Kymona Thomas is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Clearing, LPL Financial, and Vanguard Marketing Corporation. She is currently based in Huntersville, NC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies for long-term goals, supplemented by direct indexing, tax-loss harvesting, and selective private market investments.

Richard Pucciarelli is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Brookstone since 2010 and Carolina Retirement Resources since 2003. In addition to his advisory role, he is also an insurance agent. Brookstone Capital Management is an SEC-registered adviser that provides fee-based asset management and financial planning through a turnkey asset management platform and wrap-fee program. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other registered investment advisers, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions, offering discretionary investment management via various account types and model portfolios.

Angela Lessor is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors. Her prior roles include positions at Journey Strategic Wealth LLC, Bleakley Financial Group LLC, LPL Financial, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Management. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, utilizing a multi-manager approach that includes affiliated and third-party managers, with capabilities in discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Michael Smith is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Kannapolis, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Fifth Third Securities since 2012. Fifth Third Securities provides brokerage and investment advisory services through its Passageway Managed Account Program to individuals, charitable organizations, corporate clients, and institutional investors. The firm offers multiple discretionary managed-account programs and combines third-party portfolio managers, strategist portfolios, and advisor-managed sleeves, with features such as direct indexing and tax-overlay services.

Robert Flynn is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group who holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 22 years of industry experience. He previously worked at TIAA-CREF and TIAA from 1997 to 2022 before joining Empower Financial Services in 2023. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated approach leverages proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and is closely tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Mark Sumner is a financial advisor with SPC in Mooresville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has worked at SPC and Parkland Securities LLC since 2020 and previously spent seven years at Securities Service Network, Inc. Sumner is also a licensed insurance agent involved with Sumner Wealth Management, Inc., where he provides life, Medicare Supplement, long-term care, and disability insurance. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, managing approximately $5.66 billion in assets. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement plan services, delivering strategies through discretionary and nondiscretionary management options.

Robert Eberhardt is a CFP® with over 31 years of industry experience, currently serving at Principal Financial Services since 2011. Based in Denver, NC, he holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, he is president and owner of Safe Self Storage, LLC, where he manages accounting and marketing for two self-storage locations. Principal Financial Services provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Kelsey Neal is a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network with two years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has prior experience with BDS Financial Network and service in the Army National Guard. Neal is also the owner of Waypoint Wealth Solutions, LLC, a private entity involved in securities, advisory, and insurance business. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm provides a range of advisory programs and support services, including operations, trading, compliance, and investment management, allowing advisors to offer customized portfolio solutions under Commonwealth’s supervision.

Lisa Scriba is a financial advisor with \u0026PARTNERS, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining \u0026PARTNERS, she worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Outside of her advisory role, she owns and oversees an automotive maintenance and repair business in Indian Trail, NC. \u0026PARTNERS serves a diverse clientele, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting through both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and quantitative analyses supported by a variety of proprietary and third-party investment approaches.

Claudia Angeles Ponce is a financial advisor at &Partners with four years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has prior work experience at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, SC Johnson Professional, and Merck & Co. Outside of her advisory role, she owns and operates Peru InLove Handmade Souvenirs LLC, a souvenir shop based in Pineville, NC. &Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and retirement plans, offering investment management and financial planning services through a combination of proprietary and third-party strategies.

Justin Romero is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and five years of industry experience. He has previously worked at firms including Accelerate Investment Advisors LLC, Principal Life Insurance Company, and Morgan Stanley. Outside of his advisory role, Romero is a partner at Cypress Benefit Solutions, a firm specializing in group insurance and employee benefits. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Christopher Hance is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, holding a Series 66 credential and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF and its predecessor entities since 2006, with a brief period of unemployment in 2019. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm operates a fiduciary advisory model that distinguishes planning services from ongoing discretionary management and advises a donor-advised fund while utilizing a vertically integrated investment approach.

Pete Trontis is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience, currently serving at Savant Wealth Management since 2026. He previously worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors, LLC, where he was also an equity partner, as well as at Willingdon Wealth Management and Horizon Investments. Savant Wealth Management provides comprehensive wealth management and financial planning services to individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an investment approach that combines evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with actively managed strategies and offers integrated services through affiliated accounting, legal, and trust entities.

Randy Farina is a CFA® charterholder and Series 63 licensed financial advisor at Savant Wealth Management with five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Exencial Wealth Advisors, LLC, Westwood Global, and a long tenure at Putnam Investments. Savant Wealth Management provides comprehensive wealth management, portfolio management, financial planning, and family office services to individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients. The firm combines evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with actively managed strategies and offers integrated services through affiliated accounting, legal, and trust entities.

David Carrara is a CFP® with 26 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently an advisor at Citizens Securities, Inc., where he has worked since 2021. His prior experience includes 14 years at TIAA-CREF. Citizens Securities serves a broad retail client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors and individual retirement plans, offering investment advisory programs alongside brokerage and insurance services. The firm provides both a digital advisory program featuring ETF-based portfolios and a Managed Account program, operating as a broker-dealer and insurance agency under ownership by Citizens Bank, N.A.

Kenneth Putnam is a CFP® with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC since 2017. He previously worked at Cornerstone Financial Advisors and is also associated with LPL Financial, LLC. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm provides both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management through a network model supported by technology platforms and access to third-party managers.

Patrick Hipkens is a CFA® charterholder with nine years of industry experience. He has been with Truist Advisory Services since 2021 and previously worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. and other financial firms. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enhanced research and comprehensive supervisory oversight.

Kaye Tahiliani is a financial advisor at Savant Wealth Management with 17 years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. Before joining Savant in 2026, she worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors, LLC, Willingdon Wealth Management, and TIAA-CREF. She is also an equity partner of less than 5% at Exencial Wealth Advisors. Savant Wealth Management serves individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth clients with comprehensive wealth management, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses an investment approach that combines evidence-based, model-driven asset allocation with a range of actively managed strategies and supports its services with affiliated accounting, legal, and trust entities.

Daniel Schwartz is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Nuveen Asset Management, LLC and ClearBridge Investments LLC, among other firms. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for the Academy of IT at Cox Mill High School and co-owns a Code Ninjas franchise in Concord with his wife. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a strategic investment approach combining passive and active management, supported by an internal Investment Committee and research focused on factor premiums such as value and momentum.

Andrew Breasure is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services since 2022. His prior roles include positions at North Carolina State University, The Ability Experience, and Steward Wealth Strategies. Outside the advisory field, he is president of Tau Properties, Inc., a nonprofit housing corporation supporting the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at NC State, where he oversees budget and alumni events. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.