Jake Galligan is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with a Series 65 designation and four years of industry experience. He is also a software engineer for Financial Independence Group, where he develops applications for insurance agents. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients with discretionary investment management, financial planning, and subadvisory services. The firm employs a combination of strategic and tactical investment approaches across various asset types and supports ERISA-related plan services, managing roughly $2.5 billion in assets with about 135 advisors.

Martin Hensley is a financial advisor with Foundations Investment Advisors LLC in Durham, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at EQIS Capital Management, Capital Financial Advisory Group, J B Fitz Inc., and Brookstone Capital Management. He also engages in insurance sales through a separate business, Full Court Wealth. Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC serves individual and high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and registered investment companies. The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management through a large network of affiliated offices, utilizing a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis with both discretionary and non-discretionary authority assignments.

Morgan Gojanovich is a financial advisor at Guardian Wealth Advisors, LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 65 designation. He has industry experience beginning in 2025, with prior roles at a family office, Advisory Services Network / Olde Raleigh Financial Group, First Horizon Bank, and American Savings Bank. Guardian Wealth Advisors serves individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, trusts, and business entities by providing investment advisory, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm uses ETFs and mutual funds within a systematic, quantitative framework combining fundamental and technical analysis, and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Rodger Isom is a CFP® and Series 65 professional with nine years of industry experience. He currently works at Advisors Capital Management, LLC and previously held roles at West Financial Services Inc. and 1st Portfolio Wealth Advisors. Advisors Capital Management serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, employee benefit plans, and the clients of unaffiliated broker-dealers and RIAs. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management through customized private accounts, model strategies, and a self-directed brokerage solution, managing over $8 billion in assets with a combination of top-down and bottom-up investment analysis.

Susan Whitfield is a Certified Financial Planner® with 22 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC in Raleigh, NC. She has held roles at Cic Advisers, LLC, Capital Investment Group, Inc., and Ballantyne Tax & Finance over the past two decades. Whitfield is the founder and owner of Ballantyne Tax & Financial, where she provides tax and financial planning services. Capital Investment Advisory Services offers portfolio management and supervisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, foundations, and charitable institutions. The firm customizes portfolios to clients’ objectives and risk tolerance, managing the majority of assets on a discretionary basis through various investment strategies.

Jason Knight is a CFP® professional with 27 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Great Valley Advisor Group, LLC in Raleigh, NC. He has worked at Gaines Financial Group and LPL Financial since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he provides non-variable insurance services including life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance. Great Valley Advisor Group is a multi-team SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, and trusts through personalized portfolio construction, ongoing oversight, and a combination of in-house strategies and third-party platforms. The firm supports a network of approximately 190 advisors and offers a range of investment management and financial planning services.

Jonathan Jones is a CFP® with 18 years of experience in financial services, currently serving at Credit Union Investment Services in Raleigh, NC. His career includes long-term roles at State Employees' Credit Union, Members Trust Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and SECU Life Insurance Company. He also serves as treasurer of CFJ Farms LLC, a farming-related business. Credit Union Investment Services serves individual investors and trust clients in North Carolina, providing non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement and financial planning, and a wrap-fee program. The firm emphasizes low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs, with salaried advisers offering recommendations while clients retain final decision-making authority.

Robert Brennan Jr. is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and eight years of industry experience. He has worked concurrently at several related firms, including Members Trust Company, SECU Life Insurance Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and State Employees' Credit Union, where he serves as a Financial Advisory Services District Manager. His responsibilities include supervising financial services offerings to credit union members and providing opportunities for their economic and social improvement. Credit Union Investment Services serves primarily individual investors in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement and financial planning, and a wrap-fee program. The firm emphasizes low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs, along with fixed-income products, and its advisors are salaried employees of the parent credit union.

Kenneth Duncan is a financial advisor with First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 credentials and offering 30 years of industry experience. His prior roles include various positions at PNC Bank and its affiliates. First Citizens Asset Management provides model-based sub-advisory and direct investment advisory services to a range of clients including individuals, trusts, municipalities, and institutions, using global multi-asset class model portfolios that combine fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Philip Brown is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services in Chapel Hill, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and nine years of industry experience. He has worked with Members Trust Company since 2017 and has been affiliated with Credit Union Investment Services, SECU Life Insurance Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and State Employees' Credit Union since 2010. Brown also serves as a Financial Advisory Services District Manager at State Employees' Credit Union and as an agent for SECU Life Insurance Company. Credit Union Investment Services serves primarily individual investors in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement and financial planning, and a wrap-fee program. The firm emphasizes low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs, fixed-income products, and a goals-based, long-term planning approach, with adviser representatives as salaried employees of the parent credit union.

