Hunter Powell is a financial advisor at Merit Financial Advisors in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation. He has been with Merit Financial Advisors since 2026 and has prior experience with Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and Northwestern Mutual. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving more than 20,000 clients across 66 offices, managing approximately $23.9 billion in assets. The firm provides coordinated wealth-management services and emphasizes long-term, diversified portfolios built from centrally managed models overseen by an internal Investment Management team and Investment Committee.

Charles Hall Jr. is a financial advisor at True North Advisors, LLC with 20 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Clear Rock Advisors, LLC and Matterhorn Capital Management, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he manages a family foundation as part of the Coast Foundation. True North Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $5.4 billion in assets. The firm serves high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and foundations, offering comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, and wealth advisory services with a focus on fundamental, value-oriented investment strategies and diversified asset allocation.

Matt Peden is a CFA® charterholder with 24 years of industry experience. He is currently with True North Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2023. Prior to that, he was with American Beacon Advisors from 2021 to 2023 and Guidestone Financial Services from 2009 to 2021. True North Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, endowments, and other institutions with comprehensive financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services. The firm employs a fundamentally driven, bottom-up investment approach with a value-oriented bias and incorporates passive indexed ETFs, separately managed accounts, and alternative investments when appropriate.

Carter Monrad is a financial advisor with Hilltop Securities Inc. holding a Series 66 designation. He has been in the industry since 2019, with prior experience at Hartmann Taylor Wealth Management and Momentum Independent Network Inc. Monrad has also been involved with Kinsmen Lutheran Church in a non-investment capacity. Hilltop Securities serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients through advisory and broker-dealer services, offering managed accounts, financial planning, retirement-plan advisory, and annuity solutions. The firm provides an open-architecture platform combining third-party and firm-sponsored strategies, with capabilities in custody, banking, and market-making.

John Stephens is a financial advisor at Royal Fund Management, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has managed his own CPA firm since 2000. Outside of advising, Stephens is involved in several business ventures including serving as CEO of Lag Box, LLC, a product manufacturing company, and president of ZComp, LLC, which provides payroll services. Royal Fund Management serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations with portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting services. The firm employs a range of investment strategies supported by fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and offers specialized options such as non-traded REITs and an options-writing overlay for enrolled clients.

Claudia Martin is a financial advisor with Level Four Advisory Services in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. She has worked at Level Four Advisory Services since 2007 and previously spent eight years at LPL Financial. Martin also serves as Director of Operations for Level Four Group, an employee services holding company. Level Four Advisory Services is an SEC-registered enterprise investment adviser managing over $5 billion across 115 advisors and a diverse client base that includes individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and nonprofits. The firm offers fee-only financial planning, asset management, and retirement plan advisory services, utilizing model portfolios and a combination of internal and third-party management.

Traci Kurtz is a financial advisor with Hilltop Securities Inc. based in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Cetera-affiliated firms and Next Financial Group Inc. before joining Hilltop Securities. Hilltop Securities serves a diverse client base of individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors, providing advisory and broker-dealer services through an open-architecture platform that incorporates third-party and firm-sponsored investment strategies. The firm combines custody, banking, and market-making capabilities, offering comprehensive financial solutions such as managed accounts, retirement-plan consulting, and municipal bond programs.

Michael Arnold is a financial advisor at Prospera Financial Services, Inc. in Dallas, TX, holding a Series 66 credential with 29 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Merrill Lynch for 18 years before joining Prospera Financial Services in 2015. Outside of his advisory role, Arnold serves as a board member for the Lea County Planning and Zoning Board and volunteers with the Lea County Sheriffs Posse. Prospera Financial Services is a multi-team advisory firm with over 270 advisors managing approximately $14.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and access to multiple advisory platforms and programs.

Sarah Pais is a financial advisor with Advisor Resource Council in Dallas, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. She has worked at Advisor Resource Council (formerly 360 Wealth Management, LLC) since 2016 and previously held roles at LPL Financial, RBC Capital Markets, and Ameriprise. Advisor Resource Council is an SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and business entities with asset management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm integrates artificial intelligence tools with fundamental analysis to manage a range of model and separately managed account strategies and offers custom solutions including option-based strategies.

