Ernest Neeley is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently with Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Houston, TX. Prior to joining Mercer, he held positions at Personal Capital Advisors Corporation and USAA Financial Advisors, among others. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments by providing investment advisory services alongside financial, tax, retirement, estate planning, and family office services. The firm’s investment approach focuses on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost ETFs, index funds, and other vehicles, and offers a range of specialized programs and educational initiatives.

Shawn Arrington is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors, holding a Series 63 designation and 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance Company since 2011. Arrington is also involved in other business activities as a partner and owner of RethinkWealth LLC and is associated with White Rhino Financial LLC. Park Avenue Securities serves a diverse retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of brokerage and advisory services, utilizing proprietary model portfolios and third-party investment managers to implement various investment strategies.

Luis Rexach is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with firms including JP Morgan Securities, JP Morgan Chase Bank, LPL Financial, and Capital One Investing. Rexach is based in Houston, TX. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s services integrate with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Timothy Huynh is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Oppenheimer, he held positions at Texas A&M University, Northwestern Mutual, and State Farm, and has a background in education at both the high school and junior high levels. Oppenheimer serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and various investment vehicles to meet client objectives.

Linh Mai is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Houston, TX. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has one year of industry experience. Prior to her current role, she worked at Aramco Services Company and several other organizations. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individuals and institutions, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored solutions delivered through multiple program types and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Carlee Ross is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials with two years of industry experience. She has worked as an agent selling non-securities insurance products for AGIA and has experience as a babysitter. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed account solutions through a large network of advisors.

Jolene Mc Cord is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with seven years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms including Lockton Investment Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, and Alliant Retirement Consulting. She is based in Houston, TX. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach with a focus on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies for long-term goals, supplemented by selective private market exposure and tax-efficient strategies.

Tessa Coleman is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and nine years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, Mutual of Omaha, Cetera, Merrill Lynch, and JP Morgan Chase. Outside of advising, she is a co-founder and instructor of JaajoDance, a dance workout business. Valic Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm utilizes a technology-driven approach with discretionary unified managed accounts and offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a large network of advisors.

Krista Gibson is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 30 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at BBVA Wealth Solutions Inc., BBVA Securities Inc., BBVA Compass Insurance Agency, Inc., and Compass Bank. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based 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.

Catherine Crain is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license with 28 years of industry experience. She has been with Fayez Sarofim & Co. and its affiliated entities since 2003, including Sarofim International Management Company, Sarofim Advisors Group, Inc., and Sarofim Trust Co. since 2010. Fayez Sarofim & Co. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving institutions, retirement plans, endowments, foundations, corporations, and high net worth individuals. The firm employs a bottom-up fundamental research approach focused on large-cap, liquid equities with a multi-year investment horizon, offering a range of strategies including equity and fixed income solutions, sub-advisory services, and private placements.

Sharon Duncan is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and co-owner of Selah Financial Services since 2009. She is also an author of two books, "52 Practical Money Tips" and "Crucial Retirement Questions," and owns Selah Stables, a horse boarding facility. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of nearly 3,000 advisors, providing a range of advisory programs and back-office support including operations, trading, compliance, and practice management. The firm offers diverse investment solutions and model portfolios managed by its Investment Management and Research team.

James Bashaw is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Group, LLC in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at International Assets Investment Management, LLC and International Assets Advisory. Outside his advisory work, he serves on the board of the Catholic Endowment Foundation of Galveston Houston and is involved with Catholic Charities and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; he is also an author. Independent Financial Group is a large integrated advisory and brokerage firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, business owners, and plan sponsors. The firm provides investment advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan services, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary strategies through platforms such as AccessPoint and Schwab-custodied accounts.

Daniel Pinard is a financial advisor with RBC Rochdale, LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at CNR Securities, LLC and Westwood Holdings Group, spanning from 2013 to the present. RBC Rochdale serves a diverse client base including high net worth individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, and government entities. The firm employs an active, multi-strategy investment approach that integrates quantitative methods and fundamental analysis, offering discretionary portfolio management and sub-advisory services across various asset classes.

Ali Mandalinci is a financial advisor with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Raymond James Financial Services and UBS Financial Services. Mandalinci also serves as an insurance agent with Steward Partners Global Advisory. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale, SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets, serving a broad client base from individuals to institutions with a variety of advisory and portfolio management solutions.

Michael Bartlow is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2010 and has also been associated with Agia since 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved as an agent for non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based 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 UMA models for portfolio construction and managing approximately $26.4 billion in discretionary assets across a large client base.

Xin Wang is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Houston, TX. Wang has worked with New York Life Insurance Company and its affiliates since 2004 and operates Abacus Financial Strategies LLC for brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors, defined contribution and benefit plans, and corporate entities. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services, emphasizing tailored solutions delivered through various program types and fiduciary responsibilities.

Ignacio Cirnigliaro is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank from 2018 to 2024. Outside of advisory work, he co-owns a real estate rental business. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled equity research and integrated inter-affiliate services.

Joshua Bowe is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC in Houston, TX. He holds the Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Sanctuary Securities, Inc., he worked at Optimum and held positions at Stephen F. Austin State University. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm operates through a large network of independent advisers and an affiliated broker-dealer, managing approximately $34.9 billion in assets and offering both discretionary and non-discretionary solutions tailored to client goals.

Jennifer Garza is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. She has worked at Valic since 2011 and previously at Agia. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as co-administrator of her brother’s estate, managing the settlement and distribution of his assets jointly with her sister. 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 managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet’s UMA models for portfolio construction and oversight.

Felix Barraza is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at VALIC Financial Advisors in Houston, TX. He has been with VALIC Financial Advisors since 2012 and also holds a position as an agent with Agia, focusing on 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.