Gary Brownfield
CFP®, AIF®
Gary began his financial services career in 1999 after obtaining his MBA in finance from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He worked as a financial planner for Green/White Advisors in Houston, Texas, for seven years before founding GB Financial Services, LLC, in 2006. Gary has also completed the personal financial planning curriculum at the University of Houston in preparation for sitting for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ examination, which he passed in March 2006. To be called a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Gary must meet the educational, experience, and ethical standards set by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. Gary must also take 30 hours of continuing education every two years, including courses on ethics.
Gary is registered as an Investment Adviser Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network® and holds an insurance license in the state of Texas. Gary is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary®.
Before financial planning, Gary had a 20-year career as a business owner and engineer, during which he worked with clients and specialized in fluid power. Gary holds a BS degree in engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from Butler University, and he has completed post-graduate studies in financial planning at the University of Houston.
In his spare time, Gary enjoys hiking and bicycling. He also provides volunteer services throughout the community for various charitable organizations. He is an active member of the national and local chapters of the Financial Planning Association.
Bruce Zong
MBA, FRM®
Bruce was an International Fellow at Tulane University, earning a master’s degree in Economics and an MBA in Finance. There he participated in the Burkenroad Reports, the nation’s first university-sponsored securities analysis program.
His 18 years specialties include portfolio management, option trading, risk management, hedging strategies, and quantitative analysis. He holds the General Securities license [Series 7] and the Investment Advisor license [Series 66] as required and issued by the Federal Industry Regulatory Board [FINRA].
Bruce is registered as an Investment Adviser Representative with Commonwealth Financial Network® and holds the Financial Risk Manager [FRM] Certification by Global Association of Risk Professionals [GARP].
He also provides volunteer services throughout the community for various charitable organizations such as North Texas Food Bank and United Way. In his spare time Bruce enjoys Spartan races, cycling & diving. He traversed Sahara Desert and summited Mount Kilimanjaro.
Ben Holden
Financial Planning Assistant
Ben joined GB Financial Services LLC after working in the aerospace engineering industry for over 6 years in the engineering and technical disciplines. Ben is currently completing his MBA on Finance at Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business as he pursues his licensing to become a registered Investment Advisor Representative.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas in Arlington, Texas and has completed his Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering at Purdue University. Ben has always had a keen interest in financial markets and investments and is a welcomed addition to the firm as a Financial Planning Assistant.
In his spare time, Ben enjoys cycling, running and choral singing.
Bill Blalock
Executive and Life Coach
Bill’s effective life coaching methods review a paradigm of different areas of your life from your current financial situation, career desires, and even your emotional balance. Bill believes that, before you can have a successful financial plan, you must first overcome the emotional barriers that can prevent you from reaching financial success. Bill has an all-too-frequent quote, “It’s a two-step approach; first, preparedness; second, planning.” Even after a financial plan is in place and executed, Bill likes to maintain a relationship with the client, keeping the client’s life plan on course.
Bill has a master's degree in counseling from Amberton University. His practical experiences include a plethora of management positions in the corporate world where he obtained a thorough understanding of organizational dynamics, decision-making skills, effective planning, mentoring, and professional and career development. Bill also offers his professional services to nonprofit organizations and his local church. Bill is not securities registered and is not affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network®.
His corporate management positions have been with household name organizations, such as Frito Lay, Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, and Cadbury Schweppes, to mention a few. He has also been a guest speaker at many conferences, including PriceWaterhouseCooper’s Corporate Recovery Conference and for Turnaround Management Association and the National Association of Credit Management.
Bill also has an undergraduate degree in business administration from North Carolina Methodist University as well as an MBA from Oklahoma City University.