Justin Cook is a financial advisor at Ambition Financial LLC in Nipomo, CA. He holds a Series 65 designation and has over 12 years of combined experience, including his corporate finance role at Cisco Systems since 2015. Ambition Financial LLC is an independent firm that provides fee-only wealth management and financial planning services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes modern portfolio theory, asset allocation, and passive strategies using mutual funds and ETFs, along with access to third-party managers and model portfolios.

Peggy Van Hook is a financial advisor at Finances For Real Life with five years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including LPL Financial and Wanda T Toro LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she is a commissioned notary in the State of California. Finances For Real Life serves individual and high-net-worth clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting. The firm employs a combination of analytical methods and long-term strategies, including ESG investing, and manages approximately $108.6 million in assets.

Paul Kramer is a financial advisor at Miles Brown Asset Management with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Kramer Wealth Management, Miles Brown and Associates, and several companies outside of finance, such as OhmConnect Inc and Vision Dental Plan Inc. Miles Brown Asset Management provides fee-only, fiduciary advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, and retirement and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers discretionary investment management using individual securities, mutual funds, ETFs, and options, along with a proprietary automated ETF-only platform for smaller accounts.

Paul Laughton is a financial advisor with Diversified Capital Group, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Diversified Capital Management LLC since 2007. Outside of his advisory work, Laughton serves as the president of a homeowners association in Park City, Utah. Diversified Capital Group provides discretionary asset and portfolio management services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs multiple analysis methods and a range of strategies, focusing on individualized portfolios with continuous monitoring and periodic rebalancing.

Wanda Toro is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 27 years of industry experience. She currently serves at Finances For Real Life and has a background that includes working with LPL Financial and operating her own advisory entity, Wanda T Toro, LLC. Outside of her advisory work, she is involved in sports coaching through a home-based business. Finances For Real Life serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing discretionary portfolio management, flat-fee financial planning, and ad-hoc consulting. The firm uses a variety of analytical methods to tailor portfolios and manages approximately $86 million for around 122 clients.

Thorne O Connell is a financial advisor with X Advisors, LLC in Santa Maria, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Pash & Benson International, Independent Financial Group, and Cambridge Investment Research, among others. X Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach includes tailored portfolios using a combination of active strategies and indexing, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services.

Alexander Koury is a financial advisor at X Advisors, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has held roles at Paxton Consulting Group, Independent Financial Group LLC, and owns a consulting firm focused on online media marketing. X Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers tailored portfolios using a combination of indexing and active strategies, along with wealth-management coordination and participant education.

Gary Benson is a financial advisor with X Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 63 designation and 42 years of industry experience. His prior roles include senior positions at Pash & Benson International LLC, NPB Financial Group LLC, and Independent Financial Group, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as an officer and director in an insurance-related business and consults for a tax and investment purposes entity. X Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers tailored portfolios utilizing stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and alternative investments, combining indexing and active strategies with both discretionary and non-discretionary advisory services.

Irene Timmons is a financial advisor at Monarch Wealth Strategies with 20 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked with Monarch Wealth Strategies since 2018, following a tenure at LPL Financial beginning in 2005. Monarch Wealth Strategies provides discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and investment consulting to affluent individuals, families, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and brokerage customers. The firm focuses on clients with at least $750,000 in investible assets and employs a range of investment strategies including asset allocation, tax-loss harvesting, and use of mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and alternative instruments on a case-by-case basis.

Coleen Edwards is a financial advisor with Weinberger Asset Management, Inc., holding a Series 63 license and bringing 35 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Robert K Hather and Wells Fargo Advisors. Weinberger Asset Management, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs a variety of analytical methods and offers services such as retirement-plan management and IRA rollover education, managing over $500 million in client assets.

Robert Ogden is a CFP® certificant with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving at Golden State Wealth Management, LLC since 2019. He previously operated Ogden Wealth Management & Planning Services, LLC and has provided CPA services under his own firm since 2002. Golden State Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and businesses by offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm emphasizes discretionary portfolio management through tailored investment strategies and uses a variety of analytic approaches along with third-party managers and model portfolios.

David Ogden is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience, currently practicing at Golden State Wealth Management, LLC in Santa Maria, CA. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial and Ogden Wealth Management & Planning Services, along with a long tenure at the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District. Outside of advisory work, he is also a musician. Golden State Wealth Management serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and businesses, offering services such as asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting. The firm’s approach includes discretionary portfolio management combined with analytic methods and third-party manager deployments.

Carin Barnes is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with Series 63 and Series 65 designations and one year of industry experience. She has worked at Commonwealth Financial Network and ARTHA Wealth Advisors since 2024. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing around $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform, including managed-account programs and access to third-party asset managers, and provides a range of investment options along with custody and clearing services.

Timothy Graham is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Santa Maria, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with three years of industry experience. His background includes roles at NYLIFE Securities LLC and involvement with Central Coast Visionary, Certain Sparks Music, and First Christian Church. Eagle Strategies serves individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated representatives. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client objectives, emphasizing fiduciary responsibilities and primarily managing assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Bradley Boulton is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and has prior experience at firms including Vivid Financial Management, Inc. and Mutual Securities, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he has involvement with a business entity used for tax and investment purposes. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement consulting, utilizing a combination of passive and active investment strategies guided by an internal Investment Committee.

Vanita Kibbe is a financial advisor at First Command Advisory Services with 23 years of industry experience. She holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. She has worked with the First Command organization since 2002 and currently serves as a health and weight loss coach with Optavia, LLC. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser that primarily serves individuals, corporations, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and wrap-fee asset management programs managed centrally by its Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers.

Anees Akhund is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 40 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Principal Financial Services and Principal Life Insurance Company for 38 years before joining Commonwealth Financial Network and ARTHA Wealth Advisors. Outside of finance, he is the owner and artist of New Artist Old Soul, an art studio offering classes and sales in Atascadero, CA. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing over $200 billion in assets. The firm provides a wide range of managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custodial services, supporting advisors in delivering tailored investment solutions to individual and institutional clients.

James Simonaro is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, based in Orcutt, CA. He has five years of industry experience, including roles at Vivid Financial Management and Tesla. His current tenure at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services began in 2022. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services manages over $122 billion in assets and offers financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a diversified investment approach that combines passive and active management with quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis.

Timothy Noe is a CFP® professional with three years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC and has held prior roles at LPL Financial LLC and United Parcel Service. Outside of advising, he provides administrative support to Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services manages over $122 billion in assets and serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm uses diversified, risk-class based investment strategies that combine passive and active management, supported by an internal Investment Committee and multiple implementation tools.

Bradley Johnson is a CFP® with 28 years of experience in the financial services industry, currently affiliated with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Santa Maria, CA. He has been with Eagle Strategies since 2016 and has longstanding ties to New York Life and Nylife Securities, where he has worked since 1998. Johnson serves as a board member of the Santa Maria Fairway Pines Home Owners Association. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individuals, institutional clients, and plan sponsors. The firm offers multiple advisory programs tailored to client objectives, with a significant portion of assets managed on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.