David Perkins is a CFP® and PFS™ professional with 31 years of experience in financial planning and wealth management. He has worked at Verum Partners LLC since 2023 and previously held positions at Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC and Carolinas Investment Consulting LLC. In addition to advising, Perkins operates a sole proprietor CPA firm focusing on tax return preparation and financial planning and serves as a trustee for a family trust. Verum Partners LLC provides customized wealth management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and estates, offering discretionary portfolio management alongside financial planning. The firm utilizes independent managers for client portfolios while maintaining oversight and provides direct access to its portfolio managers.

Michael Grimes is a CFA® charterholder and Series 63 licensee with six years of industry experience. He has worked at MBL Advisors since 2022 and previously held positions at Barings Securities LLC and Bank of America. Outside of his advisory role, he is a residential landlord in Charlotte, NC. MBL Wealth (MBL Advisors) provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm manages over $1.14 billion in discretionary assets through a team of ten advisors, employing a goals-based, broadly diversified investment approach that incorporates macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis.

Marion Peebles IV is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has been with WestEnd Advisors, LLC since 2014. WestEnd Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management and third-party ETF model strategies to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, charitable organizations, government entities, and corporations. The firm uses a macro-driven investment process and offers both quantitative and qualitative approaches within its Large-Cap Core Equity and ETF strategies.

John Stamas is a financial advisor at Defender Capital with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Defender Capital and its related entities since 2011. He is also involved in managing D.J.S. Investments, LLC, a real estate investment entity. Defender Capital provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs a customized, discretionary investment approach focused on fundamental analysis and primarily recommends exchange-traded equity securities.

James Harlow is a CFA® charterholder and holds the Series 66 designation, with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Novare Capital Management since 2012. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and financial institutions. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management services, employing proprietary investment strategies and utilizing both human and AI tools for research and risk monitoring.

Charles Dann is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving at Novare Capital Management since 2021. He previously worked at Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Fidelity Investments. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for individuals, trusts, estates, and institutions. The firm utilizes a client-specific Investment Policy Statement with proprietary strategies and incorporates artificial intelligence tools alongside human oversight in its portfolio management.

Brian Willis is a financial advisor with Wilson Wealth Management Group, LLC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and 19 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mass Mutual Investors Services, Massmutual Life Insurance Company, and MetLife Securities. Outside of his advisory work, Willis owns a drone video and photography business and serves as CEO of a business referral organization. Wilson Wealth Management Group is a team-based RIA serving high-income and high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and early-career investors. The firm employs a combination of model and customized portfolios, blending technical analysis with longer-term passive ETF strategies, and offers comprehensive financial planning, estate planning coordination, and insurance and annuity solutions.

Maurice Wilson is a financial advisor with Wilson Wealth Management Group, L.L.C. in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 19 years of industry experience, including over two decades with his current firm. Wilson Wealth Management Group is a team-based RIA serving high-income and high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and early-career investors. The firm combines model and customized portfolios with technical analysis and passive ETF strategies, offering comprehensive financial planning, estate planning coordination, insurance, and annuity solutions.

Julia Martinelli is a financial advisor at Strathmore Capital Advisors with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and four years of industry experience. She previously worked at Dimensional Fund Advisors, The Vanguard Group, and Hightower Advisors. Strathmore Capital Advisors serves individuals, trusts, endowments, and participant-directed retirement plans with discretionary portfolio management and goals-based financial planning. The firm employs an asset-allocation driven investment approach using mutual funds and ETFs and integrates technology such as Wealth.com and AI for client service and administrative tasks.

John Wilks is a CFP® and holds a Series 63 license with 16 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked with Novare Capital Management since 2009. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and financial institutions. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management using client-specific investment policies, proprietary strategies, and a combination of human oversight and AI tools for research and risk monitoring.

Robert Gammon is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at Verum Partners LLC since 2019 and previously spent 11 years at Carolinas Investment Consulting LLC. He holds a Series 63 license and is also a licensed insurance professional, dedicating less than 10% of his business time to that activity. Verum Partners LLC provides customized wealth management and discretionary portfolio management services for high net worth individuals, families, trusts, and estates. The firm sponsors a wrap fee program that combines advisory and securities transaction services and offers access to independent portfolio managers, with a focus on client goals, risk tolerance, and ongoing portfolio oversight.

