Syed Majid is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic Financial Advisors in 2025, he worked at J.P. Morgan Securities for several years and has experience with Scottrade and Xnergy Financial LLC. 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.

Stephen Janak is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in land rental activities. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model that separates point-in-time planning from ongoing discretionary management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Karen Ho is a financial advisor with GWN Securities Inc. in Houston, TX, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. She has 25 years of industry experience, including 12 years at Nationwide and Nationwide Securities, Inc. She is also involved in fixed life insurance products as an agent. GWN Securities is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and business clients through discretionary managed accounts and financial planning. The firm manages approximately $3.65 billion across more than 37,000 accounts and offers a range of managed-account programs and model portfolios, including both traditional and legacy market-timing strategies.

Leslie Halpern is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic in 2022, Halpern worked at Horace Mann Companies and Futurity First, among other firms. Outside of advising, Halpern is an insurance agent with Agia. Valic Financial Advisors serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed models and operating with a large advisory team.

Wei Wei is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) since 2022. Prior to this, Wei has been associated with Nylife Securities LLC since 2014 and Abacus Financial Strategies LLC since 2011. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individual investors, institutional sponsors, and corporate and charitable entities. The firm emphasizes tailored advisory solutions across multiple program types, with a significant portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis.

Rex Richards is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Commonwealth since 2009. His other business activities include fixed insurance sales conducted at his branch location. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, providing a range of advisory programs and support services. The firm offers discretionary model portfolios, customized program structures, and a platform that includes operations, trading, technology, compliance, and practice-management support.

Ami Shah is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor at VALIC Financial Advisors with 10 years of industry experience. Shah has been with VALIC Financial Advisors since 2016 and previously worked at Oyster Consulting LLC. Based in Houston, TX, Shah provides financial advisory services within an established enterprise firm. VALIC Financial Advisors 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 and management.

James Weston is a financial advisor at Corient in Houston, TX, with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Corient since 2024. His prior roles include positions at DC Hill Wealth Management and the University of North Texas, as well as experience in the music and marine industries. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm uses a goals-based, team investment approach that integrates in-house strategies with third-party managers, employs extensive risk management tools, and offers specialized private fund and trustee services through affiliates.

Jaden Enbysk is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Valic Financial Advisors, he worked at Barnes & Noble and Skyways Media. He is also 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 plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors and leverages centralized technology and model solutions to manage assets at scale.

Fazley Rashid is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience currently affiliated with Allworth Financial, L.P. He has worked at Allworth Financial and AW Securities since 2022 and previously spent six years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized portfolios using a variety of model strategies, discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, and leverages technology to manage held-away employer retirement accounts.

Danielle Lake Nestor is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with 16 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at AIG Retirement Advisors and Agia. Outside of her advisory role, she is an agent involved in non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors 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 UMA models and maintaining a large client base through a team of over 1,200 advisors.

Robert Cumming is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Morgan Stanley from 2004 to 2011 before joining Private Advisor Group and LPL Financial in 2011. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a fiduciary-based advisory model, utilizing various investment strategies and technology platforms while providing access to proprietary and third-party managed account solutions.

David Jesulaitis is a financial advisor at Corient with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms including Avalon Advisors, LLC and Avalon Wealth Management LLC. Jesulaitis has been with Corient and its related entities since 2023. 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 combines in-house strategies with third-party managers, continuously monitoring portfolios with risk management tools and incorporating alternative investments when appropriate.

Kirsten Williams is a financial advisor with Cerity Partners LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning her industry career in 2026. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, she worked four years at Heb and has experience in both education and the hospitality sector. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management services to a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation and manager selection processes, combining proprietary quantitative screens with third-party managers and individual securities.

Joanne Nguyen is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with 14 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Cetera Advisor Networks. Outside of her advisory role, she is a partner in CHHSZ Holdings, LLC. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals—including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients—trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a broad range of services including asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan sponsor and trustee services, family office offerings, and manages accounts using a mix of core/satellite, thematic, and tactical strategies.

Derek Platt is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience, currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC in Houston, TX. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Equitable Advisors, and Axa Advisors. He also serves as a Senior Vice President in a fixed insurance capacity at Wealth Enhancement Group. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized consulting, employing a strategic investment approach that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Kyle Mason is a financial advisor with VALIC Financial Advisors in Houston, TX, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and the Series 66 license. He has four years of industry experience, including roles at Bank of America, Merrill, and AGIA. Outside of financial advising, Mason participates in affiliate marketing through Pinterest, posting product images linked to Amazon.com. VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors. The firm manages approximately $29.2 billion and leverages centralized technology and model solutions across its advisory services.

Laura Brantley is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors since 2025. Prior to joining Hightower, she worked at Wealth Enhancement Brokerage Services LLC and Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC for nine years, and LPL Financial, LLC for ten years. 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, with a broad range of investment products and strategies.

Noel Thomas is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with a Series 66 credential and ten years of industry experience. He has previously worked at firms including MassMutual, Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, Merrill Lynch, and Agia. Outside of the financial sector, he is the owner of a collision auto repair business in Houston. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving those with pre-existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers a range of advisory services including model portfolios and customized portfolio management under a fiduciary standard.

Douglas Alder is a CFA® charterholder with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Fayez Sarofim & Co. since 2002 and is currently affiliated with Sarofim International Management Company in Houston, TX. Sarofim International Management Company provides discretionary investment management primarily to non-U.S. institutional clients, including pension plans, endowments, and insurance companies, while also serving corporations and high-net-worth individuals. The firm employs a bottom-up investment process with an emphasis on high-quality, large-cap multinational equities and capital preservation in fixed income, managing portfolios with low turnover and committee oversight.