Our specialists

As Managing Director – Investments, Ted Kawahara has dedicated over 30 years of his career to the financial services industry. He works with clients to create customized wealth plans that help protect and preserve their money while they work toward their retirement and life goals.

Ted’s family has a long history within the industry, as his father served on the board of EF Hutton and was President of the Pacific Stock Exchange. His sister was an officer in Smith Barney’s Public Finance Department.

Ted has leveraged his industry knowledge to earn the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® certification in 1999, and a post-graduate certificate in financial planning from UCLA. His CFP^® designation recognizes his substantial practical wealth planning experience, the completion of a comprehensive and highly specialized educational program, and the demonstration of real-world applications of core competencies. He utilizes his CFP^® skills while creating comprehensive investment plans, and frequently meets with his clients to help ensure those plans stay aligned with their retirement needs.

Ted was recently named to the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list for 2025, for his sixth consecutive year (2019 – 2025).

Ted graduated from Trinity College in Connecticut with a B.A. in economics. He was born and raised in Southern California where he now lives with his wife, Helen, and their teenage sons, Todd and Jake.

William Knebel grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes, where he was Valedictorian of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a perfect 4.0 GPA from UCLA with an emphasis in economics. Before joining Wells Fargo Advisors in 2025, he worked at Morgan Stanley.

He devotes much of his leisure time to staying active, rotating between playing baseball, basketball, and pickleball.

Jacob Kawahara has gained industry knowledge from his family’s multiple generations of experience in finance, and he feels fortunate to be in a role where he can help clients with their financial goals. He focuses on pre-retirement and retirement planning, education savings, and tax-efficient investment strategies.

Jacob obtained his Bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. He lives in Palos Verdes Estates, California, and in his free time, he enjoys trying new restaurants and exploring new cities.