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APEX 2026 · Perennial's 6th Annual Conference

The APEX Experience

December 3–5, 2026  ·  Three Days of Vision, Connection & Growth

Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country  ·  Santa Rosa, CA

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6th Annual Conference
3 Days of Programming
12+ Expert Speakers
100+ Attendees

Meeting Agenda

Three days of curated programming, from keynotes and workshops to evening celebrations in the heart of Sonoma wine country.

2:00 – 4:30 PM
Executive Meet & Greet, Trivia, and Giving Back
Russian River Valley Ballroom
Social
5:20 PM
Meet in the Main Lobby for the Shuttle
Main Lobby
Logistics
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Opening Dinner at Paradise Ridge Winery
Paradise Ridge Winery · Seated dinner
Social
All Day
Vendor Showcase
Dry Creek Valley Foyer · Open throughout the conference
Showcase
7:30 AM
Breakfast
Russian River Valley Ballroom · Outdoor seating with heaters also available at the Dry Creek Valley Patio
Breakfast
8:15 AM
Opening Remarks
Advisor Meeting Room · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Keynote
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Sponsor Session: Nuveen
Beyond the Sale: Guiding Business Owners Through One of Life’s Most Consequential Financial Events
James Bergeron, Managing Director, Advisor Education · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II · Administration (Sonoma Mountain) and Perennial Legacy (Chalk Hill) tracks run concurrently
Session
9:05 – 9:35 AM
Sponsor Session: First Trust
Harnessing the Power of AI
Jason Westover, Certified Business Consultant · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Session
9:40 – 10:10 AM
Panel 1: Practice Management
Chris Nowakowski · John B. Petrick · Nick Cirbo, Invesco · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Panel
10:15 – 10:45 AM
Sponsor Session: Eaton Vance
Fixed Income Update Positioning
Andrew Szczurowski, CFA, Co-head, Mortgage and Securitized · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Session
10:45 – 10:55 AM
Break
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Break
10:55 – 11:25 AM
Sponsor Session: Franklin Templeton
Washington Update
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Session
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Lunch
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Lunch
12:00 – 12:30 PM
Panel 2: Liquid Alts & Commodities
Van Eck, Stuart Jung · Harbor, Jack Montague · Grayscale · SPDR · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Panel
12:35 – 1:05 PM
Sponsor Session: Alliance Bernstein
Inspiring Referrals
Robert Forrester, Senior Vice President, Director Western Division · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Session
1:10 – 1:40 PM
Sponsor Session: Voya
Your Super Power of Confidence and Credibility
Jason Chura, Head of Voya Global Consulting, Practice Management · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Session
1:40 – 1:45 PM
Break
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Break
1:45 – 2:45 PM
Keynote: Dr. Kevin Elko
Sponsored by New York Life and John Craven · Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Keynote
2:45 – 3:00 PM
Break
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II
Break
3:00 – 3:45 PM
Townhall with the Executive Team
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom I & II · Open Q&A with Perennial's leadership team
Keynote
6:00 – 7:00 PM
Cocktail Hour and Caricaturist
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom III & IV
Social
7:00 – 10:00 PM
Dinner, Caricaturist Continues
Dry Creek Valley Ballroom III & IV
Gala
10:00 PM – 1:00 AM
After Hours
The Railroad Stop Bar & Kitchen
Social
8:00 – 10:00 AM
Farewell Breakfast
Russian River Valley Ballroom · Open seating, safe travels
Farewell

Community Giving Back Event

We will be hosting a community charity event on Thursday, December 3rd starting at 2:00pm in the Russian Valley River room.

This will be a great opportunity for us to come together as a team and prepare care packages for a local organization in need. All necessary items will be provided, allowing us to quickly, and efficiently put together the packages.

Once we’ve finished packing, we’ll wrap up the event with a fun trivia contest!

We look forward to making a positive impact together!

Meeting Space Floor Plan

Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country meeting space floor plan

Diagram of the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country meeting space · gold marks the caricaturist location

View the caricaturists on Yelp →

Speaker Bios

World-class thought leaders, industry innovators, and inspiring practitioners gathered to share their knowledge and experience.

