William Shefte is a financial advisor with SB Advisory, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and over 25 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at SPC, Sigma Financial Corporation, and Centaurus Financial Inc. Since 1989, he has been president of Gold Leaf Productions, Inc., a music publishing and consulting firm. He is also involved in community service as a board member and past president of the Charlotte Southern Lions Club and currently serves as president and chairman of the Charlotte Southern Lions Foundation, which supports charitable causes including assistance for the visually impaired and homeless. SB Advisory, LLC is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm serving individuals, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $1.1 billion predominantly on a non-discretionary basis, providing tailored portfolio management through mutual funds, ETFs, individual equities, and outside managers using fundamental, technical, and qualitative analysis.

Thomas Searson is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license with 21 years of experience in the financial industry. He has been with Providence Capital Advisors, LLC since 2015. 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 a fundamental security selection process supplemented by technical and cyclical analysis, offering distinct strategy sleeves and utilizing derivatives and borrowing in certain separately managed accounts.

David Huff is a CFA® charterholder with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Providence Capital Advisors, LLC since 2023 and previously held roles at JPMorgan Securities LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, and the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School. In addition to his advisory work, Huff is also licensed to sell various insurance products. Providence Capital Advisors, LLC is a registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and small businesses with discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm emphasizes fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to build customized portfolios and routinely incorporates derivatives, margin, and alternative investments within separately managed accounts.

Scott Trease is the sole advisor at Sapere Wealth Management, LLC in Matthews, NC, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 39 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Sapere Wealth Management and affiliated entities since 2002. Sapere Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional and trust entities. The firm employs a top-down, global-macro investment approach with an absolute-return focus, combining public equities, registered funds, and privately offered funds while emphasizing active liquidity management.

Janice Mc Gunnigle is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience. She currently works at Alpha Financial Advisors, LLC, where she has been since 2019, following previous roles at Modera Wealth Management, LLC and Matrix Wealth Advisors, Inc. Alpha Financial Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, trusts, estates, and small businesses, including high-net-worth clients. The firm offers personalized financial planning and discretionary investment management, utilizing a strategic asset allocation approach focused on global diversification, periodic rebalancing, and fundamental analysis.

Blake Hedrick is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Family Wealth Partners, LLC since 2022 and previously held roles at LPL Financial, Independent Advisor Alliance, and TIAA-CREF. Family Wealth Partners serves individuals, business entities, charitable organizations, and pension plans with discretionary investment management, financial planning, pension consulting, and estate plan coordination. The firm employs a diversified, model- and research-driven investment process that includes fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, and both long- and short-term trading, covering a broad range of traditional and alternative securities.

Nicholas Kolbenschlag is a financial advisor at Crown Wealth Group LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He has held roles at GCG Wealth Management and Questar Asset Management prior to joining Crown Wealth Group in 2019. Outside of his advisory work, he provides consulting services on the implementation of Personal CFO financial planning solutions and manages a DBA branch office focused on recruiting and educating investment advisor representatives. Crown Wealth Group serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, utilizing a goals-based investment process that incorporates a wide range of asset classes and a formal Investment Committee. The firm also maintains affiliations with insurance and real estate businesses and offers services including estate planning, executive compensation, and concierge lifestyle support.

Harold Goodlett is a financial advisor at Worth Advisors in Charlotte, NC, with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and has been with Worth Financial Advisory Group since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he has worked as a cashier at Rite Aid during non-market hours. Worth Advisors provides fee-based financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, businesses, qualified retirement plans, and other advisers. The firm is known for its tailored investment programs, use of ETFs and no-load index mutual funds, and a dedicated service platform for college coaches called CoachNetWorth.

Cooper Brown is a financial advisor at Oakworth Asset Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. He has prior experience at Truist Bank, Rockefeller Financial LLC, and Truist Financial Corporation, with a total of one year in the industry. Oakworth Asset Management provides financial planning, consulting, and discretionary wealth management to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm follows a top-down, macro-driven investment process and manages a diversified asset base including mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and private securities.

