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 at Ameriprise with 27 years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 designations and has worked at firms including LPL Financial and RBC Capital Markets. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides retirement-income planning through written recommendation reports and ongoing advice focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Nathaniel Peoples is a CFP® and Series 66-registered financial advisor with four years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with LPL Financial and Harbor Financial Group. Prior to that, he worked at Edward Jones for four years. Outside of his financial advisory career, he served as a student pastor at City Church, where he taught and mentored students. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, banks, and corporations. The firm offers a range of financial planning and advisory programs supported by various model portfolios, research, and technology solutions.

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.

Austin Mistry is a financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having two years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Trinity Wealth Securities, Florida Financial Advisors, and Tristate Financial Advisors. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with broker-dealer, futures commission merchant, and commodity pool operator registrations.

Michael Roman is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Gastonia, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 10 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2015. Roman also serves as the upcoming Vice President of the local chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) in Gastonia. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm that serves more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and provides a range of advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

John Foery is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wells Fargo Clearing since 2009. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and a range of brokerage and advisory solutions. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and uses research-based investment strategies, including diversification principles and modern portfolio theory.

Samuel Gault is a financial advisor with Edward Jones, holding a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Edward Jones, he worked at Elefante Corp and Family Home Buyers. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a large network of financial advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Matthew Nobles serves as a Financial Solutions Advisor (FSA) with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he focuses on helping clients identify their financial priorities and develop strategies to pursue their financial goals. He holds the professional designation of Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), which reflects his expertise in investment advisory services. Matthew earned his Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. His approach centers on understanding what matters most to clients and their families, aligning financial strategies with their unique objectives.

Andrew Osborne is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. in Gastonia, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, Osborne serves as treasurer on the advisory board of Crisis Assistance Ministry for Christians and Jews, where he reviews monthly financial statements. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. offers financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm provides tailored, non-discretionary planning using risk profiling and modeling tools and supports municipal and public finance work through a unique affiliation with a municipal advisor.

Hayden Watkins is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Merrill, based in Lake Wylie, SC. He has been with Merrill since 2024 and has prior experience at Bank of America, N.A., Wilson Air Center, Trolley Barn Brewery LLC, and several other firms. 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 investment strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

John Alvarez is a financial advisor at Ameriprise with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at CUSO Financial Services, Pruco Securities, and Wells Fargo. Alvarez is also employed by Skyla Credit Union, where he provides financial advice. Ameriprise offers retirement-income planning services primarily for clients with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to deliver tailored, non-discretionary recommendations. The firm provides a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions through its affiliated entities.

Phillip Nivens is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with 11 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Truist Advisory Services in various advisory roles since 2014. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory solutions. The firm’s process is IPS-driven and incorporates modern portfolio theory, with a broader range of financial product offerings including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Jacob Miller is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and has worked with J.P. Morgan Securities and Morgan Chase Bank since 2021. Prior to his current roles, he held positions at Walgreens and Rockin Jump. J.P. Morgan Securities provides investment consulting and advisory services primarily to institutional clients and retirement plan sponsors, combining quantitative asset-allocation modeling with centralized due diligence and applying an ESG eligibility framework in its investment process.

Bryan Cassells is a financial advisor with OSAIC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 23 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Woodbury Financial Services, Questar Capital Corporation, and Capital Guardian in various advisory roles. Outside of his advisory duties, he manages assets and insurance product sales through affiliated entities connected to GCG Wealth Management. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, corporations, and charities, offering integrated investment advisory and brokerage services. The firm utilizes a range of portfolio construction tools and supports multiple advisory platforms and third-party managed accounts.

Jack Buchanan Jr. is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones in Kings Mountain, NC, where he has worked since 2007, accumulating 18 years of industry experience. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a supply minister, speaking at local churches when needed. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions supported by a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors.

Michael Coates is a financial advisor at Stifel with 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Stifel since 2007 and holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations. Outside of his advisory role, he acts as a real estate consultant for CBI Realty, Inc. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm’s investment approach utilizes proprietary methodologies from its Investment Strategy Group to support asset allocation and financial planning.

Charles Beatty is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with 40 years of industry experience. He has held his current position at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Thrivent Investment Management since 2002. Outside of his advisory role, he is a co-owner of Five Oaks Farm Realty LLC. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a large network of Financial Advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based financial planning and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account programs while maintaining separate service structures.

Thomas Fogarty is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones, based in Mt Holly, NC. He has 14 years of industry experience and has been with Edward Jones since 2011. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Malik Banks is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and beginning his advisory career in 2025. Prior to joining Thrivent, he worked in various roles including at Dodge Construction, Wealth Domination University, and Tetratech. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits, offering comprehensive written recommendations on topics such as retirement, tax, estate, and special needs planning. The firm’s approach includes goal-based analyses and separate planning and managed-account services under a consolidated billing option called “WealthPlan.”