Samantha Garland is a financial advisor with Merrill in Fort Worth, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to her current role, she worked at Fossil Creek Family Medical Center and Delaware North. Outside of finance, she owns a small business called Mijasugarcookies, where she makes cookies. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Nathan Harsh is a CFP®-credentialed financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently with LPL Financial, where he has worked since 2022, following six years at Wells Fargo Clearing and four years at Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in several business entities related to tax and investment purposes. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, various advisory programs, and retirement plan consulting while providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by in-house and third-party research.

Mary Cargile is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank since 2021. Prior to that, she was employed at KPMG LLP from 2017 to 2021. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, offering asset-allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through its Institutional Consulting Services program. The firm combines quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applies an ESG eligibility framework when making recommendations.

Brent Gough is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. and Gough Wealth Management, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. for over two decades. Gough serves on the CFP Advisory Board for the Dr. Sam Pack Business School at Tarleton State University. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes tailored, non-discretionary planning and uses analytical modeling tools to support client goals, while also offering specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory & Consulting Services.

John Pardue is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Fort Worth, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Bank of America and Merrill. Outside of advisory work, he serves quarterly to reconcile books for a family holding company related to oil and gas royalties. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a wide range of clients—including individuals, institutions, and municipalities—offering financial planning, non-discretionary investment consulting, and institutional fiduciary solutions supported by a broad adviser network and research resources.

Jeremy Walker is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with 18 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Kestra Investment Services LLC, Advisor Resource Council, and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in several business ventures, including leadership positions in Maverick Wealth Management, JJ Walker Investments, and a firearms company, JJ Walker Arms, as well as volunteer service on the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent financial professionals. The firm provides a variety of portfolio management options and emphasizes both proprietary and third-party investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Melinda Bates is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Fort Worth, TX, and has 24 years of industry experience. She has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously spent five years with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she works as a customer service agent at a sporting goods store. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Jason Husk is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Arlington, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at GENEOS Wealth Management Inc and Advanced Financial Planning, and currently operates Actum Wealth Advisors, providing wealth management and financial planning services. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that includes written recommendation reports and annual retirement-income planning advice centered on income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Erick Diaz is a financial advisor at Merrill with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Bank of America for eleven years before joining Merrill. He is based in Fort Worth, TX. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Dario Alonso is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2021 and has worked at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. since 2014. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Aaron De La Cruz is a financial advisor with Cetera in Fort Worth, TX, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Agia, VALIC Financial Advisors, and Fidelity Investments. Outside of his advisory work, he has worked as a full-service shopper for Instacart. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a multi-manager platform with discretionary and non-discretionary strategies.

Daniel Cruz is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at J.P. Morgan Securities and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2025. His prior experience includes roles outside finance, such as with Troy Construction LLC and Purple Heart Pawn and Gun, as well as positions in education and hospitality. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework when recommending strategies.

Robert Obrien is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services in Hurst, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise since 2016 in various capacities. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement income planning through written Recommendation Reports and ongoing advice. The firm uses a centralized service team and leverages proprietary research, third-party data, and algorithmic tools to guide asset allocation and withdrawal strategies within a defined investment framework.

Hector Alvarez is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wells Fargo Bank NA. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary investment advisory services. The firm’s IPS-driven approach incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broader range of financial products, such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Miles Smith is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Fort Worth, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2022, and previously spent six years at Bank of America, N.A. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a variety of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and uses structured planning tools and firm-approved methodologies to support client financial planning.

Gregory Saurenman is a financial advisor at Mission Advisory Group in Fort Worth, TX, with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 designations. Prior to founding Mission Advisory Group in 2020, he worked at ISC Advisors, Inc. and Institutional Securities Corp from 2017 to 2020, and at Calamos Financial Services LLC from 2015 to 2017. Mission Advisory Group is an independent firm focused on providing personalized advisory services.

Mark Evers is a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently with XYPN Sapphire and also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor and Financial Planning Program Director at the University of North Texas. His prior experience includes roles at Elation Wealth, Imperium Wealth Management, and Strategic Financial Concepts. XYPN Sapphire provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, business entities, and retirement plans. The firm employs a long-term, risk-based investment approach using diversified portfolios and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management, supporting nearly 50 affiliated advisors under a centralized structure.