Olivia Kennedy is a Financial Advisor with the Utz Keller Wealth Management Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She works with individuals and families to provide comprehensive wealth management planning tailored to their unique goals. Her expertise includes retirement income feasibility, portfolio management, equity compensation services, tax minimization, legacy planning, and managing new wealth. Olivia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University of Ohio. She has earned professional designations including Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). She is active in her community, holding leadership roles with the Rotary Club of North Mecklenburg and Folds of Honor Western Carolina Chapter. Outside of her professional work, Olivia enjoys spending time outdoors on her farm in Mount Ulla, hiking, practicing yoga, and boating on Lake Norman with her family.

Christopher Mcbride is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has been a member of the Lail Watkins Group since joining Merrill in 2014. The team delivers extensive knowledge with combined decades of practical experience, focusing on service and goal-oriented strategies to build and maintain long-term relationships. Leveraging the full enterprise capabilities, they serve clients' investment and banking needs through access to Bank of America. Christopher works as a full-service planner with families possessing $250,000 or more in investible assets, covering areas from asset gathering to legacy planning. He also supports business clients in retirement planning options including 401(k) plans, cash management services, treasury functions, investment management, lending, and business transitions. His client focus areas include education planning, family wealth management strategies, employee financial health, legacy planning, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, small business strategies, tax minimization, and retirement income. He holds a High School Diploma/GED from Summers County and has earned the professional designations Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Outside of his professional work, Christopher enjoys boating, bowling, golfing, pickleball, and spending time with his family.

Bret Gallin is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Denver, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he also works as a part-time bartender at Levy Restaurants. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo, offering investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad planning menu tailored to clients who meet certain net-worth thresholds, covering areas such as retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning, with many services delivered through meetings and written client summary letters.

Mark Mccall is a CFA® charterholder with 18 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Prior to that, he was with Citigroup Global Markets Inc for four years. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides a range of advisory programs and financial planning services to individual and institutional clients, managing approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets. The firm’s planning process incorporates structured discovery and modeling tools but does not include individual security recommendations as part of its standalone financial planning offering.

Anne Abernethy is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, based in Newton, North Carolina. She has 18 years of industry experience, including seven years at Wells Fargo Clearing prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors in 2023. In addition to her advisory role, Abernethy serves as a part-time pastor at Bethel United Church of Christ in Hickory, North Carolina. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services and integrates advisory offerings with various financial products and referral channels.

Stacie Wolfe is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing Services. 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 options with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm maintains a large nationwide network of advisors and branch offices and combines advisory services with affiliated capabilities such as a trust company and mutual funds.

William Cheek is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Cornelius, NC, holding the Series 66 designation with over 15 years of prior experience at SCOR Global Life Americas Reinsurance Company. He has been with Edward Jones since 2026. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients through a large network of financial advisors and branch offices. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions under a fiduciary standard, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Tomohiko Minami is a CFP® and CFA® credentialed financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2024 and previously spent eight years at SunTrust Advisory Services and SUNTRUST INVESTMENT SERVICES, Inc. He is also involved in a private insurance agency business affiliated with his advisory work. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that offers a wide range of financial planning and investment management services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions through a large network of advisors.

Douglas Rongo is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 25 years of experience in the industry. His career includes long-term tenure at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Millennium Investment and Retirement Advisors, among other firms. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer for the Tarheel Chapter of the United States Merchant Marine Academy alumni association. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension funds, and charitable organizations by offering financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm operates through a large network of financial professionals and employs multiple platforms and proprietary model strategies.

Jackson Bell is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 credential and four years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2021 and has prior experience including self-employment and roles outside the financial industry such as with Andy Popplin Basketball Camps and JEA Design. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a range of advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies, and affiliated financial products. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and operates a large nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Dana Horton is a financial advisor with Merrill in Huntersville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2008. Outside of her advisory role, Horton is a member of a family-owned real estate LLC and serves as a notary public, providing document notarization services as needed. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services primarily to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Jeffrey Almond is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Hickory, NC, with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked in the mortgage industry at Movement Mortgage and W R Starkey Mortgage. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and corporate entities. 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.

Larkin Wobbe is a CFP® certified financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, where he has worked since 2022. Prior to this, he held positions at Wells Fargo Bank, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Equitable Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he is also an associate at Williamson Wealth Group, contributing over 80 hours monthly to client service and acquisition. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse clientele including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and supports a broad advisor network with services that incorporate advanced analytical tools and technology.

Joshua Roberson is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Denver, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 10 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2015. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, including households, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporate clients, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management through a nationwide network of financial advisors and branch offices, offering a range of discretionary and non-discretionary investment strategies under a fiduciary standard.

Jared Newman is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 24 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Cetera, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, and SunTrust Advisory Services. Newman also serves as a Regional Director and Senior Vice President of Private Banking at United Community Bank. 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 institutions. The firm offers financial planning, model portfolios, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms, supported by technology tools for advisors, and oversees over $819 billion in discretionary assets.

Jolie Bishop is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Huntersville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. She has been with Ameriprise since 2023 and has prior experience in education and hospitality, including five years at Midwood Smokehouse and four years at Auburn University. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver personalized recommendations. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated entities.

David Brown is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and with 30 years of industry experience. He has worked at Raymond James Financial Services since 1999 and Peoples Bank/Peoples Investment Services since 2015. Brown also serves on the Planning Board for the City of Conover, North Carolina, and acts as trustee and executor for his late father’s estate, including managing the sale of Wilkes Broadcasting Company, a family-owned radio station. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutions. The firm emphasizes tailored, non-discretionary planning using risk profiling and analytical tools, and offers specialized programs such as SIMPLE IRA Employer Advisory and municipal advisory services.

Amber Robinson is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Huntersville, NC, holding CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2005. Outside of advisory work, she is a co-owner of RGAA, LLC, which supports her practice operations. Ameriprise serves individuals approaching or in retirement, primarily those with at least $1 million in net investable assets, offering a retirement-income planning service that combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide written recommendation reports. The firm delivers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated companies.

Collin Carlton is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, based in Hickory, NC, and has four years of industry experience. He has worked at various Thrivent entities since 2021 and has prior experience at Appalachian State University and Lowe's Home Improvement. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an ambassador for Muller Choker, an outdoor company specializing in hunting and skeet shooting equipment. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, delivering holistic, goal-based financial analyses without discretionary trading authority. The firm offers integrated planning and managed-account services, emphasizing periodic plan reviews and a broad range of financial topics.

Kaden Lail is a Financial Advisor affiliated with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he provides clients with financial guidance and strategies tailored to their individual goals, including general investing, retirement planning, and preparing for unforeseen financial needs. He works closely with clients to understand their priorities and develop comprehensive plans to pursue their short-, mid-, and long-term objectives. Additionally, Kaden offers access to Bank of America specialists for services related to banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Kaden holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina System. He has earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations, which reflect his commitment to professional development and expertise in retirement planning and investment advisory services. Through ongoing discussions, Kaden provides advice and guidance that adapts as clients' needs evolve, maintaining a focus on uncovering what matters most to them and their families to create effective financial strategies.