Kristin Laxton is a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with four years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise since 2017 and previously worked at Hickory Mechanical, Inc. and Lenoir Rhyne. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service aimed at individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored recommendations through a centralized consulting team.

Mitchell Comport is a CFA® charterholder with one year of industry experience. He is currently with LPL Financial and previously worked at Dimensional Fund Advisors, The Huntington National Bank, and KeyBank. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies across various asset allocation approaches.

Nataly Tracy is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Royal Alliance Associates and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Outside of her advisory career, she owns rental real estate properties. Raymond James & Associates is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and municipalities, offering financial planning and investment consulting through various programs and strategies.

Matini Baruwa Etti is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and two years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Bank of America, KeyBank, JPMorgan Chase Bank, and affiliated securities firms. 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, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutions.

Jeff Leichman is a Vice President and Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2017. He has been with Fidelity for over two decades, contributing to various roles including Financial Consultant, Investment Consultant, Relationship Manager, and Service Trader. His extensive experience within the company reflects his commitment to exceptional client service and personalized financial guidance. Throughout his career at Fidelity, Jeff has focused on partnering with clients to develop financial plans aimed at achieving their financial goals. His expertise encompasses diverse investment choices and tailored advisory services. Jeff's long tenure at Fidelity demonstrates his dedication to the firm's principles and client-centered approach.

Bret Alexander is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Monroe, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and eight years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Intuitive Compensation Group and Southern Tier Brewing Company, as well as service with the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office. Outside of his advisory work, he assists clients in obtaining non-variable life insurance, annuity, and disability income products. MML Investors Services, LLC is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm provides ongoing financial planning, asset management, and educational seminars, utilizing firm-approved software and collaborative annual engagements to develop recommendations.

Tennyson Shifley is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors who holds the ChFC® designation and has 38 years of industry experience. He has been with Cambridge since 2009 and serves as an associate pastor and music ministry assistant at Christ Lutheran Church. He is also a board member of the Department of Lutheran Studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and serves as a supply pastor and musician for churches in North Carolina and South Carolina. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, including pension and charitable organizations, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm operates through thousands of financial professionals and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management across multiple platforms and custodians.

Jared Gibson Jr. is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at BMW of Tuscaloosa and Carite of Tuscaloosa. 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 uses research-driven approaches rooted in diversification principles and modern portfolio theory, while offering a range of brokerage and advisory solutions.

George Griggs III is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Pruco Securities LLC, Kemble Financial LLC, Carroll Financial, and Northwestern Mutual. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, banks, and corporate and charitable entities through a network of investment adviser representatives. The firm employs primarily model-driven investment implementation and offers financial planning, access to third-party asset managers, and participation in the Model Wealth Portfolios wrap program.

Andrew Perkins is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments. He has been in this role since 2024. Prior to this, he served as an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2023 to 2024. From 2017 to 2023, Andrew worked as a Financial Consultant at E*TRADE Financial. His professional experience spans several years in financial consulting and investment advisory, focusing on building financial plans tailored to clients' goals. Andrew emphasizes forming trusting relationships with clients and prioritizes trust, reliability, and proficiency in his work.

Wesley Norman is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Mint Hill, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2014 and was previously with Axa Advisors, LLC. Wesley also conducts activities under the DBA Royal Financial Partners. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset management programs through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives, utilizing third-party asset managers and sponsored advisory programs.

Joseph Murtagh Jr. is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Matthews, NC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 license. He has 54 years of industry experience, including long tenures at Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. and Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of The Dream Speaker Inc., a business entity focused on tax and investment matters. 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 offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions through a large network of advisors, utilizing a variety of model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies.

Thomas Donahue is a CFP® and ChFC® with 33 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with LPL Financial and has held roles at The Pinnacle Financial Group and Commonwealth Financial Network, among others. Donahue is also the treasurer and part-owner of Elite Benefits Group, Inc., a company involved in fixed insurance sales. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that serves individual and institutional clients through a large network of investment adviser representatives. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolios, and institutional platforms.

Timothy Hamilton is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Monroe, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at The Pinnacle Financial Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, Equitable Advisors, and Mony Securities Corporation. Outside of his advisory roles, he is president and part-owner of Elite Benefits Group, Inc., which conducts fixed insurance sales. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services delivered through a large network of investment adviser representatives utilizing both proprietary and third-party strategies.

Sarah Drummond is Vice President and Branch Leader at Fidelity Investments. In her role, she leads a team of financial professionals who work collaboratively with clients and their families to develop financial plans tailored to their definitions of success, including making sound investment decisions, growing or protecting wealth, and leaving a legacy. Drummond has been with Fidelity Investments since 2010, progressing through various roles including Financial Representative, Relationship Manager, Branch Service Manager, Assistant Branch Leader, and currently Branch Leader. Her extensive experience at Fidelity encompasses client relationship management and branch leadership responsibilities.

Gregory Arthur is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with 31 years of industry experience. He has held positions within Ameriprise and Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2005. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of a photography business and serves on the strategic planning board of the Fort Mill Church of God. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services tailored to individuals approaching or in retirement, focusing on clients with significant investable assets. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized, non-discretionary recommendations, supported by a centralized consulting team.

Brandon Monette is a CFP® and ChFC® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2014. His background includes over two decades in full-time education. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment strategies supported by a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices.

Thomas Mc Lean is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and JPMorgan Chase Bank. He has been with Edward Jones since 2021. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a nationwide network of financial advisors and offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Marc Blount is a financial advisor at Fidelity with the designations ChFC® and Series 63, and 25 years of industry experience. He worked at TIAA from 2002 to 2025 before joining Fidelity in 2025. Fidelity's Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including charitable funds and registered investment companies. The firm combines fundamental research with quantitative analysis and algorithmic portfolio construction, managing model portfolios of mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Katie Fitzpatrick is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where she has been serving clients since 2026. She has held several roles at Fidelity Investments, including Planning Consultant from 2023 to 2025, Relationship Manager from 2022 to 2023, and Financial Representative from 2020 to 2022. Her work focuses on helping clients simplify their finances and develop well-designed financial strategies. She assists with planning for retirement, building wealth, and creating security for loved ones, aiming to provide clarity and confidence as clients work toward their financial goals. Outside of her professional role, Katie enjoys fitness, running, puzzles, exploring food, and spending time at the lake.