Erica Smith is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. She has previously worked with Charleston Investment Advisors and The Wealth Management Alliance. Outside of financial advising, she owns and operates Smitten Handcrafted Designs, a jewelry business. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a manager-focused approach, utilizing proprietary due diligence and asset allocation models to implement client strategies.

Frank Pugliese is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services based in Mt Pleasant, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mass Mutual Investors Services, MassMutual Life Insurance Company, and MetLife Securities Inc. He is also the owner of Trinity Wealth Partners, a non-investment-related business. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through various adviser and promoter arrangements.

Samuel Marshall is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Edward Jones for several years before joining D.A. Davidson & Co. in 2024. D.A. Davidson & Co. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of services such as ERISA retirement plan advice, comprehensive financial planning, and a specialized private wealth program for high-net-worth clients.

Gary Knode is a financial advisor at AE Wealth Management, LLC with one year of experience in the industry. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been involved with Safe Harbor Financial/Safe Harbor Wealth since 2013, where he serves as president and manages insurance and annuity sales along with retirement planning for clients. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers model portfolio solutions, discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and self-directed brokerage support through a platform that integrates AEWM-managed, third-party, and advisor-managed models.

John Jeffords is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 50 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2021 and has also been affiliated with Bb&T Securities and Scott & Stringfellow for over a decade. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program that combines discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate resources.

John Merritt is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 13 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked at TIAA-CREF, TD Ameritrade, and Scottrade. Merritt is based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, foundations, and corporations. The firm manages approximately $295.6 billion in client assets and employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

James Amick Jr. is a financial advisor with J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has worked at J.W. Cole Advisors since 2019 and previously held roles at Independent Financial Partners and LPL Financial. Outside of his advisory work, Amick serves as chair elect of the Poplar Grove Townhome Owners Association board and is a trustee of the Jamie Lynn Amick Trust. J.W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered firm that serves individuals, charities, corporations, and retirement plans through a national network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm provides portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, access to third-party managers, and multiple managed account solutions utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches.

Walter Lewis is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 63 license. He has five years of experience in financial advisory, currently working with Truist Advisory Services since 2021. His prior experience includes roles at Bb&T Bank/Truist Bank and Bank of America. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with consulting services and utilizes third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to support client investment decisions.

Mark Taylor is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in North Charleston, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 1999 and has also worked with Agia since 2022. Outside of advisory work, he is involved as a member managing small self-storage facility operations. Valic Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-based individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Cooper Grady is a CFP® and ChFC® with four years of industry experience, currently serving at Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. He has held roles at LPL Financial LLC, Advisor Group, Marathon Financial Group, Robert Gorman, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Management. Outside of his primary advisory work, Cooper is the Director of Financial Planning at Pettinelli Financial Partners. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. is an enterprise wealth management firm with approximately $18.6 billion in assets under management and about 366 advisors serving over 24,000 clients. The firm offers a variety of investment strategies including advisor-managed and model-based portfolios, with an open-architecture approach that incorporates external platforms and SEI-affiliated solutions.

David Kornegay is a CFP® professional with over 32 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Valic Financial Advisors since 2011 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses. In addition to his advisory role, he is a commissioned notary in South Carolina. Valic Financial Advisors serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Matthew Lewarne is a financial advisor with The Huntington Investment Company in Charleston, SC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has five years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Ameriprise, Truist Advisory Services, Merrill, and Wells Fargo, among others. The Huntington Investment Company serves individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities with advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple wrap-fee programs using an open-architecture model that combines third-party sub-managers and proprietary private bank models, with portfolio management and custodial services provided through National Financial Services.

Kevin Newell is a CFP® with four years of experience at Creative Planning and one year at SBK Financial. Prior to his financial advisory career, he spent eight years in high school and college settings. He is based in Charleston, SC. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure, managing approximately $295.6 billion in client assets across more than 1,100 advisors.

Ryan Shannon is a financial advisor at Prime Capital Financial with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Park Avenue Securities, Guardian Life Insurance Company, and Principal Securities Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with PCRM, LLC, which focuses on the sale and service of fixed-insurance products. Prime Capital Financial is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plans with services including asset management, financial planning, qualified retirement plan sponsor and trustee services, and third-party manager selection. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies and offers family office services alongside tax planning through an affiliated accounting subsidiary.

Jadyn Watson is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning their advisory career in 2024. Their prior experience includes roles at Wildes Financial Strategies, Coastal Financial Planning Group, and Cummings Wealth Management Group. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and provides a range of advisory programs, technology, and operational support. The firm offers discretionary model portfolios and multiple program structures designed to accommodate different investment approaches.

Jeffrey Lansink is a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) with 29 years of industry experience. He has worked at Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC since 2015 and has been affiliated with LPL Financial since 2004. Lansink operates out of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and is engaged in roles connected to both his registered investment advisor business and his LPL Financial activities. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm delivers asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting through a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, utilizing model portfolios, sub-advisors, and various analytical techniques, supported by technology platforms to enhance service delivery.

Liam McGarry is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include work with LPL Financial and Strategic Asset Services, as well as involvement in political campaigns. He operates Strategic Asset Services, providing investment advisory services independently. Private Advisor Group, LLC manages over $41 billion across more than 135,000 client relationships, serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate and retirement plan clients. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services, utilizing multiple investment strategies and third-party asset management programs.

Daniel Russler Jr. is a financial advisor at Sequoia Financial Group, L.L.C. in Charleston, SC, with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has served as Chief Investment Officer at Family Asset Management, LLC since 2003. Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC provides wealth planning, investment management, and retirement-plan and business-consulting services to individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, trusts, family offices, and other institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of in-house model portfolios, custom accounts, and third-party manager selection, supported by an Investment Policy Committee and extensive research resources.

Edward Pinnell III is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at MRHFM, LLC for four years. Pinnell is also a reservist in the United States Marine Corps, assisting recruiters at high schools and universities in the Charleston, SC area. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutions. The firm offers a range of fee-based wrap programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and investment management services, utilizing strategies managed by both internal teams and third-party managers.

Joseph Diamond is a CFP® professional with 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has been with VALIC Financial Advisors since 1997 and has held a position at Agia since 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the advisory board of Campus Outreach Charleston, participates in the Global Impact Committee of East Cooper Baptist Church, and volunteers as a director for the Colson Fellows ECBC affiliate. He also provides notary services to VALIC clients. VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA-member broker-dealer serving primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts utilizing Envestnet’s platform and third-party UMA model managers.