Cynthia Crossen is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. She has worked at Truist and its predecessors, including Suntrust Advisory Services and Scottrade, with a career spanning from 2004 to the present. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, using a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and research tools.

Christopher Martin is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience. He currently works at Creative Planning and previously held roles at Merrill, U.S. Bancorp Investments, Cetera Wealth Services, and Sageview Advisory Group. Martin is also involved with USA Prime Sports. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, implementing a financial-planning-led investment approach that includes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

Charlotte Valentino is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 15 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 63 designations. Her prior experience includes roles at SageView Advisory Group and Cetera Wealth Services. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by selective private market exposure and various managed account solutions.

Thomas O'Connell Jr. is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 38 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at Brookstone since 2019. Prior to that, he was with Comprehensive Capital Management, Inc. and Comprehensive Asset Management and Servicing, Inc. He is also president of International Financial Advisory Group, where he has been involved since 1996, and serves as chairman of the Better Business Bureau of New Jersey. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, retirement plans, corporations, charitable organizations, other registered investment advisers, sovereign wealth funds, and banking institutions. The firm delivers investment management primarily on a discretionary basis through a variety of model portfolios and managed accounts, supported by a large advisor network and a turnkey asset management platform.

Nolan Early is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with a Series 65 designation and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Sageview Advisory Group, Triad Hybrid Solutions, Triad Advisors, and the University of Tennessee. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in assets and offers a financial planning–led investment process with an emphasis on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by direct indexing, tax-loss harvesting, and other portfolio management techniques.

Thomas Damato is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 16 years of industry experience. He has worked at TIAA-CREF since 2017 and previously was with BB&T and BB&T Investment Services from 2015 to 2017. Outside of his advisory work, he is a member of H&D Farms LLC, involved in farming activities including raising cattle and growing hay for local sale. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans. The firm separates planning services from ongoing portfolio management and serves as adviser to a donor-advised fund while operating within a vertically integrated group that includes affiliated funds.

Christopher Perry is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 17 years of industry experience. He has worked with TIAA and TIAA-CREF since 2011. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, corporate entities, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm’s advisory model distinguishes between point-in-time planning services and ongoing discretionary management, utilizing model portfolios or customized portfolios managed under client-approved investment policies.

William Savage Jr. is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding the CFP®, ChFC®, and Series 66 designations and bringing 23 years of industry experience. His career includes various roles within Truist and its predecessor entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory work, he is a passive member of a family farm LLC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate 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 manager arrangements.

Sarah Hunter is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Knoxville, TN, and has four years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services and Suntrust, as well as time affiliated with the University of Tennessee Knoxville and the Webb School of Knoxville. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, uses third-party platforms for manager selection and due diligence, and integrates inter-affiliate services across its enterprise.

John Schindler is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. His prior experience includes roles at Cetera, Sageview Advisory Group, Raymond James Financial Services, Woodbury Financial Services, and Todd Rechenbach, CLU. In addition to advisory work, he is an insurance agent specializing in life, disability, fixed annuities, and long-term care insurance. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment process with an emphasis on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure managing approximately $217 billion in client assets.

James Mason Jr. is a CFP® professional affiliated with Truist Advisory Services, based in Knoxville, TN, with 32 years of industry experience. He has been with SunTrust Advisory Services since 2016 and previously worked at SunTrust Investment Services, Inc. since 1999. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory 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 AI-enabled research tools.

Mallory Jackson is a CFP® professional with three years of industry experience, currently serving at Creative Planning. Prior to joining Creative Planning, Jackson worked at SageView Advisory Group and spent four years at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Creative Planning offers wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by private market exposure and tax-efficient techniques.

Daniel Wagner is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with six years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at several firms including LPL Financial and Woodbury Financial Services. Wagner is based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily for employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s services are integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and emphasize long-term portfolio returns and clients’ savings rates.

Benjamin Vander Wal is a financial advisor with Guardian Life, holding a Series 65 designation. He began his career in 2026, having previously completed full-time education from 2016 to 2026. His work history includes roles at Guardian Life Insurance Company, Park Avenue Securities, and Peachtree Planning. Park Avenue Securities LLC, operating as Park Avenue® Wealth Management, is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers brokerage services, financial planning, retirement consulting, and a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary models and a hybrid digital advisory solution.

Todd Redd is a CFP® with 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Mariner Wealth Advisors, where he has worked since 2022. His prior experience includes nearly a decade with Cetera Advisor Networks and Sageview Private Client Group. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations, providing investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services. The firm utilizes customized portfolios overseen by an Investment Committee and offers integrated tax and accounting services alongside traditional portfolio management.

Blake Mai is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Knoxville, TN, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked with Eagle Strategies since 2018 and has affiliations with NYLife Securities LLC and New York Life Insurance Company dating back to 2012. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base including individual investors and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, emphasizing customized recommendations and fiduciary responsibility, with the majority of assets under management held on a non-discretionary basis.

Benjamin Dickinson is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Knoxville, TN. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Leading Edge Financial Planning, LLC, Insight Global, and the University of Tennessee. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to certain IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and integrates its advisory services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Joseph Schulok is a financial advisor at Mariner in Knoxville, TN, holding a Series 65 credential. He has no prior industry experience and joined Mariner in 2026 after roles at Frazier Financial Advisors and Tricord Wealth Advisors. Schulok also worked with the Forest Hills Swim Club and has been a full-time student at The Ohio State University. Mariner serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and tax services. The firm employs a discretionary, customized portfolio approach supported by in-house research and third-party managers, with specialized services such as tax integration and financial wellness platforms.

Erik Dickinson is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 66 credential and one year of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at Hilti, Inc. for 12 years. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a basketball referee for the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA). Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors. The firm offers various advisory programs and services, including custom portfolio solutions and retirement plan consulting, while providing operational, trading, compliance, and practice-management support to affiliated advisors.

Wayne Zussman is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC since 2018. His prior work includes roles at Bridgewater Wealth & Financial Management, Triton Wealth Management, and Medallion Advisory Services. Outside of his advisory work, he is engaged in photography through Zussman Photography, a compensated hobby focused on artwork sales. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC provides wealth management and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth families, family offices, and institutional clients. The firm employs a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies within an enhanced open architecture framework, offering access to a range of private funds and specialized portfolio tools.