Samuel Schaefer is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo Securities LLC since 2018. Prior to that, he was employed at Global Value Investment Corp. from 2014 to 2018. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering services such as investment policy statement preparation, investment recommendations, performance reporting, and participant education. The firm’s IPS-driven advisory process incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes both non-discretionary and discretionary services, with a broader range of financial product offerings than typical institutional advisers.

Douglas Robertson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 17 years of industry experience, including roles at Truliant Federal Credit Union and Cuna Brokerage Services. Robertson is also involved with Truliant Financial Advisors in connection with his LPL business. LPL Financial is a national broker‑dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm provides a range of advisory services including financial planning, model portfolios, and institutional platforms, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Kristen Thomas is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. She is currently affiliated with Cetera and also serves as a financial professional at Paved Wealth Partners, LLC. In addition to her advisory work, she operates a small gardening consulting business called Southern Rooted Gardens. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered adviser that serves individual, retirement, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients through a large network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement services, utilizing a multi-manager platform with access to affiliated and third-party money managers.

Nicholas Caropreso is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Mooresville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. He joined Edward Jones in 2026 and has prior professional experience at Lowe's Companies Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, and Pinnacle Foods. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Donald Coggins Jr. is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Salisbury, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 21 years of industry experience. He worked at Edward Jones from 2007 to 2010 before joining LPL Financial, where he has been since 2010. Outside of advising, he is a musician performing as a keyboard player and singer, and he also manages timber farming on personal property. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a broad range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

James Tapp II is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations. The firm offers a wide range of advisory services, including financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment management, supported by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Jesse Riley is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Concord, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He has one year of industry experience and has been with Wells Fargo Bank and its affiliates since 2012. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services. The firm’s approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options in its investment menus.

Patrick Nielsen is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Mooresville, NC, holding CFP® and Series 66 credentials and seven years of industry experience. Before joining Edward Jones in 2018, he worked for twelve years at Lowe's Companies, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he owns and operates a self-publishing business through which he writes fiction. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm is notable for its large network of financial advisors and branch offices, as well as its affiliated capabilities beyond advisory services.

David Balok is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Denver, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and offering 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Linsco/Private Ledger Corp., now part of LPL Financial, since 2006. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions with a range of financial planning and investment management solutions.

Thomas Druckenbrod is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management who specializes in retirement income and wealth management planning. With over 19 years of experience in the financial services industry, he focuses on helping individuals set realistic financial goals and develop outcome-oriented strategies using Merrill's customized advice and Bank of America Global Research. Thomas holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and has earned multiple professional designations, including Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). His client focus areas include college education planning, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, special needs planning strategies, women and wealth, and retirement income. In addition to his professional work, Thomas is involved in his community as a church volunteer. Outside of work, his personal interests include adventure sports, chess, fishing, ice skating, table tennis, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Natasha Rufino Da Silva is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, serving the Suburban Philadelphia market. She is recognized as Merrill’s only African American advisor in the region and collaborates with an award-winning team that includes partners with over 40 years of experience. Drawing upon her athletic background, Natasha applies a disciplined and focused approach to her work with high net worth families and individuals. Her expertise spans advising medical professionals, athletes, business owners, and affluent families on various aspects of financial life, including wealth growth and preservation, retirement planning, managing new wealth, and tax minimization. Natasha emphasizes personalized strategies tailored to each client’s unique financial goals and has a commitment to educating her community on financial literacy, especially empowering Philadelphia’s youth. Natasha holds a Bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University and completed an Accredited Certificate Program at Temple University. She carries several professional designations, including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Sports & Entertainment Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (SE-AWMA). She is involved with community organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Tri State Black Men in Medicine. Fluent in English and Yoruba, Natasha focuses on clear communication to help clients understand financial strategies and market conditions.

Christian Burns is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with eight years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2017 and previously worked six years at the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina, Inc. He serves on the Development Committee of the Cornelius Arts Center, where he contributes to training board members on major gifts and may collaborate with board members on donor meetings. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, managing approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and affiliated investment products under a fiduciary standard.

Stephen Abercrombie is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials. Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. for 17 years. Fidelity’s affiliate Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients using a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm also manages multiple registered investment companies and utilizes systematic methodologies and long-term asset allocation benchmarks.

Kirk Messick is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has worked since 2012. He began his career in the financial services industry in 2006 with Wachovia Securities. Kirk holds professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He earned his high school diploma from West Iredell High School. With over sixteen years of experience, Kirk focuses on goal setting and retirement planning, specializing in consolidation and distribution of retirement and pension plans. He employs Goals Based Wealth Management, creating personalized strategies to help clients pursue their financial goals through a structured process of defining objectives and implementing solutions. His approach emphasizes putting the client's interests first and building trust through integrity and hard work. Outside of his professional role, Kirk participates in community activities such as coaching the All Pro Dads Odell Elementary Chapter and serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. His personal interests include hiking, spending time with his family, and watching movies.

Mark Kuznitz is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill from 2009 to 2023. Kuznitz is based in Denver, NC. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeted at individuals approaching or in retirement with substantial investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide customized, non-discretionary recommendations supported by a centralized consulting team.

William Haugen is a CFP® credentialed financial advisor with 56 years of industry experience, currently with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. He previously worked at Wachovia Securities, Inc. from 2001 to 2002. Haugen serves as a board member of the Downtown Development Association of Morganton, NC. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm providing investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of brokerage and advisory solutions backed by research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

John Shaffer is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Corpay and Wells Fargo Advisors. 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 grounded in modern portfolio theory, with investment options that include insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Thomas Francomano is a financial advisor at Merrill with the Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill and Bank of America since 2018 and also works as a coach for True Lacrosse. Merrill provides managed account services through its Select Portfolio Solutions Program, serving individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and various institutional accounts using model-based and discretionary strategies developed by internal and third-party teams.

Paul Jackson is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at Morgan Stanley and its Private Bank division since 2009. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored financial planning and a range of advisory programs, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets.

Eileen Stoner is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 29 years of industry experience. She has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC since 2021, following a decade at UBS Financial Services. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and emphasizes a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and scenario modeling.