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.

Robert Swindle is a financial advisor with Guardian Life and holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. He has 13 years of industry experience, having worked previously at MML Investors Services and Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company before joining Park Avenue Securities in 2018. He also engages in providing insurance products outside of Guardian Life. Park Avenue Securities, a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and provides access to proprietary and third-party investment solutions.

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. He is affiliated with Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. and previously worked at LPL Financial LLC, Advisor Group, Marathon Financial Group, Robert Gorman, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Management. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. is an enterprise advisory firm with approximately 379 advisors and $18.6 billion in assets under management, serving individuals, retirement plans, corporations, nonprofits, and institutional clients. The firm employs an IAR-driven model with an open-architecture investment approach that integrates multiple third-party platforms and managers, offering customized portfolio management and a range of financial planning services.

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.

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 Graham is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with one year of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network in Mt. Pleasant, SC. Prior to joining Commonwealth, Graham has held positions at several firms including Cummings Wealth Management Group and Wildes Financial Strategies. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing roughly $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a broad adviser-support platform including managed account programs, access to third-party asset managers, retirement consulting, and custody services.

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.

Daniel Russler Jr. is a financial advisor at Sequoia Financial Group, L.L.C. with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously served as Chief Investment Officer at Family Asset Management, LLC. Sequoia Financial Advisors offers wealth planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and consulting services to a diverse client base including individuals, family offices, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm combines model portfolios and custom solutions, utilizing a range of investment vehicles and regular portfolio reviews conducted by an Investment Policy Committee.

Edward Pinnell III is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Benjamin F. Edwards, he served four years at MRHFM, LLC and has six years of military service in the United States Marine Corps. He currently serves as a reservist in the Marine Corps, assisting with recruiting efforts at high schools and universities in the Charleston, SC area. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is a 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 services including advisory programs, financial planning, investment management consulting, and brokerage services, combining proprietary strategies with third-party models and providing custody and clearance services.

Joseph Diamond is a CFP®-certified financial advisor at VALIC Financial Advisors with 30 years of industry experience. He has been with VALIC since 1997 and also has an affiliation with Agia starting in 2022. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the advisory board for Campus Outreach Charleston, participates in the Global Impact Committee of East Cooper Baptist Church, is a notary providing services to VALIC clients, and volunteers as a director for the Colson Fellows ECBC affiliate. VALIC Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, as well as employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services through a large network of advisors, utilizing discretionary unified managed accounts and various wrap programs supported by centralized technology and model-driven solutions.

James Lasher is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience, currently practicing at Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Charleston, SC. He has worked with Eagle Strategies since 2009 and has been affiliated with New York Life and its related entities since 2005. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for the Unionville Recreation Association, a local youth sports organization. Eagle Strategies serves a broad range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisors. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client objectives, with a significant focus on non-discretionary assets and fiduciary advisory roles for retirement investors.

Peter Koehler is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Goldman Sachs and The Ayco Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. He returned to Goldman Sachs Wealth Services in 2021 after previously working there from 2002 to 2005. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services provides financial planning and portfolio management to a broad client base, including individual investors, executives, plan sponsors, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes strategic allocation models, manager selections, and both discretionary and non-discretionary implementations, leveraging integrated capabilities across the Goldman Sachs ecosystem.

Randy Thompson is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Merrill from 2013 to 2022, Bank of America in 2022, and GWFS Equities, Inc. since 2022. 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 certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s approach integrates proprietary and third-party methodologies focused on long-term portfolio returns and includes both point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Marie Hadwin is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 14 years of industry experience. She is currently with NewEdge Advisors, having joined in 2026, and previously worked at firms including Forvis Mazars Wealth Advisors, DHG Wealth Advisors, Bank of America, Merrill, and UBS Financial Services. 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 adviser representatives. The firm provides a broad range of services, including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to various advisory programs, supported by centralized due diligence and technology-enabled solutions.

Brandy Benton is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with Creative Planning, bringing two years of industry experience. She previously worked at JBJ Invest for eight years before joining Creative Planning, where she has been since 2022. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and institutional 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.

Merriweather Mule is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC. Prior to joining Beacon Pointe Advisors, Mule worked at CornerCap Wealth Advisors for four years. In addition to advisory duties, Mule is an agent involved in the sale of life, health, and accident insurance products through Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides wealth advisory, financial planning, and outsourced chief investment officer services to a diverse client base including individual investors, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm employs a combination of asset allocation modeling and third-party independent managers across public and private asset classes.