Melissa Wall is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Providence Capital Advisors, LLC. She previously worked at Bank of America for thirteen years. Outside of her advisory role, she operates a seasonal tax preparation and schedule fee business. 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 fundamental security selection combined with technical and cyclical analysis across various strategy sleeves, including Core Equity, Diversified Income, and Covered Call programs, and incorporates derivatives and margin transactions in some strategies.

Chandler Smith is a financial advisor with Four Financial Management in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and eight years of industry experience. He has been with Four Financial Management since 2018 and also provides administrative support to independent investment advisor firms and assists in tax preparation operations. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved as an author. Four Financial Management serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, as well as non-profits, trusts, retirement plans, and business entities, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting with a focus on customized asset allocation strategies. The firm manages accounts on a discretionary basis and utilizes both proprietary and third-party model portfolios, operating within a network of industry affiliations including LPL Financial and related advisory and tax services.

Heather Lawrence is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving at Alpha Financial Advisors, LLC. Her prior roles include positions at Relience Wealth Advisors, LLC and Truist Bank (premerger BB&T), with a period as a stay-at-home mother. Alpha Financial Advisors, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser that provides personalized financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and small businesses, including high-net-worth clients. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation primarily through no-load mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, with an approach that includes global diversification, fundamental analysis, and oversight of independent managers.

Paul Durso is a financial advisor with Insight Folios in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Insight Folios since 2015 and concurrently operates Durso Capital Management Co. Outside of his advisory roles, Durso is involved with Uplift Marketing, where he contributes to sales, marketing, design, and coaching for the Simplicitree planning software. Insight Folios serves a broad range of individual clients, including high-net-worth households, as well as ERISA retirement plans and other registered investment advisers. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, utilizing its proprietary Simplicitree software alongside long-term trading strategies and artificial intelligence tools.

Stewart Neely is a financial advisor at Cornerstone Wealth Planning in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cornerstone in 2021, he spent six years working at Christ Covenant Church. Cornerstone Wealth Planning serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small business owners with investment advisory, portfolio management, and comprehensive financial planning. The firm combines Modern Portfolio Theory with fundamental analysis and integrates in-house tax preparation alongside its advisory services.

Jared Mccutcheon is a financial advisor at Cannon Advisors in Charlotte, NC, with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC, and Quasar Distributors, LLC. Cannon Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and limited consulting services to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches and investment strategies, including alternatives and options trading, and manages approximately $181.6 million across about 228 client accounts.

Edward Deaton is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at MBL Advisors. His prior experience includes six years at Edge Capital Group, LLC, as well as roles at Carolina Capital Consulting, Inc. and periods of unemployment. MBL Wealth provides discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management, comprehensive financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a goals-based, broadly diversified investment approach that integrates macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis, utilizing stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, and other alternatives in portfolio construction.

Thomas Casey II is a financial advisor at Intellectus Partners, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 27 years of industry experience. His prior work history includes roles at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Lehman Brothers Inc. Outside of his advisory practice, he serves on the board of advisors for Marcus & Associates, LLC, an executive recruiting firm in the life sciences sector. Intellectus Partners provides wealth management, financial planning, investment consulting, and wealth coaching primarily to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and private funds. The firm manages approximately $3 billion in assets and uses a combination of fundamental and quantitative analysis to build long-term portfolios, encompassing a range of asset types and separately managed accounts.

David Perkins is a CFP® and PFS™ professional with 31 years of experience in financial planning and wealth management. He has worked at Verum Partners LLC since 2023 and previously held positions at Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC and Carolinas Investment Consulting LLC. In addition to advising, Perkins operates a sole proprietor CPA firm focusing on tax return preparation and financial planning and serves as a trustee for a family trust. Verum Partners LLC provides customized wealth management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, and estates, offering discretionary portfolio management alongside financial planning. The firm utilizes independent managers for client portfolios while maintaining oversight and provides direct access to its portfolio managers.

