Seasoned financial advisors working with clients approaching retirement in San Ramon, CA

James Smith is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in San Ramon, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has worked with J.P. Morgan Securities since 2012 and has been affiliated with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. since 2011. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager 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.

Kevin Hummel is the sole advisor at Run Free Capital LLC, a state-registered investment adviser based in San Ramon, CA. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been involved in financial services since 2025. His background includes work as an options trader and financial engineer, an MBA, and a brief period in clinical nursing. Outside of advising, he operates a sole proprietorship managing real estate rental properties. Run Free Capital LLC provides financial planning and discretionary investment management services to individual clients. The firm employs a long-term, research-based investment approach combined with fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and offers portfolio management across various asset classes including mutual funds, ETFs, equities, bonds, and REITs.

Sarah Huang is a CFP® professional with 31 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is the owner and sole advisor at New Spring Financial Planning, LLC, an independent firm she has operated since 2012. Prior to founding New Spring, she worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments for 11 years. New Spring Financial Planning provides financial planning, investment management, and consulting services to individual investors, high net worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm emphasizes customized, non-discretionary portfolio management with a disciplined, conservative, long-term approach based on client objectives and risk tolerance.

Thomas Manetta is a financial advisor with Manetta Wealth Management, Inc. in Danville, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 20 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Manetta Wealth Management in 2023, he worked at Perigon Wealth Management, Anthem Wealth Partners, and several other firms. Manetta Wealth Management is an independent advisory firm focusing on discretionary portfolio management and ongoing investment advice for individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a combination of charting, fundamental, quantitative and technical analysis, and modern portfolio theory to guide long-term trading strategies.

Omar Chyou is a Wealth Management Advisor with extensive experience providing comprehensive wealth management services that address both sides of his clients’ balance sheets. He works closely with clients to understand their goals and beliefs, helping them pursue their near- and long-term financial objectives. Omar is committed to delivering a high level of service and advice, enabling clients to focus on what matters most to them, including hobbies, family, career, and philanthropy. Omar began his financial services career in 1996, advising high-net-worth individuals and families. He has held positions at several prominent firms such as Wells Fargo Private Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Citi Private Bank. Additionally, he served as Market President for First Western Trust in Denver, Colorado, where he led a team of advisors offering comprehensive advice across investments, lending, banking, financial and estate planning, and insurance. His professional designations include Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA), Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), and Accredited Wealth Management Advisor™ (AWMA™). He is FINRA registered, holds California life insurance licenses, and maintains his NMLS certification. Omar earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Stanford University and completed his MBA at IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. Born and raised in Berkeley to immigrant parents from China and Mexico, he is a Spanish speaker who supports organizations focused on the Latin community and engages in community participation consistent with Merrill’s traditions. Outside of work, Omar spends time with his wife and three children enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking, fly fishing, snowboarding, karting, and target shooting, and pursues his interest as a car enthusiast.

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.

Stavroula Koutsfetsoulis is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 25 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2011. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in fiduciary activities as an attorney-in-fact (power of attorney). Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that provides retirement-income planning services primarily to individuals with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver written recommendation reports through a centralized consulting team, focusing on tailored retirement income strategies.

Barbara Brewer is a financial advisor at RBC Capital Markets with 20 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with RBC Capital Markets Corporation since 2008. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, serves individual investors, institutional clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers various advisory programs with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, custody, and brokerage services, tailoring strategies to clients’ Advisory Risk Profiles through a mix of in-house and third-party providers.

Richard Martin is a financial advisor at Cetera with 29 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has a background that includes nearly three decades at Avantax Advisory Services and eight years at Avantax Insurance Agency. Outside of his advisory work, he is the owner and sole proprietor of Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, a tax preparation and accounting firm. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm that serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm provides a multi-manager platform offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to various program structures and third-party money managers.

Lee Chen is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services in Pasadena, California, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, Chen serves on the board of directors for the San Gabriel Country Club. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings, combining proprietary capital market research with a broad range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions.

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.

David Cade is a financial advisor with LPL Financial based in Houston, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 42 years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2025, he worked at Next Financial Group, Inc. for 20 years and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. for six years. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management solutions, integrating proprietary research and third-party strategies.

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.

Linda Postorivo is a financial advisor at BC Advisors, LLC with 43 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 63 designation and has worked with MAFG RIA Services, Inc. since 1994 and with Mid-Atlantic Companies since 1981. BC Advisors provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, family trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and other institutional clients. The firm emphasizes non-discretionary investment recommendations grounded in fundamental analysis alongside technical and cyclical reviews, employing a variety of strategies including long-term, short-term, trading, options, and alternatives.