William Durant Howard

Sean Williams is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Cadence Wealth Partners, LLC since 2023. His prior experience includes roles at Instrumental Wealth, LLC and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of his financial advisory work, he is a father first. He enjoys woodworking and playing the banjo. He also loves Gator sports, even when the teams are terrible. Cadence Wealth Partners is a fee-only, fiduciary financial planning firm in Concord, NC specializing in helping business owners and pre-retirees (55+) reduce taxes, plan retirement income, and prepare for business exits and major life transitions. Our team includes CFP®, CEPA, and RICP credentialed advisors who take a whole-picture approach — investments, tax planning, estate planning, and risk management working together. We work with clients locally and virtually across the U.S. Named a 2025 & 2026 Wealthtender Voice of the Client Highly Rated Advisor.

David Whitaker is a CFP® and ChFC® affiliated with Rooted Planning LLC in Mooresville, NC, with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms, including Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, and currently operates Rooted Finances LLC, providing tax preparation and consulting services. Whitaker also holds a life insurance license and is active in insurance sales. Rooted Planning LLC is an independent, state-registered investment adviser serving individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as charitable organizations, corporations, trusts, and estates. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and fee-based financial planning, focusing on customized, primarily long-term portfolios using low-cost mutual funds and ETFs, supplemented by individual securities when appropriate.

Leonard Marte is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Abundant Advisors, LLC. He previously worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. for 11 years and at SmartPath, Inc. for two years. Abundant Advisors serves mass-affluent, high-net-worth, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, offering discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs investment strategies based on fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, combining passive ETFs and active funds with attention to tax efficiency and regular portfolio reviews.

Phillip Gussman is the sole advisor at Bulldog Asset Management, Inc., an independent firm based in Huntersville, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 16 years of industry experience. Since 2006, Mr. Gussman has been self-employed and also spends the majority of his time working with non-profits through Gussman Consulting, assisting with fundraising, messaging, and web development. Bulldog Asset Management provides investment supervisory and portfolio management services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, and trusts. The firm manages approximately $61 million across 45 client accounts, focusing on diversified asset allocation tailored to each client’s financial situation, objectives, and risk tolerance, with ongoing discretionary management and regular portfolio reviews.

Patrick Riley is a financial advisor at Optimal Planning LLC in Concord, NC, with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has led Optimal Planning LLC since 2016. Outside of advising, Riley is also an insurance agent with Wealth Management of the Carolinas. Optimal Planning LLC provides investment management, financial planning, and educational seminars to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm primarily employs a passive investment approach using index mutual funds and ETFs, incorporating fundamental and cyclical analysis to guide allocation decisions.

Alexandra Rickard is the principal of Rickard Investment Consulting, LLC in Concord, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to founding her independent advisory firm in 2026, she worked at Novant Health and Bonded Logistics, among other roles. Rickard Investment Consulting, LLC provides investment advisory services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio analysis, ongoing monitoring, and optional financial planning and consulting. The firm uses fundamental and technical analysis to tailor portfolios across cash, equity, and fixed-income allocations and includes options strategy analysis as part of its service offering.