Sergio Villa, president and CEO of the Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, has started an independent financial planning firm.

A grand opening and open house, featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony and cocktail party, were held Thursday at Alliance Wealth Strategies, 3891 State St., Suite 210.

Villa, a 2001 UCSB graduate, decided to start Alliance Wealth Strategies after working for more than three years as a financial consultant at Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. He designed customized investment solutions for clients in northern Santa Barbara and Goleta.

Villa is a South-Central Los Angeles native and was the first in his family to attend a four-year university. In 1993, he received special recognition from Los Angeles city officials for establishing and running a retail business as a teenager.

At UCSB, he received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish literature, and shortly afterward earned his certificate accreditation in business marketing. Villa received his financial training, 7, 66, 33 and life insurance licenses while working with Morgan Stanley DW.

He is attaining his certification as a financial planner and his master’s of business administration from California Lutheran University.

Villa is a member of the executive board of the Children’s Museum of Santa Barbara and the Goleta Chamber of Commerce board of directors. He has partnered with the Housing Authority to provide financial literacy workshops.

Alliance Wealth Strategies has two staff members. Operations manager Diane Cavanaugh is responsible for research, business development and oversight of client investments, objectives and relationship management. Intern Evelyn Cabadas is responsible for clerical responsibilities along with assisting in scheduling.

Alliance Wealth Strategies is an independent financial service firm whose securities and insurance are offered by LPL Financial, a member of SIPC/FINRA.