Mark Thompson is a CFA® charterholder with 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Laurel Wealth Advisors, LLC since 2008 and previously worked at Buckhorn Capital Management LLC from 2004 to 2008. Outside of his advisory role, he is a passive investor in technology and healthcare-related companies but does not actively participate in their operations or receive compensation for these investments. Laurel Wealth Advisors provides investment advice and portfolio management to individuals, charitable organizations, and business entities, tailoring strategies through fundamental analysis and various investment techniques to meet client objectives.

Parker Mayo is a CFP® and Series 66-licensed advisor with five years of industry experience. He currently works at Novare Capital Management and previously held roles at Quantitative Financial Strategies, Verum Partners LLC, Fidelity Investments, and served seven years in the United States Air Force. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and financial institutions. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management using a combination of proprietary strategies, AI-supported research, and an investment committee oversight.

Barbara Bell is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Cannon Advisors in Charlotte, NC. She has worked with Regulus Advisors, LLC, Bell Divorce Advisors, Inc., and Bell Financial Planning, Inc. Barbara is also a licensed agent for life, health, long-term care, fixed annuity, and disability insurance. Cannon Advisors is an SEC-registered advisory firm with a team of five advisors managing approximately $142 million for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning using a range of analytical methods and investment strategies, including long- and short-term trading, margin, short sales, and options.

Michael Boykin is a financial advisor at Cannon Advisors with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has worked at Cannon Advisors since 2017, with prior roles at Regulus Advisors and Cannon Tax & Accounting. Boykin is also a licensed agent for life, fixed annuity, and disability insurance sales. Cannon Advisors is an SEC-registered advisory firm consisting of five advisors who manage approximately $142 million for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, employing a range of analytical methods and investment strategies including the use of derivatives and short selling.

Miranda Silinski is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at MBL Advisors in Charlotte, NC. Her prior experience includes positions at Primary Residential Mortgage Inc. and Sound Partners, as well as a four-year tenure related to Eastern Carolina University. MBL Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $1.42 billion in discretionary assets and employs a goals-based investment process emphasizing diversified, long-term asset allocation informed by macro, fundamental, and technical analysis.

Zachary Ladowski is an advisor at Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC with a Series 66 designation and less than one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Station 31 Partners, Prosperity Life, and Civic Financial Services. Linden Thomas Advisory Services manages approximately $1.77 billion, providing wealth management services to individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach is based on modern portfolio theory and offers globally diversified allocations, proprietary index-enhanced portfolios, and both discretionary and non-discretionary client services.

Anne Mcphail is a CFP® with 21 years of experience in the financial industry. She has been with Novare Capital Management in Charlotte, NC since 2005. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management using proprietary strategies and integrates third-party artificial intelligence tools alongside human oversight in its investment process.

Joseph Granger IV is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience and is currently an advisor at Verum Partners LLC. His prior roles include positions at Focus Partners Wealth, Buckingham Strategic Wealth, and UBS Financial Services. Verum Partners LLC provides customized wealth management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and estates, offering discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm frequently uses Independent Managers for portions of client portfolios while maintaining oversight and provides direct access to its portfolio managers.

Richard Jakiel is a financial advisor at Everstar Asset Management, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Advanced Wealth Strategies, Inc. and Cambridge Investment Research. Outside of his advisory role, he teaches private tennis lessons and is involved in community organizations such as the Queen City League and Kiwanis Uptown in Charlotte, NC. Everstar Asset Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, foundations, and certain institutional accounts. The firm manages approximately $311 million in assets and offers a range of investment strategies including proprietary equity and fixed-income models, as well as managing multiple private funds with performance-based incentive structures.

Brian Gift is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at MBL Wealth, LLC since 2019 and has been affiliated with MBL Advisors Inc. and M Holdings Securities, LLC since 2018. Prior to joining MBL, he spent twelve years at U.S. Trust. MBL Wealth provides discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm manages over $1.14 billion in discretionary assets through a team of ten advisers, employing a goals-based, broadly diversified investment approach that incorporates macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis alongside modern portfolio theory.

