60Roy Gagaza is president and CEO of a retirement-focused financial firm, Journey Wealth Management, LLC, that helps individuals and families build clear strategies for income, savings, health care, and legacy planning as they move toward life after work. He entered the financial services field after a long military career, bringing a steady, service-minded approach to his work. His firm operates from offices in California and Hawaii, where he and his team meet with clients who want straightforward guidance, patient education, and long-term support for their financial futures.
Roy began his military journey in the Army Reserve before transitioning to active duty as an Armor Officer, ultimately serving for two decades in uniform. He completed demanding airborne and ranger training and led a tank platoon during primary operations in the Middle East, working closely with soldiers in challenging conditions. He later commanded a cavalry troop overseas and served as an operations and training officer, helping units from company to brigade level prepare for deployment to complex, often dangerous theaters.
Gagaza completed multiple combat deployments during his service and received the Bronze Star for his role in both Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, reflecting many years of responsibility under pressure. In the middle of his career, he began preparing for a new path by drawing on his Bachelor of Science degree in business marketing from a university in San Jose, California. While still on active duty, including a year-long deployment to Kuwait in 2004, he started meeting with clients, leading educational seminars, and earning professional designations in estate planning and financial consulting.
Roy Gagaza retired from the Army in 2008 and moved full-time into the financial services profession, carrying forward habits of discipline, preparation, and accountability. In his leadership role at his firm, he focuses on retirement planning, investment and wealth management, tax strategies, health care planning, and legacy and estate services for households approaching or already in retirement. His efforts have been recognized with Hall of Fame honors, ongoing elite-advisor awards, and a century-level achievement for helping clients place $100 million in premiums with a major insurance partner.
Roy approaches every client relationship as a long-term partnership built on trust, clear communication, and realistic expectations rather than quick decisions. He encourages people to think carefully about what they want their post-career life to look like and then designs strategies intended to protect assets, create reliable income streams, and leave room for goals that may change over time. His military background shapes a calm, organized style as he helps clients prepare for transitions, uncertainty, and unexpected events through practical, step-by-step planning.
Roy Gagaza remains active in community and family life, extending the same spirit of service that guided his years in uniform and continues in his financial career. He works with law enforcement agencies, school districts, tax professionals, business organizations, and many residents to provide educational seminars for pre-retirees and retirees on preserving assets, creating income strategies, and using tax-efficient approaches. He and his family support veterans’ causes, food banks, animal rescue efforts, and trail-conservation groups, and he values time spent traveling, reading, golfing, and enjoying the water with loved ones.