Bryce Meares is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 24 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mass Mutual Investors Services, MassMutual Life Insurance Company, Metlife Securities, New England Securities, and Equitable Advisors. He holds a Series 66 designation. Outside of his advisory work, Meares is involved with BKDN, LLC, a business entity used for managing expenses and investment opportunities, and he provides consulting services related to 401(k) plans for Parsley Energy employees. Hightower Advisors offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm’s approach involves multi-manager solutions and proprietary research to support portfolio management and financial planning across various asset classes and strategies.

Thomas Hazlehurst is a financial advisor at IEQ Capital, LLC in Austin, TX, holding the Series 65 designation. He has 24 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Laird Group and Fremon Group/FPR Partners. IEQ Capital provides portfolio management and investment advisory services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, and select institutional clients. The firm employs a macroeconomic research-driven investment process and offers a range of discretionary management, family-office services, and private alternative investment opportunities.

Lauren Summers is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with one year of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Kestra, she was involved in business activities including ownership of Sisters Boutique & Gifts, Inc. for ten years and Hills Gym LLC for one year. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors as well as a broad range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, investment advice, and employee education, serving clients that include large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Shawn Corkery is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. His previous roles include positions at Sagepoint Financial and independent contracting work. Outside of his advisory duties, he owns Genesis Training, a health coaching and training business, and teaches retirement planning classes for pre-retirees and retirees. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a wide range of institutional and individual clients, including very large investors such as sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers services like fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies.

Robert Ring is a financial advisor with Planmember Securities Corporation in Austin, TX, holding Series 63 and 65 licenses and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Planmember and related entities since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an instructor for public education workshops through White Glove Workshop. Planmember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation approach and manages unitized, risk-based mutual fund portfolios, offering education, support, and personalized planning services to plan sponsors and participants.

Brent Graham is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at Kestra Advisory. Prior to joining Kestra in 2017, he held positions with LPL Financial and Argent Trust, among others. Outside of his advisory work, he is the treasurer of Fred's of Natchez, Inc., a real estate business. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers services including fiduciary consulting, plan design and compliance, and employee education, managing approximately $79.8 billion in assets.

James Gerard is a CFA® charterholder and holds the Series 66 license, with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Kestra Advisory and Kestra Investment Services since 2017 and has been associated with Evans Financial Partners since 2015, where he also serves as an insurance agent. Gerard’s responsibilities include financial planning, investment advisory, portfolio construction, and retirement plan consulting. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors as well as institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, employee education, and plan design. The firm manages approximately $79.8 billion in assets and serves a range of clients, including large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Robert Roland is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory Services with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at LPL Financial, Raymond James Financial, and D.A. Davidson & Co. He is also the owner of Blecca, Inc., an individual S Corporation operating under PacNorth Retirement Group. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a wide range of institutional and individual clients, including plan sponsors. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.

Edward Kozun III is a financial advisor with United Planners' Financial Services of America, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 31 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Dunham Trust Co. since 2007 and Next Financial Group from 2003 to 2020. He is also president of Edward S Kozun III and Kozun Capital Management, both investment-related entities based in Austin, TX. United Planners Financial Services serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm operates as both a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and brokerage solutions through an open-architecture platform with multiple custodians and third-party money managers.

Sharla Rountree is a CFP® professional with 37 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial planner at Kestra Advisory Services, LLC since 2018. Her prior roles include extensive tenures at Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. and Personal Benefit Financial. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved in speaking engagements through Personal Benefit Seminars and owns a business focused on serving federal retirement and benefits clients. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse range of institutional and individual clients, including very large institutional investors. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and employee education, utilizing multiple management platforms and third-party solutions within a supervised trading framework.

Nina Preston is a CFP® professional with 41 years of industry experience, currently serving at Kestra Advisory Services LLC since 2022. She previously worked at LPL Financial and Invest Financial Corporation, accumulating over 19 years at these firms. In addition to her advisory role, she is an agent for fixed life insurance, term insurance, and fixed annuities, and serves as Executive Vice President of the Society for Lifetime Planning. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a diverse range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers fiduciary consulting, plan-level investment advice, and employs multiple management platforms, serving clients that include large institutional investors such as sovereign wealth funds.

Michael Renner is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 20 years of industry experience. He has worked at Kestra Advisory since 2017 and at Kestra Investment Services, LLC since 2016. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including plan sponsors, institutional clients, and individuals. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms, serving approximately $79.8 billion in assets under management and including clients such as sovereign wealth funds.

Kimberly Shouse Bourland is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. She is currently affiliated with Kestra Advisory Services, LLC, having joined in 2026, and previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services from 2009 to 2026. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including plan sponsors, institutional, and individual clients. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan-level investment advice, and pooled plan solutions, managing approximately $79.8 billion in assets.

Franco Melhado is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Austin, TX, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Equitable Advisors and various academic and community positions, such as at Texas Tech University and Lions Municipal Golf Course. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and managed account programs primarily to individuals with employer-linked retirement plans, as well as trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary management through model and customized portfolios.

Jake Mallet is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. in Austin, TX. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has five years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, Mallet worked with Vantage Marketing, where he also served as a regional manager overseeing a sales team representing Terminix International during the summer months. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations and ongoing portfolio management aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Chia You Tsai is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network based in Austin, TX. He holds a Series 66 designation and has six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Commonwealth and Allfluent Wealth Management in 2020, he worked at IBM for twelve years. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, providing a range of advisory programs and back-office support including operations, trading, technology, investment management, compliance, and practice management. The firm offers various portfolio management solutions and operates under a platform model that supports advisors in delivering customized investment advice.

Ronald Johnson is a financial advisor at Planmember Securities Corporation with 33 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 designation and has worked at Planmember since 2012. Prior to that, he spent seven years with Employee Benefits Services of Tennessee and has been involved with Evergreen Financial Partners LLC since 2000, where he currently owns and operates a securities and insurance sales business. Planmember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation framework and manages risk-based mutual fund portfolios, offering education and support services including seminars and personalized retirement planning.

Christopher Clark is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Kestra in 2023, he spent 11 years at LPL Financial. Clark is president of C.A. Clark Wealth Management, through which he manages client investment accounts and advisory services under Kestra. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base including plan sponsors, institutional investors, and individuals. The firm offers fiduciary consulting, plan-level investment advice, and access to multiple management platforms, serving large clients such as sovereign wealth funds and utilizing extensive third-party relationships.

Philip Johnson is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Durbin Bennett Private Wealth Management and Nfp Securities. Outside of his advisory work, Johnson serves as treasurer for Boy Scout Troop 786 and assists with the financial audit committee for the Lake Travis High School Band. Kestra Advisory provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting services to plan sponsors, institutional, and individual clients, offering fiduciary consulting, plan design, and a range of managed solutions supported by a comprehensive due diligence process.

D'onte Cole is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has prior experience at firms including J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Charles Schwab. In addition to his advisory work, he is appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a large network of advisors. The firm utilizes discretionary unified managed accounts via Envestnet’s platform and employs model-based and overlay investment strategies.