Jacob Rudy is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 65 credential. He has experience with firms including Cook Wealth, LLC and CapTrust, and previously held various roles at Liberty University. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, families, trusts, corporations, charitable institutions, and institutional investors. The firm offers a range of services such as investment management, financial planning, tax and insurance support, and access to alternative and private-market investments, emphasizing diversified asset allocation and customized portfolios.

Carson Shepherd is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses. Prior to joining Truist, his background includes roles at Altria and the University of Virginia. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, implementing advice through a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Stephen Selema is a financial advisor with VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 21 years of industry experience. He has been with VOYA Financial Advisors since 2014. Outside of his advisory work, he performs as a musician, earning income through live performances, digital sales, and royalties. VOYA Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, retirement plan sponsors, and high-net-worth clients. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services through various program structures, often providing non-discretionary recommendations.

William Abbott is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with nine years of industry experience. He is currently with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC and was previously associated with Bank of America, N.A. and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, Abbott serves as a Young Professional Executive with First Tee of the Triangle, where he assists in coaching young golfers and teaching life lessons. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a wide range of clients, including individuals, corporations, pension plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm supports its network of over 400 independent advisers with diverse portfolio management options and employs multiple analytical approaches while acting as a fiduciary when a written agreement is in place.

Michael Holloway is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience and is currently affiliated with Cerity Partners LLC. He previously worked at Cook Wealth Management Group, LLC and LPL Financial. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a broad national client base, including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset-allocation and manager selection strategies supported by proprietary quantitative screens, and offers access to alternative and private-market investments.

Chad Weatherman is a Certified Financial Planner® with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2023. His prior roles include positions at Beacon Pointe Advisors, DMJ Wealth Advisors, and Millennial Wealth Design. Mariner Wealth Advisors serves a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services. The firm combines in-house research with third-party managers to provide customized portfolio solutions and maintains integrated tax and accounting services uncommon for a firm of its size.

Shawn Will is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and has also worked with Principal Life Insurance Company since 2013. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions.

Derek Mccord is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. (ESI Financial Advisors) based in Cary, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Equity Services, Derek worked at National Life Group and MassMutual in various capacities. Outside of his advisory role, he is a product advocate for health and wellness products through Melaleuca, Inc. Equity Services, Inc. provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs multiple advisory platforms and uses third-party asset managers and model portfolios to offer a blend of long-term strategies and specialized investment options.

Paul Dowd is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He is currently with Primerica Advisors and has previously worked at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, CapWealth Planning, and Allstate Insurance Co. In addition to his advisory role, he is also an insurance broker for products other than Guardian. Primerica Advisors serves a broad retail client base, offering transaction-based brokerage and fee-based advisory services, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm utilizes a mix of proprietary and third-party investment strategies and supports a variety of account-level services, including lending solutions and donor-advised funds.

Leslie Gaddis is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network in Durham, NC. Gaddis has worked at Commonwealth Financial Network and Lifetime Asset Management since 2018. Outside of advisory services, Gaddis co-owns LifeTime Tax Management, LLC, a firm providing tax preparation services. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients. The firm offers various advisory programs and supports affiliated advisors with operations, technology, investment management, and compliance services.

Jacob Hollifield is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Fifth Third Bank, Best Buy, Yogurt Mountain, and North Carolina State University. Outside of his advisory work, he engages in freelance photography. Fifth Third Securities serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities through investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers access to a variety of managed account programs via the Passageway platform, combining third-party portfolio management with customizable investment strategies.

Kimberly Benfield is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Truist and its related entities since 2017. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and manager arrangements.

Charles Brantley is a financial advisor with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has eight years of industry experience. Prior to joining Bankers Life Advisory Services, he worked at Morgan Stanley for eight years and has held positions at several other firms. Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and investment consulting primarily to mass-affluent and high-net-worth individuals. The firm’s investment process focuses on customized asset allocation, tax efficiency, and a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to guide portfolio management.

John Vagianos Jr. is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 18 years of industry experience, currently with Creative Planning since 2018. Prior to that, he worked at Scottrade for four years. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and is based in Raleigh, NC. Creative Planning provides comprehensive investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm emphasizes a financial planning–led investment process that incorporates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and supplemental approaches such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting, supported by a broad advisory team and integrated investment infrastructure.

Thomas Gervase is a financial advisor at SPC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Parkland Securities, Grove Point Advisors, and Prudential Insurance. In addition to his advisory role, he conducts insurance sales focused on non-variable life, disability, and long-term care products. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement services, delivering strategies primarily through discretionary management with options for nondiscretionary and direct-at-fund arrangements.

Zachary Carver is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently advising at Cerity Partners LLC since 2025. He previously worked at Cook Wealth Management Group, LLC for five years and held roles at TRP Sumner PLLC, Petway Mills & Pearson PA, and Bunch & Company, LLP. Cerity Partners provides customized wealth management and related services to a broad national client base, including individuals, families, trusts, estates, business entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored asset allocation, manager selection, and periodic rebalancing using proprietary quantitative screens combined with third-party managers and individual securities, and also operates multiple private-market offerings and affiliated business units.

Karen Brock is a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) with three years of industry experience. She is currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network in Cary, NC, having previously worked with Pathfinder Wealth Consulting. Brock has been associated with Commonwealth Financial Network in two separate periods totaling 12 years of service. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that supports a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and manages roughly $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a broad range of advisory support services, including managed-account programs, access to third-party managers, retirement and plan consulting, and custody/clearing services.

Matthew Bracciante is a financial advisor with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd and holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 27 years of industry experience and has been with Stratos Wealth Partners since 2012. Bracciante also serves as a high school lacrosse coach at Green Level High School. Stratos Wealth Partners provides advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a Strategic Wealth Management platform featuring open-architecture portfolio aggregation and employs a combination of advisor-managed and model-based investment strategies.

James Trull is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Cary, NC, holding the CFP® and ChFC® designations and possessing 38 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Keystone Financial Partners for 24 years and Commonwealth Equity Services, Inc. for 27 years. Outside of advisory work, he is the founder and managing member of The Senior Resource Alliance of the Triangle, a professional networking group, and serves as a course instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at North Carolina State University. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, providing a range of advisory programs and back-office support including operations, trading, technology, investment management, and compliance. The firm offers discretionary model portfolios and multiple program structures designed to accommodate diverse investment strategies.

Thomas Burchhardt is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at National Life Group, Mass Mutual Investors Services, MassMutual Life Insurance Co, Equitable Advisors, Joe Van Gogh, and Starrlight Meadery. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in business operations as the owner of TLB Strategies LLC, which focuses on assessing business strategic direction and growth of intangible capital. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms, combining long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading, and utilizes both discretionary and non-discretionary management across a broad client base.