Braxton Towery is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Agia, Cru, and Vector Marketing Corporation. In addition to his advisory role, he is an agent involved in non-securities insurance products. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a large network of advisors and utilizes centralized technology and unified managed account solutions.

Vicki Bertholomey is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services who holds a Series 66 designation and has 24 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Merrill, BB&T Securities, and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. She is based in High Point, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms, to deliver its AMC Advantage manager-selection program.

Amy Lawson is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 12 years of industry experience and holds a Series 65 designation. She has worked at Brookstone Capital Management since 2022 and concurrently since 2017 at Retirement Wealth Advisors. Lawson also owns Lawson Financial Group, Inc., where she provides insurance and divorce financial consulting services. Brookstone Capital Management offers fee-based asset management and financial planning to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, and trusts. The firm employs strategic and dynamic asset-allocation models and uses a variety of investment vehicles, including proprietary funds, ETFs, and options-enhanced strategies.

Judy Hill is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021, following prior roles at BB&T Securities and Wells Fargo Clearing. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering a range of solutions including asset allocation, fiduciary support, and manager selection programs. The firm integrates discretionary and non-discretionary approaches and utilizes technological tools and inter-affiliate arrangements to support its investment processes.

Brendan Stringer is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC, where he has worked since 2022. His prior roles include positions at Commonwealth Financial Network, Clarendon Wealth Management, AMERIPSE Financial Services, Inc., and Ethos Financial Partners. Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC provides wealth advisory, consulting, standalone financial planning, retirement-plan platform services, and outsourced chief investment officer services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm combines asset-allocation modeling with third-party independent managers, employing both active and passive strategies across public and private asset classes.

Fred Liles Jr. is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 38 years of industry experience. He has been with VALIC Financial Advisors since 2003 and also holds Series 63 and Series 66 registrations. Outside of financial advising, he owns agricultural land which generates revenue through rental agreements and occasional timber sales. 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, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction and management.

Matthew Barham is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His prior roles include positions at Credit Union Investment Services and SECU Brokerage Services. Outside of finance, Barham has worked in a variety of other fields including education and retail. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, providing comprehensive investment advisory services along with financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning. The firm uses a globally diversified, risk-appropriate investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of portfolio solutions implemented through ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and private funds.

Preston Lewis is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding a Series 66 designation and 2 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Truist Investment Services and BB&T Scott & Stringfellow, as well as positions in real estate and the fitness industry. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, using a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting.

Jeffrey Chowning is a financial advisor at Davenport & Company LLC in Greensboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Davenport since 2009. Davenport serves individual and institutional clients, providing a range of services including asset management, brokerage, and investment banking. The firm organizes its asset management around portfolio manager teams and offers advisory programs across multiple investment strategies, including mutual funds and separately managed accounts.

James Peters is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Greensboro, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 1997 and is also an agent for AGIA, focusing on 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, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction.

Christopher Steinl is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 designations. Prior to joining Beacon Pointe Advisors in 2026, he worked at Wells Fargo Securities for six years in two separate periods. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides wealth advisory, consulting, financial planning, retirement plan services, and outsourced chief investment officer services to individual and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of asset-allocation modeling and third-party independent managers, utilizing both active and passive strategies across public and private asset classes.

Caelan Canady is a financial advisor at Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. with three years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been associated with various entities under Bankers Life since 2017. In addition to his advisory role, he works as an insurance agent specializing in Medicare supplements, advantage plans, long-term care, and life insurance for retirement-aged individuals. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. primarily serves mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals through discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, and retirement plan consulting. The firm utilizes a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to tailor asset allocations and manage portfolios aligned with clients’ goals and risk tolerances.

Heather Peters is a financial advisor at TIAA‑CREF with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has previously worked at Valic Financial Advisors, Resources Investment Advisors, and BB&T Institutional Investment Advisers. TIAA‑CREF Individual & Institutional Services provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA‑administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers services under a fiduciary standard and operates within a vertically integrated group that includes donor-advised fund advisory and affiliated investment options.

Michael Randleman is a financial advisor at LPL Enterprise with six years of industry experience and holds a Series 66 designation. His prior work includes roles at Prudential Insurance Company of America and Pruco Securities, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in direct sales through a health-related multi-level marketing business. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, banks, and charitable entities. The firm typically employs model-driven investment approaches, offers financial planning and access to third-party asset managers, and facilitates insurance product sales through affiliated entities.

Samuel Bettinger is a financial advisor at OSAIC in Greensboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience, with prior roles including work at Buckle and Camp Ridgecrest For Boys. Outside of finance, he has experience in the food service industry with Nonna Teresa Eatery. OSAIC serves a diverse client base, including retail and institutional investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of brokerage and advisory services through a multi-advisor platform, emphasizing model-based asset allocation and portfolio optimization supported by various analytical tools.

Matthew Mclean is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Burlington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2011 and previously spent two years with Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member and treasurer for Vineland Station and acts as treasurer for Jess Hill, Clerk of Court of Columbus County, NC. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of investment options and platforms, utilizing both internal research models and third-party strategies, supported by advanced operational tools.

Brian Reese is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Greensboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 11 years of industry experience, all with Edward Jones since 2015. He is an owner of Franko Reese & Ruck, an LLC partnership formed to purchase commercial property. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients through a large nationwide network. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Mariah Nadolny is a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position she has held since 2023. In this role, she consults with clients to analyze risks, educate them, and prepare them for important financial decisions. Prior to this, she worked as a Relationship Manager at Fidelity Investments from 2022 to 2023, and as a Paraplanner at Ameriprise Financial from 2021 to 2022. She also gained experience as a Tax Intern at Advisors Management Group, Inc. in 2019. Mariah's professional experience spans multiple roles within the financial services industry, focusing on client consultation, relationship management, and financial planning support. Outside of her professional career, she enjoys spending time on family activities, fitness, football, social events with friends, outdoor adventures, and traveling.

Timothy Bullard Jr. is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Greensboro, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC since 2010. In addition to his role at Wells Fargo, he is the sole owner of Bullard Investment Management, LLC, an investment-related business based in Greensboro. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that offers investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of planning services, including niche areas such as business-owner transition planning and special-needs analysis, using Wells Fargo research and tools to develop tailored recommendations for clients.

Jon Harris is a financial advisor at Cetera with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. His career includes long-term roles at Avantax Investment Services and Payne Tax Group, where he currently serves as president and oversees tax operations. In addition to his advisory work, he owns and operates businesses focused on tax preparation and payroll services. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving a wide range of clients, including individuals, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional accounts. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and access to third-party managers through a multi-manager platform with over 10,000 advisors and $256 billion in assets under management.