Adam Coleman is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with five years of industry experience. He has worked at Compound Planning, Inc. since 2026 and previously spent six years at Maia Wealth and one year at Colorado Wealth Group, LLC. Prior to his financial advisory career, he was employed at Dell for 18 years. He is also a licensed insurance agent. Compound Planning, Inc. serves individuals, families, businesses, and retirement plans through discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, consulting, and a Turnkey Asset Management Program (TAMP) for intermediaries. The firm’s investment approach involves customized, risk-based model allocations using fundamental, technical, and modern portfolio theory analysis, and incorporates low-cost ETFs, direct indexing, alternative strategies, and specialized lending solutions.

John Palko is a CFP® professional with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving at Capital Investment Advisory Services, LLC since 2018. He previously worked at Bb&T Securities, LLC from 2013 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is a general board member of the Matthews Area Chamber of Commerce. Capital Investment Advisory Services provides portfolio management and supervisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plans, trusts, estates, foundations, and charitable institutions. The firm offers customized investment solutions through separately managed accounts, third-party asset managers, and financial planning services, managing most assets on a discretionary basis.

Hannon Herring is a Series 66-registered financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services, based in Garner, NC, and has two years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Members Trust Company, SECU Brokerage Services, SECU Life Insurance Company, and State Employees' Credit Union. He is also an agent with SECU Life Insurance Company and serves as a Financial Advisory Services Specialist at State Employees' Credit Union. Credit Union Investment Services serves primarily individual investors and some trust clients in North Carolina, providing non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement and financial planning, and a wrap-fee program. The firm recommends mostly low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs along with fixed-income products, emphasizing a goals-based, long-term planning approach.

Robert Falconer is a financial advisor at Guardian Wealth Advisors, LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with five years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at LPL Financial, MML Investors Services, Mass Mutual Life Insurance, and involvement with golf-related companies such as Titleist Golf Company and Eastward Ho Golf Club. Guardian Wealth Advisors serves individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, trusts, and business entities by providing investment advisory, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a mix of fundamental and technical analysis within a systematic, quantitative framework and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management.

Bryan Dearolf is a CFP® and ChFC® with three years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Mariner Independent in Raleigh, NC. Prior to joining Mariner Platform Solutions, he worked at Abundant Life Financial and CWM, LLC. He served in various capacities with the U.S. Navy from 2011 to 2023. Outside of financial advising, he teaches personal finance at Cary Christina School. Mariner Independent serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management services supported by in-house and third-party resources, with access to alternative investments and affiliated business solutions.

Antonio Navarro is a financial advisor at Credit Union Investment Services with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at SECU Life Insurance Company and SECU Brokerage Services since 2022, alongside his ongoing role at State Employees' Credit Union since 2015. Navarro also serves as an agent with SECU Life Insurance Company. Credit Union Investment Services serves residents of North Carolina, primarily individual investors and some trust clients, offering non-discretionary portfolio management and financial planning focused on low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs. The firm operates as a subsidiary of State Employees’ Credit Union and manages over $3 billion in non-discretionary advisory assets.

Gavin Speck is a financial advisor at SEIA with a Series 66 credential and has recently begun his career in the industry. His work history includes positions at SES LLC and SEIA LLC since 2024, following his time as a student. SEIA serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional and charitable entities through a multi-team advisory platform with approximately 140 advisors. The firm’s investment approach blends strategic macro asset allocation with tactical adjustments, supported by both discretionary and non-discretionary management, and offers a range of financial planning and consulting services.

Trevor Nace is a financial advisor at SageSpring Wealth Partners in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 65 designation. Although new to the financial advisory industry, he has prior experience with firms such as Collector's Edge Minerals, Science Trends LLC, Forbes Media LLC, and Shell Exploration & Production Company. He has been involved with Science Trends LLC since 2019. SageSpring Wealth Partners manages approximately $8.5 billion for over 11,500 clients, serving a wide range of individual and institutional clients. The firm offers customized portfolios using fundamental and technical analysis, and provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and third-party manager oversight.

Phillip Neuhart is a financial advisor with First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 19 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Asset Management since 2017 and also maintains roles with First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services. In addition to his advisory duties, he serves as a Portfolio Strategist for Institutional Business within his firm. First Citizens Asset Management provides model-based sub-advisory and direct investment advisory services to a range of clients including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and municipalities. The firm offers global multi-asset class model portfolios through various implementation frameworks, combining fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis with strategic asset allocation and ongoing risk management.

Charles Mahaffey is a financial advisor at Franklin Street Advisors, Inc. in Chapel Hill, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Franklin Street Advisors since 2010. Franklin Street Advisors, Inc. provides discretionary investment management and advisory services to a range of clients including individuals, pooled investment vehicles, pensions, trusts, non-profits, and governmental entities. The firm employs an open-architecture approach that combines in-house management with external managers, guided by a quarterly Investment Policy Committee and a disciplined manager-research process.