Of the Field

FPA NorCal Conference 2026

T

he FPA NorCal Conference is a beacon for financial planners eager to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of their industry. Known for its rigorous content and national-caliber reputation, this event draws experts and innovators to share insights that shape the future of financial planning. Attendees are treated to a rich blend of strategic thinking and pra…

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24Voices
51Underwriters
0Exhibitors
19On the bill · sessions
72Companies · in total
§I

The Voices

Programmed at FPA, in alphabetical order.
Ben Lewis
Chief Communications Officer, Financial Planning Association · Financial Planning Association
Brandi Chastain
Brandon Clark
Director, ETF Business Senior Vice President, Federated Hermes · Federated Hermes
Brent Sullivan
Analyst and Editor, Tax Alpha Insider · Tax Alpha Insider
Carolyn McClanahan
Founder, Life Planning Partners, Inc. · Life Planning Partners, Inc.
Chuck Failla
Founder + CEO, Sovereign Financial Group, Inc · Sovereign Financial Group, Inc.
Corey Kupfer
Founder/Managing Partner, Kupfer., PLLC · Kupfer., PLLC
David Grau
President, Succession Resource Group · Succession Resource Group
David Kelly
Dr. Joaquin E Wallace
President, JSK Management and Media LLC · JSK Management and Media LLC
Ellen Cookman
Owner/Principal Attorney, Cookman Law · Cookman Law
Frank Murtha
Founder, The Financial Counseling Institute · The Financial Counseling Institute
Lisa Barr
Vice President, Development, West, National Philanthropic Trust · National Philanthropic Trust
Liz Thomas
Chief Market Strategist, SoFi · SoFi
Margo Steinlage Kreider
President, Steinlage Insurance Agency · Steinlage Insurance Agency
Markus Aakko
Chief Revenue Officer, Brooklyn Investment Group · Brooklyn Investment Group
Matt Goren
Co-Founder, Global Financial Planning Institute · Global Financial Planning Institute
Meredith Johnson
Partner, BPM LLP · BPM LLP
Michael Kitces
Chief Financial Planning Nerd, Kitces.com · Kitces.com
Patrick Collar
Pension Consultant/Principal, Nicholas Pension Consultants · Nicholas Pension Consultants
Russell Kroeger
Founder/CEO, Trayecto · Trayecto
Saundra Davis
Executive Director, Sage Financial Solutions · Sage Financial Solutions

— and 2 more, by name unsung —

§II

Underwritten By

The houses behind the program. Tiers as disclosed.
CarsonPlatinum
Federated HermesPlatinum
Midland AdvisoryPlatinum
NuveenPlatinum
Allworth FinancialGold
AltruistGold
American Heart AssociationGold
AstoriaGold
Avantis InvestorsGold
Axos Advisor ServicesGold
Charles SchwabGold
ComplianceAdvisor (STP Investment Services)Gold
Dimensional Fund AdvisorsGold
Dodge & CoxGold
eLegacy Law PLLCGold
Fidelity InvestmentsGold
First TrustGold
Forge GlobalGold
Foundation SourceGold
Global X ETFsGold
Golsan ScruggsGold
Jackson National Life Distributors, LLCGold
KoyfinGold
Osterweis Capital ManagementGold
Paperback ExpertGold
Prospect CapitalGold
Saturna Capital CorporationGold
SEIGold
SPFGGold
StonecrestGold
Symmetry Partners, LLCGold
The American College of Financial ServicesGold
ThriventGold
United Planners Financial ServicesGold
VanguardGold
Vert Asset ManagementGold
AdvyzonTech Lounge
Atlas Park ConsultingSilver Lounge
CachePalladium Wi-Fi
EncorEstate PlansSilver Lounge
§III

The Programme

Selected from 19 sessions on the bill.
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 10:25 - 12:05 PM

    Equity Evolved: Strategic Planning for the Next Generation of Executive Comp

    Today’s executive comp packages go far beyond stock options. This session unpacks the full range of equity-based strategies—from RSUs and ISOs to complex vehicles like PPUs and pro…

    Tax
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 10:25 - 12:05 PM

    Planner's Checklist for Advising Clients on Health Care Expenses in Retirement

    Dr. McClanahan has spoken through the years about the many issues that financial advisers need to consider when planning for client’s health care expenses. This session brings all …

    Retirement
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 10:25 - 12:05 PM

    Succession Without Surrender: How Founders Exit Without Selling to Private Equity

    A candid, RIA founder-led discussion on how to exit responsibly — without selling your soul, your culture, or your firm to private equity.

