Charles Hays Jr. is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. He also serves as an agent for AGIA, selling 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.

Daniel Garza is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors holding a Series 65 designation. He has professional experience at Riveron Consulting, Ernst & Young, and Ryan LLC, spanning roles from 2015 to 2024. Garza is based in Houston, TX. Hightower Advisors offers investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a multi-manager approach that combines affiliated and third-party managers, utilizing proprietary research and various investment vehicles such as mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.

Ogheneruemu Ogunleye is a financial advisor at RBC Rochdale, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Corebridge Financial and Connor, Clark & Lunn. RBC Rochdale serves a diverse client base, including high net worth individuals, institutions, and government entities, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, sub-advisory services, and model delivery. The firm employs an active, multi-strategy investment approach that combines quantitative and fundamental analysis to tailor portfolios across various asset classes.

Stephen Strake Sr. is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 20 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at various Salient entities and Endowment Advisers, spanning nearly two decades prior to joining Hightower. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers alongside proprietary research and a range of investment vehicles such as mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments.

William Lee, Jr. is a CFA® charterholder with 25 years of experience in the investment industry. He has worked at Sarofim Trust Co. and its affiliated entities, including Sarofim Realty Advisors Co., Fayez Sarofim & Co., Sarofim International Management Company, and Sarofim Advisors Group, Inc., since 2010. Sarofim Trust Co. is a Texas-chartered trust company and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides discretionary investment management, trustee, and custodial services to institutional and private clients, including pension plans, endowments, corporations, charitable organizations, and high-net-worth individuals. The firm uses a bottom-up, fundamental research approach with a focus on high-quality large-cap stocks and emphasizes low turnover, tax efficiency, and fiduciary trust responsibilities.

Randall Hale is a financial advisor at Corient with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previous experience at PwC and Avalon Advisors. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that incorporates both in-house and third-party strategies, risk management tools, and may include alternative investments where appropriate.

Ying Fang is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with 21 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Transamerica since 2012. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved with several other business activities including providing estate planning communications through Inheritguard, LLC, and acting as an independent agent for multiple health insurance entities. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm utilizes proprietary and third-party investment models and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary program choices.

Travis Bashaw is a financial advisor at Independent Financial Group, LLC in Houston, TX, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Independent Financial Group in 2025, he spent nine years at Better Homes and Gardens/Gary Greene. Independent Financial Group is a large integrated advisory and brokerage firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, business owners, and plan sponsors through investment advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan services. The firm combines in-house and third-party investment models and operates as both a registered investment adviser and an active broker-dealer.

Georgina Willis is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. She has worked at PNC Investments since 2021 and previously held roles at BBVA Wealth Solutions Inc., BBVA Compass Insurance Agency, BBVA Securities Inc., and Compass Bank from 2016 to 2021. Outside of her advisory role, she is a licensed notary public and works as a retail floor associate for Burlington. PNC Wealth Management provides retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account for employees. The firm uses algorithmic risk assessment and delegates portfolio implementation to third parties, focusing on mutual funds and ETFs with annual rebalancing.

Billie Murski III is a financial advisor with Mariner in Houston, TX, holding a Series 63 designation and 24 years of industry experience. He worked at Patriot Wealth Management, Inc. for 12 years before joining Mariner Wealth Advisors in 2019. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to specialized tax and family office services. The firm utilizes a discretionary, customized portfolio approach supported by in-house research and third-party managers, with a notable integration of tax and accounting services alongside traditional advisory offerings.

Jennifer Bauman is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 15 years of industry experience. She has worked at Agia and Valic Financial Advisors since 2023. Outside of her advisory role, she is an appointed agent for non-securities insurance products with Agia. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors. The firm manages approximately $29.2 billion and serves nearly 300,000 clients with a technology-driven and model-based approach.

Austin De Shane is a CFP® and CFA® credentialed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and related entities since 2021, and previously at LPL Financial and Equitable Advisors. Based in Houston, TX, De Shane also holds roles involving insurance and annuity sales. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized consulting, employing a strategic investment process that combines passive and active management overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Charles Mcrae III is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with eight years of industry experience. He has worked at Cerity Partners LLC since 2022 and previously held roles at Autumn Lane Advisors, LLC and Investec Wealth Strategies. He is based in Houston, TX. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, corporations, charitable institutions, and other investors. The firm manages approximately $126.9 billion in client assets and offers a range of services including investment management, financial planning, tax and insurance support, and access to alternative and private-market investments.

John Buchan is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and having three years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Primerica Advisors, Primerica Financial Services, and eleven years with Katy ISD. Additionally, he serves as an agent selling non-securities insurance products for AGIA. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed account solutions through a large network of advisors and employs a technology-driven approach to manage approximately $29.2 billion in assets.

Joshua Lewis is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential. He has experience in the financial industry since 2020, including roles at Westwood Holdings Group and Ameriprise Financial Services. Prior to his advisory career, he worked at the University of Houston and Bellaire High School. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets through a network of advisors and employs a diversified investment approach blending passive and active managers, supported by an internal Investment Committee.

Todd Bornholtz is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2016. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers wrap programs, portfolio management, and financial planning services through a large network of advisors, utilizing discretionary unified managed accounts and technology-driven solutions.

David Gregory is a financial advisor with Goldman Sachs Wealth Services in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Goldman Sachs since 2021 and previously spent seven years at The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services provides financial planning, investment management, and advisory support to a diverse client base, including individual, high-net-worth, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes centralized investment resources and integrated strategies across affiliates to deliver tailored wealth management solutions.

Rodney Christ is a financial advisor at SPC with 34 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Sigma Financial Corporation since 2014. Outside of advising, he is an independently licensed insurance agent appointed with various insurance companies. SPC serves individual clients, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans through a network of over 460 advisors and manages approximately $5.66 billion in assets. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement plan services with a range of discretionary and nondiscretionary options.

Erica Falcomata is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 19 years of industry experience. She has worked at various Truist and BB&T entities since 2015. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as the president and a member of the St. Rose of Lima School Advisory Committee and is the administrator of her late father’s estate. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled equity research, to manage client portfolios and fiduciary responsibilities.

Kyle Gregory is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Houston, TX, with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at Frost Brokerage Services and JPMorgan Chase. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients through investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple program types on the Passageway Managed Account platform, enabling clients to select strategies ranging from mutual funds and ETFs to SMA and direct indexing options.