James M Gentry Jr Jr.

Bruce Shay is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation. Prior to joining Empower, he worked at Deloitte & Touche LLP for 23 years. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as certain IRA and retail brokerage clients, using an integrated model aligned with Empower’s administrative platforms.

Geddings Crawford Jr. is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Janney Montgomery Scott for 12 years before joining Raymond James in 2024. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm uses analytical tools such as risk profiling and probability modeling to tailor non-discretionary investment consulting and supports its clients through various advisory programs and institutional consulting services.

Phillip Smelser is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Burnsville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has worked with Cambridge since 2008 and has prior experience at The Householder Group and Truist Investment Services. Outside of advising, he serves as treasurer for St. Thomas Episcopal Church and teaches retirement classes; he is also training to become a Professional Barbell Coach to open a business in retirement. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients by providing financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs through a large network of financial professionals and multiple platform options.

David Wilson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Burnsville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at United Community Bank, Bank of America, Merrill, and Hancock Investment Services. Outside of advising, he owns Southern Spoon Inc., a non-investment business. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions through a large network of advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, managed portfolios, and institutional platforms.

Richard Trouillot is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 30 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Morgan Stanley DW Inc. from 1997 to 2005. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers a broad range of brokerage and advisory solutions.

Thomas Perkins Jr. is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Spruce Pine, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2018 and previously worked at Verizon Wireless from 2015 to 2018. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.