George John Schopper

David Isley is a financial advisor with Abound Investments in Burlington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Abound Investments since 2010 and has previously worked with various insurance carriers from 2002 to 2024. In addition to his advisory role, he is a licensed North Carolina life and health insurance agent. Abound Investments serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as corporate pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, insurance planning, and consulting services, with a focus on individualized portfolio management and plan-level pension consulting.

Sherri Rose is a CFP® and Series 63 credentialed financial advisor at Azimuth Planning Group, LLC with no prior industry experience. She is the founder and managing director of Rose Group CPAs, PLLC, a CPA firm where she oversees auditing, accounting, tax preparation, and business consulting. Rose is also involved in several business ventures, including founding FastFile1040, LLC, providing online tax filing services, and co-founding SageCFO Group, Inc., which offers outsourced CFO advisory services. Azimuth Planning Group, LLC provides fee-only financial planning primarily to solopreneurs, service-based founders, and business owners, focusing on business planning, retirement and estate coordination, tax-aware wealth strategies, and succession planning. The firm delivers written financial plans and investment recommendations emphasizing asset allocation, tax efficiency, and passive investment strategies rather than discretionary asset management.

Mary Macdonald is the sole advisor at Personal Path Financial Planning in Hillsborough, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with 10 years of industry experience. She has operated her own advisory practice since 2017. Personal Path Financial Planning offers fee-only financial planning and investment consultation to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides non-discretionary advice focused on long-term, goals-based strategies using primarily low-cost index funds and ETFs, and delivers services on an hourly or fixed-fee basis without taking custody of client assets.

Thomas Sikes III is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience and the principal of WanderWealth Inc., an independent advisory firm based in Hillsborough, NC. He has operated WanderWealth since 2006. Outside of his advisory work, he runs Traveltirement LLC, an online education and media business focused on retirement planning and long-term travel to Italy and France. WanderWealth Inc. provides discretionary investment management and financial planning primarily for individuals and couples, specializing in clients planning to retire in or already residing in France. The firm employs a passive, asset-allocation strategy using ETFs and direct index portfolios tailored to the tax circumstances of French residents, and it serves a modest client base with a fee structure that accommodates clients without managed assets.

Laura Collins is a financial advisor at Provident Wealth Management with 17 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Meritage Holdings, LLC, Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation, and Crossharbour Partners, LLC. Outside of her advisory role, Collins serves as managing member and consultant at Crossharbour Partners, LLC, focusing on non-qualified deferred compensation strategies in collaboration with attorneys and CPAs. Provident Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities, offering asset management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary mandates, utilizes a range of investment analysis techniques, and provides advice on cryptocurrencies through a specialized custodian option.

Aidis Zunde is a financial advisor with Zak Investment Management Company, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Zak Investment Management since 2008 and concurrently serves as a senior consultant for Whitney, Bradley & Brown, providing defense consulting in support of the Department of Defense’s Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. Zak Investment Management Company provides discretionary investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, estates, foundations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs fundamental analysis and active allocation strategies across various asset classes, managing accounts primarily on a discretionary basis with a focus on ongoing monitoring and rebalancing.