Thomas Maclennan is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience. He is currently a partner and Chief Compliance Officer at WMS Advisors, LLC and also has ownership in TGM Capital, LLC, a holding company for interests in WMS Advisors. He serves on the board and finance committee of Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, a nonprofit organization. WMS Advisors is a team-based SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $281 million for individuals, families, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm employs asset-class oriented portfolios using ETFs, index funds, individual securities, and select alternatives, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management alongside financial planning and retirement-plan consulting.

Michael Grimes is a CFA® charterholder and Series 63 licensee with six years of industry experience. He has worked at MBL Advisors since 2022 and previously held positions at Barings Securities LLC and Bank of America. Outside of his advisory role, he is a residential landlord in Charlotte, NC. MBL Wealth (MBL Advisors) provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, businesses, charitable organizations, and qualified retirement plans. The firm manages over $1.14 billion in discretionary assets through a team of ten advisors, employing a goals-based, broadly diversified investment approach that incorporates macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis.

John Stamas is a financial advisor at Defender Capital with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Defender Capital and its related entities since 2011. He is also involved in managing D.J.S. Investments, LLC, a real estate investment entity. Defender Capital provides fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs a customized, discretionary investment approach focused on fundamental analysis and primarily recommends exchange-traded equity securities.

James Harlow is a CFA® charterholder and holds the Series 66 designation, with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Novare Capital Management since 2012. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and financial institutions. The firm offers comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management services, employing proprietary investment strategies and utilizing both human and AI tools for research and risk monitoring.

Charles Dann is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving at Novare Capital Management since 2021. He previously worked at Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Fidelity Investments. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales. Novare Capital Management is an SEC-registered wealth management firm with a team of 18 advisors managing approximately $1.9 billion for individuals, trusts, estates, and institutions. The firm utilizes a client-specific Investment Policy Statement with proprietary strategies and incorporates artificial intelligence tools alongside human oversight in its portfolio management.

Brian Willis is a financial advisor at Wilson Wealth Management Group, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at firms including MassMutual Investors Services and MetLife Securities. Outside of advising, Willis owns a drone business specializing in video and photography and serves as CEO of a business referral firm. Wilson Wealth Management Group is a team-based RIA serving high-income and high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and early-career investors. The firm utilizes a combination of model and customized stock portfolios with both technical analysis and long-term passive ETF strategies, supported by comprehensive financial planning and an active insurance brokerage practice.

Maurice Wilson is a financial advisor with Wilson Wealth Management Group, L.L.C. in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 19 years of industry experience, including over two decades with his current firm. Wilson Wealth Management Group is a team-based RIA serving high-income and high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and early-career investors. The firm combines model and customized portfolios with technical analysis and passive ETF strategies, offering comprehensive financial planning, estate planning coordination, insurance, and annuity solutions.

Joseph Brooks is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience. He is currently with Sapere Wealth Management, LLC and has prior experience at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company and Nfp. 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 vehicles, while emphasizing active liquidity management.

Julia Martinelli is a financial advisor at Strathmore Capital Advisors with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and four years of industry experience. She previously worked at Dimensional Fund Advisors, The Vanguard Group, and Hightower Advisors. Strathmore Capital Advisors serves individuals, trusts, endowments, and participant-directed retirement plans with discretionary portfolio management and goals-based financial planning. The firm employs an asset-allocation driven investment approach using mutual funds and ETFs and integrates technology such as Wealth.com and AI for client service and administrative tasks.

Brian Huff is a CFP® professional with one year of experience at Providence Capital Advisors, LLC. He previously worked for Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. from 2018 to 2025 and held roles at American University and Live Nation. Providence Capital Advisors, LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and small businesses. The firm employs fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis with customized portfolio construction and incorporates derivatives, borrowing, and alternative investments within some separately managed accounts.

Niki Erb is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Insight Folios with six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Insight Folios and Durso Capital Management Co. in 2020, she worked at Frito Lay for over two decades. She is also involved in insurance and annuity sales. Insight Folios provides portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, along with ERISA plan consulting and participant advisory services. The firm often acts as a sub-adviser to other registered investment advisers and uses a team-of-advisers approach supported by proprietary planning software and artificial intelligence tools.