James Bergeron, Nuveen
James Bergeron
Managing Director, Advisor Education · Nuveen
SessionSponsor Session: Nuveen · Friday, December 4 · 8:30–9:00 AM
Jason Westover, First Trust
Jason Westover
Certified Business Consultant · First Trust
SessionSponsor Session: First Trust · Friday, December 4 · 9:05–9:35 AM
Nick Cirbo, Invesco
Nick Cirbo
Senior Advisor Consultant · Invesco
SessionPanel 1: Practice Management · Friday, December 4 · 9:40–10:10 AM
Andrew Szczurowski, Eaton Vance
Andrew Szczurowski, CFA
Co-head, Mortgage and Securitized · Eaton Vance
SessionSponsor Session: Eaton Vance · Friday, December 4 · 10:15–10:45 AM
Stuart Jung, Van Eck
Stuart Jung, CFP®, CIMA®
Director, Southwest · Van Eck
SessionPanel 2: Liquid Alts & Commodities · Friday, December 4 · 12:00–12:30 PM
Jack Montague, Harbor Capital Advisors
Jack Montague, CIMA®
Senior Vice President and Regional Investment Consultant · Harbor Capital Advisors
SessionPanel 2: Liquid Alts & Commodities · Friday, December 4 · 12:00–12:30 PM
Robert Forrester, Alliance Bernstein
Robert Forrester
Senior Vice President, Director Western Division · Alliance Bernstein
SessionSponsor Session: Alliance Bernstein · Friday, December 4 · 12:35–1:05 PM
Jason Chura, Voya
Jason Chura, PhD, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®
Head of Voya Global Consulting | Practice Management · Voya
SessionSponsor Session: Voya · Friday, December 4 · 1:10–1:40 PM
Dr. Kevin Elko
Dr. Kevin Elko
Keynote Speaker
SessionKeynote, sponsored by New York Life and John Craven · Friday, December 4 · 1:45–2:45 PM

Our Sponsors

APEX 2026 is made possible in part by the generous support of our sponsors.

Attire Guide

Arrival Day & Winery Dinner
Business Elegant
Full Day + Hotel Ballroom Gala
Business Day / Black Tie Optional
Closing Day & Breakfast
Smart Casual
🌿
Santa Rosa December Weather: Expect cool, crisp days and chilly evenings. Bring a stylish wool or cashmere coat for outdoor evening events. The Paradise Ridge Winery dinner on Thursday is partially outdoors, so warm layers and wraps are encouraged and part of the look.

Meet the Executive Team

Have an idea, question, or something on your mind? Reserve a private 15-minute conversation with a member of Perennial's leadership team. Slots are limited; book early.

📅
Date & TimeFriday, December 4 · 3:30–4:30 PM
⏱
Duration15 minutes per meeting
📍
LocationExecutive Meeting Rooms, Hyatt Regency, room assignments confirmed via email
✉️
ConfirmationA calendar invite will be sent to your email immediately upon booking

Explore Santa Rosa

When sessions wrap, the real Sonoma awaits. From world-renowned wineries to farm-to-table dining, here's how to make the most of your time in wine country.

Hyatt Regency
Sonoma Wine Country

Nestled in the heart of Northern California's legendary wine region, our venue sets the stage for three extraordinary days.

Address
170 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Hotel Block Rate
Preferential rates for APEX attendees: use code APEX26 when booking
Nearest Airport
Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport (STS) · 2200 Airport Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 · (707) 565-7243
Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country

Reservation & Cancellation Policy

RSVP Deadline October 31, 2026

By accepting this reservation, I acknowledge and agree that, should I cancel the reservation after the applicable cancellation deadline, except in the event of a qualifying medical or family emergency, I shall be liable for all costs and expenses arising from or related to the reservation, including, without limitation, the cost of accommodations, meals, and any other charges permitted under the applicable cancellation policy. I further authorize such amounts to be charged to my designated payment method in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable cancellation policy.

Need to Know

Everything you need before you arrive, from travel logistics to what to expect on-site.

Registration covers all sessions and meetings across the three days, plus the Executive Meet & Greet and Opening Dinner at Paradise Ridge Winery on Thursday, the Cocktail Hour and Dinner on Friday, and the Farewell Breakfast on Saturday. Breakfasts are also included. Hotel accommodations are separate and must be booked individually using the APEX26 discount code.
Book directly through the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country website or by calling the hotel, and enter the group code APEX26 to access the preferential conference rate. We recommend booking early; the room block is limited and typically fills quickly. Check-in is December 3 and check-out is December 6.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is approximately 70 minutes from the hotel by car. We recommend renting a car for flexibility; Sonoma County is best explored with your own wheels. Rideshare services are also available from SFO.
Yes, the Opening Dinner is held partially outdoors at Paradise Ridge Winery. Heaters and covered areas will be provided, but December evenings in Santa Rosa can drop to 38–48°F. We strongly encourage guests to bring a warm, stylish wrap or coat.
APEX 2026 is an invitation-only conference for Perennial's members and selected guests. Plus-ones are welcome at the evening social events but are not registered for conference sessions. Please contact the organizing team in advance to add a plus-one.
Yes, all keynote presentations and select workshop materials will be distributed to registered attendees via email within two weeks of the conference. A post-conference digital recap will also be shared with all attendees.
Reach the APEX 2026 organizing team at apex@perennials.com. For hotel-specific questions, contact the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country directly at 170 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401.

© 2026 Perennial's  ·  APEX Conference  ·  Santa Rosa, California

APEX 2026 · Perennial's 6th Annual Conference