Ramon Franklin is the president of Capital Focus, Inc., an independent advisory firm. He holds the CFP® designation and the Series 65 license, and has 16 years of industry experience. In addition to his advisory work, he is a licensed real estate broker in South Carolina and Georgia and serves as a part-time adjunct faculty member at Clemson University, where he teaches undergraduate courses in real estate, corporate and personal finance, and investment. He is also the operating member of Cole Capital Management, LLC, which manages residential and commercial real estate. Capital Focus, Inc. provides fee-only investment counsel and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm emphasizes asset allocation, diversification, and value-oriented stock selection within a primarily non-discretionary model, and is notable for its involvement in direct real estate investment and affiliated real estate management and development activities.

Natalie Cooper is a financial advisor at Matty AI Inc. with nine years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 credential and has previously worked at Sentry Wealth, Inc. and Cooper Law Firm, P.C. In addition to her advisory role, she owns Balanced Bookmasters, a bookkeeping services business. Matty AI provides discretionary portfolio management primarily through a proprietary mobile app, serving individual clients who are not high-net-worth. The firm’s investment approach focuses on equity securities and ETFs, utilizing automated methods including technical and fundamental analysis.

Richard Didonato is a financial advisor with The Rich Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 14 years of industry experience. He has worked as a manufacturing manager at AFL Telecommunications, LLC, a fiber optic communications equipment and services company, since 2009. The Rich Group is a fee-only registered investment adviser that provides comprehensive financial planning, targeted investment planning, and portfolio management services to individuals, families, and small businesses. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and maintains a planning-first enrollment model with non-discretionary management.

Jason Freeman is the principal advisor at J. Freeman & Associates in Greenville, SC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license with 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at DFPG Investments, Inc. since 2019 and has been involved with JFA Advisors, LLC and J. Freeman & Associates since 2003. Freeman is also the CEO and sole producer of his firm, which offers comprehensive insurance and wealth management services. J. Freeman & Associates provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, trusts, and estates. The firm builds portfolios based on client objectives and risk tolerance, utilizing both fundamental and technical analysis, and offers fiduciary services for qualified retirement plans.

Joris Bastien is a financial advisor at Quantaraxia LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at Graham Capital Management and Capstone Investment Advisors. Bastien is also an advisory board member of Globcoin, a stablecoin project based in Switzerland. Quantaraxia LLC provides discretionary portfolio management and subadvisory services to high-net-worth individuals, investment companies, hedge funds, and other advisers. The firm uses a quantitative and systematic investment approach incorporating options, margin, and short sales, and offers subscription-based market-timing services and newsletters.

Royce Angel is the sole advisor at Angelroyce Wealth Advisors, LLC, an independent firm based in Greer, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 16 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Angelroyce Wealth Advisors in 2011, he was associated with Change Path LLC for one year and has been involved with R. Neal Angel, Jr. since 2002. He also works as an insurance agent and serves as an instructor at Furman University. Angelroyce Wealth Advisors provides investment management and financial planning services primarily for individual clients, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm operates on a non-discretionary basis, typically recommending third-party institutional managers, and offers services including asset management, financial planning, pension distribution consulting, and advice on tax, insurance, estate, and cash-flow matters.

John Mc Namara is a financial advisor at Highball Advisors with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and worked previously at Edward Jones for one year before joining Highball Advisors in 2018. Highball Advisors is an independent firm that provides portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals and families. The firm primarily uses passive investment management with index funds and ETFs, offers non-discretionary account management, and emphasizes client education through webinars and speaking engagements.

Christopher Preisig is a financial advisor at Upstate Financial Planning, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and Carolinas Wealth Management Group. Preisig is also a licensed insurance agent and a notary public. Upstate Financial Planning is an independent, single-advisor firm managing approximately $12.4 million for a small client base. The firm provides ongoing portfolio management and financial planning for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and retirement plans, utilizing a diverse investment approach that includes long-term trading, options strategies, and a broad range of asset classes.

Katrina Whitlinger is a ChFC® and Series 66-licensed financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. She currently serves as the sole advisor at Stella Maris Wealth Management, an independent firm she joined in 2026. Prior to this, she worked at The Fiduciary Alliance, Broadstreet Global Advisors, Edward Jones, United Community Bank, and NetApp Inc. Whitlinger is also a licensed insurance agent, offering clients insurance solutions when appropriate to complement their financial strategies. Stella Maris Wealth Management provides advisory and comprehensive financial planning services to individuals, families, high-net-worth clients, business owners, retirees, trusts, estates, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary investment management and utilizes a "Wealth Stewardship Planning" process, emphasizing diversified, tax-aware portfolios and long-term risk management supported by third-party analytics and AI-assisted tools.

