Bradley Kellen is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Founders Financial Securities LLC and Fairway Financial since 2015. He is based in Matthews, NC, and holds the Series 66 designation. His work includes financial planning and insurance sales with a focus on variable annuities, long-term care, and variable life products. Founders Financial Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing multiple advisory platforms and a combination of mutual funds, ETFs, and sub-advised strategies.

Timothy Beldner is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 18 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ausdal in 2020, he worked at Larson Financial Securities, LLC and Larson Financial Group LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in managing and developing real estate investments and assists his daughter with a coffee trailer business. Ausdal Financial Partners manages over $2 billion in client assets and provides investment advisory, retirement planning, and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of investment programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios, through a network of advisors, combining advisory, brokerage, and insurance services.

Thomas Clark is a financial advisor at Altitude Capital Management LLC in Charlotte, NC, with one year of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has prior experience at the Clark Agency, Horace Mann Investors, Horace Mann Companies, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. Clark is also involved in insurance sales as an agent, dedicating up to 30% of his working time to this activity. Altitude Capital Management LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and high net worth clients. The firm employs tailored strategies that include asset allocation, dollar-cost averaging, and technical analysis, managing $103.6 million in discretionary assets under a multi-team structure.

David Reid is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Securities LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Securities and Fairway Financial since 2015, where he also provides insurance advice and products as part of his other business activities. Founders Financial Securities serves a broad range of clients, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party asset managers, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing multiple investment programs and combining advisory, broker-dealer, and insurance services within its platform.

Marcus Anderson is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at Merit Financial Advisors since 2016 and previously at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and LPL Financial, LLC. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving approximately 20,000 clients across 66 offices. The firm offers coordinated wealth management services and employs a long-term, diversified investment approach overseen by an internal committee, allowing advisors to customize portfolios using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis methods.

Hailey Hall is a financial advisor with Advisory Solutions Group and holds the Series 66 designation. She has five years of industry experience, including roles with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services and LPL Financial. Advisory Solutions Group, operating as FocusPoint Solutions, serves retail clients through a network of Investment Advisor Representatives and provides turnkey business and back-office services to other registered investment advisory firms. The firm employs a diversified investment approach combining quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies with regular client reviews.

Jacob Stevenson is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 15 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Ausdal Financial Partners in 2022, he worked at Larson Financial Securities, LLC and Larson Financial Group, LLC from 2015 to 2022. Outside of advising, he is involved in insurance sales and is a partner or owner in several investment-related entities. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients. The firm offers a wide range of investment and financial planning services with strategies tailored to clients' objectives and risk profiles, using multiple custodians and integrating third-party managers.

Michael Ziemer is a CFP® professional with 23 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has worked at Modera Wealth Management, LLC since 2023 and previously spent 19 years at Parsec Financial Management, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for Ziemer Funeral Homes. Modera Wealth Management, LLC provides fiduciary, fee-only advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs an allocation-driven investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of services including portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, financial planning, and tax-related services.

Lewis Kayes is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Cary Street Partners, having joined the firm in 2026. Prior to this, he worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors for three years and at Willingdon Wealth Management Inc. for 17 years. Cary Street Partners provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a broad investment menu and proprietary strategies, serving both retail and specialized institutional niches such as state and municipal government entities.

Leslie Moise is a financial advisor with Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Arete Wealth Management LLC in 2022, Leslie worked at National Securities Corp for 11 years. Outside of investment advising, Leslie is the owner and president of LIANMAC, Inc., a small accounting and tax-related business. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm primarily manages assets on a discretionary basis using both advisor-driven and proprietary model allocations, and integrates with affiliated financial businesses and product channels.

Thomas Braun is a financial advisor with Gradient Investments, LLC, based in Matthews, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Gradient Investments since 2018 and is also the owner of GoldenGuard Financial, which provides insurance services and products. Prior to Gradient, he was associated with Goldenguard Wealth Management, GoldenGuard Financial, Thrivent Investment Management, and Worth Financial Group. Gradient Investments, LLC offers discretionary investment management to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a proprietary Wright Investment Strategies framework and manages portfolios using a variety of vehicles such as no-load mutual funds, ETFs, and individual equities, typically on a discretionary basis.

