Brant Spesshardt is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding the CFP® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 26 years of industry experience, previously working at FSC Securities and OSAIC. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in an insurance agency where he assists with agency oversight. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides financial planning and investment management through a broad network of advisors utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies.

Melissa Hasty is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 9 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations. Her prior work includes roles at Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC and Madison Property Management Solutions. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including discretionary portfolio management, fund advisory, and model portfolio delivery. The firm employs a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction across a broad investable universe.

Russell Emrath is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Apex, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated firms since 2008. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service focused on individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing detailed written Recommendation Reports that cover income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis, delivering personalized, algorithm-assisted recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Joseph Link is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. in Durham, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he has been associated with Four Corners Advisor Group and Causey Financial Group. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and corporate clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and utilizes analytical tools to support client goals, while also maintaining notable municipal advisory capabilities and specialized SIMPLE IRA advisory programs.

Brian Shobert is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a FINRA arbitrator. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that offers investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of planning services tailored to clients who meet a net-worth threshold, utilizing in-house research and tools to develop customized recommendations.

Gavin Dabkowski is a financial advisor at Fidelity with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Fidelity, he spent four years at Clemson University and thirteen years with Peters Township School District. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to diverse clients, including retail and institutional investors. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage a range of portfolios, including multi-manager and fund-of-funds structures.

Jonathan Foley is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Merrill for five years before joining Wells Fargo Clearing in 2016. He serves as a trustee and holds power of attorney for his mother’s investment-related matters. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm offering investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, corporations, and institutions, managing approximately $671 billion in assets and supporting both brokerage and advisory solutions.

Mark Obrien is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2014. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Keith Jackson is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank. Outside of his advisory work, he has been involved with TAK30V3RMUSIC. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, endowments, and other institutional clients through a non-discretionary program focused on written asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting. The firm’s advisory process combines quantitative and qualitative due diligence and incorporates ESG considerations, with implementation support from affiliated investment management entities.

Drew Steffens is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been serving clients since 1994. He specializes in building long-term relationships with high net worth families and focuses on restricted and concentrated stock strategies, investment manager due diligence, and asset allocation modeling. Drew's client services include Corporate Executive Services, Family Wealth Management Strategies, Legacy Planning, Liquidity Management, Managing New Wealth, and Portfolio Management Services. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Dartmouth College and has earned the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Over his career, Drew has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including being named to the Barron's Top 1000 and Top 1200 Advisor lists during the early 2010s, as well as repeated appearances on the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors and Wealth Management Teams lists throughout the 2020s. Drew has contributed to the community through his service on various boards, including the Montessori School of Raleigh Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2005, the North Carolina Symphony Foundation Board from 1998 to 2004, the North Ridge Country Club Board of Governors from 2017 to 2019, and the Old Chatham Board of Directors beginning in 2025. He resides in Raleigh with his wife and four children, and in his personal time he enjoys drawing/sketching, golfing, reading, and spending time with his family.

Dustin Hall is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial in Cary, NC. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2005, with a brief period at Cetera Wealth Services from 2005 to 2008. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in tax preparation services through Hall & Burns Tax Management, LLC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, including access to third-party asset managers and institutional platforms.

Jason Kristof is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Merrill from 2014 to 2021 and has been with Raymond James since 2021. Outside of his advisory role, he works as a product specialist at Audi Cary. Raymond James & Associates is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, offering financial planning and investment consulting through various programs, with a non-discretionary approach that involves tailored planning and a range of portfolio management styles.

Rodney Hooks Jr. is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Durham, NC, holding a Series 66 license and having 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2014. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Matthew Savidge is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ameriprise in 2024, he worked at Mid America Apartments from 2018 to 2023 and has held other roles in real estate. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies through its Premier Retirement Income service.

Geoffrey Bell is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 2005, where he works with executives and families to manage wealth, focusing on complex multi-generational needs. His role involves wealth forecasting, portfolio management, analytics, and performance reviews. Geoffrey also assists clients with developing restricted-stock award strategies, including Rule 10b5-1 programs and other Rule 144 issues, as well as facilitating family meetings concerning intergenerational wealth transfers. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Geoffrey earned bachelor's degrees in economics and management and society from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently serves as corporate secretary for the Research Triangle Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors. Outside of his professional career, Geoffrey enjoys outdoor activities including soccer, mountain biking, golf, skiing, and skydiving. He lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife and their four children.

Elizabeth Scott is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill, she worked at Modern Woodmen of America and MWA Financial Services for four years each, and Guaranteed Rate for one year. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

William Stephens is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He works with clients to develop personalized wealth management strategies that connect all aspects of their financial lives, helping them prioritize and pursue the goals that matter most to them. His areas of expertise include family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, small business strategies, tax minimization, and retirement income. William holds professional designations such as Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA), Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He earned a Bachelor's Degree from East Carolina University. Outside of his professional pursuits, William enjoys adventure sports, fishing, football, hunting, pickleball, surfing, and spending time with his family.

Timothy Nash is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Raleigh, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has recently started his career in the financial industry, joining Equitable Advisors in 2026. Prior to his current role, he held positions at Prospera Financial Services and was affiliated with High Point University and Aquatic Management Group in various capacities. Equitable Advisors provides financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset-management programs to individuals, pension plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and other institutional clients. The firm utilizes a network of Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party asset managers to deliver tailored investment solutions across mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, and select alternative investments.

Frederick Cutter IV is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and possessing 14 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Edward Jones, Cetera Advisors LLC, and his own firm, FWC Financial, where he remains involved. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning, portfolio management, and institutional platforms, supported by both proprietary research and third-party subadvisors.

Hudson Wilson is a financial advisor with Fidelity Investments based in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at MML Investors Services, Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company, and Northwestern Mutual. He is part of Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company that provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a blend of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction.