Kathy S Kuczenski

Harold Perkins is the sole advisor at Continuum Financial, LLC in Granite Falls, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Continuum Financial since its founding in 2002. Continuum Financial provides investment supervisory services and ERISA/401(k) consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporations. The firm employs a core-and-satellite investment approach combining in-house selection of stocks and bonds with select ETFs, alongside ERISA consulting and fiduciary diligence through structured committee processes.

I’m Deaton Smith and I am the founder of Thayer Financial, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, a West Point graduate and OEF Veteran. I named Thayer Financial after the founding father of West Point because I envision my company as something bigger than me. It embodies the same values and principles of my time at West Point and in the Army: Duty, Honor, Integrity, and Loyalty. These values are at the very core of everything I do and stand for. The existing business model is drowning in a sea of “trust me” salespeople all riddled with major conflicts of interest and complicated financial products that pay exorbitant commissions. This is why I created my own firm. My values and beliefs did not line up with any of these major firms and I knew that there had to be a better way to serve my clients. That’s why I launched a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser that is legally obligated to work as a fiduciary 100% of the time. I don’t accept commissions, referral fees, kickbacks, free vacations, or marketing dollars from insurance companies or investment companies. The only way I get paid is directly from my clients for the services that I provide, which allows my clients to weigh the true cost of the advice they are receiving.

Mark Coffey is the sole advisor at Hickory Financial Group, LLC in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 32 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Avenir Private Advisors LLC and Kovack Securities Inc. Outside of advisory work, he owns a duck hunting guide service and a marine construction company. Hickory Financial Group is an independent investment adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm primarily employs an equity-oriented strategy using sector- and factor-weighted ETFs and individual stocks, combining fundamental and technical analysis with ongoing portfolio monitoring and rebalancing.

Michael Loeb is a financial advisor at Argosy Investors with eight years of industry experience and a Series 65 credential. He has worked at several firms, including Magnolia Wash Holdings, von Drehle Corporation, Ally Financial, and Broyhill Asset Management. Outside of advisory work, he serves as M&A Director for Whistle Express, a privately held car wash company. Argosy Investors provides discretionary investment management through separately managed accounts, focusing on a value-oriented strategy with a bottom-up fundamental analysis approach. The firm typically manages a concentrated portfolio aimed at long-term growth and special-situation opportunities, serving qualifying individuals and entities.

John Zarinsky is a CFP® and Series 65 credentialed advisor with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with SafeBridge LLC since 2016, including a prior tenure at AE Wealth Management, LLC, and Horter Investment Management, LLC. Zarinsky is licensed to sell life insurance and annuities but does not receive commissions from their sale. SafeBridge primarily serves individuals and families near or in retirement, focusing on retirement income planning, tax-aware advice, and discretionary investment management. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio construction using low-cost index ETFs and high-quality fixed income, integrating tax planning and optional tax-return preparation.

James Deporre Jr. is a financial advisor with Hammerhead Financial Strategies, LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 21 years of industry experience, including roles at Shark Investing, Inc. and Shark Asset Management, Inc. Since 2005, he has been president of Shark Investing, Inc., which operates a subscription-based website providing daily stock market articles and other content to subscribers. Hammerhead Financial Strategies offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting primarily to high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an active, opportunistic investment approach using proprietary trading methods that incorporate fundamental, technical, and behavioral analysis, with a focus on higher-beta equities and risk controls such as diversification and hedging strategies.