    Practice Management
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 10:25 - 12:05 PM

    The Psychology of Financial Planning: A Guide to Practice and Ethics

    Dr. Murtha is known for his insightful, practical and entertaining style of presentation. This talk, rooted in time-tested psychological principles, will cover effective techniques…

    Psychology, Ethics
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 12:45 - 1:45 PM

    Keep the Plates Spinning

    After three strong years of stock market returns, financial markets are gripped by uncertainty in 2026. Liz Young, the Head of Investment Strategy for SoFi, will join us to help so…

  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 2:15 - 3:30 PM

    Avoiding Medicare Mistakes In Retirement

    Your clients are asking Medicare questions. Are you ready to answer or refer? This isn’t just another generic Medicare overview. It’s a strategic session for advisors who want to s…

    Insurance
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 2:15 - 3:30 PM

    External Succession as Strategy: Turning Transition into Competitive Advantage

    Succession planning for RIAs is often viewed as an eventual exit event. In reality, when approached strategically, it can become a powerful catalyst for growth, liquidity, and long…

    Practice Management
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 2:15 - 3:30 PM

    Long/Short Strategies are Powerful Planning Tools: How They Work and When They Don't

    Direct indexing introduced the planning community to individual stock positions for customization, tax-loss harvesting, and gift planning. But a new strategy using a margin loan an…

    Investments
  • Tuesday, May 26th 2026, 2:15 - 3:30 PM

    Mind the Gap: Financial and psychological considerations of moving abroad

    Americans’ interest in moving abroad has never been higher – but do they know what they’re getting themselves into? Failing to consider both the financial and psychological issues …

    Financial Planning
Intermission
Part the Second · For the Buyer

What does it mean when 72 companies show up — and 1 bet on three roles at once?

72 companies. one are betting more than once.

The numbers below are derived from the speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors on this page — cross-referenced into one ledger. They are the only thing here that 10times.com cannot tell you.

01Fig. 01 — Composition of the House
1All threespeak · spons · exh
50Sponsoringsponsor only
0Exhibitingexhibitor only
21Companies Speakingspeaker only

The Triple-Threat

Federated Hermes

02Fig. 02 — The Voices, by Seniority

71% of the speakers carry senior titles — C-suite, Founder, VP, or Director-level.

  • C-suite729%
  • Founder / Owner729%
  • VP-level28%
  • Director / Head of14%
  • Manager / Lead14%
  • Engineer · IC14%
  • Other roles521%

Of 24 on the bill · classified by free-text title

03Fig. 03 — The Heaviest in the Room
  1. 01Federated HermesSp·P1V
  2. 02AdvyzonSp·T
  3. 03Allworth FinancialSp·G
  4. 04AltruistSp·G
  5. 05American Heart AssociationSp·G
  6. 06AstoriaSp·G
  7. 07Atlas Park ConsultingSp·S
  8. 08Avantis InvestorsSp·G
  9. 09Axos Advisor ServicesSp·G
  10. 10CacheSp·P
  11. 11CarsonSp·P
  12. 12Charles SchwabSp·G
  13. 13ComplianceAdvisor (STP Investment Services)Sp·G
  14. 14Dimensional Fund AdvisorsSp·G
04Fig. 04 — By Tier
platinum4
8% of 51
gold32
63% of 51
palladium wi-fi1
2% of 51
silver lounge4
8% of 51
tech lounge10
20% of 51
06Fig. 06 — Adjacent Convocations · by shared underwriters