Brett Baker is a financial advisor at Sound Income Strategies, LLC with five years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc., and TVA Community Credit Union. In addition to his advisory role, he is involved in fixed insurance sales and client acquisition at Stearns Retirement Group. Sound Income Strategies manages approximately $4 billion in assets and serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm emphasizes fixed-income analysis combined with equity review and offers a range of services including discretionary asset management, financial planning, and sub-advisory relationships.

Marilynne Shadow is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Canton, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and nine years of industry experience. She previously worked at Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE Securities, Fidelity Brokerage Services, and Charles Schwab. Outside of her advisory role, she is the sole proprietor of The Barking Crab, an art and culture business based in Centennial, Colorado. 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 integrates its services with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning approach.

Darlene Van Beek is a Series 66-credentialed advisor with 13 years of industry experience, currently with Money Concepts Capital Corp since 2014. She previously worked at Equitable Advisors and Edward Jones during the same year. Van Beek is the owner of Van Beek Advisors, LLC and serves as a board member of the East Cobb Business Association. Money Concepts Advisory Service provides investment advisory, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs model-driven and asset-allocation approaches, managing approximately $4.07 billion in assets through a large network of advisors and multiple portfolio programs.

Steven Pluhar is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 22 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 designations. His prior experience includes over two decades at Fidelity Brokerage Services Inc and roles at Empower Financial Services. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, using an integrated model connected to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm offers point-in-time financial plans and optional managed account solutions within plan lineups selected by plan sponsors.

Samantha Mayfield is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 16 years of industry experience, currently with Transamerica Retirement Advisors, LLC. Her prior roles include positions at Voya Investments and Cambridge Investment Research, among others. Transamerica Retirement Advisors serves participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRA owners through managed advice programs and investment education services. The firm utilizes proprietary portfolio models and third-party expertise to provide tailored asset allocation and retirement guidance to a large client base.

Pratt Phillips IV is a CFP® and holds a Series 63 license with 27 years of industry experience. He currently works at Truist Advisory Services and has held positions within affiliated Truist entities since 2016. Prior to that, he worked at Ameriprise from 2003 to 2009. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, fiduciary support, and manager selection programs, utilizing a mix of discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by AI-enabled research and inter-affiliate integration.

Alexander Paslay is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as an investment adviser representative at Kestra Advisory. His prior roles include positions at JP Morgan Securities LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank. He is involved in nonprofit work through a board position with Once Lost Disciples and acts as a mortgage loan originator with Nonprofit Mortgage Company. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, employee education, and plan-level investment advice. The firm serves a broad client base that includes large institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds, managing approximately $79.8 billion in assets.

Anthony Criscuolo is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Palisades Hudson Asset Management, L.P. for 16 years before joining Hightower Advisors in 2024. He is currently based in Alpharetta, GA. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and registered and private pooled investment vehicles. The firm’s approach emphasizes multi-manager solutions and proprietary research, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting through a network of Advisor Practices.

Tana Gildea is a CFP® and Series 65-registered financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience. She currently practices at HB Wealth and previously worked at Homrich Berg and Compass Financial Consulting, LLC. Outside of advising, she owns Graduate’s Guide, a financial literacy company focused on writing, speaking, and training, and serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce. She also teaches courses in Kennesaw State University's CFP program. HB Wealth Management provides wealth management, investment management, and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, retirement plans, corporate entities, foundations, family offices, and institutional clients. The firm employs a quantitative and qualitative investment process across a range of public and private strategies and manages accounts primarily on a discretionary basis.

Christopher Johnson is a CFP® with 18 years of experience in financial advising. He has worked at Creative Planning since 2017 and previously held roles at USAA Financial Planning Services, USAA Financial Advisors, TIAA-CREF, and Banc of America Investment Services. He is based in Alpharetta, GA. Creative Planning provides wealth management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and corporations. The firm employs a financial-planning-led investment approach that emphasizes low-cost indexing, buy-and-hold strategies, and selective private market exposure.

Lynn Morris is a financial advisor with Planmember Securities Corporation in Alpharetta, GA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 44 years of industry experience. She has been with Planmember Securities Corporation since 2011 and has operated independently as Lynn Morris since 2010. In addition to her advisory role, she is involved in insurance sales, specifically fixed indexed annuities. Planmember Securities Corporation provides retirement-plan advisory services to employers and plan participants, acting as an ERISA Section 3(38) fiduciary for many plans. The firm employs a top-down strategic asset allocation framework and manages risk-based mutual fund portfolios, offering education and support services designed for plan sponsors and participants.

Shawn Meade is a CFP® with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. His prior roles include positions at Redwood Wealth Management, LLC and Wipfli Financial Advisors, LLC. He is involved with the Cherokee County Educational Foundation as Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment approach emphasizing low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a large advisory team and centralized investment infrastructure.

Manford Laws II is a financial advisor at Kestra Advisory with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at LPL Financial, HighTower Securities, Wells Fargo, and Edward Jones. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to plan sponsors and a diverse range of institutional and individual clients, offering services such as fiduciary consulting, plan design, employee education, and access to multiple management platforms and third-party solutions.

Matthew Gaude is a financial advisor at CWM, LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Carson Wealth, American Portfolios Financial Services Inc., and Live Oak Wealth Management, LLC. He also operates a sole proprietorship providing insurance services and products. CWM, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, foundations, endowments, corporations, and institutions through a network of over 600 advisors. The firm manages discretionary accounts using model portfolios overseen by an in-house Investment Committee and offers a range of services including portfolio management and retirement-plan solutions.

Venzon Aromin III is a CFP® professional affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network, with 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Lion Street Advisors and Csenge Advisory Group. Aromin also engages in fixed insurance sales as a secondary business activity. Commonwealth Financial Network serves a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients, providing a variety of advisory programs and back-office support, including investment management, compliance, and technology services. The firm offers multiple program structures and discretionary model portfolios developed by its Investment Management and Research team.

Michael Carignan is a CFP® with 19 years of experience in the financial industry. He is currently with Mariner Wealth Advisors, having joined in 2023, and previously worked at Avantax Planning Partners, Paragon Wealth Strategies, and Merrill. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and private funds. The firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and tax services, utilizing customized portfolios supported by in-house research and third-party managers.

Rachel Wilder is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) in Alpharetta, GA, holding the CFP® and ChFC® designations with 27 years of industry experience. She has worked with New York Life and its affiliated firms since 2005 and currently operates Wilder Wealth Strategies, LLC. Wilder also serves as a member and group leader of ProVisors, a national professional networking organization. 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 advisors. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and manages assets predominantly on a non-discretionary basis, working within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Debasish Hajra is a CFP® professional with 34 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is currently with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., where he has worked since 2019. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers a range of services including advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, investment management, brokerage services, insurance products, and M&A advisory.

Kelly Rodriguez is a financial advisor with Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Raymond James Financial Services, Goldman Sachs, and United Capital Financial Advisers. Concurrent Investment Advisors is an SEC-registered, multi-team firm that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm focuses on customized, primarily long-term portfolios using ETFs, mutual funds, and other securities, supported by a network of approximately 286 advisors serving over 13,000 clients.

Thomas Hall is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Mariner Wealth Advisors since 2021 and previously spent six years at Homrich Berg. Mariner serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and coordinated tax and family office services. The firm employs customized discretionary portfolios supported by in-house research and third-party managers, and provides integrated tax, accounting, and financial wellness solutions.