Leslie Watson is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Tru Independence Asset Management, LLC. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and A.G. Edwards & Sons. Watson is also involved in managing YellowWood Financial Advisors, LLC, an investment advisory firm. Tru Independence Asset Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm employs diversified portfolios using both active and passive strategies and integrates independent managers, third-party sub-advisors, and digital platforms to serve over one thousand accounts.

Justin Louis is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with eight years of industry experience. He is currently with Verum Partners LLC, where he has worked since 2023, following prior roles at Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC and Carolinas Investment Consulting LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he assists a CPA firm during tax season. Verum Partners LLC offers customized wealth management and discretionary portfolio management services primarily for high net worth individuals, families, trusts, and estates. The firm sponsors a wrap fee program that combines advisory and securities transaction services and provides access to independent portfolio managers.

Eric Lockerman is a financial advisor at Novare Capital Management with 10 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Wells Fargo Bank and Tiaa. 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, employing proprietary strategies and AI-supported research overseen by an investment committee.

Claudia Stern is a financial advisor with Lebenthal Global Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. She has worked at Lebenthal Global Advisors since 2020 and previously held roles at Avenir Private Advisors and Fusion Analytics Securities LLC. Lebenthal Global Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, retirement accounts, and small business pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management through a wrap fee program, utilizing model-based strategies managed by an affiliated sub-adviser and providing financial planning at no additional charge to portfolio management clients.

Luther Lockwood II is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor with 35 years of industry experience, currently serving at MBL Advisors. He has held leadership roles at MBL Wealth, LLC and M Holdings Securities, Inc. In addition to his advisory work, Lockwood is active in nonprofit and healthcare organizations, including serving as vice chairman of the Atrium Health Foundation board and as a member of the board of directors for One Direct Health Network, Inc. MBL Wealth (MBL Advisors) 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 that incorporates macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis, and uses modern portfolio theory to guide asset allocation and risk management.

Cormac Lynch is a financial advisor with Cannon Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Florida Financial Advisors (DBA Tristate Financial Advisors) and TARGAN, as well as academic positions at the University of North Carolina. Cannon Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and limited financial consulting. The firm employs a range of analytical approaches and strategies, including options and derivatives trading, and manages approximately $181.6 million for around 228 clients.

Michael Klaiber is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Verity Investment Partners since 2017. He previously worked at UBS from 2015 to 2017. Klaiber is a board member and finance chair for Lowcountry Legal Volunteers and also serves on the Duke Fuqua School of Business Alumni Board. Verity Investment Partners is a 12-advisor team providing discretionary investment management, ongoing financial planning, and family office consulting to individuals, trusts, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.4 billion in assets and emphasizes portfolios constructed with dividend-paying equities, fundamental and technical analysis, and client suitability.

Thomas Farrell is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience. He is currently a financial advisor at Aspire Private Capital, where he has worked since 2014. Prior to this, he held roles at Global Financial Private Capital, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Edward Jones. Outside his advisory work, Farrell is also an independent insurance sales agent specializing in insurance and annuity product sales. Aspire Private Capital manages approximately $510 million for individuals, corporations, and retirement plans, offering investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis and often utilizes third-party sub-advisers through the GeoWealth platform, complemented by educational workshops for clients.

Jack Lawrence is a CFP® professional with recent experience at Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC and prior roles at West Financial Services and Sandy Spring Bank. He has worked in financial services since 2018 and is currently based in Charlotte, NC. Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC manages approximately $1.77 billion and provides wealth management services to individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach is based on modern portfolio theory and includes proprietary index-enhanced portfolios and diversified strategies tailored to client tax and investment needs.

Nicholas Lloyd is a CFA® charterholder and Series 66 licensed advisor with six years of industry experience. He is currently with Novare Capital Management, where he has worked since 2022. His prior experience includes roles at M Holdings Securities and Greenberg & Rapp. Before entering the financial industry, he worked at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster and attended Virginia Tech University. 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, trusts, estates, and institutions. The firm employs client-specific investment strategies across various asset types, utilizing both proprietary methods and AI tools combined with human oversight.

Glen Wright II is a CFP® with over 21 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Worth Financial Advisory Group since 2011. Glen holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and is based in Charlotte, NC. Worth Advisors is a fee-based financial planning and investment management firm serving individuals, college coaches, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm constructs portfolios tailored to client objectives and risk tolerances, often utilizing ETFs, no-load index mutual funds, and third-party money managers while maintaining oversight.

Robert Cannon is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Cannon Advisors in Charlotte, NC. His prior experience includes roles at Regulus Financial Group, LLC, and Advisory Services Network, LLC. He is also a licensed agent for life, long-term care, fixed annuity, and disability insurance products. Cannon Advisors is an SEC-registered 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, employing diverse analytical methods and strategies that include long- and short-term trading, margin, short sales, and options.

Stephen Thomas is a financial advisor with Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC and currently leads Indexperts, LLC alongside his role at Linden Thomas Advisory Services. Linden Thomas Advisory Services provides wealth management, investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory-based investment approach, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management through separately managed accounts, proprietary enhanced-index portfolios, and passive index programs.

John Ryan is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Novare Capital Management since 2022 and previously spent four years at Selective Wealth Management and one year at Employee Family Protection. Prior to his advisory career, he worked at Liberty University for two years. Novare Capital Management is a wealth management 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 provides comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management using client-specific investment policies and proprietary strategies, integrating AI tools alongside human oversight in its investment process.

Robin Woodell is a CFP® professional with 19 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has previously worked at Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co and The Prudential Insurance Company of America. He is also the proprietor of Emerald Financial Group, which provides multi-line insurance and advisory services in Charlotte, NC. Woodell is part of MIAI, Inc., a team-based firm managing approximately $213 million for individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting through proprietary programs and platforms such as the Fidelity Managed Account Xchange.

Andrew Fisher is a financial advisor with Novare Capital Management in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 12 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at CF Parks, Suntrust Advisory Services, TIAA-CREF, and Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and financial institutions. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management using proprietary strategies and artificial intelligence tools alongside human oversight.

Luke Stenzel is a financial advisor with Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC based in Charlotte, NC. He holds the Series 65 designation and has one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Morris Jenkins, FedEx Express, and Roots Catering. Linden Thomas Advisory Services manages approximately $1.77 billion and provides wealth management services to individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a globally diversified investment approach based on modern portfolio theory and offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Gregory Padgitt is a CFP® with 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Aspire Private Capital and has previously worked at Nationwide Securities LLC, Nationwide Financial, and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Plushenko Enterprises LLC. Aspire Private Capital is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $510 million for individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and selective tax consulting, frequently using third-party sub-advisers and model solutions through the GeoWealth platform.

Robert Riedl is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of industry experience. He is currently with Endowment Wealth Management, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, where he has worked since 2026. His prior experience includes roles at KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC. Endowment Wealth Management serves individual investors, retirement and pension plans, non-profits, and institutional clients by offering financial planning, portfolio management, retirement consulting, alternative investment advisory, private fund management, and family office services. The firm employs an endowment-style investment philosophy, combining traditional and alternative assets through varied investment vehicles tailored to client needs.

Douglas Marion is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Everstar Asset Management, LLC and has previously worked at AlphaStar Capital Management, LLC and Advanced Wealth Strategies, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, Marion is an independent insurance agent and a partner in two non-investment related businesses, Fruitful Roots Brewing, LLC and Aspiration Adventures, LLC. 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 sponsors multiple private investment funds, employing a proprietary investment process that includes equity and fixed-income models, derivatives, and a diversified range of securities.