Grant Brown is a CFP® professional with 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked with Advisor Resource Council since 2016 and has been affiliated with LPL Financial since 2009. Based in Dallas, TX, he operates within a multi-team firm structure. Advisor Resource Council is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a blend of artificial intelligence and fundamental analysis in its investment approach and offers a range of model portfolios, custom solutions, and third-party advisory programs.

Kayla Smiley is a financial advisor with BOK Financial Securities, Inc. in Plano, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. She has worked with BOK Financial Private Wealth, Inc. and BOK Financial Securities, Inc. since 2011. BOK Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, corporate, and institutional clients, providing non-discretionary, fee-based investment management through its Guided Portfolio Solutions program alongside financial planning and consulting services.

Peter Froggatt is a financial advisor with BOK Financial Securities, Inc. in Plano, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Edward Jones and Right Decision Regulatory Consulting LLC. BOK Financial Advisors serves individual, high-net-worth, corporate, and institutional clients by providing non-discretionary, fee-based investment management through its Guided Portfolio Solutions program, along with financial planning and consulting services. The firm combines quantitative and qualitative investment research with advisor-led client interactions.

Michael Bernier is a financial advisor with Balefire, LLC in Dallas, TX, holding a Series 65 license and four years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC, Merrill, and Bank of America N.A. He is also involved as a financial wellness coach through Fuse Partners LLC. Balefire, LLC is an SEC-registered multi-team investment adviser serving individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, charities, and business entities, offering discretionary asset management and comprehensive financial planning with a core-and-tactical investment approach overseen by an Investment Committee.

Andrew Watts is a CFP® professional based in Dallas, TX, with 22 years of industry experience. He is currently with Avantax Planning Partners, Inc., where he has worked for five years, and has prior experience at various firms affiliated with Cetera since 2025. Avantax Planning Partners, Inc. serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses through portfolio management, financial planning, and a managed retirement plan platform. The firm operates primarily via a network of CPA firms and registered Advisor Representatives, managing approximately $7.57 billion in assets across about 164 advisors and 7,500 clients as of December 31, 2025.

Oluseun Ekunwe is a financial advisor with USAA Investment Services Company, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked in various capacities within the USAA organization since 2014, including roles at USAA Financial Planning Services and USAA Life Insurance Company. USAA Investment Services Company provides retirement-focused advice and referral services to USAA members and the general public. The firm supports retirement planning through its Retirement Income Strategy Report and refers clients to Charles Schwab for investment products, operating primarily as a referral and retirement-advice intermediary rather than a portfolio manager.

James Priebe is a financial advisor at CX Institutional, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Fisher Investments. CX Institutional serves individuals, charitable organizations, business entities, and retirement plan sponsors with portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a multi-strategy asset allocation approach incorporating fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various asset classes and offers specialized strategies including artificial intelligence, blockchain, and electric vehicle portfolios.

Nicholas Tieri is a financial advisor at Strategic Wealth Investment Group, LLC in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and several other financial firms. Strategic Wealth Investment Group provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as corporations and business entities. The firm employs internally developed and third-party model portfolios, drawing on fundamental, technical, cyclical, and charting methods, and it serves as a fund sponsor with minority ownership in select private and exchange-traded funds.

Henry Bashore is a financial advisor at Hilltop Securities Inc. in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 45 years of industry experience. He worked at Stephens Inc. for 12 years prior to joining Hilltop Securities in 2024. Hilltop Securities Inc. offers brokerage, clearing, custody, investment advisory, and retirement-plan consulting services to individuals, corporations, nonprofits, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $2.25 billion in assets and provides a range of portfolio management and financial planning solutions through an open-architecture platform that includes adviser-managed and model-based programs.

Nicholas Damico is a CFP® professional with 19 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Hilltop Securities Inc. since 2019 and previously held positions at Personal Capital Advisors Corporation, DBT Wealth Consultants, and FSC Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he owns a trading card business operating through online platforms. Hilltop Securities serves individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients, offering a range of investment advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm utilizes an open-architecture platform featuring third-party managers and its own municipal bond strategies, and it combines custody, banking, and market-making capabilities.

Katherine Whittelsey is a financial advisor with Quotient Wealth Partners, LLC in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and four years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments and First National Bank of Omaha. Quotient Wealth Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans with financial planning, consulting, and wealth management services. The firm employs diversified, factor-tilted investment strategies tailored to client risk profiles and utilizes a multi-advisor team approach supported by advanced technology and third-party manager access.