Leslie Watson is a CFP® with 24 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with tru Independence Asset Management, LLC and has prior experience at APW Capital, Bank of America, and Merrill. Watson holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and serves as Managing Director at YellowWood Financial Advisors, LLC. tru Independence Asset Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $337 million in assets using diversified portfolios that combine active and passive strategies and offers both standalone financial plans and integrated portfolio management.

Meredith Strosser is a financial advisor at CORE Advisory Group with 14 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at LPL Financial since 2014. Strosser is involved in tax preparation services through CORE Tax Advisors in addition to her advisory role. CORE Advisory Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, utilizing a range of investment strategies and platform solutions tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.

James Scharff is a financial advisor with Stark Financial Advisers, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 26 years of industry experience. His career includes over two decades at R.M. Stark & Co., Inc., where he serves as assistant branch manager with responsibilities in client account management, portfolio supervision, and trading. Stark Financial Advisers, Inc. manages approximately $94.7 million in discretionary assets for individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and other entities. The firm employs an asset-allocation driven approach using both fundamental and technical analysis and offers a range of portfolio strategies from conservative to aggressive, including the use of derivatives and options.

Ryan Knight is a financial advisor at Family Wealth Partners, LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Founders Federal Credit Union. Prior to his financial career, he was employed at Liberty University, Pelican's Snoballs, and Lancaster County School District. Family Wealth Partners serves individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and pension/profit-sharing plans, offering discretionary investment management, financial planning, pension consulting, and estate plan coordination. The firm employs a diversified, model- and research-driven investment process that includes fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and a range of traditional and alternative securities.

Brian Alderson is a CFA® charterholder with eight years of industry experience, currently serving at Providence Capital Advisors, LLC. He has been with the firm and its predecessor entity since 2016. Providence Capital Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser providing discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and small businesses. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes fundamental analysis enhanced by technical and cyclical analysis, with a focus on individual securities and customized portfolio construction, including the use of derivatives and margin within separately managed accounts.

Henry Barringer is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Alpha Financial Advisors, LLC in Charlotte, NC. He has been with Alpha Financial Advisors since 2013. Alpha Financial Advisors provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, small businesses, and certain retirement plans. The firm employs strategic asset allocation primarily using no-load mutual funds and ETFs, managing client portfolios on a discretionary basis with regular reviews and rebalancing.

Nathan Carey is a financial advisor at Blue Financial with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 license and previously worked at Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is also a licensed insurance agent involved in insurance planning activities. Blue Wealth Inc., where Nathan serves on a seven-person team, provides discretionary asset management and financial planning to individuals, small businesses, trusts, and estates. The firm’s investment approach focuses on long-term strategies without the use of margin, short sales, derivatives, leverage, or options, and it offers client educational seminars and workshops.

David Williams is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience, currently serving with WMS Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 1999. He has also been associated with Grove Point Advisors, LLC, Grove Point Investments, LLC, and TWG Advisor Group, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, Williams is a trustee for the Newcomb Testamentary Trust and is involved in insurance sales related to life, long-term care, and disability insurance. WMS Advisors is a team-based SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $281 million for a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm employs asset-class oriented strategies using ETFs, index mutual funds, individual securities, and alternatives, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management alongside comprehensive financial planning and retirement-plan consulting.

John Tonissen Jr. is a financial advisor at Hobart Wealth in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 50 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cape Securities, Inc., GF Investment Services LLC, and Global Financial Private Capital. He also works as an independent insurance agent with Navigator Financial Inc., selling disability, fixed annuities, life, accident, health, long-term care, and group insurance. Hobart Wealth is an SEC-registered advisory firm with a team of eight advisors managing approximately $430 million. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and estates, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting using a mix of analytical methods and implementation strategies.

Corey Sunstrom is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience, currently with Hobart Wealth. He has worked at Hobart Private Capital and Hobart Financial Group since 2014 and has prior experience at GF Investment Services and Global Financial Private Capital. Sunstrom also serves as an adjunct professor teaching estate planning courses at Gardner-Webb University. Hobart Wealth is an SEC-registered advisory firm with a team of eight advisors managing approximately $430 million. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and estates, offering tailored asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting using a variety of analytical methods and investment strategies.