Christopher Elliotte is a Series 65 credentialed advisor with 16 years of industry experience, currently with Colony Family Offices, LLC since 2014. He is based in Charlotte, NC and is part of a team of six advisors at the firm. Colony Family Offices provides comprehensive wealth management and financial planning primarily to ultra-high-net-worth families, managing approximately $3.32 billion in discretionary assets. The firm employs a priorities-based, customized planning approach combining passive and active investment strategies, and utilizes third-party managers alongside independent research to support client portfolios.

Lance Bryan is a financial advisor at Cary Street Partners with 22 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Matrix Private Capital Group, Neuberger Berman, and Ameriprise. Cary Street Partners provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of investment options and proprietary strategies, serving notable institutional niches such as state and municipal government entities and insurance company clients.

John Bly is a financial advisor with Aprio Wealth Management, LLC in Matthews, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 16 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Aprio in 2019, Bly worked at HK Financial Services, Proequities Inc, and L B & A, CPA, PLLC. He is also a partner at a local CPA firm and has experience in insurance sales. Aprio Wealth Management provides advisory services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and plan sponsor consulting. The firm employs asset allocation strategies combined with techniques like dollar-cost averaging and options-based portfolios, and it is notable for its affiliation with a third-party pension consulting business and its role as a 3(21) adviser with approximately $1.57 billion in assets under advisement.

Lamaar Steadman is a financial advisor at Gradient Investments, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has worked at Civitas Financial LLC and Gradient Advisors LLC prior to his current roles. Steadman is also involved in insurance sales and investment advisory through American Insurance Marketing Solutions. Gradient Investments, LLC provides discretionary investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and other entities using a proprietary investment framework. The firm offers a variety of portfolios, including strategic, tactical, private wealth, and tax-aware strategies, managing assets on a fee-only basis without serving as custodian.

Katrina Hayes is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience. She has worked at Prospera Financial Services since 2013, following roles at TCA Financial Group and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of her advisory work, she is active in community and professional organizations, including serving as Chair of the Charlotte chapter of Ellevate, a global professional networking association, and holding leadership roles in a local nonprofit wine tasting social club. Prospera Financial Services is a multi-team advisory firm with 271 advisors and approximately $14.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and other entities, offering financial planning and portfolio management through multiple advisory programs and platforms.

William Etheridge Jr. is a financial advisor at Hilltop Securities Inc. with 38 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at RBC Capital Markets Corporation for 17 years. Hilltop Securities Inc. provides brokerage, investment advisory, and retirement-plan consulting services to individuals, corporations, nonprofits, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $2.25 billion in assets and offers a range of portfolio management programs supported by an open-architecture platform and a variety of investment strategies.

Melissa Boyer is a CFP® professional with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Modera Wealth Management, LLC since 2020. Her prior experience includes roles at Keatley Wealth Management, LLC, LPL Financial, LLC, and MSI Financial Services, Inc. Modera Wealth Management provides wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, corporations, and plan sponsors. The firm employs a diversified asset allocation strategy based on Modern Portfolio Theory and integrates investment management with accounting, tax, and business coaching services.

Phillipe Toupin is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Aprio Wealth Management, LLC. He has worked with Aprio entities since 2020 and previously held roles at Jones Gregg Financial, LLC, and Business Acquisition & Merger Associates. Toupin also holds a role as an insurance agent with Aprio Risk Management, LLC. Aprio Wealth Management provides investment advisory services to individuals, qualified plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs asset allocation combined with various trading strategies and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, along with financial planning and plan sponsor consulting.

Jia Min is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 63 license, currently serving as a financial advisor at CG Advisory Services with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining CG Advisory Services, Jia worked at Eastern Bank, Canaccord Genuity, Oppenheimer & Co., and the U.S. Steel & Carnegie Pension Fund. CG Advisory Services is an SEC-registered firm that provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach supported by an Investment Committee and integrates AI tools alongside fundamental and technical analysis to tailor strategies to client objectives.