Joseph Laux III is a CFP® with 15 years of experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Carson Wealth. His prior work includes roles at Silverhawk Private Wealth, CWM, LLC, SAE-PA, LLC, and Silverhawk Asset Management, LLC. Additionally, he is the owner of Kaizen Solutions, LLC, a nonprofit organization. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that manages approximately $50.6 billion through a network of over 650 advisors. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, annuity sub-account management, sub-advisory relationships, and retirement plan services, employing an Investment Committee to construct and monitor model portfolios with both fundamental and technical inputs.

David Brasfield is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously worked at Intelligence Driven Advisers, LDIntelligence, and Hightower Advisors and Securities. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent advisers. The firm provides a variety of portfolio management and consulting services and utilizes technology and centralized due diligence to support advisor-managed and third-party strategies.

Bailey Yates is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Versant Capital Management, Inc. for four years. Outside of finance, he has experience in the food service industry, having worked at Bobby Q Great Steaks Real BBQ for three years. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides wealth advisory, financial planning, retirement plan services, and outsourced chief investment officer solutions to individual investors, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm combines asset-allocation modeling with third-party independent managers across active and passive strategies and offers proprietary private funds and specialized interval fund services.

Christopher Leineweber is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience, currently serving at Schwab Wealth Advisory Inc. since 2021. Prior to this, he was with Charles Schwab from 2016 and worked at State Farm from 2014 to 2016. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and is based in Phoenix, AZ. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning primarily for clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and select referrals. The firm employs asset-allocation models and internal research tools to offer tailored investment recommendations, with trades requiring client authorization.

Michael Kulaski is a financial advisor with Schwab Wealth Advisory in Phoenix, AZ, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Morgan Stanley, Edward Jones, and multiple State Farm entities. He also operated the Mike Kulaski Insurance Agency. Schwab Wealth Advisory serves clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain referred clients, providing non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning focused on asset allocation and investment selection with client-approved trades.

James Davis is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mariner since 2019. His prior roles include positions at Woodbury Financial Services and Cetera Advisors LLC. He serves as a board member of the Children in Need Foundation, a charitable organization supporting children's charities in Phoenix, AZ. Mariner provides investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and tax services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs customized, discretionary portfolios supported by internal research and third-party managers, and offers integrated tax, accounting, and family office services.

Branden Barrom is a financial advisor at Centaurus Financial, Inc. with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Morgan Stanley, AssetMark Financial, and The Vanguard Group. Outside of his advisory role, he has been involved with Spivak Financial Group, a non-investment branding entity. Centaurus Financial, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, families, businesses, and institutions. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management through the CLASSIC Plus platform, retirement-plan consulting, and specialized advisory services, employing both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

Deondra Perrone is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 10 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has previously worked at BMO Harris Bank, Gwfs Equities, Inc., and The Vanguard Group. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to certain retail brokerage clients. The firm delivers services through an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates.

Michael Passante is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Tempe, AZ, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and 28 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 22 years before joining Commonwealth and becoming part owner of Ke Wealth Advisors. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, offering a range of advisory programs and services along with operational, compliance, and practice-management support. Advisors on the platform have discretion to construct client portfolios from diverse securities and insurance products, supported by Commonwealth’s investment management and research team.

Sophia Shorbe is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. with three years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. since 2023. Prior to her current role, her background includes positions in education and conference center management. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice and financial planning to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program or referred by Charles Schwab & Co. The firm uses standardized asset-allocation models and internal research tools to guide investment selection, with recommendations tailored to each client’s goals and risk tolerance.

Susanne Gibo is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Scottsdale, AZ, holding a Series 66 designation with six years of industry experience. Her prior work includes one year at TD Ameritrade and two decades at Eli Lilly and Company. Mercer Global Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach focused on globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts, utilizing a range of investment vehicles and platforms.

Ashley Blankenship is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. in Mesa, AZ. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has six years of industry experience. Ashley has worked at several affiliated entities within the Bankers Life organization since 2005 and is also an agent with Bankers Life & Casualty, Inc. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create tailored asset allocations aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Jason Stam is a financial advisor with Guardian Life who holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience. He has worked at Guardian Life since 1999 and is currently affiliated with Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of Guardian Life. Stam also engages in the sale of certain insurance products beyond his primary firm’s offerings. Park Avenue Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of financial planning, investment management solutions, and consulting services, combining advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and digital advisory platforms.

Kolton Quitno is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience in financial advisory roles. He currently works at Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, having previously held positions at Dew Wealth Management, The Vanguard Group, Towne Park, and Grand Canyon University. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, along with access to insurance products and alternative investments.

Kyle Irion is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and has held prior roles at firms including The Colony Group, LLC, Versant Capital Management, and Brighton Jones. Focus Partners Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, corporate, and institutional clients with wealth management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs an enhanced open architecture investment approach that combines active and passive strategies, third-party managers, and private funds, emphasizing long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive portfolio construction.

Benjamin Voelker is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mariner Wealth Advisors in Phoenix, AZ. Prior to joining Mariner, he worked at Merrill for 16 years. He is a member of the Board of Directors at Phoenix Country Club. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations, providing investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to pooled vehicles and third-party managers. The firm combines customized discretionary portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee with in-house research and third-party allocations, and offers integrated tax and accounting services alongside traditional portfolio management.

Oracio Cappello is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding the ChFC® and Series 63 designations and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Park Avenue Securities, Penn Mutual Life Insurance, and Hornor Townsend & Kent Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of Dream Q Brokerage LLC, an insurance brokerage business. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue® Wealth Management, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm provides tailored client solutions using a combination of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and access to insurance and alternative investment products.

Sean Rhea is a financial advisor at Schwab Wealth Advisory with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 and Series 63 designations. Prior to joining Schwab Wealth Advisory in 2025, he worked at Charles Schwab since 2018 and spent eight years at Streetlnks/Assurant. Schwab Wealth Advisory, Inc. provides non-discretionary fiduciary investment advice, financial planning, and wealth management consultations primarily to clients enrolled in the Schwab Wealth Advisory program and certain Charles Schwab & Co.-referred clients. The firm’s guidance is based on Charles Schwab & Co.’s asset-allocation models and research tools, with recommendations tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Jacob Kaites is a financial advisor at Cresset Asset Management, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Cresset since 2025. His prior roles include positions at Tooker Tactical LLC, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, and The Vanguard Group. Cresset Asset Management manages approximately $78.9 billion in client assets and serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, corporations, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs a disciplined, risk-aware approach combining strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and both active and passive implementation across public equities, fixed income, and alternatives.

Einar Johnson is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Wealth Enhancement in 2026, he worked at Stockbridge Capital Group, LLC and Foreside Fund Services, LLC. His background also includes positions at John Hancock and in corporate roles outside of finance. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in regulatory assets and employs a diversified investment approach that combines passive and active managers, overseen by an internal Investment Committee.