Fritzner Jean is a CFP® professional with six years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Geometric Wealth Advisors, LLC. He previously worked at Vanguard from 2016 to 2022 before joining Geometric Wealth Advisors, where he has been since 2022. Geometric Wealth Advisors provides personalized wealth management services to individuals, families, and trusts, combining discretionary investment management with financial planning and tax-related services. The firm employs a long-term, broadly diversified investment approach and maintains a national presence with ten offices.

John Menser is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Novare Capital Management. His work history includes roles at Concorde Financial Resources, Westminster Financial Securities, and Bank of America. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and financial institutions. The firm provides comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management using a client-specific Investment Policy Statement and proprietary strategies, supported by an investment committee and artificial intelligence tools.

Thomas Mack is a CFA® charterholder based in Charlotte, NC, with six years of experience at MBL Wealth, LLC and two years at McShane Partners Wealth & Investment Advisory, LLC. Prior to his advisory career, he worked for four years at Wake Forest University. MBL Wealth serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, providing discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $1.42 billion in discretionary assets and employs a goals-based investment process emphasizing diversified, long-term asset allocation informed by macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis.

John Philpott is a financial advisor with Aspire Private Capital, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Aspire since 2010 and previously at Global Financial Private Capital from 2012 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, Philpott is involved as owner and broker at Pier 28 Realty and serves as president of Estate and Retirement Consultants, which focuses on fixed life and annuity sales. Aspire Private Capital is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $510 million for individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis and typically recommends third-party sub-advisers through the GeoWealth platform while offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services.

Alixandria Tucci is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at PCM Encore, LLC. Her prior roles include positions at Q3 Advisors, Facet Wealth, and Vanguard. She operated a pet sitting business, Queen City Pet Sitting, for six years alongside her financial career. PCM Encore provides investment management, financial planning, family-office, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $2.0 billion in client assets using a diversified, tax-aware approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation.

Cory Esposito is a CFP® with eight years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with A4 Wealth Advisors LLC in Huntersville, NC, and previously worked at LPL Financial and UBS Financial Services. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with A4 Insurance Solutions, an affiliated insurance business connected to his firm. A4 Wealth Advisors serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, managing approximately $214 million. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management, using a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and incorporates third-party managers and alternative investments into its approach.

William Pierce is a financial advisor with MBL Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 48 years of industry experience. He has worked at MBL Wealth since 2025 and is also president of TPG Consulting, LLC, where he consults and sells insurance and investment products. MBL Wealth provides discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm employs a goals-based, broadly diversified investment approach and utilizes third-party models and research providers to support portfolio management and integrated planning services for its clients.

Jessica Carnes is a financial advisor with Worth Advisors in Charlotte, NC. She holds a Series 66 designation and has 14 years of industry experience, including 10 years at Worth Financial Advisory Group, LLC. Worth Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, businesses, qualified retirement plans, and other advisers. The firm is known for its CoachNetWorth platform serving college coaches and integrates tax and bookkeeping support through collaboration with accounting professionals.

Evan Grey is a financial advisor at Matauro, LLC in Charlotte, NC, with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Equitable Advisors and AxA Advisors. Grey has also been a licensed independent insurance agent involved in life insurance and variable annuities. Matauro, LLC manages approximately $1.05 billion across about 876 client relationships, offering wealth management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm employs a diverse investment approach that includes fundamental, macroeconomic, technical, and ESG analysis across both traditional and alternative asset classes.

Sophie Young is a CFP® professional with five years of experience at Novare Capital Management and a total of eight years in the financial industry. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Private Bank and Ameriprise Financial Services and has a background that includes five years at Green Valley Country Club. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and financial institutions. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management services, using proprietary investment strategies and AI tools to support decision-making alongside human oversight.