Jonathan Ludwig is a financial advisor with United Planners Financial Services of America, holding a Series 65 credential and based in Chapel Hill, NC. He has one year of industry experience and a background that includes seven years at Accenture Federal Services as a Growth & Strategy Manager in consulting, a role unrelated to investment advising. United Planners Financial Services is a national wealth-management enterprise serving a broad range of clients through independent Investment Adviser Representatives. The firm manages approximately $12.77 billion in assets, with a large portion of accounts managed on a non-discretionary basis, and operates as a limited partnership with various programs supporting advisor transitions.

James Appleby is a CFP® certified financial advisor with 21 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services since 2018, including leadership roles at Truist Investment Services and Bb&T Securities. Appleby serves as a local board member for Beginnings, a nonprofit focused on education and assistance for children with hearing loss. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary manager arrangements and AI-enabled equity research tools.

Stuart Gay is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wealthshield Partners, LLC and MassMutual Life Insurance Company. Outside of advising, he owns businesses in construction, cleaning services, and farming operations. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting for individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and employs a diversified investment approach blending passive and active management with oversight from an internal Investment Committee.

Guy Swain is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network in Raleigh, NC, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and possessing 40 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Commonwealth Equity Services, Inc. since 1995. Outside of his advisory role, he is co-owner of LifeTime Tax Management, a private entity focused on tax-related services. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of nearly 3,000 advisors and their clients. The firm offers a variety of advisory programs and services, including discretionary model portfolios and customized investment solutions, while providing operational, compliance, and technology support to affiliated advisors.

Jacob Niles is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Raleigh Capital Management and Fidelity Investments. Outside of his advisory role, he is also an insurance agent with Raleigh Wealth Solutions. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and retail brokerage clients. The firm uses an integrated model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, focusing on long-term portfolio returns and client savings rates through point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions.

Joshua Brien is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2013. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a committee member for BSA Trop 215, participating occasionally in camping trips with the group. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, corporations, and municipal clients, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs with a combination of in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Jacquelyn Wiggs is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 14 years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and BB&T Securities. Outside of her advisory work, she is a group fitness instructor specializing in Les Mills programs. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program, utilizing a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements supported by third-party platforms.

Elias Dau is a financial advisor at First Command Advisory Services with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked previously at Ameriprise, Wells Fargo Clearing Services, Principal Securities Inc., and Merrill Lynch. Outside of his advisory role, he is an author based in Raleigh, NC. 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 through centralized teams that select portfolios from mutual funds, ETFs, and third-party managers.

Robert Mouro is a CFP® with 22 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Janney Montgomery Scott since 2019 and previously held roles at Bank of America and Merrill. He serves on the advisory board of the Northwest Cary YMCA, acting as an ambassador for the organization in the community. Janney Montgomery Scott is a large enterprise firm managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm offers a wide range of services to individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and municipal clients, utilizing in-house and third-party portfolio management across multiple advisory programs.

Uwe Schweikert is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network who holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and has 36 years of industry experience. He worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for 27 years before joining Commonwealth in 2017. 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 around $213 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.

Lori York is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services, BB&T Securities, and BB&T from 2013 onward. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, participant advice, and a manager-selection program delivered through a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements.

Alan Segal is a CFP® professional with 36 years of industry experience, currently serving at Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC since 2024. His prior experience includes 19 years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. and Ameriprise. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale, SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets and serving a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations through a range of portfolio management and financial planning services.

Robert Hill is a CFP® affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and has one year of industry experience. He is co-owner of Cardinal Hill Wealth Management, LLC, a private entity engaged in securities, advisory, and insurance business. Prior to his current roles, he worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Premier Inc. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their retail and institutional clients. The firm provides advisory programs, technology, and compliance support, offering a range of portfolio management options including discretionary model portfolios and personalized indexing strategies.

Sandra Russ is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 20 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network. She has a background that includes ownership and operation of The Russ Agency, Inc., an insurance business based in Granite Falls, NC, where she focused on fixed insurance sales. Her career also includes roles at Lifetime Asset Management, LLC and Allstate Insurance Co. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients. The firm offers a comprehensive adviser-support platform with managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, retirement and plan consulting, and custody/clearing services.

Paul Liebman is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Truist Investment Services, Fidelity Investments, and several other organizations. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation of Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church, where he assists with donor relations related to planned giving. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, participants, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates inter-affiliate resources and employs both discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by AI-enabled research tools.

Vernon Maples is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 45 years of industry experience, including over 25 years with Principal Life Insurance Company and a decade with Principal Securities Inc. His background includes work with fixed insurance, fixed life, annuities, disability insurance, and long-term care. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers financial planning, retirement consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs through various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Jonathan Wakin is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at several firms, including First Citizens Investor Services, Park Avenue Securities, and Edward Jones. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under multiple advisory and promoter arrangements.

Devon Blair is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with a Series 66 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Principal, Blair held positions at Thrivent Financial, S&P Global, and Equitable Advisors. Outside of advisory roles, Blair has business experience with Restaurant Applications, LLC and Hamptons Delivery Service, Inc. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and active-duty military personnel. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions.

David Elliott is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Clearstead Advisory Solutions. He has also held portfolio management and advisory roles at Wilbanks, Smith & Thomas Asset Management since 2001 and serves as Assistant Vice President at Lafayette Advisor, LLC. Clearstead serves affluent private clients and institutional clients, providing investment management, financial planning, tax planning, family office administration, and institutional consulting services. The firm employs an institutional investment process using mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, alternative investments, and a proprietary Direct Indexing strategy, and manages approximately $33.9 billion in assets across 59 advisors.

Amy Sharpe Verdugo is a financial advisor at Creative Planning with 10 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with Creative Planning since 2016. Outside of her advisory role, she is the managing member of Toolbox Heroes Handyman Services LLC and serves as Board Chair of EYC Academy, a special education organization. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment strategy that integrates low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold approaches, and selective private market investments.