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 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has worked previously at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Bank NA, and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, foundations, universities, trusts, private businesses, and corporations. The firm offers investment management and consulting services using a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis, with both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

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. in Cornelius, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing, &PARTNERS, and AXA Distributors, LLC. OSAIC Institutions, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, ERISA retirement plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers customized advisory services, financial planning, consulting, ERISA plan services, and access to alternative investments and lending solutions, operating a hybrid adviser/broker-dealer model with both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Jessica Beard is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network based in Lincolnton, NC. She holds a Series 65 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Commonwealth, she worked at Sherrill, Blake & Harrison CPA PA and Abby H. Champion CPA PC, with a combined 13 years in the accounting field. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients. The firm provides advisory programs, back-office support, investment management, and technology solutions, allowing affiliated advisors to offer customized portfolio management and a range of program structures under Commonwealth’s supervision.

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.

Cassandra Smith is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning her industry career in 2026. Her prior work experience includes roles at Dean Financial, Planet Fitness, and Family Video. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad suite of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party managers, utilizing centralized due diligence and technology tools to support advisor and client needs.

Kathy Kuczenski is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing eight years of industry experience. She has worked at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021 and previously at Bbtis and Lincoln County Schools. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platform arrangements and an Equity Research team that employs AI-enabled tools.

Dylan Thurman is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Mooresville, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services and First Citizens Bank. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and tax-aware services, employing a client process that includes comprehensive assessments of financial needs and risk tolerance to guide investment allocations.

George Bowery is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. He has worked with SunTrust Advisory Services and related SunTrust entities since 2014. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, participant advice, and a manager-selection program, implementing advice through discretionary and non-discretionary relationships supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

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® professional with 33 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at &Partners since 2024. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2011 to 2024. Wells is a partner in DWM, LLC, a pass-through entity related to an equity buyout and office build-out. &Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, foundations, universities, trusts, private businesses, and corporations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting using a combination of proprietary and third-party strategies.

Matthew Fortenberry is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Denver, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Prudential and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. He also operates Alpha Omega Financial, LLC as a separate business activity. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and institutions, offering financial planning, insurance distribution, broker-dealer services, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm emphasizes a dual-registered model and works extensively with program sponsors and third-party managers to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

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 Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones, based in Cornelius, NC. She has three years of industry experience, including prior roles at Movement Mortgage. She has been with Edward Jones since 2018. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a large national network of financial advisors and branch offices.

David Hahl is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Edward Jones in Cornelius, NC, where he has worked since 2010. He has 15 years of industry experience. Outside of advising, he is involved in managing rental properties through several real estate entities. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and is notable for its extensive advisor network and affiliated capabilities such as a trust company and securities-based lending.

Hunter Conley is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he works closely with clients to understand their financial goals and develop strategies to pursue their short-, mid-, and long-term objectives. He serves as a resource for investment management, retirement planning, and savings strategies, providing access to a range of financial products and services including banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions offered through Bank of America specialists. Hunter brings expertise in helping individuals manage complex financial priorities such as purchasing a home, funding education, caregiving, and healthcare planning. He offers personalized portfolio strategies designed to align with clients' goals and provides ongoing advice to adapt these plans as clients' situations evolve. His professional designations include Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina System.

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 Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2013 to 2016. 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.