Michael Kennedy

Keith Beck is a financial advisor with The Wealth Group, Ltd. in Rocky Mount, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and offering 32 years of industry experience. He has been with The Wealth Group, Ltd. and Capital Investment Group, Inc. since 2011 and operates a CPA firm providing accounting services since 1995. Outside of advisory work, he serves as a vice president and advisor for multiple dental and medical practice management businesses. The Wealth Group, Ltd. provides wealth analysis, financial planning, and discretionary and non-discretionary money management for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a contrarian, value-oriented investment approach focused on financially strong, out-of-favor securities with long-term holding periods and offers both internal management and oversight of external managers.

James Tharin is a CFA® charterholder with 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Emerald Asset Management, Inc. since 2015 in Rocky Mount, NC. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a voting board member of the Rocky Mount Planning Board. Emerald Asset Management is a privately held SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a blend of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis across multiple strategies and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting services.

William Gupton is a financial advisor at Emerald Asset Management, Inc. with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. Prior to joining Emerald Asset Management, Gupton worked at First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services, as well as Guggenheim Funds Distributors and CAPTrust. Emerald Asset Management is a privately held, SEC-registered firm serving individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis across various strategies and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting.

Mackenzie Thompson Stussie is a Series 65-licensed advisor at Whitener Capital Management, Inc. with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm, she held various roles, including positions at Wildwood Home and New Growth Designs. Whitener Capital Management serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other entities with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting services. The firm follows a conservative investment philosophy emphasizing quality and value, using modern portfolio theory alongside long- and short-term strategies tailored to client objectives, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs.

Benjamin Roberts is a financial advisor at Ironsides Asset Advisors, LLC with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Five Points Capital, Plexus Capital, Ernst & Young, LLP, and Wake Forest University School of Business. Ironsides Asset Advisors provides financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes asset allocation and active manager selection, combining quantitative analysis with qualitative due diligence across a range of asset classes including hedge funds, private equity, and fixed income.

Sean Gilsenan is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Whitener Capital Management, Inc. since 2011. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Cary, NC. Whitener Capital Management provides investment advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other business entities. The firm follows a conservative, quality-and-value investment philosophy focused on capital preservation and long-term, risk-adjusted returns, managing approximately $506 million in client assets through tailored portfolio management and pension consulting services.