Shawn Arrington is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Houston, TX, holding a Series 63 designation and 28 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Guardian Life and its affiliates since 2011 and Park Avenue Securities since 2019. Arrington is also a partner and owner of RethinkWealth LLC, an investment-related venture. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm combines advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and provides access to proprietary and third-party investment solutions.

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 with Oppenheimer, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His background includes roles in financial services as well as several years in education. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit‑sharing plans, charitable organizations, pooled investment vehicles, and IRAs. The firm offers a range of programs and advisory services that include strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and consulting, with a significant portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

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 with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. She also works as an agent selling non-securities insurance products for Agia and has been self-employed since 2015. 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 accounts 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 with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at Fayez Sarofim & Co. since 2003. She has held roles within Sarofim International Management Company, Sarofim Trust Co., and Sarofim Advisors Group, Inc. Her career has been focused primarily at Fayez Sarofim & Co. in Houston, TX. Fayez Sarofim & Co. provides discretionary investment management to institutional and individual clients, including pension plans, endowments, and registered investment companies. The firm employs a centralized Investment Committee and a predominantly bottom-up research process to manage a range of equity and fixed-income strategies.

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 previous roles include positions at International Assets Investment Management, B. Riley Wealth Management, and LPL Financial. Outside of advising, he serves on the boards of nonprofit organizations such as the Catholic Endowment Foundation of Galveston Houston and Catholic Charities, volunteers with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and is also a published author. Independent Financial Group, LLC provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm utilizes both firm- and third-party investment models with a blend of passive and active strategies, offering financial planning and portfolio management through multiple platforms.

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 at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has prior experience at Optimum and Stephen F. Austin State University. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm supports over 400 independent investment adviser representatives who employ various analytical approaches and may manage accounts on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.

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.

Baldemar Garza is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at BOK Financial, Merrill, and Bank of America. Outside of finance, he is the founder and captain of Houston Hotties, a nonprofit competitive running team. Valic Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors.