Lorren Bryant is a CFP® with 36 years of industry experience, currently serving at Verity Asset Management. His career includes roles at Verity Investments, Inc., Verity Financial Group, and The Leaders Group Inc DBA Simplicity Investments. Outside of his advisory work, he is president of Manton Financial Services. Verity Asset Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser providing discretionary portfolio management, retirement-plan advisory, and financial planning services to individual, corporate, institutional clients, and other advisers. The firm employs a model-driven investment process emphasizing tactical asset allocation across multiple asset classes and offers both internally managed and third-party models under fiduciary and ERISA standards.

Tyler Brown is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience currently serving at RFG Advisory, LLC since 2025. He previously worked at Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C, Fisher Investments, and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Brown is the owner and founder of Turnpoint Wealth, a separate advisory and insurance activity. RFG Advisory is a multi-team registered investment adviser with approximately 178 advisors managing about $8 billion for over 17,000 clients, including individuals, high-net-worth households, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional accounts. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, alternative investments, and annuity management, employing both actively managed and passive strategies with a focus on risk management.

Bowman Nicholson is a CFP® with 14 years of experience, currently serving at Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC since 2016. He is also a bassist in musical bands, an activity unrelated to his investment work. Capital Investment Advisory Services provides portfolio management and supervisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable institutions. The firm offers customized portfolios using a variety of analysis methods and investment strategies, managing the majority of its assets on a discretionary basis.

Jared Miller is a financial advisor at Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles in various sectors such as education and management but no previous advisory positions. Capital Investment Advisory Services provides portfolio management and supervisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, retirement and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, foundations, and charitable institutions. The firm offers customized portfolios using multiple methods of analysis and manages the vast majority of its assets on a discretionary basis.

Nicholas Livecchi is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC and LPL Financial, LLC, having previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Outside of his advisory roles, he is the author of "Finding the 'Right Fit' Financial Advisor." Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach using ETFs, third-party managers, and portfolio monitoring, and offers a family-office style program that integrates multiple advisory services under a flat fee arrangement.

Eagan Rooney is a financial advisor at Credit Union Investment Services with Series 65 and Series 63 certifications and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining CUIS in 2025, Rooney worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank. Outside of finance, Rooney has held various roles in the food and beverage industry. Credit Union Investment Services serves individual investors who are residents of North Carolina, focusing on non-discretionary, goals-based portfolio management and financial planning. The firm emphasizes long-term investment horizons using low-cost index mutual funds and ETFs, operating within a credit union ecosystem as a wholly owned subsidiary of State Employees’ Credit Union.

Craig Sullivan is a CFA® charterholder with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Franklin Street Securities, Inc. since 2012. The firm provides discretionary investment management and advisory services to individuals, pooled investment vehicles, pensions, trusts, non-profits, and governmental entities. Franklin Street Advisors employs an open-architecture approach that combines in-house and external management, guided by a quarterly Investment Policy Committee and a disciplined manager-research process.

Roy Ray is a financial advisor with Gibbs Wealth Management, LLC in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 credential and having two years of industry experience. He has also served as CEO of Strategic Retirement Solutions, Inc., a firm focused on insurance-related products, since 2010. In addition to his advisory roles, Mr. Ray is involved in managing a commercial and residential rental property business. Gibbs Wealth Management provides discretionary investment advisory services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients through a model management program that utilizes third-party platforms and strategists. The firm focuses on assessing clients’ financial situations and risk tolerance to select and monitor model portfolios rather than managing individual securities directly.

Bruce Frankel is a CFP® with 22 years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Parallel Advisors, LLC and previously worked at MGO Private Wealth, Eckhoff Wealth Management, LLC, and Yerba Buena Financial Partners, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with AB Bedding, LLC, a bedding product company, where he provides strategic support. Parallel Advisors serves individuals, business entities, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations with discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm incorporates a range of investment strategies, including fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and offers services such as tax-efficient rebalancing and access to adviser-only investment vehicles.

Joe Poran is a financial advisor at Credit Union Investment Services with 12 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has worked in investment-related roles at Members Trust Company and SeCU Life Insurance Company since 2014. He previously served for 16 years at State Employees' Credit Union, where he provided financial services and opportunities aimed at improving members' economic and social conditions. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors residing in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and financial planning focused on long-term goals. The firm emphasizes the use of no-load, low-cost index funds and ETFs, with recommendations tailored to clients without discretionary trading.

