independent health insurance broker. Outside of his advisory roles, he has experience in sales of insurance and non-insurance products affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base including individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a model portfolio and third-party manager approach, supported by multiple advisory programs and a large advisor network.

Sean O Neill is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory in Phoenix, AZ. He has two years of industry experience, including prior roles at Charles Schwab and five years at SP+. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering annual financial reviews, retirement planning, and investment recommendations that utilize Schwab’s asset allocation models and research tools. The firm operates within the Schwab ecosystem and does not charge clients directly, distinguishing its advisory services from many enterprise wealth managers.

William Read is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Charles Schwab and its affiliated entities since 2000. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice through the Schwab Wealth Advisory program. The firm serves individual clients with annual financial reviews, retirement planning, and investment recommendations, using standard asset allocation models and Schwab research tools while allowing clients to make final trading decisions.

Paul Ruliffson is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Phoenix, AZ. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has three years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, Paul worked at Morgan Stanley, The Vanguard Group, and PennyMac among other firms. First Citizens Investor Services serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities by providing advisory and brokerage services. The firm uses a client-focused process that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Jason Kennedy is a financial advisor at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms including The Colony Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, and Retirement Wealth Partners LLC. Kennedy is based in Scottsdale, AZ. Focus Partners serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients with wealth management, investment advisory, financial and tax planning, and employee benefit consulting. The firm employs an enhanced open architecture investment approach that integrates active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds, while also providing access to affiliated private funds and specialized financial products.

Dakota Endres is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Mercer in 2024, Dakota worked at Morgan Stanley in various roles from 2019 to 2024 and held positions at Bank of America and Merrill in 2024. Outside of finance, Dakota has experience working in the hospitality industry, including at Thirsty Lion Gastropub and Lazy Dog Cafe. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, and non-profits by providing comprehensive advisory services encompassing investment management, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm follows an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios implemented through low-cost ETFs, index funds, and specialized strategies.

Alisha Kotranza is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. Her previous roles include positions at Charles Schwab & Co., The Vanguard Group, and Wells Fargo. Before entering the financial industry, she worked in hospitality and the food service sector. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice through the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, delivering annual financial reviews and investment recommendations based on standard asset allocation models and Schwab research tools. The firm operates within the Schwab ecosystem and does not directly charge clients fees, distinguishing its advisory approach from many other enterprise wealth managers.

Rudy Ariate is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He also has a background as a CPA dating back to 1996 and is involved with the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts and the Heartland Institute of Financial Education, where he provides financial literacy services. Additionally, Ariate operates a tax and accounting consulting practice and participates in a referral program for online wills and trusts. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base that includes individual investors, pension plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers both advisory and broker-dealer services, featuring proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary options.

Alex Wilson is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Schwab Wealth Advisory Inc. and Charles Schwab since 2017, following a one-year tenure at USAA Financial Advisors. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice through the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering financial reviews, retirement planning, and investment recommendations based on Schwab’s asset allocation models and research tools. The firm functions as an internal advisory unit within the Schwab ecosystem and does not directly charge clients fees, distinguishing its operating model from many other enterprise wealth managers.

Marc Delphine is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Scottsdale, AZ, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and possessing 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at GWFS Equities, Inc., Prudential Investment Management Services LLC, and Edward Jones. Outside of advising, he serves as an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University, teaching basic economics. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily for employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, delivering services through an integrated platform that emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing.

Jacob Walker is an advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and having two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Charles Schwab and has entrepreneurial experience as the founder of Pivot Baseball LLC, where he coaches baseball players online. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice through the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering clients financial reviews and investment recommendations based on proprietary Schwab research and asset allocation models.

Brandon French is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Personal Capital Advisors Corporation, Strategic Advisers, Inc., and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with pre-existing retirement plan relationships. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model combining point-in-time planning services with ongoing portfolio management through various managed account programs.

Christopher Lord is a CFP® with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory in Phoenix, AZ. He has held roles at Charles Schwab since 2021 and has extensive prior experience with USAA in various financial planning and investment management capacities from 2007 to 2020. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice within the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering annual financial reviews and investment recommendations using Schwab’s research tools and standard asset allocation models. The firm operates as an internal advisory unit of Charles Schwab, delivering advice without discretionary trading authority and typically serves individual clients rather than institutional accounts.

Adam Crittenden is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network based in Phoenix, AZ. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has 27 years of industry experience. His prior work includes over two decades at Charles Schwab and more recent roles at Sagepoint Financial and OSAIC. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and hundreds of thousands of individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs, access to third-party asset managers, and custody services.

Samuel Hawkins is a financial advisor with Sequoia Financial Group, L.L.C., holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Cetera, Renaissance Financial, and Securian Financial Services. Outside of finance, he has experience in the restaurant industry with Fox Restaurant Concepts. Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, family offices, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers wealth planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, using a mix of model and custom portfolios with various investment vehicles overseen by an Investment Policy Committee.

Taylor Sevenants is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with two years of industry experience. He is currently with Schwab Wealth Advisory, where he has worked for three years. Prior to that, he was involved with Ambli Global Cuisine and spent several years in education roles, including two years at Grand Canyon University Campus. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice within the Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering annual financial reviews and investment recommendations guided by Schwab’s asset allocation models and research tools. The firm operates as an internal advisory unit within the Schwab ecosystem and does not act as a discretionary portfolio manager.

Anna Sinatra is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory who holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 26 years of industry experience. She has been with Charles Schwab and its affiliates since 2000. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with Advanced Developmental Disabilities Services, providing in-home care support through a state program. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. delivers non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program. The firm uses Schwab’s asset allocation models and research tools to recommend investments while clients retain final trading decisions.

Jeffrey Thiede is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory who holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 12 years of industry experience. He previously worked at J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc. and NPB Financial Group, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of a property management business in Scottsdale, Arizona. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a broad mix of institutional and individual clients, including very large institutional investors such as sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers a range of services including fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment advice, and utilizes multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.