Cody Ritchie is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently serving at Cornerstone Wealth Planning in Charlotte, NC. He has been with Cornerstone Wealth Planning since 2016 and previously worked at Postmates. Cornerstone Wealth Planning provides portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small business owners. The firm employs an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and fundamental analysis, offers in-house tax preparation services, and provides flexible planning options without a minimum account size.

Brent Peddy is a financial advisor with Forefront and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. He has 28 years of industry experience, including 14 years at Pruco Securities, LLC and Prudential Insurance Company of America. He joined Forefront in 2025. Forefront Wealth Partners is a multi-team advisory firm serving individual and corporate clients with discretionary investment management, financial and estate planning, and cash management services. The firm employs fundamental and cyclical analysis to manage tailored portfolios and offers access to third-party managers and turnkey asset management platforms.

Joseph Zarzycki is a financial advisor at BNA Wealth with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including First Citizens Bank and Bb&T Retirement & Institutional Services. BNA Wealth is a registered investment adviser serving individual and institutional clients with portfolio management and financial planning services. The firm primarily manages accounts on a non-discretionary basis and implements portfolios using mutual funds, ETFs, and individual securities guided by multiple analytical approaches and tailored strategies.

William Shefte is a financial advisor with SB Advisory, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and over 25 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at SPC, Sigma Financial Corporation, and Centaurus Financial Inc. Since 1989, he has been president of Gold Leaf Productions, Inc., a music publishing and consulting firm. He is also involved in community service as a board member and past president of the Charlotte Southern Lions Club and currently serves as president and chairman of the Charlotte Southern Lions Foundation, which supports charitable causes including assistance for the visually impaired and homeless. SB Advisory, LLC is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm serving individuals, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $1.1 billion predominantly on a non-discretionary basis, providing tailored portfolio management through mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and outside managers using fundamental, technical, and qualitative analysis.

Thomas Searson is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license with 21 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Providence Capital Advisors, LLC since 2015. Providence Capital Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and integrated financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and small businesses. The firm employs a fundamental security selection process supplemented by technical and cyclical analysis, offering distinct strategy sleeves and utilizing derivatives and borrowing in certain separately managed accounts.

David Huff is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Providence Capital Advisors, LLC since 2023 and previously held roles at JPMorgan Securities LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, and the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School. In addition to his advisory work, Huff is also licensed to sell various insurance products. Providence Capital Advisors, LLC is a registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and small businesses with discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm emphasizes fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to build customized portfolios and routinely incorporates derivatives, margin, and alternative investments within separately managed accounts.

Donald Burkett is a PFS™ credentialed financial advisor with over 11 years of experience at BURKETT Financial Services, LLC and a total of 50 years of professional experience including work with Burkett Burkett & Burkett Certified Public Accountants, PA. He is involved in several non-investment business activities, including membership in a variety of real estate rental companies and Plex Indoor Sports, a sports park. He also created Charley Ember, LLC, an investment vehicle for his grandchildren. Burkett Financial Services, LLC advises individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and retirement plans, managing approximately $573 million across around 476 client relationships. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting, with investment strategies built on mutual funds, ETFs, and fixed income instruments tailored to client-specific plans and reviewed annually by a five-advisor committee.

Scott Trease is the sole advisor at Sapere Wealth Management, LLC in Matthews, NC, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 39 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Sapere Wealth Management and affiliated entities since 2002. Sapere Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional and trust entities. The firm employs a top-down, global-macro investment approach with an absolute-return focus, combining public equities, registered funds, and privately offered funds while emphasizing active liquidity management.

Janice Mc Gunnigle is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience. She currently works at Alpha Financial Advisors, LLC, where she has been since 2019, following previous roles at Modera Wealth Management, LLC and Matrix Wealth Advisors, Inc. Alpha Financial Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, estates, and small businesses, including high-net-worth clients. The firm offers personalized financial planning and discretionary investment management, utilizing a strategic asset allocation approach focused on global diversification, periodic rebalancing, and fundamental analysis.

Blake Hedrick is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Family Wealth Partners, LLC since 2022 and previously held roles at LPL Financial, Independent Advisor Alliance, and TIAA-CREF. Family Wealth Partners serves individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and pension plans with discretionary investment management, financial planning, pension consulting, and estate plan coordination. The firm employs a diversified, model- and research-driven investment process that includes fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and both long- and short-term trading, covering a broad range of traditional and alternative securities.