Who We Are

Glen Smith, the CEO and CIO of GDS Wealth Management, earned his bachelor’s degree in Management and International Business from Sonoma State University and was a senior vice president and financial adviser with Merrill Lynch before founding GDS Wealth Management. He has attained the prestigious CFP® certification and is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor. In 2020, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) approved Glen to act as a Registered Player Financial Advisor.

Glen has worked in the financial services industry for nearly two decades. He has amassed comprehensive knowledge and holds himself to the highest standards of ethics and integrity. As the founder and CEO/CIO, Glen is most proud of the high-quality service GDS offers to clients. More than just saying the words “we care,” Glen and the entire GDS team strive to actually fulfill that commitment and provide clients with the highest possible level of service and standards. Glen leads the GDS team by example; his servant leadership is one of his most celebrated qualities.

Several publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Fox Business, and Investor’s Business Daily, have interviewed and highlighted Glen as a commentator on market analytics. He has also appeared in interviews on Cheddar TV, Bloomberg Radio, Reuters, and the Schwab Network. His market insights and valuable contributions to the field are appreciated not only by his clients but also by the wider financial community. For the past six years, Glen has been named one of Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, a prestigious recognition for standout wealth advisors who top the list in each state.

Born in California, Glen grew up in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where his parents are career missionaries. He remains active in the Guayaquil community, supporting an organization that feeds malnourished children. Glen now lives in Flower Mound with his wife, Gisella, and their children, Nathalia and Lucas. The Smiths are members and active volunteers at RockPointe Church in Flower Mound, and they love giving back to their community. In his spare time, Glen enjoys playing tennis, traveling with his family, attending his children’s sporting events, and spending time with his family.

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Investment advice offered through GDS Wealth Management, a registered investment adviser. Investing carries inherent risks, including market volatility, potential loss of capital, and uncertainty in returns, which investors should carefully consider before making any financial decisions. GDS Wealth Management is not affiliated with and does not endorse the opinions, products, or services of The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Fox Business, Investor’s Business Daily, Cheddar TV, Bloomberg Radio, Reuters, and the Schwab Network.

The Forbes America’s Top Wealth Advisors 2024 ranking, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a review of best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. This ranking is based upon the period from 6/30/2022 to 6/30/2023 and was released on 4/3/2024. Investment performance is not a criterion because audited records rarely exist and clients have varying risk levels. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Research Summary (as of April 2024): 44,990 Advisor nominations were received based on high thresholds. 23,876 Advisors were invited to complete the online survey. SHOOK has conducted over 20,412 telephone interviews with advisors. 4,926 Advisors were interviewed in-person at the Advisors' location and 1,507 interview were web-based. Final list of the top 250 advisors was then compiled based an algorithm that considers both quantitative and qualitative criteria. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please see https://www.forbes.com/lists/top-wealth-advisors/?sh=4281b4c61c7c more info.