Manuel Esparza Jr. is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding the ChFC® and Series 63 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has worked with Guardian Life and affiliated firms since 2003, including Park Avenue Securities and The Economic Planning Group Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Treasurer of the South Texas chapter of NAIFA and as Secretary of Coyote Cooks, a charitable cooking organization. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of Guardian Life, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies through proprietary and third-party platforms, tailoring client relationships with a range of financial planning and consulting services.

Eric Michaud is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 21 years of industry experience. He has worked at TIAA-CREF since 2014 and previously held positions at TD Ameritrade from 2007 to 2014. Michaud holds a Series 66 designation and serves as an adjunct instructor in a continuing education financial planning course. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporations, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers a range of managed account options and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund, operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds.

Andrew Payton is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 15 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has been with TIAA since 2015. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with ties to TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm also advises the TIAA Donor Advised Fund and operates within a vertically integrated model using affiliated funds.

Qi Dong is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2017. Additionally, he is involved with the Heartland Institute of Financial Education, where he provides employee financial education classes. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers advisory and broker-dealer services with a range of fee-based and commission-based investment programs and utilizes both proprietary and third-party model portfolios.

David Herron Jr. is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Charles Schwab and Charles Schwab Bank for over 16 years. Outside of his advisory role, he assists with strategy and training for Excellence with Etiquette, providing seminars on etiquette topics for youth and adults. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm operates a vertically integrated advisory model with both planning and ongoing management services.

Judson Arrington is a financial advisor with VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. in Dallas, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with VOYA Financial Advisors since 2014 and previously worked at Voya Financial Partners, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, Arrington is involved in insurance and investment sales through his own entities, Arrington Financial and Independent Insurance. VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc. is an enterprise-scale firm that provides financial planning, portfolio management, retirement-plan advisory services, and access to unified managed accounts and third-party money managers. The firm serves individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through a large network of investment adviser representatives and combines in-house and external strategies with technology-enabled tools to implement client recommendations.

Tyrone Van Aswegen is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Plano, TX, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and five years of industry experience. He has owned and operated a golf coaching and simulation business since 2024 and plays professional golf. His prior roles include work at Wfgia and self-employment since 2010. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and corporations through a combination of advisory and broker-dealer services. The firm offers proprietary and third-party model portfolios with both discretionary and non-discretionary management options.

Brandon Dyson is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at TIAA-CREF and Tiaa since 2011, with a one-year break in 2017-2018. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management under a fiduciary standard, with a focus on model and customized portfolios.

Jacob Pavlasek is a financial advisor with Lincoln Investment in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Lincoln Investment, he held various roles in retail and education sectors. Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a large enterprise advisory and broker-dealer serving individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, charities, and retirement plans, including educators and participants in 403(b) and 457(b) programs. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and advisor-led consulting, supported by an in-house investment management team and third-party managers.

Charles Wedemeyer is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience, currently with Allworth Financial, L.P. He has worked at firms including Mercer Global Advisors, Fisher Investments, The Vanguard Group, and Fidelity Investments. Allworth Financial serves a wide range of clients—such as individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, corporations, and charitable organizations—offering services including financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis to implement customized investment strategies and provides education through newsletters, podcasts, and seminars.

Keith Lynch is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Frisco, TX. He holds the Series 65, Series 63, and Series 66 licenses and has 30 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at Fidelity and Kirk Quaschnick, among others. He operates under the DBA Tri Wealth, LLC to service insurance and financial product clients. Eagle Strategies serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types and emphasizes tailoring recommendations to client objectives, with most assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Xinyu Liu is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Their prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Cetera Wealth Services, Avantax Investment Services, and Paxel Consulting LLC. Liu is involved with Paxel Consulting LLC, a firm focused on international tax law and holistic financial planning. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and managed account solutions through proprietary and third-party platforms. The firm operates a fiduciary-based advisory model that incorporates various investment strategies and utilizes technology platforms to manage client assets.

Michael Mc Clinton is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. He has experience with Principal Financial Group and NYLIFE Securities LLC and began his current role in 2025. Prior to entering the financial industry, he worked at Collin College and the City of Fort Worth. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages a significant portion of assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Mark Pruitt is a financial advisor at AE Wealth Management, LLC with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at AE Wealth Management since 2017. Prior to that, he was with Global Financial Private Capital, LLC from 2015 to 2017 and has been involved with Strategic Estate Planning Services since 2005. He serves as a board member for the Mustang Ridge Office Complex homeowners association. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a platform-centered approach combining model portfolios, discretionary asset management, financial planning, and consulting services.

Howard Sandefer is a Series 63-licensed financial advisor with 34 years of industry experience. He is currently with PNC Wealth Management and has previously worked at BBVA Securities Inc., BBVA Wealth Solutions Inc., Compass Bank, and BBVA Compass Insurance Agency. Outside of finance, he has been a karate instructor at Shote Karate-Do since 2016. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including a digital, discretionary model account available by invitation only to employees. The firm utilizes approved model strategies executed via mutual funds and ETFs, with an emphasis on algorithm-driven portfolio selection and limited direct client contact.

Zachry Fearing is a financial advisor with Centaurus Financial, Inc. in Highland Village, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Centaurus Financial since 2016. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in property and casualty insurance sales and provides support for life insurance products. Centaurus Financial serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, small businesses, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm employs both discretionary and non-discretionary management styles and utilizes various analytical approaches alongside model overlay programs and third-party money manager referrals.

Michael Smith is a financial advisor with Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC in Addison, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 41 years of industry experience. He has worked with Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company and Hornor Townsend And Kent, Inc. since 2008. In addition to advisory services, he is involved in insurance brokerage through Penn Mutual Wealth Strategies and Wealth Coordination Partners. Hornor, Townsend & Kent serves individuals, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm operates both advisory and broker-dealer services, combining custody, execution, and brokerage capabilities with investment advice.

Colin Kirkpatrick is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked previously at Fidelity Investments, Citizens Securities, Inc., and Total Benefit Communications. Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors, utilizing centralized technology and third-party model managers.

Jesse Fox is a financial advisor at D.A. Davidson & Co. with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and previously worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities, and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. His background also includes roles outside finance, such as work with Proud Larrys and Outland Boat Tours. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including retirement plans, individual investors, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm emphasizes fiduciary standards and employs both qualitative and quantitative analysis, offering a range of services from retirement plan advisory to private wealth planning for high-net-worth clients.

Sylvia Mckinney is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. She has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and has been affiliated with World Financial Group since 2001. Her career also includes long-term roles with Mary Kay, Inc. and Parkland Health System. She is involved in the sales of insurance and non-insurance products for companies affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm delivers services through a large advisor network and multiple platform programs, utilizing model portfolios and third-party managers for investment management.