Matthew James is a financial advisor at Guardian Wealth Advisors, LLC in Durham, NC, with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has prior experience at Brighton Jones and other organizations including the National Taxpayers Union Foundation and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Guardian Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, retirement plans, and institutional entities. The firm employs a systematic investment approach using mutual funds, ETFs, bonds, options, and equities, combining fundamental and technical analysis to manage portfolios.

Eugene Thompson IV is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Capital Investment Advisory Services and its affiliate Capital Investment Group, Inc. since 2014. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of services including separately managed accounts, referrals to third-party managers, private-label model portfolios, and financial planning, with an individualized investment process and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

Syeda Zahra Ahmed is a financial advisor at First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. with two years of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Credit Suisse and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. First Citizens Asset Management serves individuals, trusts, corporations, institutions, and municipal entities through a multi-team platform. The firm manages global, multi-asset portfolios using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods and provides discretionary investment management with dynamic asset allocation.

George Hicks is a CFP® with 40 years of industry experience, currently serving at Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Raleigh, NC. He has been with Capital Investment Group, Inc. since 1992 and Financial Resource Management, Inc. since 1987. Outside of his advisory work, he is the author of a book titled *In His Grip*, which he has been involved with since 2014. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, employing a variety of analytical methods and conducting at least quarterly reviews.

James Sloop is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance since 2015 and also maintains an affiliation with LPL Financial since 2014. Outside of his advisory work, he creates content focused on electronic entertainment for platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. 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 that integrates multiple advisory services.

Thaddeus Yasunaga is a CFA® charterholder with 10 years of industry experience. He currently works at First Citizens Asset Management, Inc., having joined the firm and its affiliated First Citizens Bank in 2024. His prior experience includes roles at PNC Bank and Busey Capital Management, Inc., where he worked for a decade. First Citizens Asset Management provides investment advisory and sub-advisory services to individuals, trusts, corporations, institutional accounts, and municipal entities. The firm manages multi-asset global portfolios using a combination of quantitative and qualitative criteria, serving clients through a platform of 33 advisors.

Christy Phillips Strigel is a financial advisor with Franklin Street Advisors, Inc. in Chapel Hill, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 16 years of industry experience. She has been with Franklin Street Advisors since 2013. Outside of her advisory role, she is a partner and officer in two non-investment businesses involved in the importation and sales of European sport horses and equestrian activities, though she does not have active management responsibilities in these ventures. Franklin Street Advisors, Inc. provides discretionary investment management and advisory services to a range of clients including individuals, pooled investment vehicles, pensions, trusts, non-profits, and governmental entities. The firm employs an open-architecture approach combining in-house and external managers, guided by a quarterly Investment Policy Committee, and offers strategic asset allocation models as well as bespoke mandates.

Colton Neighbors is a financial advisor at New Edge Wealth with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 and Series 63 designations and has previously worked at Fidelity Investments, Northwestern Mutual, and other financial firms. New Edge Wealth primarily serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, foundations, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm focuses on asset allocation and investor behavior, utilizing a combination of independent managers, model strategies, proprietary solutions, and AI-assisted analytics to tailor portfolios.

Matthew West is a financial advisor with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and six years of industry experience. He has worked at Capital Investment Advisory Services and affiliated firms since 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a financial analyst in ventures and acquisitions for Liberty Senior Living and manages a consulting firm focused on finance and real estate projects. Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and supervisory services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm offers customized investment management through discretionary mandates, third-party managers, and private-label model portfolios, using a variety of analytical methods and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

James Rosselle is a financial advisor with Curi Capital, LLC in Denver, CO, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at RMB Capital Management, LLC since 2012. Outside of advising, he owns and manages a small residential property management business. Curi Capital serves individuals, families, institutions, and charitable organizations with wealth management, asset management, retirement plan solutions, and family office services. The firm manages approximately $9.83 billion and employs a long-term, fundamental investment approach across equity and fixed income strategies, combining in-house and external managers with proprietary risk analysis tools.