Paula Couch Oates

James Roberts, CFP®, CExP™, is the founder of Intentional, LLC, an SEC registered investment advisory firm based in Fort Mill, SC. He has been in the investment services industry since 2007 and works with business owners, executives, and families in Charlotte, Charleston, and nationally. James works with clients who have built significant wealth and are facing decisions where the stakes are high: selling a business, managing a liquidity event, planning an ESOP, or deciding what to pass on and how. His exit planning work follows Business Enterprise Institute standards, and his portfolio approach is tax aware by design, combining a core of low cost ETFs with individual equities, individual bonds, and alternatives for eligible investors. Every relationship begins with Wealth Identity, Intentional, LLC's proprietary assessment of how clients think, feel, and act around money. A series of personal experiences led James to a question most financial plans skip: what is the wealth actually for? That question shapes every plan he builds. Intentional, LLC generally serves individuals and families with $1 million or more in investable assets. Client assets are held at Raymond James.

Taysha Hogarth is a financial advisor at Merrill in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill, she worked at Chen Med and the Stephen C.O Connell Center. Outside of her advisory role, she operates an online retail platform as an independent seller. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services using model-based and discretionary strategies for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment approaches constructed by internal and third-party teams and supports customized portfolio implementation and trading.

Stephen Miller is the sole advisor at Forward Wealth Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC. He holds CFP® and CFA® designations and has 21 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Hayden Harper Wealth Advisory, Round Table Wealth Management, and Citicorp Investment Services. Miller is licensed to sell life insurance and dedicates approximately 5% of his time to product sales involving additional compensation. Forward Wealth Management, LLC is an independent advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a tactical investment approach combining fundamental and technical analysis, including option strategies, and manages accounts on a discretionary basis with ongoing oversight.

Kirk Block is a CFP® and PFS™ credentialed financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Block Wealth Management, Inc., an independent firm he has led since 2008. In addition to his advisory role, he is licensed to offer insurance products as an agent with various insurance companies. Block Wealth Management serves individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, and corporate clients, including retirement plan sponsors. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach using Dimensional Fund Advisors funds, integrating financial planning with tax guidance and insurance recommendations, and offers a range of fiduciary, consulting, and portfolio management services.

My Financial Background: I am a CFA® Charterholder and CFP® Professional. For over a decade I served in various roles at Morgan Stanley and BNP Paribas in the New York metro area before relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2021 where I was most recently a Vice President at Bank of America. Why I founded PB Wealth: I started PB Wealth to make a real impact in people’s lives, specifically focusing on professionals and families who may have some time before they retire, but they are in their peak decision-making years and need someone that truly invests in and empowers them. Starting my own RIA has given me the flexibility and independence I need to serve clients in their best interest, without compromise. My Mission: I believe a financial advisor should meet you where you are, whether you’re just starting out or whether you’re in your peak earning years, it should not matter. My mission is to help you build a life that is truly meaningful to you and that starts with getting to know who you are and what matters most to you.

Mark Kenison is the president and owner of Turning Point Financial, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and is a licensed life and health insurance agent. In addition to his advisory work, he operates a tax preparation business called Momentum Tax & Accounting. Turning Point Financial provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension plans, trusts, and corporate entities. The firm employs an asset-allocation approach based on efficient-market principles and risk management, using mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities to create custom-tailored portfolios.