David Monk is a financial advisor at Fortress Private Ledger, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Sparta Wealth Partners, MML Investors Services, MassMutual Life Insurance Company, and New York Life. Outside the financial industry, he has longstanding involvement with Lexington Barbecue. Fortress Private Ledger serves individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and entities by providing financial planning, consulting, portfolio management, and Qualified Opportunity Zone advisory services. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach combining technical and fundamental strategies and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

James Mccollom is a financial advisor with CORE Advisory Group in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and LPL Financial. CORE Advisory Group is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm manages approximately $297 million in assets and offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, utilizing a range of investment strategies tailored to clients’ objectives and risk profiles.

Brandon Mcpherson is a CFA® charterholder with six years of industry experience. He is currently with Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC and has previously worked at Wells Fargo. Linden Thomas Advisory Services provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan services to individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a modern portfolio theory approach with globally diversified asset allocations and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management through separately managed accounts and proprietary enhanced-index portfolios.

Laura Olney is a CFP® with six years of industry experience currently with Tru Independence Asset Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC. Her prior experience includes roles at Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade. Tru Independence Asset Management, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and other institutional and business clients. The firm manages approximately $336.9 million in client assets and employs a mix of active and passive strategies, utilizing independent managers, third-party sub-advisors, and digital platforms to construct diversified portfolios.

Sean Casullo is a CFP® professional with five years of industry experience. He has worked at Crown Wealth Group LLC since 2022 and previously spent eleven years at Sanderson Wealth Management, LLC. Casullo is based in Charlotte, NC. Crown Wealth Group LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a goals-based investment process using diversified, low-cost ETFs and mutual funds, supported by an Investment Committee to tailor portfolios according to documented objectives and risk tolerances.

Jesse Wideman Jr. is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with eight years of industry experience. He joined Zenith Wealth Partners in 2025 after roles at Facet Wealth and The Vanguard Group. Wideman’s background includes time as a full-time parent prior to returning to the advisory field. Zenith Wealth Partners provides wealth planning and investment management services to individuals, small businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both active and passive investment strategies and offers a range of services including financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and business advisory support.

Victoria Waldman is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Tru Independence Asset Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC. Her prior experience includes roles at The Vanguard Group, UBS Financial Services, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is also involved with YellowWood Wealth Solutions, an advisory business associated with her current firm. Tru Independence Asset Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and pension consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a combination of active and passive strategies across multiple asset classes and integrates independent managers, third-party sub-advisors, and digital platforms to construct diversified portfolios.

Don Stamas is a CFP® professional at Defender Capital with 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Defender Capital since 2013 and also manages D.J.S. Investments, LLC, a real estate investment and management company. Defender Capital provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, private funds, and corporate clients. The firm employs a customized, discretionary investment approach focused on fundamental analysis and primarily recommends exchange-traded equity securities using both long- and short-term strategies.

Alexander Hill is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC since 2018 and previously spent three years at Wells Fargo Advisors. Hill holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Linden Thomas Advisory Services, LLC manages approximately $1.77 billion and provides wealth management services to individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a globally diversified investment approach based on modern portfolio theory and offers proprietary index-enhanced portfolios, serving a large client base through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Tyler Kolbenschlag is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at Crown Wealth Group LLC since 2018 and previously held roles at GCG Wealth Management and Questar Asset Management. Outside of his advisory work, Tyler is a licensed real estate broker and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Crown Wealth Group LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients with portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning, including Personal CFO support and estate-planning facilitation. The firm employs a goals-based investment process using an Investment Committee and offers a range of asset classes, including low-cost ETFs and mutual funds, with additional services such as insurance and real estate brokerage through affiliated entities.

Jamie Esler is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving at Sparta Wealth Partners. Prior to joining Sparta Wealth Partners, he worked at High Flows Capital Group LLC for eight years and has held roles at Capital Management Group of Washington D.C., Bank of America, N.A., and Merrill. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Sparta Wealth Partners provides advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA retirement-plan advisory services, utilizing a mix of fundamental and technical analysis alongside third-party managers and model-based strategies.