John O'Connor is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones in 2021, he worked at Legacy Consulting LLC and Erickson Living. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a variety of advisory programs and investment solutions, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Antonius Hendrix is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Cetera. His prior experience includes seven years at Edward Jones and roles at Charlotte Business Advisors LLC and SPGPrints. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is an SEC-registered firm serving individuals, retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts through a nationwide network of independent advisors. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services and operates a multi-manager platform with access to various program structures and third-party managers.

Christopher Leazer is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. in Gastonia, NC, holding the CFP® designation along with Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. He has 31 years of industry experience, including over 17 years at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors and two years at Uvest Financial Services Group. Outside of advisory services, he is the president of CBL Financial Services, Inc., a support company. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse clientele, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and consulting using analytical tools and supports municipal and public finance work through a unique affiliated municipal advisor.

Dawn Baker is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 27 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services and Gunnallen Financial before joining Cambridge in 2010. Outside of her advisory role, she serves as a FINRA arbitrator and is president of an independent insurance group focused on insurance and benefits. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering financial planning, investment management, retirement-plan advisory, and wrap-fee programs. The firm supports both discretionary and non-discretionary management across multiple platforms and includes proprietary model strategies under the Founders Gate Capital brand.

Mary Gravelle is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors with eight years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for ten years prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of her advisory role, Gravelle operates a coaching business focused on career, resume, and interview preparation. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients by providing investment and fee-based financial planning services tailored through a broad menu of planning options. The firm combines its proprietary research and planning tools with a variety of financial products and services, offering clients customized recommendations without requiring implementation.

Jesse Rankins Jr. is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 38 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and previously worked for Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation for 32 years. In addition to his advisory role, he is licensed as an insurance agent offering disability, annuities, long-term care, life insurance, and commission-based group health insurance products. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, charities, and corporate clients, providing brokerage and advisory services with a model-based investment approach that incorporates portfolio optimization and a range of managed account options.

James Young is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 25 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Prudential Insurance Company of America and Pruco Securities, LLC. Young serves as a Board Commissioner for the South Carolina Education Lottery Commission. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, banks, and charitable entities. Its investment approach is model-driven, utilizing portfolios developed by LPL’s Research Department and third-party strategists, with additional services such as financial planning and access to third-party asset managers.

Nathaniel Humes is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Gastonia, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and bringing 21 years of industry experience. His prior positions include roles at The Vanguard Group Inc and LPL Financial, as well as a five-year period at Living Word Tabernacle. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a broad range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,000 financial advisors.

Cory Mc Cleaf is a financial advisor with LPL Financial holding a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. Before joining LPL Financial in 2026, he was with Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. for one year. He is also involved with CrossFit Pineville, where he has been active since 2015. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and access to third-party asset management, supported by extensive advisor tools and partnerships.

Jay Smith is a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates with 25 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Edward Jones for 22 years before joining Raymond James in 2024. Raymond James & Associates oversees approximately $501 billion in assets and serves a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and municipal entities. The firm offers a range of financial planning and advisory services with an emphasis on tailored, non-discretionary consulting supported by extensive research and multiple portfolio management styles.

Samuel Pratt is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Prior to that, he was with Wachovia Bank, N.A. beginning in 2006. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and combines brokerage and advisory solutions supported by research and analytics from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party sources.

Wesley Billings is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and two years of industry experience. His background includes roles at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Fifth Third Securities, Fifth Third Bank, and Northwestern Mutual. Prior to his financial services career, he worked in the food service industry with Waffle House and Hillcrest Foods Inc. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to plan sponsors, corporations, and endowments through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm offers a non-discretionary advisory program focused on asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting, supported by centralized due diligence and incorporating forward-looking capital market assumptions.

Johnathan Shaw is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience, currently associated with Wells Fargo Clearing. He has previously worked at Morgan Stanley and operated businesses including Pivott Transport, LLC and Cohesive Management Solutions, LLC. Shaw’s other business activities include managing transportation services and a real estate management company. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm utilizes research and analytics to evaluate investment options and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions across a broad platform.

Vaishali Trivedi is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. Her career includes prior roles at Fifth Third Securities and a total of 16 years with Wells Fargo entities. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services. The firm uses research and analytics to guide investment decisions and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions through a large network of over 14,000 advisors.

Scott Shepherd is a financial advisor at OSAIC with 35 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at FSC Securities Corporation for 31 years. Outside of his advisory role, he is also licensed as an insurance agent involved in selling fixed annuities and life insurance products. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse client base including retail investors, retirement plans, charities, and corporate clients, offering brokerage and advisory services through a multi-advisor platform. The firm employs a model-based investment process focused on asset allocation and portfolio optimization, and it supports a variety of managed account strategies alongside third-party managers and proprietary models.

Matthew Martin is a financial advisor at Merrill in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience, including prior roles at Bank of America and The Baldwin Group. Merrill, along with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary strategies for a range of clients including individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations.

Christopher Pridnia is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 38 years of industry experience, currently with Raymond James Financial in Gastonia, NC. He has been associated with Raymond James and its affiliates since 2004 and is also an owner of Bluestone Financial Advisors Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he has a 50% ownership stake in VP Properties LLC. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutions. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and employs analytical tools to model potential outcomes, supporting a broad client base through an extensive network of advisors.

Richard Sheehan is a financial advisor with Ameriprise, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at LPL Financial, RBC Capital Markets, and American Enterprise Investment Services. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service focused on retirement income planning through written reports and annual advice. The firm’s approach integrates investment research, third-party data, and algorithmic tools within a defined investment universe influenced by affiliated products and fee arrangements.

Nathaniel Peoples is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently affiliated with LPL Financial and Harbor Financial Group. He previously worked at Edward Jones for four years and has served as a student pastor at City Church, where he taught and mentored students while overseeing the ministry. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a broad range of financial planning and investment management solutions through a large network of advisers and utilizes various strategic and tactical investment options.

Siddharth Patel is a financial advisor with Merrill in Pineville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Bank of America and Merrill since 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of a Subway franchise operated through MahiSagar LLC. Merrill, together with its affiliate Managed Account Advisors LLC, provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions Program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.