John Hardy Jr. is a financial advisor at Cetera Planning Partners with 43 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including LPL Financial, Summit Financial Group, and multiple Cetera entities. Outside of advising, he serves on the finance committee for First Baptist Church in Greensboro and co-hosts a radio show related to his securities business. Cetera Planning Partners serves individual and high-net-worth clients, particularly pre-retirees and retirees, offering investment management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement-related advice. The firm’s investment process emphasizes diversified portfolios using mutual funds and ETFs tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance, supported by a range of ancillary services including tax planning, bookkeeping, payroll support, and estate planning through third-party providers.

Gregory Current is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and Park Avenue Securities, holding a Series 66 designation and over 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life since 2013 and has worked with Charles Aris Inc since 2004. Park Avenue Securities LLC, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provides brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a combination of advisor-led discretionary management and model-based strategies, with access to proprietary programs, third-party solutions, and a digital advisory platform.

Amy Loftis is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with nine years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked with Truist Advisory Services and Truist Bank since 2016. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research with AI-enabled tools and offers ongoing client reviews and reporting.

Jason Croy is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license, with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Hightower Advisors since 2020, following positions at Stearns Financial Group and Captrust Financial Advisors. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s approach includes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, and delivers services such as discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Christopher Wojtek is a financial advisor with Davenport & Company LLC in Greensboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Davenport & Company since 2009 and previously worked at Citigroup Global Markets from 2006 to 2009. Davenport & Company serves individual and institutional clients, including banks, pension plans, trusts, estates, nonprofits, and corporations. The firm offers asset management, retail brokerage, fixed income, public finance, and investment banking services, with a focus on separately managed accounts, model delivery, and advisory programs through a team-based approach.

Michele Smith is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Greensboro, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Morgan Stanley and Scott & Stringfellow. She serves on the Board and Finance Committee of Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, where she advises on budget matters for missions and maintenance. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support asset allocation, manager selection, and ongoing client reviews.

Rodney Segraves is a financial advisor with Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Triad Hybrid Solutions since 2019 and Kestra Financial Services, Inc. from 2016 to 2019. He is also a CPA and operates his own public accounting practice specializing in tax preparation and accounting. Osaic Advisory Services, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate and charitable entities, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm offers a range of investment programs, retirement plan consulting, and access to alternative investments, combining fundamental and technical analysis with tactical trading and structured products.

Christopher Peele is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at SunTrust Advisory Services, SunTrust Investment Services, and Bank of America. Peele serves on the board of the Greensboro Symphony, where he focuses on engaging young professionals and promoting community participation. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support asset allocation and manager selection, offering ongoing reporting and client consultations.

John Rich is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Oppenheimer since 2009, having previously worked at Stanford Group Company. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension plans, charitable organizations, pooled investment vehicles, and IRAs. The firm provides a variety of programs and advisory services including asset management, consulting, and retirement services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Cheryl Vinson is a Series 65 licensed advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with six years of industry experience. She has been with Bankers Life since 2016. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a trustee for an irrevocable trust and holds a secretary/treasurer position with a local business networking organization. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management as well as retirement plan consulting. The firm employs fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and manages portfolios using various securities with ongoing reviews and rebalancing.

David Thompson is a CFP® professional with 37 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at &Partners. His previous roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wachovia Securities. He is also the author of a book titled *Conquering Kilimanjaro and Inner Demons*. &Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting, utilizing a combination of proprietary and third-party strategies with ongoing monitoring and periodic account reviews.

Pamela Stearns is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 14 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously led Stearns Financial Services Group for 13 years before joining Hightower Advisors in 2020. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a wide range of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers alongside proprietary research and various investment vehicles.

Luke Mills is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with three years of industry experience. He is currently with Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services, where he has worked since 2024. Prior to this, he was with Fidelity Investments for one year and also has work experience outside the financial industry, including roles at PetSmart and Food Lion. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of traditional research and AI-enabled tools to support client portfolios and offers a range of affiliated financial relationships through its connection to Truist Financial.

Benjamin Vess is a financial advisor at Davenport & Company LLC in Greensboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at Bank of Botetourt and held various roles including at Radford University and Lowe's Companies, Inc. Davenport & Company LLC serves individual and institutional clients with a range of services including asset management, retail brokerage, fixed income, public finance, and investment banking. The firm’s asset management team focuses on separately managed accounts, mutual funds, ETFs, and unified managed accounts, and it is adviser to six proprietary mutual funds.

Amber Cornwell is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with 19 years of industry experience. She has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2011 and also holds a position with Agia, where she works with non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a large network of advisors, utilizing discretionary unified managed accounts and various overlay services to meet client needs.

Cecelia Anderson is a financial advisor at Davenport & Company LLC with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Davenport & Company since 2009, including a recent tenure starting in 2023, as well as prior experience at Citigroup Global Markets and Wells Fargo Clearing. Davenport & Company serves individual and institutional clients such as banks, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, nonprofits, and corporations. The firm offers a range of services including asset management, retail brokerage, fixed income, public finance, and investment banking, with a focus on dedicated portfolio manager teams and multiple advisory programs.

Steven Holbrook is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer in Greensboro, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has worked at Oppenheimer since 2013, with prior roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and A. G. Edwards & Sons. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a non-voting board member for a local homeowners association. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension plans, charitable organizations, and IRAs. The firm offers a range of investment programs and advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary management, with a notable portion of assets managed non-discretionarily while maintaining custody of client assets.

Thomas Laws is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Greensboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include serving as an advisor at Independent Advisor Alliance and LPL Financial LLC. He has also been involved with the Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber of Commerce and First Presbyterian Church Nashville. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a network of over 1,200 advisors, managing approximately $29.2 billion in assets.

Deanna Post is a financial advisor at &PARTNERS with 25 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms, including Wells Fargo Clearing Services, Woodbury Financial Services, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. &PARTNERS serves a diverse client base of individual and institutional investors, offering investment management, financial and tax planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm utilizes a range of analytical approaches and investment strategies, managing accounts on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases through proprietary platforms and third-party managers.

Joseph Vartanian is an Investment Advisor Representative with Kestra Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and also serves as an advisor at Gate City Advisors, where he is associated with the book "The Retirement Income Toolkit." Outside of his advisory roles, he is a partner at Gate City Property Group, a real estate business in Greensboro, NC. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse client base, including plan sponsors, institutional investors, and individuals. The firm offers a range of services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, and investment advice, supporting complex products and discretionary trading within its supervisory framework.