John Kernodle is a financial advisor at Strathmore Capital Advisors with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Strathmore Capital Advisors since 2005 and holds the Series 65 designation. Strathmore Capital Advisors serves individuals, trusts, endowments, and participant-directed retirement plans through discretionary portfolio management and goals-based financial planning. The firm emphasizes an asset-allocation-driven investment approach using mutual funds and ETFs, incorporating technology for client service and offering distinctive services such as a securities-backed lending strategy and integrated tax preparation.

Melissa Wall is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Providence Capital Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at Bank of America for thirteen years. Outside of her advisory role, she operates a seasonal tax preparation and schedule fee business. Providence Capital Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and integrated financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and small businesses. The firm employs fundamental security selection combined with technical and cyclical analysis across various strategy sleeves, including Core Equity, Diversified Income, and Covered Call programs, and incorporates derivatives and margin transactions in some strategies.

Heather Fowler is a financial advisor at A4 Wealth Advisors LLC with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has prior work experience at Thrive Mortgage and Covius Services LLC. Outside of advising, she owns HeatherGrown, LLC, where she teaches yoga and assists with plant sales. A4 Wealth Advisors LLC provides personalized financial planning, investment management, and referrals to third-party money managers for individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates in-house advice with sub-advisors and co-advisor models, incorporating alternative investments and offering both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Chandler Smith is a financial advisor with Four Financial Management in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has been with Four Financial Management since 2018 and also provides administrative support to independent investment advisor firms and assists in tax preparation operations. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved as an author. Four Financial Management serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, as well as non-profits, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting with a focus on customized asset allocation strategies. The firm manages accounts on a discretionary basis and utilizes both proprietary and third-party model portfolios, operating within a network of industry affiliations including LPL Financial and related advisory and tax services.

Jared Mccutcheon is a financial advisor at Cannon Advisors in Charlotte, NC, with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC, and Quasar Distributors, LLC. Cannon Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and limited consulting services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches and investment strategies, including alternatives and options trading, and manages approximately $181.6 million across about 228 client accounts.

Matthew Costa is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience currently serving at Foundation Wealth & Tax Advisors, LLC. He has worked previously with firms including Bestgate Wealth Advisors, LLC and Park Avenue Securities, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, Costa is an accountant and principal at RCN & Associates LLC and owns MRC Financial Services, LLC, which provides tax consulting and preparation services and holds his interests in Bestgate Wealth Advisors and Foundation Wealth Advisors. Foundation Wealth & Tax Advisors, LLC is a registered investment adviser offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a combination of analytical methods and may use third-party managers for implementation, integrating traditional investment management with pension consulting and digital-asset services.

Edward Deaton is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at MBL Advisors. His prior experience includes six years at Edge Capital Group, LLC, as well as roles at Carolina Capital Consulting, Inc. and periods of unemployment. MBL Wealth provides discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a goals-based, broadly diversified investment approach that integrates macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis, utilizing stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, and other alternatives in portfolio construction.

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.

Thomas Maclennan is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently a partner and Chief Compliance Officer at WMS Advisors, LLC and also has ownership in TGM Capital, LLC, a holding company for interests in WMS Advisors. He serves on the board and finance committee of Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, a nonprofit organization. WMS Advisors is a team-based SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $281 million for individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm employs asset-class oriented portfolios using ETFs, index funds, individual securities, and select alternatives, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management alongside financial planning and retirement-plan consulting.

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.

Brian Huff is a CFP® professional with one year of experience at Providence Capital Advisors, LLC. He previously worked for Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. from 2018 to 2025 and held roles at American University and Live Nation. Providence Capital Advisors, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and small businesses. The firm employs fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis with customized portfolio construction and incorporates derivatives, borrowing, and alternative investments within some separately managed accounts.

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.