Large-firm financial advisors working with retirees in Gainesville, TX

Cary Cates is a CFP® and Series 66-registered financial advisor with over 11 years of industry experience. He leads Cates FP and Cates Tax Advisory in Gainesville, TX, where he focuses on both financial planning and tax advisory services. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas. Cates FP provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $48 million in discretionary assets. The firm emphasizes a passive investment approach with diversified portfolios and integrates credentialed tax services, including tax return preparation and IRS representation, within its advisory offerings.

Thomas Schalk is a financial advisor at SPC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has been with Sigma Planning Corporation since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Vice President and board member for both the Fairview Cemetery Association and the GISD Education Foundation in Gainesville, TX, assisting with leadership and meeting coordination. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans, managing approximately $5.66 billion in assets. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement services through a large network of advisers, offering both discretionary and nondiscretionary management options.

Michael Chrustawka is a financial advisor with Gradient Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ruggiero Wealth Management, LLC and operating as a sole proprietor. Outside of financial advising, he is involved in horse breeding, training, and sales through a personal business in Gainesville, TX. Gradient Advisors, LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm operates primarily through a network of Investment Advisor Representatives and third-party money managers, using a largely non-discretionary model that incorporates fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Ken Walbridge is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has previously operated Ken Walbridge Financial Planning, LLC. In addition to his advisory work, he has over two decades of experience as a life insurance agent. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and offers a range of investment strategies through a turnkey asset management platform.

Earl Russell IV is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Gainesville, TX, with 26 years of industry experience. He has held his position at Edward Jones since 1999 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and charitable organizations. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, investment strategies, and affiliated financial services through a nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Craig Mcdaniel Jr. is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Columbia, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. and The McDaniel Corporation since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in life insurance sales and serves as an independent agent for annuities and related products. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a blend of analytical methods with ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.

Hassan Al Kadhimi is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. He is also involved with NIHFCU Wealth Advisors, a related business entity. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Amanda Scheele is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2024, she worked at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2024 and is involved with Lucky Duck since 2025. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers financial planning and non-discretionary consulting services, drawing on various portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

Jeffrey Park is a financial advisor at Merrill with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill and affiliated firms since 2011, including roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities. Outside of his advisory work, he is a sole owner and co-owner of family rental properties in Lawrenceville, Georgia. 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, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Wesley Pool is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at JPMorgan Securities LLC for seven years. Outside of finance, he has been involved with #TagMeBro LLC and Fry Street Public House. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Willie Myles is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2016, previously serving at Axa Advisors and MSI Financial Services. Outside of advising, he is a co-chairman of a fundraising campaign for Alpha Light Fund Inc., a nonprofit focused on renovating the House of Alpha. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, retirement consulting, and asset management through a network of representatives and third-party managers. The firm offers various investment vehicles and ERISA fiduciary services, relying on third-party program sponsors and an affiliation with a publicly traded parent company.