Justin Howie is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Fidelity Investments and Fidelity Brokerage Services, where he worked from 2016 to 2021. Outside of his advisory work, he owns a men's clothing website and works as an Uber driver. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage clients. The firm’s integrated model supports point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing.

Robert Leggett III is a financial advisor with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, holding CFP® and CFA® designations and more than 27 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at WealthShield Partners, LLC and Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments. Leggett is a 50% owner of WealthShield Insurance LLC, a business involved in insurance product sales with limited active duties. 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 combining passive and active management with quantitative, momentum, and fundamental analysis overseen by an internal Investment Committee.

Barry Goldberg is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding a Series 63 designation and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has worked at Commonwealth since 2017 and previously spent two years with National Planning Corporation. Goldberg is also president and sole owner of BGI Capital Management, Inc., a private entity established for tax and accounting purposes. 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 a range of advisory programs and back-office support, including operations, trading, technology, investment management, compliance, and practice management.

Maxwell Hoffman is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Raleigh, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Commonwealth Financial Network, Fidelity Investments, and several other financial firms. Eagle Strategies serves a broad mix of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated representatives. The firm offers multiple program types and emphasizes tailoring recommendations to meet client objectives and Plan Sponsor criteria.

Cody Jeffcoat is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently advising at Truist Advisory Services. He has held roles with Suntrust Investment Services and Suntrust Advisory Services since 2014. Outside of finance, he owns and operates a pottery business. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a blend of discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Jessie Harris is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience. She is currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and is co-owner of Cardinal Hill Wealth Management. Prior to her current roles, she worked at Edward Jones for eight years. 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 about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm provides a comprehensive adviser-support platform, including managed account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custody/clearing services.

Martin Hensley is a financial advisor at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has previously worked at firms including EQIS Capital Management and Capital Financial Advisory Group. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in insurance sales through Full Court Wealth. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC serves a broad client base including individual and high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and registered investment companies. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and sub-advisory services, employing a blend of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis along with model portfolios and an asymmetric rebalancing approach.

Hunter Houser is a financial advisor with Cerity Partners LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Cerity Partners in 2025, he worked at Cook Wealth Management Group, LLC, and has background experience outside finance, including positions at Triangle Family Dentistry and The Capital Grille. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, families, institutions, and private funds, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets as of December 2025. The firm offers customized wealth management services and employs a client-specific investment framework that includes proprietary quantitative screening, manager selection, and access to alternative private market solutions.

Gideon Sims is a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has prior experience at Cook Wealth, LLC. In addition to his advisory role, he serves as a cargo specialist in the U.S. Army Reserve. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets. The firm offers customized wealth management services and employs an investment framework that combines client-specific profiles with quantitative screening, manager selection, and access to alternative and private market solutions.

Ruijuan Hong is a financial advisor at Transamerica Financial Advisors with Series 66 licensure and one year of industry experience. Prior to her current role, she worked at World Financial Group Insurance Agency and has experience leading Hey Cream Inc as well as ongoing involvement with Shanghai PingYe Advertising Co., Ltd. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm provides both advisory and broker-dealer services, offering a range of proprietary and third-party model portfolios with discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

Seth Large is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cerity Partners LLC with five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cook Wealth Management Group LLC and Bluesky Wealth Advisors, LLC. Cerity Partners advises a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, business entities, and institutional investors, managing approximately $166.2 billion in client assets. The firm offers customized wealth management services with an investment approach that integrates proprietary quantitative methods, third-party strategies, and direct security selection, alongside access to alternative and private market solutions for qualified clients.

Lance Dobler is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with TIAA-CREF, based in Durham, NC. He has six years of industry experience, including roles at TIAA since 2012 and TIAA-CREF since 2025. Outside of his advisory work, Dobler owns and operates Diamond Glove Care LLC, a local business providing baseball and softball glove relacing and break-in services for youth players. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm provides both point-in-time planning services and ongoing portfolio management under a fiduciary standard.

Bernard Rosen is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. in Cary, NC, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 49 years of industry experience, including roles at The Leaders Group Inc and MassMutual Life Insurance Company. He also owns Rosen Executive Benefits Group, which focuses on individual life insurance sales. TLG Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and institutional investors. The firm emphasizes investment supervisory services and portfolio management through fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory, offering both sub-advised accounts and a direct-to-consumer digital program called Starlight Portfolios.

Rameet Singh is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 11 years of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Edward Jones and JP Morgan Securities. Outside of finance, he operates a portrait and family photography business. TIAA-CREF’s Advice & Planning Services division offers financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing TIAA-administered employer retirement plan relationships. The firm provides a range of advisory services including customized portfolio management and acts as adviser to donor-advised funds.

Lemuel Kornegay III is a financial advisor with Money Concepts Capital Corp in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked with Money Concepts Capital Corp since 2015 and with Paladin Financial Services, Inc. since 2000, where he serves as president of a non-investment related business focused on checking accounts and Medicare and health insurance. Outside of his advisory role, Kornegay is a co-host of WHIG TV's "The Live Morning Show," serves on the IARFC Board of Directors, volunteers with the Wake County Board of Elections, and holds the position of Sergeant At Arms for the West Raleigh Rotary Club. Money Concepts Advisory Service provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs a variety of managed programs and account structures, using fundamental and technical analysis alongside modern portfolio theory to manage roughly $3.33 billion across approximately 14,700 clients.

Monsef Ouchou is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Fidelity Investments and several other firms. 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, using an integrated service model tied to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms.

Albert Waisanen Jr. is a financial advisor at TIAA-CREF with two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors and Group Insurance Analysts/GIA Risk Management. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for The Park Homeowners Association Inc., where he participates in budget decisions and community meetings. TIAA-CREF’s Advice & Planning Services division provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients connected through employer retirement plans. The firm separates one-time planning services from ongoing portfolio management and acts as adviser to donor-advised funds while operating within a vertically integrated group.

Ming Zeng is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors in Morrisville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Transamerica Financial Advisors since 2012 and previously worked at SweetDeal4You from 2012 to 2020. Zeng is also engaged in the sales of insurance and non-insurance products for companies affiliated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm provides both advisory and broker-dealer services through proprietary model portfolios and access to third-party money managers, offering discretionary and non-discretionary program options.

Douglas Ebner is a financial advisor with Independent Financial Partners, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Money Concepts Capital Corp., Triad Advisors, and operating the Ebner Financial Group for over a decade. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in health and dental sales and service through Ebner Financial Group and is a partner in a bitcoin mining venture, Krush Technologies. Independent Financial Partners provides investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement plan services through a nationwide network of independent Investment Adviser Representatives. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform serving individual, charitable, corporate, and high-net-worth clients, with a notable focus on retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting services.

Jonathan Walker is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Investment Services and Truist Advisory Services since 2022 and was previously employed by Truist Bank for ten years. Outside of his advisory role, he manages a small beekeeping operation with his wife, producing honey, flowers, and produce. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by AI-enhanced research and inter-affiliate integration with Truist Investment Services and Truist Bank.