About Roy Y. Gagaza

Roy Y. Gagaza serves as president and CEO of Journey Wealth Management, guiding a retirement-focused firm with locations in Manteca, California, and in Aiea and Honolulu, Hawaii, where he helps individuals and families prepare thoughtfully for life after work. He draws on a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing from San Jose State University and many years of direct client conversations to explain retirement income, investments, taxes, health care, and legacy planning in clear, everyday language. He aims to create structured, easy-to-understand strategies so people can move toward retirement with more clarity, confidence, and calm, knowing there is a plan in place that reflects their goals and values.

Military Foundations

Roy began his military journey in the U.S. Army Reserve, serving for more than 4 years before transitioning to active duty, where he spent 20 years as an Armor Officer leading soldiers in demanding environments. He completed both Airborne and Ranger qualifications, accepting challenging training that required discipline, teamwork, and mental focus. During these early years, he learned how preparation and attention to detail could shape outcomes for those who depended on him. Those lessons stayed with him, forming a foundation for how he would later guide clients through important decisions about their financial futures and long-term security.

Combat and Operational Leadership

Gagaza served as a Tank Platoon Leader with the 1st Armored Division during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, leading soldiers and equipment through high-pressure situations that called for steady judgment and careful coordination. He later commanded a cavalry troop in South Korea with the 5/17 Cavalry Squadron, 2nd Infantry Division, where he oversaw training and operational missions in a key regional posting. He also served as an Operations and Training Officer, helping prepare Army units from company through brigade level for deployments during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Through multiple combat deployments, he earned the Bronze Star and carried forward a deep sense of duty toward those who rely on strong planning and leadership.

Laying the Groundwork for a Second Career

Roy Y. Gagaza began preparing for a future in financial services midway through his military career, using his business marketing background to better understand how to communicate complex ideas to everyday families. He started meeting with clients during his limited off-duty hours, hosting educational seminars and listening closely to the concerns of people approaching retirement. He studied for professional designations, earning credentials as a Certified Estate Planner and Registered Financial Consultant, even while managing the demands of a year-long deployment to Kuwait in 2004. During this time, he developed a growing commitment to helping people navigate critical financial choices with clarity and support.

Transition to Financial Services and Professional Recognition

Roy retired from the Army in 2008 and carried his lifelong commitment to service into the financial world, dedicating himself to helping individuals and families plan for retirement with structure and intention. In his leadership role at Journey Wealth Management, he oversees services that include retirement planning, investment and wealth management, tax strategies, health care planning, and legacy and estate solutions tailored to client needs. His work has been recognized nationally, including induction into the Advisors Excel Hall of Fame, receiving the Advisors Excel Elite Advisor Award every year since 2018, earning the Security Benefit Elite Advisor Award in 2018 and 2020, and achieving the Allianz Century Award for reaching $100 million in premium, recognition he credits to teamwork and client trust.

Client Philosophy and Planning Approach

Gagaza approaches each client relationship as a long-term partnership grounded in listening, education, and realistic expectations, shaped by his years of military service and leadership. He enjoys helping people picture what their ideal retirement might look like in everyday terms and then designing strategies intended to protect assets, create understandable income streams, and maintain flexibility as life evolves. He emphasizes that “living the dream” in retirement begins with thoughtful preparation in the years leading up to it, not at the last moment. Drawing on discipline, adaptability, and proactive planning, he guides clients through transitions, viewing each plan as a living roadmap that can adapt to unexpected changes.

Community Education and Commitment to Giving Back

Roy Y. Gagaza extends his work beyond individual meetings by serving broader communities, working closely with the highway patrol, local school districts, CPAs, several chambers of commerce, and many residents seeking guidance. He regularly hosts seminars for hundreds of pre-retirees and retirees who want to preserve assets, build retirement income strategies, and explore tax-efficient ways to reduce their tax burden. His firm also supports organizations that reflect his values and background, contributing to groups that serve U.S. veterans and often matching client donations, partnering with Second Harvest of the Greater Valley and the Hawaii Food Bank, supporting The Golden State German Shepherd Rescue, and backing the Backcountry Horseman of California to help preserve trails, natural resources, and the historical use of horses.

Personal Life and Family

Roy is originally from Livermore, California, on the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay Area, and he now shares both personal and business leadership with his spouse, who serves as the firm's chief financial officer and co-founder. He is a father of three adult children whose paths include working in the family business with a degree in business finance, serving in education with a master’s degree in literacy, and leading marketing operations in the real estate software field with a master’s degree in business administration. He is also a proud grandfather of two young grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys spending time in and on the water, playing golf, traveling, paddleboarding, snorkeling, diving, and reading, finding balance and perspective through family, nature, and simple everyday moments.