Jay Kirkwood
Founder & CEO of Secure Financial Management
Jay has been involved in the investment and money management field since 1999, starting out at a brokerage firm in Brisbane, Australia. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Texas Monthly magazine. In 2011, he left USAA to establish Secure Financial Management. His goal was to create a company focused on one-on-one, face-to-face relationships free of the conflicts of interest that exist when a firm is connected to a bank, insurance company, brokerage, or investment group. Jay is also a private pilot and loves the freedom that comes with getting up in the air.
Jacob McDonald
VP of Financial Consulting
Jacob is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional at Secure Financial Management and a graduate from Texas A&M University as a participant in the financial planning program. Jacob likes to stay involved in the community as an Eagle Scout and Alamo Heights Rotarian.
Jarod Mercado
VP of Investment Operations
Throughout his career, Jarod has played a pivotal role in supporting investment teams and portfolio managers, ensuring seamless execution of investment strategies and adherence to regulatory requirements. He is committed to staying abreast of market trends and regulatory changes, continuously seeking opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and improve the client experience.
Frank Esquivel
VP of Health Solutions
Frank is a San Antonio native with an extensive background in Life, Health, and Annuity sales. He is currently focused on enhancing our clients’ life, health & Medicare plan experiences. After 21 years of service he retired from USAA, where he had the honor of serving in various roles. Frank was also formerly FINRA licensed and completed rotations in Medicare Product Management and Centralized Supervision. He is an avid sports fan (Go Spurs Go!) and enjoys playing golf and volunteering at his church.
Tom Moore
VP of Wealth Management
Tom Moore is a former professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latin America, as well as various other mini tours across the United States since 2012. Tom joined Secure Financial Management in October of 2024 and works as VP of Wealth Management.
Tom grew up in Southern California and was inducted into the Edison High School Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a golfer when his team won the 2007 California state championship. After high school, Tom attended the University of Tulsa before transferring to Texas State University in San Marcos, where he competed in golf and graduated in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in business management with a sub-focus in entrepreneurial studies. Tom’s biggest accomplishment during his time as a collegiate golfer was qualifying for the US Amateur tournament, which was held at Erin Hills Golf Club in Wisconsin in the summer of 2011.
While playing professionally, Tom had the opportunity to compete all over North and South America, including the Caribbean. He remains grateful for the chance to meet so many incredible people, experience a variety of cultures, and play unique golf courses during his time on tour.
Tom got married to his wife, Katrina, in May of 2022, and the two reside in San Antonio full-time. They both love to travel domestically and abroad, and enjoy active pursuits such as golf, skiing, CrossFit, and pretty much any outside activity or sport!
Tom’s passion for helping others is the reason he joined the financial industry. It is his personal mission to help individuals protect and grow their money to live their dream life while being the best versions of themselves they can be. He is committed to offering the best financial planning strategies and services for all his clients, regardless of where they are in life.
Nelda Chapa
Customer Care Specialist
Nelda retired after 33 years of service with AT&T. Throughout her career, customer service has been her number one priority. Now with Secure Financial Management, Nelda is the first line of support and aims to ensure your experiences with us are positive and memorable.
Alyssa Vargas
VP of Communications
Alyssa graduated from UTSA with a BFA in English and Communication. She enjoys bringing ideas to life through writing and strives to one day publish her own creative works.
Carmen Hernandez
Brand Ambassador
Carmen retired from USAA after 48 years of experience in customer service, training, and investments. Carmen loves hanging out with friends, fishing, and traveling.
Bianca Gonzalez
Senior VP of Operations
With over two decades of experience in the financial services industry and operations management, Bianca serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations at Secure Financial Management.
Prior to this role, she spent nearly 21 years at USAA, where she held numerous roles in P&C Claims, Strategy & Planning, and New Product Development, contributing to strategic growth and operational excellence.
Passionate about fostering innovation and delivering results, Bianca is dedicated to optimizing operations to meet the evolving needs of our clients.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, five children, and two dogs, finding balance and inspiration in her vibrant family life.
Rodrigo Gutierrez
Director of Lead Generation
Rodrigo is a creative Director of Lead Generation with a background in content creation, advertising, analytics, and campaign development. Holding degrees in English, radio-television-film, and a certificate in digital marketing from the University of Texas at Austin, Rodrigo offers a unique blend of creativity and data-driven strategies. Passionate about creating compelling content and optimizing performance, Rodrigo specializes in heightening brand visibility and driving audience engagement across multiple platforms. Dedicated to delivering innovative solutions, Rodrigo is committed to supporting the company’s mission and serving its growing client base.
Hannah Taylor
Director of Business Development
Hannah is a dynamic, results-oriented leader with extensive experience and expertise in sales, operations, and team management. As the Director of Business Development at Secure Financial Management, she has consistently excelled at surpassing sales goals, building strong client relationships, and optimizing processes to enhance operational efficiency. With a background in consultative selling, market research, and cross-functional collaboration, Hannah delivers innovative, customer-focused solutions that drive business growth.
Anna Ybarra
Client Relations Specialist
Anna’s mission is to leverage her 30 years of customer service and operations experience to foster strong connections and create efficient, positive experiences for both customers and teams. She specializes in problem-solving and enjoys developing community and engagement relationships. Anna is committed to empowering others through effective communication, collaboration, and innovative solutions, always with a customer-first mindset.
Secure Financial Management and The Fiduciary Standard
Secure Financial Management (SFM) is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) established federally through the Security and Exchange Commission. Because of this, SFM is held to a fiduciary standard, which is a legal obligation to put the client’s interest ahead of everything else. As an independent RIA, we remain free of the conflict of interests many other firms find themselves subject to. Operating this way allows us to provide truly customized solutions for every client we work with.
We are entrusted with managing hundreds of millions of dollars for hundreds of USAA retirees. The enormity of this responsibility is not lost on us, and we make it our mission to be worthy of this privilege every day. We hope for the opportunity to meet you soon, learn about your story, and partner with you on this journey through retirement.
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