Justin Dean is a financial advisor with AlphaStar Capital Management and holds a Series 65 credential. He has five years of industry experience and has been associated with AlphaStar since 2020. Dean also serves as president of Dean Financial LLC and has involvement in the sale of insurance products, including annuities and healthcare insurance. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion in assets for a variety of clients such as individuals, trusts, small businesses, and pension plans. The firm employs both predefined model portfolios and custom strategies, utilizing quantitative analysis and tactical approaches, and provides services including portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Terry Hollar is a ChFC® with 38 years of industry experience, currently serving at Regal Investment Advisors LLC and Regulus, LLC. He has held roles at these firms since 2012 and 2014, respectively. Outside of his advisory work, Hollar is president of a homeowners association and is active as an officer and president in local community organizations, including a Lutheran day school and church. Regal Investment Advisors LLC (doing business as LionShare) provides discretionary investment management services to independent advisers and their clients, offering proprietary and third-party model portfolios across various asset classes. The firm serves individual, charitable, and corporate clients through a network of financial advisers who manage suitability and client communications.

William Hudson Sr. is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at AlphaStar since 2011. Hudson is also involved with Masters Estate and Financial Inc. and Masters Estate Services Inc., both of which focus on estate planning and related investment services. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients, offering discretionary investment management and financial planning. The firm employs a mix of strategic and tactical investment approaches and provides subadvisory services to other registered investment advisers.

Simon Hawkins is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at several firms, including Dean Financial and Aldi. Outside of finance, his background includes roles in campus recreation and food service. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients by providing discretionary investment management, financial planning, participant account management, and subadvisory services. The firm manages approximately $2.5 billion in assets across a broad client base using model portfolios and advisor-directed strategies that combine strategic and tactical approaches.

Ernest Ceccato Jr. is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance and LPL Financial since 2015. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and regular portfolio monitoring, and offers a flat-fee family-office style program combining management, planning, and tax analysis.

Jonathan Spatz is a financial advisor at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at several firms, including LifeWorks Advisors LLC, Brookstone Wealth Advisors LLC, and Retirement Wealth Advisors, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in insurance services through ownership and management roles at Epic Income Advisors, Spatz Delmonico LLC, and Benefit Solutions Inc. Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management to individual and high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and registered investment companies. The firm delivers services through a large network of affiliated offices, employing a mix of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis alongside model portfolios and an asymmetric rebalancing approach.

Douglas Frye is a financial advisor with Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Brookstone Capital Management and Spinnaker Financial, Inc. Frye is also involved in personal finance education through his ownership and hosting of TheMoneyClassroom.com, a platform that generates social media content on financial topics. Hornor, Townsend & Kent serves individuals, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans with advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm operates both advisory and broker-dealer services, offering a comprehensive platform that includes access to third-party asset managers and both discretionary and non-discretionary account options.

Jason Beckley is a financial advisor at Farther with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at Advisory Services Network, LLC and Omnistar Financial Group. Outside of his advisory role, Beckley serves as board chair of the Ore Bank Pumpkin Center Volunteer Fire Department and chairs the endowment board for Ashure Ministry, a nonprofit providing crisis assistance in Catawaba County. He is also the treasurer for the Denver Lake Norman Rotary Club and Foundation. Farther provides discretionary investment management and related advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a combination of digital platforms and in-person meetings. The firm’s approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, using proprietary model portfolios and algorithmic rebalancing across a range of asset types, supplemented by advisor judgment and AI tools.

Amanda Rembert is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Stifel and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on the boards of Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry and Ashure Ministry, assisting with charitable fundraising events. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of services including wrap-fee advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and both discretionary and non-discretionary managed investment solutions.

Kathy White is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at various Truist-affiliated firms since 2006. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to manage client portfolios and oversee investment selections.

Amanda Dowell is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Farther with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Farther in 2026, she worked at Advisory Services Network and The Corner Table. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a web and mobile platform as well as in-person meetings. The firm employs an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, using proprietary model portfolios and algorithmic rebalancing, and incorporates AI tools alongside advisor judgment.

Cameron Wood is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with a Series 66 credential and approximately one year of industry experience. Before joining Empower Advisory Group, he held roles at TD Bank, MWA Financial Services Inc., Modern Woodmen of America, and Maine State Credit Union. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s integrated service model focuses on long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates within plan lineups chosen by plan sponsors.

Lisa Baverso is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Truist and its predecessor firms since 2006, including roles at Bb&T Investments and Bb&T Securities. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, utilizing third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to support its investment approach.

James Gowen is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and over 20 years of industry experience. He has worked with Truist Advisory Services and related entities since 2018, following earlier roles at BB&T Investments. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a volunteer firefighter with the Propst Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platforms and AI-enhanced research.

Thomas Rembert IV is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 19 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc, Wells Fargo Clearing, and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a councilman and mayor pro-tempore for the Town of Maiden, North Carolina. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of advisory, brokerage, and consulting services, utilizing proprietary and third-party investment strategies alongside in-house trading and custody solutions.

Neil Ramirez is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Hickory, NC, beginning his industry career in 2025. Prior to entering finance, he spent five years with Major League Baseball. Neil is involved with Elite Performance Wealth Management LLC as an owner. Equity Services, Inc., doing business as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and combines long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and specialized instruments.

Eric Whitener is a financial advisor at Farther with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at Advisory Services Network, LLC and Omni Star Financial Group. Outside of his advisory role, he is a managing partner of Grayton & Jamison LLC, a real estate business. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a digital platform and in-person meetings. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, using proprietary models and algorithmic rebalancing across a range of asset classes.

Vincent Johnson is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His career includes over 20 years with BB&T Investment Services, Inc. and its affiliates before joining Truist in 2021. He serves as a board member for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, participating in regional housing program coordination and providing guidance to graduates of a family self-sufficiency program. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, combining discretionary and non-discretionary management with third-party platform support and AI-enabled research tools.

Ian Williams is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with a Series 65 credential. He has diverse work experience including positions at Mercury Tech Partners, Piper Aircraft, Textron Aviation, and service in the United States Army. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to sponsored advisory programs, utilizing a combination of in-house and third-party strategies supported by technology and centralized due diligence.

William Mode is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 21 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of his advisory work, he is a landlord of a rental property in Hickory. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of advisory, brokerage, insurance, and M&A services, with investment solutions that include discretionary and non-discretionary managed portfolios using proprietary and third-party strategies.