Mary Leichliter Rice is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 license and 16 years of industry experience. She has been associated with Eagle Strategies since 2011 and operates Triangle Wealthcare LLC, through which she sells New York Life products and brokers non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm emphasizes tailored recommendations and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Charles Crews is a CFP® professional with 21 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has worked at Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and held a position with Principal Life Insurance Company from 2014 to 2022. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as president of Raleigh AMBUCS and is the founder, president, and treasurer of the Kimberly F. Crews Foundation. Charles Crews is part of Principal Securities, an enterprise firm that provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Randy See is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. He currently serves at Principal Financial Services and is president of See Wealth Management, where he provides fee-based financial planning and sells various insurance and investment products. In addition to his advisory work, he operates a vending machine business and has involvement in vehicle and property rentals. Principal Securities offers brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm provides direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money managers through both advisory and promoter arrangements.

Kathryn Wood is a financial advisor at Money Concepts Capital Corp with 26 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Money Concepts Capital Corp since 2013. Wood is also the president and owner of Triangle Health Plans, Inc., a company providing health, medical supplement, dental, disability, and long-term care insurance. Money Concepts Advisory Service (MCAS) offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs a range of managed programs and account structures, utilizing fundamental and technical analysis along with modern portfolio theory to manage assets for approximately 14,700 clients.

Ashley Rushin is a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC with nine years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Merrill and Bank of America. Rushin serves as Vice President of the Riley Rushin Foundation, a nonprofit supporting local individuals with disabilities through fundraising and donation allocation. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations, offering portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm supports a range of investment approaches and platforms, operating as a fiduciary when agreements are in place.

William Creech is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. based in Raleigh, NC, with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at firms including Wells Fargo and Commonwealth Financial Network. Creech serves as an officer and director on the Alumni Volunteer Corporation board for the NC Kappa Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, supporting undergraduate students at East Carolina University. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm’s approach includes client assessments led by investment adviser representatives and diversified portfolio management utilizing equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Garrett Letchworth is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and six years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at First Citizens Bank and First Citizens Investor Services, as well as a position at High Point University. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering advisory and brokerage services. The firm employs a client-focused process led by investment advisor representatives and utilizes a range of investment strategies including portfolio management, wrap programs, and tax-aware services.

Lloyd Nelms is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021, and previously spent nine years at BB&T Securities, LLC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools, to guide investment decisions.

Alfred Jordano is a CFP® and Series 66-registered advisor at Creative Planning with 19 years of industry experience. He previously worked for Sullivan Bruyette Speros & Blayney for 14 years before joining Creative Planning in 2021. Creative Planning serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, foundations, and retirement plans, managing approximately $217 billion in assets. The firm employs a financial planning-led investment approach focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supplemented by advanced techniques such as direct indexing and tax-loss harvesting.

John Kline is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he owns short-term vacation rental properties in North Carolina and Florida, though the properties are professionally managed. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing about $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse clientele including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and multiple advisory programs.

Joshua Alford is a CFP® with five years of industry experience, currently serving at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC. His prior experience includes roles at First Citizens Asset Management, Fidelity Investments, MML Investors Services, LLC, and MassMutual Life Insurance Company. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities, offering a range of portfolio management and financial planning solutions utilizing fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Stephanie Burks is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. in Raleigh, NC. She has been with Voya since 2016 and owns Burks Financial Management, LLC, a separate financial services business. Burks is also active as an independent insurance agent. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. serves a diverse range of clients including individuals, institutions, and high-net-worth investors. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting through various program structures, often delivering non-discretionary recommendations rather than discretionary management.

Erica Korol is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at VALIC Financial Advisors and Agia. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm utilizes a client-focused process combining fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various investment vehicles, with offerings including portfolio management, automated platforms, and tax-aware services.

Elliot Williams is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with one year of experience, currently with Cerity Partners LLC. He previously worked at Cook Wealth, LLC and HDWK LLC, and has a diverse background including roles in regional development and real estate. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, institutions, and corporations with a range of services including investment management, financial planning, and access to alternative investments. The firm emphasizes diversified asset allocation and offers both proprietary and third-party investment solutions alongside affiliated consulting and private-market capabilities.

Blake Cason is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience, currently with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC. Prior to joining Steward Partners in 2026, he worked for Edward Jones for 12 years. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a vacation rental property in Beaufort, North Carolina. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering various investment advisory and financial planning services.

John Rumsey is a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 16 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Bank of America N.A. and Merrill from 2010 to 2021 before joining Sanctuary Wealth in 2021. Outside of his advisory role, Rumsey serves on the advisory board of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, contributing to fundraising efforts. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a variety of portfolio management solutions and utilizes multiple investment approaches while acting as a fiduciary when a written advisory agreement is in place.

Eugenia Grimmer is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials with 12 years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and TIAA prior to joining First Citizens Investor Services. She serves on the board of the Pender Sheriff's Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit supporting local law enforcement efforts. First Citizens Investor Services serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses by providing portfolio management, brokerage services, and financial planning. The firm combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis in client assessments and offers various managed portfolio options alongside tax-aware services.

Lee Hopper is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 29 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, The O.N. Equity Sales Company, and Financial Independence Planning Group, Inc. Hopper is also the owner and vice president of operations at Hopper Financial Group, Inc., a family corporation involved in accounting and expense management for him and a relative. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through both adviser and promoter arrangements.

Stephen Engelson is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Truist Advisory Services since 2016, also affiliated with Truist Investment Services since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in purchasing homes for flipping in Durham, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a mix of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by advanced research tools and inter-affiliate integration.

Alexander Brese is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Raleigh, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has five years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Eagle Strategies LLC, NYLIFE Securities LLC, Legacy Private Client Services, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm works with individual investors and institutional clients, emphasizing tailored recommendations and non-discretionary asset management within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.