Judith Torres is a financial advisor at Merrill with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2016. Outside of her advisory role, she works as a consultant and independent contractor for Pfizer, focusing on medical research and patient consultation. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal Chief Investment Office teams and third-party managers.

Mark Southwell is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently advising clients at Raymond James & Associates since 2016. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and is based in McAllen, TX. Raymond James & Associates is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base—including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities—and offers financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and municipal advisory services supported by extensive research and a network of affiliated managers.

David Barnes is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in McAllen, TX, holding a Series 63 designation and 36 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate firms since 2005. Barnes serves on the board of Elders for Living Word EFC church, providing leadership and oversight subject to the congregation’s authority. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, with a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that delivers customized retirement-income planning through written Recommendation Reports and ongoing advice. The firm’s approach incorporates proprietary research and third-party data, focusing on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies for clients approaching or in retirement.

Alberto Cavazos is a CFA® charterholder with 33 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with LPL Financial since 2002, following a two-year tenure at UBS Financial Services. Cavazos is based in McAllen, TX. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by investment adviser representatives who utilize various strategies and third-party subadvisors.

Jorge Escobedo Jr. is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera since 2019 and was previously with LPL Financial from 2015 to 2019. Outside of his advisory role, he is a 50% owner of MJ & BOYZ LLC, a rental property business, jointly owned with his wife. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving both individual and institutional clients through a large network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a multi-manager platform that includes affiliated and third-party managers.

Olimpo Salinas Jr. is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 22 years of industry experience. He previously worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and Chase Investment Services Corp. He is also involved with Sonterra Private Wealth PLLC, a business entity used for tax and investment purposes. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services through a large network of advisors, utilizing various portfolio programs and technology tools to support client accounts.

Jerome Raders is a financial advisor at Stifel with 33 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2020. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC between 2009 and 2020. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional clients, and municipal entities, providing both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to guide asset allocation and planning, with a focus on client discretion in implementation.

Nydia Vazquez is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in McAllen, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. She has been with UBS Financial Services since 2010 and also maintains a role with UBS International Inc. since 2007. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, including fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, and distribution of mutual funds and alternative products. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and delivers advisory work through a network of advisors using proprietary research and model-based asset allocations.

Armando Ortiz III is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Outside of his advisory role, Ortiz is the owner of Y Fitness, a fitness apparel company, where he manages finance, marketing, and sales. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, combining large institutional advisory operations with brokerage and investment management capabilities. The firm delivers non-discretionary asset allocation advice and investment recommendations supported by an in-house manager solutions team and a centralized due-diligence framework.

Louise Ambriz is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Harlingen, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2017. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Justin Cappadona is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Raymond James & Associates, Morgan Stanley, and Merrill. Outside of advising, he is involved in agriculture through his ownership of Cappadona Ranch in Linn, Texas. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services utilizing various advisory platforms and research tools.

Christopher Cortez is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 19 years of industry experience. He has held positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC since 2014 and at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2018. Cortez holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and is based in McAllen, Texas. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm combines quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework when recommending strategies.

Adam Tabak is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding CFP® and Series 66 designations and eight years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Ameriprise Financial Services and Merrill Lynch. He is involved with Libra Wealth Consultants, where he sells non-variable insurance products. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to model portfolios and third-party asset management.

James Abbott Jr. is a financial advisor at Stifel with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc since 2020, following nine years at Bank of America, N.A. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach is guided by a proprietary methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group, providing capital market assumptions and probabilistic modeling to support asset allocation and financial planning.