Cole Vanassche is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He worked at New York Life Insurance Company for 10 years prior to joining Guardian Life in 2024. Vanassche also teaches and helps individuals prepare for the CLTC designation exam as a Certified Long-Term Care instructor. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue® Wealth Management, provides brokerage, financial planning, retirement consulting, and investment advisory services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment solutions including proprietary and third-party model portfolios.

William Schorp is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Private Advisor Group and LPL Financial since 2012 and previously at Concourse Financial Group Securities, Inc. from 2008 to 2012. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans with portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model and uses a range of investment strategies implemented through proprietary and third-party platforms.

Laura Rowley is a CFP® with 19 years of experience in financial advisory. She has been with Mercer Global Advisors, Inc. since 2017 and previously worked at Kanaly Trust from 2005 to 2017. Based in Houston, TX, she holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. 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 and offers a range of services from portfolio management to estate-planning coordination.

Gary Wurl is a CFP® professional with 34 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC and previously worked at Centric Advisors, Kovack Advisors, and Kovack Securities. In addition to his advisory role, he is the CEO of Financial Destiny, Inc., a separate business he has led since 1994. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team SEC-registered firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers wealth management, financial planning, and retirement advisory services through customized, primarily long-term portfolios that utilize ETFs, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles.

Mark Connely is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Primerica Advisors and Park Avenue Securities. He has worked at Guardian Life Insurance Company since 1998 and has been with Primerica Advisors since 1999. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in a music business venture and operates several business entities related to insurance and investment activities. Park Avenue Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, offering both brokerage and advisory services. The firm utilizes a range of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and provides various account-level solutions such as lending and donor-advised funds.

Keyton Rizzo is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked in the restaurant and winery industries, including roles at Saltgrass Steakhouse and Kuhllman Cellars. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a broad range of programs and advisory services across equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios, with both discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Emily Hopkins is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with six years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Prime Capital Investment Advisors, EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, and VALIC Financial Advisors. Hopkins is based in Houston, TX. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with services including asset management, financial planning, and third-party manager selection. The firm employs a diverse investment approach featuring core/satellite, thematic, and tactical strategies, and offers family office services along with integrated tax planning and financial administration through its affiliated accounting subsidiary.

Michael Porter is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Houston, TX, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. He has 30 years of industry experience, including over 18 years with Eagle Strategies and affiliations with New York Life Insurance Co. Since 1995, he has also been appointed with various outside insurance carriers for brokering non-registered products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis, operating within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Kell Grady is an advisor with Valic Financial Advisors, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and based in Houston, TX. Grady has less than one year of industry experience, having previously worked at Texas Financial Advisors, Target, and Fort Worth Country Day, among other roles. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and multiple wrap programs through a large network of advisors, utilizing technology-driven unified managed accounts and third-party model managers.

Caleb Robinson is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has held roles at Union Financial, Principal Securities Inc., Principal Life Insurance Company, Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Outside of finance, he teaches part-time neuroscience and human anatomy courses at UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Kartik Jambulapati is a financial advisor with Prime Capital Financial in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Prime Capital Investment Advisors, LLC since 2018 and previously spent four years with Ascende Wealth Advisers, Inc. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a range of services including asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan sponsor and trustee services, and family office offerings, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management strategies.

Gary Sagarnaga is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 40 years of industry experience. His prior work includes 13 years at Girard Securities, Inc. He also operates as a sole proprietor managing insurance and investment recommendations. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including institutional and individual investors. The firm offers services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and employee education, and supports complex investment solutions through multiple management platforms.

Nahif Chowdhury is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with a Series 65 credential and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cerity Partners in 2026, he worked for six years at Fisher Investments and has professional experience outside the financial industry at Walmart. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporations, charitable institutions, and institutional investors. The firm offers a range of services such as investment management, financial planning, tax and insurance support, and access to alternative and private-market investments, emphasizing diversified asset allocation and customized portfolios.

La Tika Tillis is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 18 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously spent 10 years at Streettalk Advisors, LLC before joining Hightower in 2023. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm’s advisory approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers across a range of investment strategies.

Andrew Cashiola is a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Morgan Stanley, Raymond James Financial Services, Ameriprise Financial Services, Hilltop Securities, Morgan Keegan & Company, and UBS Financial Services. Independent Financial Group, LLC serves a broad client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, corporate and pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through various platforms and programs, employing model-based strategies that combine active and passive investments across standard risk profiles.

Hadi Kusumo is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and is involved in several business activities including estate planning services through LSPN Pro, LLC, and managing office property as president of Dreambuilders Star LLC. Kusumo is also engaged with Inheritguard LLC, providing education and client communications related to estate planning. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses, delivering services through a large advisor network and multiple program platforms. The firm’s advisory approach primarily utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers, with a focus on integrated retirement plan solutions and affiliated mutual funds and insurance products.

Jennifer Zittel is a financial advisor at United Planners Financial Services of America with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance, and NEXT Financial Group. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a wide range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and estates. The firm employs independent Investment Adviser Representatives and offers a mix of advisory and brokerage services, with a large portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Douglas Carroll is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with eight years of industry experience, currently with Mariner Wealth Advisors in Houston, TX. He previously worked at SMS Capital Management and MPR Associates. Carroll serves as treasurer for the Woodland Heights Community Association. Mariner Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and tax services. The firm employs customized discretionary portfolios supported by an internal team and third-party managers, with a notable integration of tax and accounting services.

Nicholas Lyons is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He currently works at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and previously spent 10 years at The Goff Financial Group. Lyons also served in the United States Army Reserve for seven years. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s investment approach utilizes Modern Portfolio Theory with globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios and employs a range of implementation options such as ETFs, mutual funds, and direct indexing.

Harrison Wilson is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with one year of industry experience. He currently works at Corient and previously worked at FMP Wealth Advisers for two years. His background also includes teaching positions at the University of Oklahoma and Second Baptist High School. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party manager solutions and incorporates risk management tools and alternative investments where appropriate.