Christopher Anderson is a financial advisor with Anderson Wealth Management, Inc. in Greer, South Carolina. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 21 years of industry experience. Anderson has led his independent advisory firm since 2009. Anderson Wealth Management serves primarily individual clients with asset management, financial planning, and consulting services, while also providing corporate-level consulting and portfolio management. The firm emphasizes tailored portfolios, continuous supervision, and a combination of fundamental and technical analysis in investment decisions.

Norman Avinger is a CFP® with 18 years of experience in financial advising. He is the sole advisor at Greenville Capital, where he has worked since 2020. His prior experience includes roles at Advisory Services Network, LLC and Planfirst. Greenville Capital provides discretionary portfolio management along with holistic financial planning and trust advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a building-block investment approach across multiple asset classes, combining active managers, active indexers, and passive funds, and conducts institutional-style manager due diligence.

Richard Matthews is a financial advisor with Matthews Wealth Management LLC in Greenville, SC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 20 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Matthews Wealth Management in 2017, he worked at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc. and SeaCrest Wealth Management, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he manages commercial property leases as a managing member for two LLCs in Fountain Inn, SC. Matthews Wealth Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and businesses. The firm employs a primarily long-term investment approach, combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios built largely with ETFs, supplemented by occasional tactical trades and specialized products.

Paola Martinez is a CFP® professional based in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with a background in accounting and tax services spanning over a decade. She is the owner of 1mpact First LLC, serving as an outsourced CPA to other CPA firms, and also operates P.M. Accounting Services, which provides tax preparation and financial review services. Martinez joined Yellow Oak Financial Planning, LLC in 2026, where she serves as the sole advisor. Yellow Oak Financial Planning is an independent, fee-only firm offering discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and businesses. The firm integrates modern portfolio theory with technical and fundamental analysis, employing both passive and active strategies, and maintains a direct affiliation with an accounting practice owned by Martinez.

Hans Blake is a CFA® charterholder with 14 years of industry experience. He has been with Intelligent Investing since 2016 and previously worked at Planfirst for six years. The firm primarily serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, as well as pension and employee benefit plans. Intelligent Investing offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting, using customized model portfolios and tax-aware strategies, and provides investment-education seminars and participant enrollment meetings as part of its services.

Amanda Blake is a financial advisor at Intelligent Investing with a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. She has been with Intelligent Investing since 2018. Intelligent Investing primarily serves individual clients, including high-net-worth households, as well as pension and employee benefit plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting, using tailored advice, model portfolios, and tax-aware techniques to manage client assets.

Michael Dickey is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He currently works at Intellivest Wealth Management Corporation and previously held roles at Capital Investment Group Inc and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory role, he operates a real estate appraisal business providing single-family home valuations in the Boiling Springs, SC area. Intellivest Wealth Management Corporation offers comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and qualified plan consulting to a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, and businesses. The firm employs a proprietary strategic asset-allocation approach integrating various analytical methods and includes digital estate-planning services as part of its offering.

Erik Weir is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Taverik Capital, LLC in Greenville, SC. He has been involved with WCM Global Wealth, LLC since 2011 and Weir Capital Management, LLC since 2005. Outside of his advisory roles, he is a managing member of Christopher Kendall, LLC, which manages several small Reg D offerings. Taverik Capital provides discretionary investment supervisory services and financial planning to individuals, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, and pension/profit-sharing plans. The firm employs a range of active investment strategies, including equity selection, hedging, options, and short selling, and manages both separately managed accounts and private pooled funds tailored to client-specific objectives.

Brian Smith is a financial advisor with Southeast Financial Advisors in Greenville, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked at Southeast Financial Advisors since 1998 and previously spent 14 years with Sfa Financial, LLC. Smith serves as president and owner of Southeast Financial Advisers. Southeast Financial Advisors provides personalized financial planning, tax preparation, accounting, and investment management for individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $119 million for around 308 clients, employing a strategic asset allocation approach combined with various analytical methods and active management.

Andrew Bencivenga is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving at Brindle & Bay Financial Advisors, LLC. He has previously worked with Magni Publicani, LLC and Bona Fide Finance. Outside of his advisory role, he owns and operates Granite Wealth, LLC, a tax preparation and consulting business. Brindle & Bay Financial Advisors provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individual and high-net-worth clients, using a dynamic-weighting asset allocation approach with portfolios primarily composed of ETFs, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

Logan Dickey is a financial advisor at IntelliVest Wealth Management with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Thornburg Securities Corp and Edward Jones. IntelliVest Wealth Management provides comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and qualified plan consulting to a broad client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm integrates financial planning into portfolio construction using a proprietary strategic asset-allocation methodology and employs a mix of analytical approaches to build diversified portfolios aligned with client goals.