Willis Smith II is a financial advisor at TLG Advisors, Inc. with 41 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including The Leaders Group Inc and Barry, Evans, Josephs & Snipes. He is also involved as a producer in insurance sales and servicing through Glenwood Capital LLC. TLG Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm focuses on manager selection and ongoing portfolio monitoring, offering both sub-advised accounts and a direct-to-consumer digital program called Starlight Portfolios.

Andrew Reynolds is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining First Citizens in 2023, he worked at PNC Investments and PNC Bank. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of investment solutions including portfolio management, wrap programs, and automated guided investing, focusing on assessments led by investment advisor representatives to tailor strategies across multiple asset classes.

Craig Shively is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. His work history includes multiple roles at First Citizens Investor Services and First Citizens Bank, as well as positions at Wells Fargo and Allstate. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm emphasizes IAR-led financial assessments and utilizes fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Arjun Aggarwal is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2009 and has worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer offering a wide range of advisory programs to individuals and institutions, including tailored financial planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured planning process using firm-approved tools and economic modeling techniques.

Prashant Pandya serves as a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he works with individuals, families, trusts, and small to mid-size business owners to develop customized financial strategies that align with their unique goals and risk tolerances. His approach involves gaining a comprehensive understanding of clients' financial pictures and providing access to investment insights from Merrill Lynch, as well as banking and lending solutions through Bank of America. Prashant's expertise spans college education planning, family wealth management, retirement planning, legacy planning, international wealth management, and retirement income strategies among others. He holds several professional designations including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR® (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). He adopts a comprehensive planning approach covering investments, tax minimization strategies, retirement, insurance, and estate planning services. He obtained a Master's Degree in Engineering from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from the University of Bombay. Prashant is involved with professional organizations and community activities such as the American Cancer Society and the Pay it Forward Fertility Foundation. In his personal time, he enjoys cooking, ice hockey, music, spending time with his family, and watching movies.

Ryan Chapman is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Bank of America, Spectrum, and Edward Jones. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions (SPS) Program. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Riley Harshbarger is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones since 2017 and previously held roles outside the financial sector at Abercrombie & Fitch and Jimmy John's. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving millions of individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a large national network of financial advisors and branch offices.

Liliane Pascalis is a financial advisor with Merrill in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and nine years of industry experience. She has been with Merrill since 2013. 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. The firm offers model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Austin Poythress is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 10 years of industry experience. He has worked with Equitable Advisors since 2016 and was previously with AXA Advisors, LLC. He also operates a business under the name Legacy Wealth Strategies. Equitable Advisors serves a broad client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and various asset-management programs, utilizing both proprietary and third-party investment solutions delivered through a large network of Investment Adviser Representatives.

Matthew Wallace is a Benefits & Planning Consultant with the Executive Services team at Fidelity Investments. In his current role, he supports Executive Planning Consultants by meeting with clients to help them understand and maximize their employer-sponsored benefits, including 401(k) plans, pension benefits, and company stock programs. Matthew has been with Fidelity Investments since 2022, beginning his tenure as a Workplace Planning Consultant III before transitioning to his current position in 2026. His work focuses on providing education and guidance regarding available benefits, answering client questions, and assisting clients in making informed decisions to maximize the value of their benefits. Outside of his professional role, Matthew enjoys bowling, spending time with pets, snowboarding, and traveling.

Christopher Griffith is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2007 and previously spent four years with Ameriprise. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in providing non-variable insurance products. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and investment management solutions, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies across a range of asset allocations.

Michael Kaplan is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2007. Outside of his advisory role, Kaplan serves as president of his condominium owners association. Ameriprise is a large institutional firm that offers a retirement-income planning service for clients generally holding at least $1 million in investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficient strategies to provide tailored written recommendations.

Robert Roepke is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, where he has worked for over 28 years. He holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation and the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. He works with individuals, families, professionals, and small businesses, employing a consistent methodology focused on understanding each client's specific needs and concerns. Robert's approach begins with a disciplined process to establish explicit objectives and achieve financial goals while minimizing unnecessary risk. He utilizes Merrill Lynch's resources to develop tailored strategies and emphasizes regular reviews to ensure alignment with clients' objectives. His commitment to effective communication and ongoing monitoring allows strategies to be adjusted in response to changes in clients' lives or lifestyles. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1983, Robert and his wife settled in Raleigh, North Carolina, where they have raised their three children. He is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys playing golf. Robert also participates in community volunteer activities as part of Merrill's tradition of service.

Justin Meservier is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments and CUSO Financial Services, LP. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in rideshare activities with Door Dash. 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 advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and retirement advice, supported by extensive operational and research tools.

Thomas Wilson is a CFP® and Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, where he has worked since 2019. He has six years of industry experience and holds leadership roles outside of finance, including CEO of Iceberg Entertainment, an entertainment and speaking business, and CVO/CEO of Mogul Vision, a marketing and business development firm. Wilson is also associated with G & W Trucking, although he currently does not perform active duties there. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients with a broad range of advisory and investment programs. The firm manages over $1 trillion in assets and operates through a large network of advisors and branches across the United States.

Katrina James is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 63 designation and 32 years of industry experience. She has worked at Merrill since 1997. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as an administrator for a non-investment-related entity named D R E. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services 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 various institutional investors.

Angela Goins is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with nine years of industry experience. She previously worked at The Carolinas Financial Network for three years before joining Edward Jones in 2017. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of advisory strategies, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management.

Charles Brinkman is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Merrill based in Raleigh, NC, and has 15 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Merrill since 2010 and concurrently with Bank of America, N.A. since 2013. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program. The firm offers both model-based and discretionary investment strategies, serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors, with portfolio implementation tailored to investor tax sensitivity and preferences.

Kari Flores is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Clayton, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entity since 2011. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services targeting individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to generate written recommendation reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions typical of a large institutional firm.

Robert Willauer is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has worked with LPL Financial since 2011 and has been associated with Ohio National Financial Services since 2007. Outside of advisory services, he serves as Vice President of Operations at Adolos, LLC, focusing on technology and operational coordination. 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 advisory and brokerage services, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies alongside operational tools to support its network of over 22,800 advisors.