About

After serving in the U.S. Army for nearly 25 years, retired officer Roy Y. Gagaza knew he needed a retirement plan. But little did he know that his path towards retirement would help his clients achieve the same end. With a professional goal to help others receive the financial resources they need and the sound financial guidance they deserve, he has had a different experience than many in financial planning and consulting. "I retired from the military on Sept. 30, 2008, after nearly 25 years of service. But about ten years into my career, my wife and I started thinking about what we would do outside of the military," the double Bronze Star officer mentioned during an interview. Recognizing that he needed a career outside of the military, he began providing financial counselling to individuals and educational seminars during his last ten years in the service.

His military experience has served him well, providing a solid basis for hard work and a pragmatic approach to education and business. He recently stated, "I like working with senior clients—that 55-plus market. I get along better with people who are older than I. They've gone through so much and seen so many things in their life." By capitalizing on his experience and rolling it into gains for his clients, Roy Y. Gagaza has helped them work towards their dream retirement by developing well-thought-out financial strategies that take a personal approach to their wishes and goals. At the same time, he has taken the time to develop personalized approaches for each client and get to know each individual and their families, building and maintaining long-lasting relationships that deliver strong results.

With a long history of working with local school districts, CPAs, the highway patrol, Chambers of Commerce, and numerous individuals, he's been proud to serve the community, providing financial education to people from all walks of life. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in business management from San Jose State University, Roy Gagaza has also been certified as a Financial Professional, Certified Estate Planner, and Registered Financial Consultant, with insurance licenses from Hawaii and California. He grew into the Hawaiian market following his military experiences there, frequenting the islands throughout his career in the Army, and decided to test out the market by offering a seminar on the island.

Roy Y. Gagaza's also noticed a significant variance between these two main markets. Hawaiian clients tend to be more conservative with their principles, and northern Californians in the tech area want to play stocks and push excessive risk. These disparate groups require a careful touch, encouraging conservative planners to risk a little more while trying to mediate risk for those who feel that investing in high-risk stocks is not Gagaza's area of practice. His focus is on creating a strong profile that individuals can move forward with comfortably, leaving them in a good position for their retirement years while protecting their principal and assets, and reducing risk to their retirement dreams, mentioning in an interview, "The key for me is to help my clients preserve their money and have lifelong income."

Beyond his military awards, he's also received several awards for his work in civilian life, including the Advisors Excel Elite Advisor Award every year since 2018, the Allianz Century Award - 100 million in premium, and the Security Benefit Elite Advisor Award in 2018 and 2020 and mostly recently Roy and his wife, Patricia were inducted into the Advisors Excel Hall of Fame. Roy Gagaza has led countless educational seminars that continue to reach hundreds of individuals who are approaching or are in retirement. The financial guidance he provides them allows these individuals to preserve their assets, use tax-efficient strategies to reduce tax liability, and create retirement income strategies, allowing them to enjoy their golden years with peace of mind. However, beyond simple investing for retirement, he counsels his clients also to create spending plans that are both realistic and well-grounded. Roy Y. Gagaza finds that many individuals get into trouble about five years before and after their retirement, "People get in their "red zone" where they believe they've made it. And they begin to say: "Let's go on that cruise. Or let's go on 12 of them." But there needs to be a fine balance and there needs to be a plan in place before doing that."

In addition to providing a comprehensive, holistic approach to planning for many individuals, using asset preservation, risk reduction, and principal protection, he also believes in building community beyond the office. He forms long-term relationships with his clients and their families in an on-demand, fast-track society, setting him apart from many financial counsellors. This close connection with his client base has put him in a good position for long-term, consistent financial growth; stating, "I'd rather build a business of referrals than have a few big clients." He regularly matches client contributions to charitable organizations, especially military-focused ones such as U.S. Vets and Folds of Honor. Because they understand the challenges that face military families daily, the Roy Y. Gagaza family understands the importance of supporting military personnel as they move from active duty and military life back into the civilian world, including housing, mental health, wellness, workforce development, and support that is personalized to each veteran's needs.

But he's led a rich and enjoyable life beyond the office walls. His wife, business partner, and co-founder, Patricia, has been by his side for the past 24 years, in addition to many years as a military wife. Their son, youngest child Grant, decided to follow in his father's footsteps after graduating from the University of Pacific with a Business Finance degree and earning his Life and Health Insurance license. Their middle child, Mackenzie, is recently married and has a Master of Education in Literacy and teaches high school English. The oldest child, Kyrie, is also married and recently gave birth to Roy and Patricia's first grandchild, Eleanor. Kyrie has a Masters's Degree in Business Administration and continues her career as the Senior Team Lead, Marketing Operations at Yardi Systems, a real estate software firm.

Outside of time spent with family, Roy Y. Gagaza enjoys spending time in the water, paddle boarding, snorkelling, diving, perfecting his golf game, snowboarding and unwinding with a good book.