John Goott is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience and is currently affiliated with Cerity Partners LLC. He previously worked for Investec Wealth Strategies for 21 years and serves as President of Investec Asset Management Group, a non-investment-related business involved in fixed insurance products. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a national client base, including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to alternative and private-market investments, using proprietary quantitative screens alongside third-party managers and individual securities.

Christopher Perego is a CFP® professional with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors since 2021. His prior roles include positions at Avondale Wealth Management LLC, Crestmont Private Wealth LLC, and Grinding Technology, LLC. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a wide range of individual and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, employing both affiliated and third-party managers along with proprietary research and custom portfolio construction techniques.

Thomas Archer is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. in Houston, TX, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 66 licenses. He has 44 years of industry experience, including roles at The Leaders Group Inc, CONCOURSE FINANCIAL GROUP SECURITIES INC, and VOYA Financial Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, Archer is CEO of Archer Insurance Tech and serves as first vice president of Elite Insurance Agency Inc. TLG Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors through a combination of investment supervisory, portfolio management, and ERISA fiduciary services, employing fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory in its portfolio construction.

Weslie Hollas is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2010 and also has a role with Agia starting in 2022. Outside of his advisory work, he co-owns and operates Middle School Matchup Houston, a youth baseball tournament organization. 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, consulting, and brokerage services, using Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Eric Brown is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group in Houston, TX, holding Series 66, Series 63, and Series 65 licenses with four years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Truist, USAA, Broadway Bank, LPL Financial, Amherst Holdings, Capco, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. 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 retail brokerage clients. The firm uses an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, offering both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Malcolm Ruben is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Principal, he worked in various roles including construction, real estate, hospitality, and education. Outside of his advisory work, he is an Uber driver and operates an Airbnb hosting business through Ruben Realty LLC. Principal Financial Services offers brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and military personnel. The firm provides financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Melani Faulkner is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. She has four years of industry experience and previously spent a decade in full-time education. Faulkner is also involved with Ash Brokerage in an insurance-related role. Park Avenue Securities LLC, the firm where she practices, serves individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients with brokerage services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and a variety of investment advisory programs.

Michael Levy is a CFP® with more than 31 years of industry experience, currently serving as an Investment Advisor Representative at Kestra Advisory since 2016. He is also the president of TLC Wealth Management, Inc., where he has been involved in insurance product placement since 1997. Levy holds a Series 63 designation and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. 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 investment advice, managing approximately $79.8 billion in assets with specialized solutions for large institutional clients.

Allison Lyons is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving at Corient. She has held roles at several firms, including Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, FSC Securities Corporation, and Stavis & Cohen Private Wealth. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a broad client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach combining in-house strategies with third-party solutions and specialized offerings through affiliates.

Henry Lartigue III is a CFA® charterholder with 23 years of experience in the financial industry. He currently works at Corient, where he has been since 2023, following a 21-year tenure at Avalon Advisors, LLC. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party managers and incorporates risk management tools and alternative investments when appropriate.

Sarahbeth Pipkin is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 18 years of industry experience. She currently works at Hightower Advisors and previously held roles at STA Wealth Management, LLC, and UBS Financial Services. 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, supported by proprietary research and a range of portfolio management options.

David Tran is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic Financial Advisors and Agia in 2025, he spent 20 years with Flowers Baking Company of Houston. He is also appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products for Agia. 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 investment advisor representatives.

Tyler Chandler is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 10 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at GWFS Equities, Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, and Wells Fargo Bank, NA. Outside of finance, he owns and operates a carpet cleaning business. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, delivering services through an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Andrew Wood is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding the Series 66 designation and having 10 years of industry experience. His prior firms include Axa Advisors and AGIA, where he is also involved in selling non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers wrap programs, portfolio management, and financial planning through a large advisor network, employing discretionary unified managed accounts with tax-aware and ESG overlay options.

Angelina Siller is a financial advisor at Citigroup Global Markets with 14 years of industry experience, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. She worked at UBS Financial Services Inc. from 2011 to 2018 before joining Citigroup in 2018. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as the executor for an estate, managing fiduciary and probate responsibilities. Citigroup Global Markets serves individual and institutional clients across various wealth segments, offering a broad range of investment advisory programs and execution services. The firm employs multi-asset, multi-manager strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary programs, supported by in-house research and oversight committees.

Bryant Tzul is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked in various roles including at Parawest Management and Luminate Financial. In addition to his advisory work, he is appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products for AGIA. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors. The firm manages substantial assets and utilizes centralized technology and model solutions as part of its investment approach.

Deborah Jones is a CFP® professional with 33 years of experience in financial planning and wealth management. She is currently with Cetera Planning Partners and has an extensive background including over two decades at Avantax Advisory Services and running her own firm, Jones Tax & Financial Services, Inc. In addition to her advisory work, she serves on the board of a local office association. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on pre-retirees and retirees by providing investment management, comprehensive financial planning, Social Security optimization, and retirement-related advice. The firm offers integrated services including tax planning, bookkeeping, payroll support, and estate planning through third-party providers, and utilizes a diversified, document-driven investment approach tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.

Zhizhi Ma is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 29 years of industry experience. She is currently with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC and has held roles at MIG-MA Investment Group and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Ma is also licensed as an independent insurance agent to sell fixed insurance products through her ownership of MIG-MA Investment Group. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individual investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a variety of managed account programs and integrates multiple custodial platforms while supporting portfolio construction through internal and third-party resources.

Brian Joiner is a financial advisor with Hightower Advisors based in Houston, TX. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 13 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Salient Partners, L.P. and its affiliated entities, as well as Hightower Securities LLC. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm’s approach focuses on manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers across a range of investment products.

Heather Holland is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses. She has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at United Planners via Trilogy Wealth Management. Outside of advisory services, she is involved in tax preparation through Holland & Co Financial LLC. Heather works with Park Avenue Securities, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, serving individuals, pensions, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm provides brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs, including model portfolios and digital solutions.