James Brookshire is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Apex Systems and Speckled Trout. He is part of The DDK Group within Robert W. Baird’s Private Wealth Management department, which serves individuals, corporate and business clients, pensions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and a range of advisory services combining manager-traded and model-traded strategies, with an emphasis on internal research and ongoing manager monitoring.

David Vance is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Asheville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and with 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Charles Schwab since 1995 and Charles Schwab Bank since 2005. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm operates a large-scale, integrated platform combining non-discretionary advisory relationships with access to affiliated discretionary separately managed accounts and offers a formal alternative-investment onboarding process.

Deborah Mclaughlin is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Lakeland, FL, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. She has been with Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management since 2015. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, offering goal-based financial planning and analysis without discretionary trading authority. The firm allows clients to combine planning with managed-account services while keeping these functions separate.

Kelcey Geisendorfer is a financial advisor with Merrill in Asheville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill in 2025, Kelcey worked at Bank of America and has experience in roles at Branscome Inc. and Darden Restaurants. Kelcey also assists with bookkeeping and payroll for a family-owned general contracting business. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Kelly Roark is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Her career includes roles at Commonwealth Financial Network and LPL Financial, as well as ownership of Paragon Financial, where she also serves as Co-Trustee of the firm’s 401(k) plan. She is a board member and treasurer of The Franklin School of Innovation, a local charter school. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent professionals, utilizing multiple custody arrangements and a range of portfolio management strategies, including proprietary models under the Founders Gate Capital brand.

Mark Green is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 34 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and Citigroup Global Markets. Green holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides advisory and brokerage services to individual and institutional clients, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in assets. The firm offers tailored financial planning and a variety of investment programs supported by structured planning tools and a centralized investment committee.

Lisa Green is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Asheville, NC. She has been with Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2017. Outside of her advisory role, she participates on the investment committee of Pisgah Legal Services, a nonprofit organization based in Asheville. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offers a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions, providing tailored financial planning supported by firm-approved tools and a structured discovery process. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and provides services that include both direct individual plans and corporate financial planning agreements.

Howard Kobrin is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and carrying 41 years of industry experience. His prior roles include six years at Prudential Equity Group, LLC. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm utilizes research and analytics to guide investment decisions and offers a broad range of brokerage and advisory solutions.

Robert Ferguson is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked for 25 years at the United States Probation Office. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both non-discretionary and discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

John Wedthoff is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation and has expertise in areas such as education planning, equity compensation services, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, small business strategies, sports and entertainment, and retirement income. John earned a Bachelor's degree from Western Carolina University and an Associate's degree from Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College. He is a graduate of Asheville High School. John is a native of Asheville, North Carolina, where he also serves as a board member for the Asheville Buncombe Adult Soccer Association. He is fluent in English and Spanish. In addition to his financial advisory work, John enjoys activities such as chess, cooking, dancing, scuba diving, soccer, and tennis. He lives in North Asheville with his wife Elena and their daughter.

Thorsten Path is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Asheville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 10 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2016. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a nationwide network of over 23,700 financial advisors and 15,000 branch offices.

Carlos Fonseca is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Asheville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley since 2015. Outside of his advisory role, he is the sole proprietor of Libertas Investments LLC, an investment and real estate business based in Asheville. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs structured planning tools such as Monte Carlo simulations and Secular Return Estimates from its Global Investment Committee.

Oscar Starnes IV is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 20 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as the chair of the investment committee for Pisgah Legal Services and is a board member of the Lake Summit Property Owners Association in Hendersonville, NC. 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 extensive research and analytics.

Joshua Hix is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Asheville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including over a decade at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an executor on an estate in North Carolina. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions. The firm provides tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery conversations and firm-approved tools, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Frankie Adkins is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Asheville, NC, holding CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 credentials and eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2018, he worked at Outdoorsy and Allergan. Outside of advising, he operates a small RV rental business in Asheville. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and manages over $1 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of advisors and branches.

Laurie Gerdy is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience, currently with Ameriprise in Weaverville, NC. She has worked at Ameriprise and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2015. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering specialized retirement income planning focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

John Rinker is a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services with 42 years of industry experience. He has been with UBS since 2003 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Outside of his advisory role, he is a partner in a dietary supplement drink business. UBS Financial Services serves individual, corporate, and institutional clients through brokerage and investment advisory offerings that include financial planning, portfolio management, and distribution of mutual funds and alternative products. The firm combines institutional trading capabilities with wealth management services and incorporates proprietary research and model-based asset allocations in its advisory approach.

Mark Scott is a financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Asheville, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has nine years of industry experience, all with Thrivent firms since 2016. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of financial advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based planning across various financial topics, with options to integrate planning and managed-account services under a consolidated billing structure called “WealthPlan.”

Janet Byas is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Commonwealth Financial Network and LPL Financial. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and investment management services through a network of independent Financial Professionals, utilizing a range of portfolio management and advisory strategies.

Skyler Duncan is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since starting his practice in 2020, he has developed a goals-based and solutions-focused planning approach that integrates financial planning and investment resources with access to specialists representing Bank of America's eight lines of business. Skyler's work aims to provide clients with planning, support, and advice that create certainty in an unpredictable world and help align their financial lives with both short and long-term objectives. Skyler's areas of client focus include college education planning, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, LGBT wealth planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, philanthropic planning, portfolio management services, women and wealth, and retirement income. He joined Merrill in 2019 and holds several professional designations, including Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Chartered SRI Counselor (CSRIC), and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He earned a bachelor's degree from Elmira College, where he double majored in Business Administration and Psychology. Born and raised in Southern Vermont, Skyler is active in his community and regularly volunteers with the Rotary Club of Asheville. He is also involved with the YMCA of Western North Carolina. Outside of his professional commitments, Skyler enjoys baseball, basketball, cooking, golfing, hiking, hunting, skiing, woodworking, traveling, and spending time with his wife, Taylor, their daughter, Lainey, and their two dogs.