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.

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.

Matthew Pisani is a financial advisor at Lincoln Investment with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 63 designation and has worked at Lincoln Investment since 2017. Prior to that, he was with Legend Advisory Corporation and Legend Equities Corporation. Outside of his advisory work, he co-wrote a children's rhyming book titled "Nala The Bulldog" and serves as the Executive Director of the nonprofit Clean Slate Living, where he speaks on topics such as bullying, toxic relationships, and addiction. Lincoln Investment serves individuals, charitable organizations, businesses, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, with a focus on educators and 403(b)/457(b) participants. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan advice, model portfolios, and both discretionary and non-discretionary investment programs, managing approximately $22.9 billion in advisory assets as of December 2025.

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 since 2022. Prior to this, Merriweather worked at CornerCap Wealth Advisors from 2017 to 2022. Outside of advisory work, Merriweather is also an insurance agent with Beacon Pointe Insurance Services, LLC, focusing on life, health, and accident insurance products. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm employs a manager-driven investment approach, utilizing a proprietary “Focus List” and third-party platforms to deliver discretionary wealth management, financial planning, and fiduciary services.

Jonathan Hutson is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving at First Command Advisory Services. He has been with First Command in various roles since 2018 and is also affiliated with the College of Charleston. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser focused on serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with particular attention to active-duty service members and their families. The firm provides financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs, utilizing a centralized Investment Management Team to manage model portfolios and third-party manager selections.

Zahric Labat is a financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Charleston, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at National Life Group, Cetera Wealth Services, LLC, and Avantax Investment Services Inc. Outside of advising, he has been involved with several entrepreneurial ventures, including Start My University LLC and Toyo Japanese Sushi Bar and Hibachi. Equity Services, Inc., operating as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to a broad client base that includes individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and combining long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading.

Scott Soenen is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at firms including TD Bank, Truist Investment Services, Wells Fargo, and Northwestern Mutual. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. serves individuals—including high-net-worth clients—pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering advisory and brokerage services through Investment Adviser Representatives and third-party Portfolio Managers. The firm’s approach integrates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across a range of asset types.

Zachary Howes is a financial advisor with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Transamerica Life Insurance Company since 2020 and Edward Jones from 2017 to 2019. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners by offering managed advice programs and investment education services. The firm’s approach incorporates proprietary software and model portfolios provided by Morningstar Investment Management, focusing on asset allocation, contribution guidance, and retirement planning through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Justin Greene is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Empower, he worked at Prime Capital Investment Advisors, Nylife Securities, New York Life Insurance, and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory work, he owns The Lowcountry Dugout, LLC, where he coaches and provides instruction to youth baseball athletes. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management services primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients, using an integrated model that emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing.

Joshua Coward is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in North Charleston, SC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cummings Wealth Management Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Outside of advising, he serves as a notary public in South Carolina, providing document signing services to clients without charge. Valic Financial Advisors primarily 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 and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models to construct client portfolios.

Walter Pate Jr. is a CFP® professional with 29 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Truist Advisory Services and has previously worked at BB&T Securities, Bank of America, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as President of the Charleston Area Citadel Club, a nonprofit focused on fundraising to support Citadel-related causes. 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 consulting supported by third-party platforms and manager arrangements.

Isaac Wood is a financial advisor at Equity Services, Inc. with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and previously worked at Nationwide Investment Services Corporation and Fiduciary Wise. Wood is also the founder of The Woodpile Co, a nonprofit ministry based in Johns Island, SC. Equity Services, Inc. provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms that combine long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and model portfolios.

William Gaines Sr. is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. He has been with Commonwealth Financial Network since 2016 and previously worked at Pathway Wealth Partners. Gaines also engages in fixed insurance sales on a limited basis. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 affiliated advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform that includes managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement consulting, and custody services.

Kirk Matenaer is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience. He currently works at Farther and has previously been associated with Capasso Planning Partners and Franklin & Associates. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance brokerage through multiple companies, including an affiliated firm. Farther serves individual investors, trusts, and estates through a technology-driven advisory platform, offering discretionary investment management and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing a mix of bespoke and algorithmic model portfolios with automatic rebalancing.

Thomas Crittenden is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 11 years of industry experience. He has been with First Command Advisory Services since 2015 and concurrently serves in the Air National Guard. In addition to his advisory role, Crittenden is an airline pilot for Delta Air Lines and teaches undergraduate Business and Management courses as adjunct faculty at multiple universities. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed centrally by an Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers, using model portfolios composed of mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers.

Alan Glenn is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Mount Pleasant, SC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at TIAA, Mass Mutual Investors Services, and MSI Financial Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Andrew Hendricks is a CFP® professional with 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Farther and has previously worked at Capasso Planning Partners LLC and AXA Advisors, LLC. Farther serves individual investors, trusts, and estates through a technology-driven advisory platform and offers discretionary investment management, retirement plan consulting, and non-discretionary recommendations for private investment funds. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory and combines bespoke allocations with proprietary algorithmic model portfolios.

Stephanie Mackara is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with 27 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Charleston Investment Advisors LLC, BAM Advisor Services, Loring Ward, and The Wealth Management Alliance. Ms. Mackara is the author of the book *Money Minded Families*, published by Wiley, which focuses on financial education for children. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm uses a manager-driven investment approach with a proprietary “Focus List” and offers services including discretionary wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and outsourced CIO solutions.

Timothy Vichaivattana is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with six years at First Command Advisory Services and affiliated firms. He has five years of industry experience, preceded by eleven years of service in the United States Navy. First Command Advisory Services, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients, with a focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm offers financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed by centralized teams using prescreened third-party managers and model portfolios.