Independent financial advisors working with founders and business owners in Pharr, TX

Rafael Munguia is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in McAllen, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having three years of industry experience. He has worked at Lone Star National Bank and Northwestern Mutual, and he owns Caribella Construction LLC, a subcontracting business he has operated since 2009. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to third-party asset managers, supported by a broad platform combining advisory and non-advisory financial activities.

Krista Cuevas is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. Her prior work includes positions at Bank of America, N.A., South Texas College, and Heb. Outside of finance, she owns a photography business called Krista Lee Photography. 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 strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Frank Ulloa is a financial advisor at Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has a background that includes roles at Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company and as an Independent Insurance Agent. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in insurance sales and partners in a property management business. Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory services to individuals, corporations, and qualified retirement plans, offering financial planning and managed account programs primarily through a platform relationship with Envestnet. The firm operates alongside broker-dealer and insurance businesses within the Mutual of Omaha group and offers a range of investment and advisory solutions.

Jorge Escobedo Jr. is a financial advisor with Cetera, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cetera since 2019 and was previously with LPL Financial from 2015 to 2019. Outside of his advisory role, he is a 50% owner of MJ & BOYZ LLC, a rental property business, jointly owned with his wife. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving both individual and institutional clients through a large network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing a multi-manager platform that includes affiliated and third-party managers.

Armando Ortiz III is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Outside of his advisory role, Ortiz is the owner of Y Fitness, a fitness apparel company, where he manages finance, marketing, and sales. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, combining large institutional advisory operations with brokerage and investment management capabilities. The firm delivers non-discretionary asset allocation advice and investment recommendations supported by an in-house manager solutions team and a centralized due-diligence framework.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

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.

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.

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.

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Edwina Martin is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience, currently with Waverly Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at 9258 Wealth Management for five years and was employed at Teradata Corp for eleven years. Martin also serves as assistant director of tax planning at 9258 Tax and Planning, a non-investment related business. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, offering a range of investment management and financial planning services.

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.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Martin Wealth Management, LLC in Irvine, CA. He holds a Series 65 credential and has 15 years of industry experience. Hart previously worked with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group and LifePro Asset Management. He is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education, providing unbiased fiduciary financial education to the public. Martin Wealth Management offers investment advisory services primarily to individuals and high-net-worth clients by co-advising and directing accounts to a third-party money manager, Matson Money. The firm focuses on client onboarding, documentation, and ongoing review of third-party manager accounts rather than direct asset management.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.