Josh Vanepps is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Troutman, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. He previously worked at Empower Financial Services, Inc., Iredell Health System, Whole Foods, and Carolins Healthcare System. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated model combines proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and regular rebalancing within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Alexander Cohen is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with a Series 66 designation and five years of industry experience. Prior to joining &PARTNERS in 2024, he worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for three years and held roles at Amazon Fulfillment Services and The UPS Store. He also has a background in education, having worked at Clemson University and Pine Lake Preparatory. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers investment management and financial planning services using a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, with portfolios managed directly by advisors or through third-party managers.

Sarah Rhodes is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with 14 years of industry experience. She holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses. Prior to joining &PARTNERS in 2026, she worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank NA for a combined 12 years. &PARTNERS serves a diverse range of clients including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement-plan consulting through a combination of proprietary and third-party strategies, utilizing fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis.

William Dunlop Jr. is a financial advisor at First Command Advisory Services with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior work includes service with the City of New York Fire Department and Centennial Security Integration. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a particular focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and various wrap-fee asset management programs managed by a centralized Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers.

Tonya Guffey is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. with two years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Fifth Third Securities since 2022, as well as at Fifth Third Bank since 2018. Prior to that, she was employed at PNC Bank from 2015 to 2018. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors through its Passageway Managed Account Program. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account options and features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank.

Brent Hann is a financial advisor with OSAIC Institutions, Inc., holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His career background includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing, Linden Thomas & Company Securities, The Smith Companies/Capitas Financial, and AXA Distributors, among others. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and access to alternative investments and lending solutions, operating a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer model with both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Patricia Godfrey is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 65 designation and seven years of industry experience. She also serves as Senior Manager of Sales Operations at Veritas Technologies, LLC, a data information technology firm. Godfrey is a 50% owner of Blackbridge Financial, LLC, a DBA associated with her work at Independent Advisor Alliance. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, wealth coaching, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing a network model of advisory representatives supported by sub-advisors and third-party platforms.

Dylan Thurman is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Mooresville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TIAA and First Citizens Bank. First Citizens Investor Services serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities by providing advisory and brokerage services that include portfolio management, financial planning, and tax-aware strategies. The firm emphasizes IAR-led client assessments and applies various analytical methods to manage portfolios across multiple asset classes.

George Bowery is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Cornelius, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 14 years of industry experience. Bowery has worked with SunTrust Advisory Services and related entities since 2014. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation strategies and manager selection through the Envestnet platform, supporting clients with ongoing research, monitoring, and reporting.

Franklin Mcelroy is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with 34 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Mcelroy is co-owner and manager of BMH Investment Group, LLC, where he is involved in business decisions and client management. He also serves on the boards of Beers & Burpees and the CLT Foundation, both charitable organizations serving the greater Charlotte area. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a wide range of institutional and individual clients. The firm offers fiduciary services, plan design and compliance testing, and access to multiple management platforms, serving clients including large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds.

Tod Wells is a CFP® with 33 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at &PARTNERS since 2024. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2001 to 2005 and again from 2016 to 2024, as well as Merrill from 2005 to 2011. He is also a partner in DWM, LLC, a non-investment-related entity. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base that includes high-net-worth individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement-plan advisory services, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis along with both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Matthew Fortenberry is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Prudential-related firms, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, and AXA Advisors. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients—including both non‑high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals—along with pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and various asset management programs, utilizing a range of third-party asset managers and proprietary advisory models.

Caleb Wyckoff is a financial advisor with Merrill in Huntersville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Bank of America N.A. and Merrill since 2023 and previously spent seven years at Harris Teeter. 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 strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Laura Spivey is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Cornelius, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her prior work includes two years at Movement Mortgage before joining Edward Jones in 2018. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a broad range of advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm operates under a fiduciary standard and is notable for its extensive retail advisor network and affiliated capabilities beyond advisory services.

David Hahl is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Cornelius, NC, with 16 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and Series 66 designations and has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Amy Sigmon is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Davidson, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 14 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo since 2016 and previously worked at Omnistar Financial Group and Thrivent Investment Management. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Mitchell Harris is a Certified Financial Planner® with 25 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial since 2013. His prior roles include positions at Uvest Financial Services Group, Inc. and Ameriprise Advisor Services, Inc. He is also commissioned as a notary public. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions, offering a range of advisory and brokerage services including financial planning and institutional investment platforms.

Amy Murray is a financial advisor at Merrill with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Her prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Holston Medical Group, and Novant Health. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

David Nifong is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 25 years of industry experience, including prior roles at LPL Financial, Independent Advisor Alliance, and Wells Fargo Clearing. He serves as president of an architecture committee in Bryson City, NC. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary management through multiple platforms and maintains proprietary model strategies under the Founders Gate Capital brand.

Robert Koppenhofer is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James since 2012. Koppenhofer also works as an associate at Williamson Wealth Group. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and investment consulting using detailed analytical tools and supports municipal and public-finance work through unique affiliations.