Kevin Daley is a financial advisor at Lifestyle Freedom Advisory Group, LLC with six years of industry experience and a Series 65 designation. He has worked with the firm since 2018 in multiple roles and previously held positions at NAVEX Global and public school systems. In addition to his advisory work, he is involved with Lifestyle Freedom Group, LLC dba Array Partners, providing business consultation services. Lifestyle Freedom Advisory Group serves individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities with discretionary asset management, financial planning, and ERISA plan services. The firm emphasizes customized portfolios tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, employing fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and often uses third-party managers or sub-advisors for portfolio management.

Perrin Berry is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor at Apollon Wealth Management, LLC with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Apollon, Berry held roles at Crisp Event Rentals, Modern Woodmen, and the Secretary of State’s Office. Outside of finance, Berry has experience working with the Lake Murray Boat Club and the University of South Carolina. Apollon Wealth Management is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm serving a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and insurance companies. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management services, employing a combination of centrally managed models and locally managed portfolios, with an investment approach that includes ESG strategies, tax-managed overlays, and the use of third-party sub-managers.

Andrew Watkins is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Denver, NC, holding Series 63 and 65 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Principal Financial Services, Principal Life Insurance Company, and Wells Fargo Advisors during his career. Watkins also serves as a team lead at Principal Advised Services, providing one-on-one investment advice to retirement plan participants. Principal Advised Services offers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party methodologies and proprietary models. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, which provides access to a range of affiliated financial products and integrated trading services.

Anthony Bykovsky is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Bragg Financial Advisors Inc. since 2019, following roles at Barings Securities, Barings LLC, and Bedel Financial Consulting, Inc. He currently holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. Bragg Financial Advisors, Inc. is a family-owned SEC-registered investment adviser managing over $4.6 billion for individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and investment-company clients. The firm focuses on strategic asset allocation with written Investment Policy Statements, broad diversification, and periodic rebalancing, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and managed-account services.

Murray Kinlaw III is a financial advisor at Mariner Independent with a Series 65 designation and over 18 years of industry experience, including a long tenure at TIAA-CREF. He has also worked at Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC and Mariner Platform Solutions. Mariner Independent provides investment advisory, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers a range of portfolio management options and retirement plan services, supported by institutional resources and affiliations that enhance its investment capabilities.

Shepard Ottaway is a financial advisor at Blueprint Financial Advisors with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Securities America, Inc., among other firms. Outside of his advisory role, he volunteers as an assistant track and field coach for High Point Christian Academy. Blueprint Financial Advisors is a multi-advisor SEC-registered firm managing approximately $1.4 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, trusts, pension and ERISA plans, and nonprofits, employing a globally diversified investment approach that incorporates a proprietary strategic-and-tactical framework to adjust asset-class allocations based on price-driven trend-following and momentum rules.

Edward Taylor III is a financial advisor at Beck, Mack & Oliver LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Prior to joining Beck, Mack & Oliver, he worked at Banbury Partner LP and Scopia Capital Management LP. Beck, Mack & Oliver LLC provides discretionary asset management primarily through separately managed accounts for individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, tax-exempt institutions, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm follows a long-only, value-based, process-driven equity approach rooted in fundamental research and manages approximately $6.1 billion.

Taylor Lee is a CFP® professional with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC, affiliated with Fusion Investment Advisors, and has previously worked at firms including Voya Investment Management and Preferred Capital Securities. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved with Belmont Capital Advisors, marketing insurance and annuity investments as an insurance agent. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and corporate clients with discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs a combination of internally developed and independent asset allocation models, using both fundamental and technical analysis to manage portfolios on a discretionary basis.

Marc Scavo is a CFP® with 23 years of industry experience, currently advising at Bragg Financial Advisors Inc in Charlotte, NC. He has previously worked at The Vanguard Group, Inc. for nine years and held roles at TIAA-CREF and Tiaa for four years. Bragg Financial Advisors, Inc. is a family-owned, SEC-registered investment adviser managing over $4.6 billion for individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and investment-company clients. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation through written Investment Policy Statements, broad diversification, and periodic rebalancing, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and managed-account services.