Alex Persons is a Vice President and Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a role held since 2023. Prior to this, Alex has held several positions within Fidelity Investments, including Financial Consultant, Investment Consultant, Relationship Manager, Financial Representative, Central Relationship Manager, Investment Solutions Representative, and Customer Relationship Advocate, spanning from 2017 to 2023. Before joining Fidelity, Alex worked as a Mortgage Processor at JPMorgan & Co in 2016. Alex holds a California Insurance License. Their professional approach focuses on assisting clients in identifying their financial goals and objectives and building strategies to work towards financial freedom. Alex emphasizes the importance of planning in achieving financial success. Outside of work, Alex enjoys attending concerts and movies, as well as engaging in outdoor adventures such as skiing, surfing, and traveling.

Kyong Hwa Koch is a financial advisor at Merrill with five years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill Lynch since 2022. Her prior experience includes roles at RBC Capital Markets and Wells Fargo Clearing. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Peter Smaldino is a Wealth Management Advisor within the Merrill Lynch Wealth Management division of Bank of America. With over two decades of experience in the financial services industry, Peter works with busy professionals and business owners to provide objective advice and client-focused service. His areas of expertise include college education planning, divorce transition planning, employee benefits planning, family wealth management strategies, defined benefit and contribution plan consulting, liquidity management, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, and retirement income planning. Peter earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California in 1993. He holds multiple professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA), and Sports & Entertainment (SE). Outside of his professional role, Peter enjoys baseball, football, golfing, hiking, spending time with his family, and traveling.

Mary Hong serves as a Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Portfolio Manager at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She has been with Bank of America/Merrill since 1992, supporting affluent families, individual clients, closely-held businesses, and non-profit organizations. In her role, Mary works closely with clients and her team to establish quantifiable goals, prioritize client needs, and implement customized financial strategies leveraging a broad array of financial instruments. As a Senior Portfolio Manager, she manages her own personalized and defined discretionary strategies, which may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill Lynch model portfolios, and third-party investment strategies. These strategies can also be made available to clients working with other Merrill Advisors. Mary's services encompass portfolio development, education plans, liability management, trust and estate planning, insurance and retirement planning with emphasis on lifetime income, as well as sophisticated strategies for defined benefit and 401(k) plans, and philanthropic planning. She holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), Certified Portfolio Manager (CPM®), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR® (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor, and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education in Music and a Bachelor of Music in Performance, graduating cum laude with department honors from Dominican University of California. Mary also completed the Certified Portfolio Manager program at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University and attended the Global CEO EMBA program offered jointly by Yeonsei University and the University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, Korea. Mary is involved with community organizations such as Woman To Woman of LA and resides in South Pasadena, California. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, music, reading, singing, traveling, and writing.

Steven Li is a financial advisor with Merrill in Arcadia, CA, holding a Series 66 credential and 10 years of industry experience. He has worked with Merrill and Bank of America since 2017 and has prior experience at Mass Mutual Investors Services, MassMutual, and MetLife Securities Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is the sole owner of a rental property business in Upland, California. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional accounts.

Alex London is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Los Angeles, CA, holding a Series 66 designation with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients with a wide range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and uses a structured planning process supported by firm-approved tools and investment modeling.

Matthew Chan is a financial advisor at Cetera with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Ameriprise from 2021 to 2025. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC serves a wide range of clients including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers multiple portfolio management options and financial planning services through a large nationwide network of independent advisors.

Alexander Dickson is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley since 2009 and has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that provides advisory programs to individuals and institutions, including tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and methodologies. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers a broad range of retail and institutional services.

Brian Britt is a CFP® with 31 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Torrance, CA since 2020. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 15 years. Outside of his advisory role, Brian manages financial reporting and accounting for apartment buildings. Ameriprise provides a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals nearing or in retirement, combining research and modeling with tax-efficient strategies. The firm offers a wide range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its large institutional platform.

Sergio Del Puerto is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Long Beach, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Kinecta Financial & Insurance Services, Bank of the West, and BancWest Investment Services. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide written recommendations tailored to clients’ income and withdrawal strategies.

Fred Hidalgo is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has been working since 2025. In this role, he focuses on helping clients develop financial plans tailored to their unique needs by understanding their personal, financial, and investment situations. His approach aims to ensure clients feel confident and comfortable with their financial plans. Fred's experience at Fidelity Investments spans several roles, including Financial Consultant I, Planning Consultant, Relationship Manager, and Financial Representative, beginning in 2020. This progression reflects his broad experience in financial consulting and client relationship management within the firm. Fred holds a California Insurance License. Outside of his professional work, he has interests in fitness, football, and pets.

Paul Joseph is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Los Angeles, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including his current role at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. since 2015. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a trustee for a trust based in Calabasas, California. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a broad range of advisory programs to both individual and institutional clients, offering tailored financial planning that incorporates firm-approved tools and scenario modeling. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and combines planning services with a variety of investment and financial products.

Winnie Leong is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Fullerton, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 28 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Securities America Advisors, Voya Financial Advisors, American General Financial Advisors, Valic Financial Advisors, and Citigroup Global Markets. Outside of her advisory work, she is also an artist. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and advanced technology tools.

Jessie M Vargas Gutierrez is a financial advisor with Merrill in Downey, CA. She holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Bank of America, TSG Wealth Management, and Tax Rise Inc, among others. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through its Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Erica Pitrone is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with Merrill in Brea, CA, where she has worked since 2015. She has 11 years of industry experience. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations using model-based and discretionary investment strategies developed by internal and third-party managers.

Jesus Barboza Gonzalez is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Bank of America, N.A. and Merrill from 2014 to 2022. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a broader investment menu that includes insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Thomas Li is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012. Outside of finance, he is involved in Cashow LLC, a cosmetics business specializing in acrylic and gel nail products. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and an ESG eligibility framework. The firm operates within the broader J.P. Morgan organization and offers services on a non-discretionary basis.

Jean Paul Afif is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Wells Fargo Private Bank. Outside of finance, he has a longstanding involvement with the Screen Actors Guild as an executive producer and actor, and he is the developer of a technology app through Star of the Sea NIL. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions, focusing on tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and investment modeling techniques. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and offers services both directly and in collaboration with employer-based financial planning arrangements.

Henry Narvaez is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 17 years of industry experience and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has worked at several firms including J.P. Morgan Securities, UnionBanc Investment Services, and LPL Financial. Narvaez also serves as a financial advisor with Kinecta Wealth Management. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing retirement income planning advice focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

David Kakuda is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2011 to 2016. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.