John Merritt is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 13 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at TIAA-CREF, TD Ameritrade, and Scottrade. Merritt is based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $295.6 billion in client assets and employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

James Amick Jr. is a financial advisor with J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.W. Cole Advisors since 2019 and previously held roles at Independent Financial Partners and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, Amick serves as chair elect of the Poplar Grove Townhome Owners Association board and is a trustee of the Jamie Lynn Amick Trust. J.W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered firm that serves individuals, charities, corporations, and retirement plans through a national network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm provides portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, access to third-party managers, and multiple managed account solutions utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Walter Lewis is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 63 license. He has five years of experience in financial advisory, currently working with Truist Advisory Services since 2021. His prior experience includes roles at Bb&T Bank/Truist Bank and Bank of America. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with consulting services and utilizes third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to support client investment decisions.

Cooper Grady is a CFP® and ChFC® affiliated with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd, with four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC, Advisor Group, Marathon Financial Group, Robert Gorman, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Management. He is also the Director of Financial Planning at Pettinelli Financial Partners. Stratos Wealth Partners serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, managed programs, and retirement plan consulting. The firm combines individualized asset allocation with access to proprietary and third-party strategies, supported by a large network of investment adviser representatives.

Matthew Lewarne is a financial advisor with The Huntington Investment Company in Charleston, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Ameriprise, Truist Advisory Services, Merrill, and Wells Fargo. The Huntington Investment Company serves individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities by providing advisory and brokerage services through multiple wrap-fee programs on the Envestnet MAS platform. The firm employs an open-architecture model combining third-party sub-managers and affiliate private bank offerings, with advisory arrangements primarily based on percentage-of-assets wrap fees.

Kevin Newell is a CFP® with four years of experience at Creative Planning and one year at SBK Financial. Prior to his financial advisory career, he spent eight years in high school and college settings. He is based in Charleston, SC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets across more than 1,100 advisors.

Ryan Shannon is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Principal Securities Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with PCRM, LLC, which focuses on the sale and service of fixed-insurance products. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with services including asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan sponsor and trustee services, and third-party manager selection. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies and offers family office services alongside tax planning through an affiliated accounting subsidiary.

Jadyn Watson is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning their advisory career in 2024. Their prior experience includes roles at Wildes Financial Strategies, Coastal Financial Planning Group, and Cummings Wealth Management Group. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and provides a range of advisory programs, technology, and operational support. The firm offers discretionary model portfolios and multiple program structures designed to accommodate different investment approaches.

Liam Mcgarry is a financial advisor at Private Advisor Group, LLC with five years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His prior work includes roles at LPL Financial, Strategic Asset Services, and New York Life Insurance Company. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans, offering portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various managed account solutions. The firm employs a fiduciary advisory model and uses multiple investment strategies implemented through both in-house portfolio management and third-party managers.

Daniel Russler Jr. is a financial advisor at Sequoia Financial Group, L.L.C. in Charleston, SC, with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has served as Chief Investment Officer at Family Asset Management, LLC since 2003. Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC provides wealth planning, investment management, and retirement-plan and business-consulting services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, trusts, family offices, and other institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of in-house model portfolios, custom accounts, and third-party manager selection, supported by an Investment Policy Committee and extensive research resources.

Edward Pinnell III is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at MRHFM, LLC for four years. Pinnell is also a reservist in the United States Marine Corps, assisting recruiters at high schools and universities in the Charleston, SC area. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutions. The firm offers a range of fee-based wrap programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment management services, utilizing strategies managed by both internal teams and third-party managers.

Brandy Benton is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with Creative Planning, bringing two years of industry experience. She previously worked at JBJ Invest for eight years before joining Creative Planning, where she has been since 2022. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and institutional trusts and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

Merriweather Mule is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. Prior to joining Beacon Pointe Advisors, Mule worked at CornerCap Wealth Advisors for four years. In addition to advisory duties, Mule is an agent involved in the sale of life, health, and accident insurance products through Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides wealth advisory, financial planning, and outsourced chief investment officer services to a diverse client base including individual investors, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of asset allocation modeling and third-party independent managers across public and private asset classes.

Zahric Labat is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Charleston, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at National Life Group, Cetera Wealth Services, LLC, and Avantax Investment Services Inc. Outside of advising, he has been involved with several entrepreneurial ventures, including Start My University LLC and Toyo Japanese Sushi Bar and Hibachi. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to a broad client base that includes individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and combining long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading.

Joseph Mcquaid is a financial advisor with Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Imprint Wealth LLC, Eudaimonia Partners, WealthShield LLC, and New York Life Investment Management LLC, among others. Outside of financial advising, he is involved in personal coaching and business consulting through Expedition Ascend and Ascend Consulting Group LLC and holds a minority ownership stake in Imprint Growth Partners. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm offers wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services using primarily long-term, customized portfolios that incorporate ETFs, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles.

Zachary Howes is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Transamerica Life Insurance Company since 2020 and Edward Jones from 2017 to 2019. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners by offering managed advice programs and investment education services. The firm’s approach incorporates proprietary software and model portfolios provided by Morningstar Investment Management, focusing on asset allocation, contribution guidance, and retirement planning through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Walter Pate Jr. is a CFP® professional with 29 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Truist Advisory Services and has previously worked at BB&T Securities, Bank of America, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as President of the Charleston Area Citadel Club, a nonprofit focused on fundraising to support Citadel-related causes. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, implementing advice through a combination of discretionary manager relationships and consulting supported by third-party platforms and manager arrangements.

Isaac Wood is a financial advisor at Equity Services, Inc. with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and previously worked at Nationwide Investment Services Corporation and Fiduciary Wise. Wood is also the founder of The Woodpile Co, a nonprofit ministry based in Johns Island, SC. Equity Services, Inc. provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms that combine long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and model portfolios.

William Gaines Sr. is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Commonwealth Financial Network since 2016 and previously worked at Pathway Wealth Partners. Gaines also engages in fixed insurance sales on a limited basis. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform that includes managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Kirk Matenaer is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience. He currently works at Farther and has previously been associated with Capasso Planning Partners and Franklin & Associates. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance brokerage through multiple companies, including an affiliated firm. Farther serves individual investors, trusts, and estates through a technology-driven advisory platform, offering discretionary investment management and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing a mix of bespoke and algorithmic model portfolios with automatic rebalancing.