Leah Bennett is a CFA® charterholder with 29 years of industry experience. She is currently Chief Investment Strategist at Concurrent Asset Management and an advisor with Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC. Her prior experience includes roles at Westwood Advisors, Westwood Trust/Westwood Advisers, South Texas Money Management, and Rek Advisors. She serves on the boards of the Elevation Family Partner Foundation, Christus Foundation (as chair of the investment committee), Artpace (finance committee), Menil (Acquisitions Committee), and Performing Arts Houston. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes customized, primarily long-term portfolios utilizing ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, bonds, alternative investments, and independent sub-advisers, supported by a network of roughly 286 advisors.

Cole Vanassche is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He previously worked for New York Life Insurance Company for 10 years before joining Guardian Life in 2024. Outside of his advisory role, Vanassche teaches and helps individuals prepare for the CLTC designation exam. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue® Wealth Management, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement plan sponsors. The firm combines advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies delivered via proprietary and third-party platforms, providing tailored financial planning and consulting solutions.

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 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, currently affiliated with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities. He has been with Guardian Life since 1998 and Park Avenue Securities since 2022. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in a music business and co-manages a business partnership focused on hiring and event operations. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, along with access to proprietary and third-party advisory solutions.

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.

Kell Grady is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has less than one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Texas Financial Advisors, Target, and various educational institutions. 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 offers wrap programs, portfolio management, and financial planning services through a large network of representatives, utilizing Envestnet’s platform 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 with Cerity Partners LLC in Houston, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Fisher Investments for six years and was employed at Walmart prior to his advisory career. Cerity Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, institutions, and private funds, offering customized wealth management solutions such as investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, tax services, and insurance placement. The firm integrates proprietary quantitative methods with third-party strategies and direct security selection, providing access to alternative investments and co-investment opportunities for qualified clients.

La Tika Tillis is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 18 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Streettalk Advisors, LLC and LPL Financial. Based in Houston, TX, she joined Hightower in 2023. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, including pension plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and trusts. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions through both affiliated and third-party managers, utilizing proprietary research and a variety of investment vehicles.

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.

Benjamin Almeda is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. He currently works at Hightower Advisors and Hightower Securities, LLC, joining the firm in 2024. His prior experience includes roles at TD Ameritrade Investment Management, Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo Clearing, Valic Financial Advisors, and Ameriprise. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a multi-manager approach that incorporates affiliated and third-party managers, proprietary research, and a variety of investment vehicles including mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.

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.

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 holds a Series 65 license with 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. since 2025 and previously spent 10 years at The Goff Financial Group. He is based in Houston, TX. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, offering investment advisory alongside financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm’s investment approach uses Modern Portfolio Theory to construct globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios implemented with low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and other strategies, complemented by educational content and specialized client services.

Emiliano Saenz is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with Series 66 credentials. He joined the firm in 2025 and has prior experience as a student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Valic Financial Advisors 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 discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors, utilizing centralized technology and model solutions to support its client base.