Daniel Connally is a CFA® charterholder with 20 years of experience at Fayez Sarofim & Co., where he has worked since 2006. He is based in Houston, TX. Fayez Sarofim & Co. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving institutions, retirement plans, endowments, corporations, and high net worth individuals. The firm emphasizes bottom-up fundamental research with multi-year investment horizons and focuses on large-cap, liquid equities, offering a range of equity and fixed income strategies, sub-advisory services, and private placement opportunities.

Jesal Patel is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Houston, Texas, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 21 years of industry experience. He has worked with Eagle Strategies since 2010 and has been affiliated with New York Life and Nylife Securities Inc. since the early 2000s. Patel is a shareholder of NYLARC Holding Company, which reinsures life insurance policies written with New York Life. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers a variety of program types and emphasizes tailored recommendations, managing a significant portion of assets on a non-discretionary basis while operating within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Richard Welch is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 66, 65, and 63 designations. His prior roles include positions at GWFS Equities, Inc., Generation Equity, SolarWinds, Insight, and Capital One Investing LLC. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Jason Cohen is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2020 and previously spent seven years with TIAA-CREF. 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 to construct client portfolios.

Michael Contant is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2019 and previously spent eight years at Patriot Wealth Management, Inc. Mariner serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth households, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and tax services. The firm employs a discretionary, customized portfolio approach overseen by an Investment Committee and combines in-house research with third-party managers, while also providing integrated tax, accounting, and family office services.

Fabian Palomino is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at Citigroup since 2019. Prior to that, he was with JP Morgan Chase Bank NA and JP Morgan Securities LLC from 2015 to 2019. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in youth soccer coaching through S & N Soccer, LLC, providing private lessons to boys and girls. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a range of investment advisory programs and broker-dealer execution and custody services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies with internal oversight and combines large institutional scale with specialized market roles.

Mohammed Bajwa is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing nine years of industry experience. He has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2017 and also has experience with World Financial Group. In addition to his advisory role, Bajwa serves as a project manager at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, where he assesses and oversees the cleanup of contaminated sites. Transamerica Financial Advisors provides investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and businesses. The firm’s advisory approach utilizes model portfolios and third-party managers, supported by a large network of advisors and multiple program platforms.

Tameron Peden is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic Financial Advisors in 2025, Peden worked at Truist Advisory Services and Transamerica Financial Advisors among other firms. In addition to financial advising, Peden is also a licensed real estate salesperson in Texas, assisting individuals with residential property transactions on a part-time basis. Valic Financial Advisors is a large SEC-registered investment adviser serving U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients, and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and multiple wrap programs through a nationwide network of advisors, leveraging discretionary unified managed accounts and model solutions.

Brian Stanford is a CFP® with 20 years of experience in the financial industry. He currently works at Allworth Financial, L.P. and previously held roles at TIAA-CREF, Fidelity, and Wells Fargo Investments. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm provides customized portfolio management using a range of model strategies and integrates technology to manage held-away employer retirement accounts while maintaining multiple affiliated businesses and specialized divisions.

David Epstein is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Houston, TX, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at BBVA Compass Insurance Agency, BBVA Securities, and COMPASS Bank. He has been with PNC Bank since 2021 and joined PNC Investments LLC in 2025. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account pilot that integrates algorithm-driven risk assessments and portfolio implementation by third-party strategists.

Alan Salinas is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and two years of industry experience. He is also an appointed agent for Agia, selling non-securities insurance products. Prior to entering the financial industry, he worked for six years at Menchies Frozen Yogurt. 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 portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors and emphasizes technology-driven model solutions.

Dagon Garris is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Eagle Strategies since 2011 and maintains longstanding roles with Nylife Securities Inc. and New York Life insurance company, both since 2005. Garris serves as a member of the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences Dean's Advisory Council, providing consultation and guidance to support the school’s mission and strategic goals. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, including individual investors and institutional sponsors, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Matthew Guthrie is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 designations. In addition to his advisory role, he works as a realtor at JLA Realty, assisting clients in buying and selling homes. 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 consulting services through a large network of advisors, utilizing discretionary unified managed accounts and overlay services within a centralized technology platform.

Carrie Westfall is a financial advisor at TLG Advisors, Inc. with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including The Leaders Group Inc and Invesco Advisers, Inc. Westfall is also the manager of marketing and communications at Elite Insurance Agency Inc. TLG Advisors, Inc. manages approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary client assets and serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors. The firm offers investment supervisory and portfolio management, comprehensive financial and estate planning, ERISA fiduciary services, and a direct-to-consumer program called Starlight Portfolios, utilizing a research approach that combines fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory.

Heath Johnson is a financial advisor with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Voya Financial Advisors since 2014 and also works as an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance products. Voya Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors, offering services such as financial planning, portfolio management, and plan-sponsor consulting through multiple program structures that emphasize non-discretionary recommendations.

Thomas Bass is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and LPL Financial. Bass operates his advisory business through Independent Advisor Alliance and maintains related business entities for tax and investment purposes. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base, including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and leverages technology platforms to support estate planning and asset aggregation.

Chloe Lander is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with one year of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Prior to joining Empower Advisory Group, she was affiliated with Empower Financial Services, Inc. and worked with One Love Travel Club for nine years. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management services primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning approach.

David Dickens is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services. He has previously worked at Manulife Asset Management and John Hancock for 14 years. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm’s advisory offerings include financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Robert Horswell is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he is appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products for 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 consulting services. The firm manages roughly $29.2 billion and supports nearly 1,300 advisors through a technology-driven platform and a combined advisory and broker-dealer structure.

Timothy Moore is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. in Houston, TX. His prior roles include positions with The Vanguard Group and Securities America, Inc. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments with investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm applies a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach, utilizing diversified portfolios with low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and private funds, complemented by client education programs and integrated service offerings.