George Heyward Barnes

Hi, I'm Forest Dutton and I'm the owner of Brightworks Financial Planning. I entered financial services after many years in healthcare and my goal is to ensure each client that goes through financial planning experiences care, competence, and creativity. I am committed to the highest levels of ongoing education in the field of financial planning and seek to provide a comprehensive lens to all financial planning engagements and not just an investment focus. I have a strong emphasis on tax planning with all clients as I believe this can add significant value over a long period of time when engaging with a financial advisor. I prefer long term relationships over one-time engagements in my business. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife and 4 children that keep me busy outside the office. I enjoy collobaration with other professionals as part of the financial plannning process. I thoroughly enjoy financial planning and the best part is the people who I get to partner with in achieving their goals.

Gregory Ruoss is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower, he served in the United States Marine Corps for nine years and worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in a part-time equestrian tack care business, Tack Appeal, based in Aiken, SC. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as to select IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm offers integrated services linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio strategies and annual rebalancing within plan lineups established by sponsors.

Brian Zarnick is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021 and previously held roles at Bb&T Securities and Bb&T Investment Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Robert Doebler is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Lexington, SC. He has three years of industry experience and has worked at Wells Fargo Bank, Wells Fargo Clearing, J.P. Morgan, Fidelity Investments, and First Citizens BancShares. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enabled research tools and extensive inter-affiliate integration.

Robert Blake is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Lexington, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at National Life Group and Bankers Life. He is owner of RT Blake Financial Group, LLC and Blake Insurance and Financial Group, LLC, and is a general member of Business Network International. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm utilizes multiple advisory platforms and third-party asset managers, combining long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and specialized instruments.

Douglas Bruner III is a financial advisor at &Partners with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Ameriprise and Edward Jones. Bruner also serves as an officer in the US Army Reserve and is involved in a family-owned newspaper and advertising business. &Partners serves a diverse clientele including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers both advisory and brokerage services, utilizing the Envestnet platform to provide a mix of proprietary and third-party investment solutions.