Robert Scholes is a CFP® and CFA® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Allworth Financial, L.P. Prior to joining Allworth Financial in 2025, he worked at Investors Trust Company, Cook Wealth Management Group, Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Before his financial advisory career, he spent nine years at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Allworth Financial serves a broad client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, pension plans, trusts, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering a range of financial planning and portfolio management services. The firm employs both quantitative and qualitative analysis to create customized investment strategies and provides educational content through various media.

Tao Zhang is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Morrisville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His background includes roles with World Financial Group, Inc., International Medical Group, and HCC Medical Insurance Service. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of an IT consulting firm and works as a part-time driver for Lyft. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering a range of advisory and broker-dealer services through proprietary and third-party investment models.

Tonja Womble is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 23 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with SunTrust Advisory Services since 2016 and SunTrust Investment Services, Inc. since 2013. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches alongside third-party manager arrangements and AI-enabled research tools.

Shenghao Song is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Morrisville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and nine years of industry experience. He has been associated with Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2015 and is also involved in language translation services through Fluent Language Solutions and provides bookkeeping, accounting, and tax consulting services via Melody Song, CPA. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a broad client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, delivering advisory and brokerage services primarily through model portfolios and third-party managers across multiple program platforms.

Troy Fairbank is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Durham, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 20 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2008. First Citizens Investor Services serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering a range of advisory and brokerage services. The firm’s approach involves IAR-led assessments of client financial needs and employs fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

David Wilder is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an elder and committee member at Triangle Grace Church and is the treasurer for the Voyager Academy Booster Club. TIAA-CREF’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 separates point-in-time planning from ongoing management and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group that includes affiliated funds.

Amber Mc Neill is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF based in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 designation. She has been with TIAA-related firms since 2015. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management, operating within a vertically integrated structure that includes affiliated funds and donor-advised fund services.

Philip Fried is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 32 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior work experience includes positions at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Janney Montgomery Scott is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations through a variety of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services.

Vijaya Arun is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. She has been self-employed since 2014, providing accounting and bookkeeping services on a part-time basis. Arun also engages in sales of insurance and non-insurance products affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors, LLC offers investment advisory, brokerage, and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a model portfolio approach implemented through third-party managers and proprietary platforms to deliver its services.

Thomas Storrie is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Commonwealth Financial Network since 2017. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 12 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in fixed insurance sales conducted under Crossbridge Financial Group. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors with a range of advisory programs and services. The firm provides operations, trading, technology, investment management, compliance, and practice-management support, enabling advisors to offer customized portfolio solutions and model portfolios to retail and institutional clients.

Jonathan Robinson is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer in Chapel Hill, NC, holding CFP® and Series 66 designations and with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Oppenheimer since 2003. Robinson serves as co-trustee of the Joseph W. Robinson and Kathleen Ann Robinson Family Trust, a non-investment-related role involving the liquidation of personal assets. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves individuals, corporations, pension plans, charitable organizations, and IRAs. The firm offers a range of investment programs and advisory services across equity, balanced, and fixed-income portfolios, with both discretionary and non-discretionary management approaches.

Joseph Denney is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at BB&T Investments, Bb&T Securities, and Wells Fargo Clearing prior to joining Truist in 2021. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Sachika Motamarri is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with three years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at TIAA and UNC Charlotte among other roles. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm serves clients frequently connected through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans and operates within a vertically integrated model that includes affiliated fund management and donor-advised fund advisory services.

Stuart Donovan is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Durham, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 designations and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF since 2006. Outside of his advisory role, he manages rental properties in Raleigh and Atlantic Beach, NC. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and other entities, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered retirement plans. The firm offers a range of investment solutions including model and customized portfolios under a fiduciary standard.

Jacob Halsey is a financial advisor at D.A. Davidson & Co. with two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Fortress Private Ledger and Mullarkey Commercial Real Estate Group, following ten years as a student. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual investors, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm operates under fiduciary standards and offers a range of services such as retirement plan advisory, wrap fee programs, equity research, comprehensive financial planning, and a private wealth program for high-net-worth clients.

Lee Abbey is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF based in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing eight years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF and its predecessor, Tiaa, since 2015. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected with TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary portfolio management, functioning within a vertically integrated group that includes affiliated funds and acts as adviser to a donor-advised fund.

Jane Okulski is a financial advisor with Oppenheimer in Chapel Hill, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. She has worked at Oppenheimer since 2017 and previously held roles at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. and Transamerica Financial Advisors. Outside of her advisory work, she serves on the Reynolda House Advisory Council, assisting with event coordination and planning for the museum. Oppenheimer is a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, corporations, pension plans, charitable organizations, and IRAs. The firm offers a variety of programs including asset management, consulting, and retirement services, with a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary advisory approaches.

Thomas Mountain is a financial advisor with VALIC Financial Advisors in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with VALIC Financial Advisors since 2000 and is also currently an agent with Agia. Outside of his financial career, he co-manages a social media account focused on tabletop RPG gaming terrain and miniatures with his son. VALIC Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants, offering wrap programs, portfolio management, and financial planning through a large network of advisors. The firm uses discretionary unified managed accounts with Envestnet’s platform and emphasizes centralized technology and model solutions to manage roughly $29.2 billion across nearly 300,000 clients.

Donna King is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Durham, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and seven years of industry experience. She has worked at several firms, including Allstate Financial Advisors and Edward Jones, before joining TIAA-CREF in 2020. Outside of her advisory work, she manages a rental property business involving coordination of repairs and tax filings. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA retirement plan relationships. The firm’s advisory offerings include point-in-time planning and ongoing discretionary portfolio management with a fiduciary standard applied to its registered investment adviser services.

Jennifer Jamerson is a CFP® and ChFC® with 26 years of industry experience. She has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2010 and also holds an agent position at Agia, where she is involved with non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services through its broker-dealer operations.