Joseph Michalski is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2023. He previously worked at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. and First Citizens Asset Management, where he also contributed as a financial consultant. Outside of his advisory role, Michalski serves as a board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters Cabarrus and works as a high school athletics referee. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm that provides investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions, relying on Wells Fargo Investment Institute research and diversification principles to support its investment approach.

Ricky Meeks Jr. is a financial advisor with Raymond James Financial in Kannapolis, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with 32 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. since 2000 and Raymond James Financial since 2009. Outside of advising, Meeks is involved in property development and management through several real estate ventures, including Carolina Property Holdings LLC and RBM Property Investments. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored, non-discretionary planning and consulting using analytical tools and supports municipal and public finance work through a municipal advisor affiliation.

Douglas Marlow is a CFP® and ChFC® with 33 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Cetera, having joined the firm and its related entities in 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Avantax Investment Services, Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors, and TIAA. Cetera Investment Advisers LLC is a nationwide SEC-registered advisory firm serving individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable clients, and institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement services through a multi-manager platform, supporting both discretionary and non-discretionary account structures.

Aaron Williams is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 10 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at TIAA-CREF and Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Outside of his advisory role, he directs Life's Cheat Code, LLC, a self-improvement business focused on musical composition and related marketing activities. Fidelity, through its Strategic Advisers LLC division, provides investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base including retail and institutional investors. The firm combines fundamental research with quantitative and algorithmic portfolio construction to deliver model portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Tracee Schraeder is a CFP® professional at Stifel with 26 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for eight years and Prudential Equity Group, LLC for three years. Schraeder is based in Mooresville, NC. Stifel serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, offering both brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm employs a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to guide asset allocation and financial planning.

Hseng Hsiang is a CFP® professional with 22 years of industry experience currently serving at Edward Jones since 2022. Prior to this, Hsiang worked at TIAA CREF Individual & Institutional Services LLC for eight years. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of advisory services including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Randi Derene is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with LPL Financial in Davidson, NC, and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial in 2024, Derene worked at 4Point Wealth Management and had roles at Belk and Weston Town Hall. Outside of advisory work, Derene is a licensed notary. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, and institutional platforms, supported by extensive operational and research tools.

Anna Nifong is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with three years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously with firms including LPL Financial and Independent Advisor Alliance. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in administrative and investment-related activities with Focus Wealth Planning. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension funds, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services across multiple platforms. The firm manages a multi-billion dollar asset base and provides access to proprietary model strategies as well as unaffiliated third-party advisors.

Miles Bone is a financial advisor at Charles Schwab with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Omni Interlocken and involvement with Gravity Climate Co. Outside of advising, he has combined periods of full-time education with professional engagements. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory program, offering a combination of non-discretionary advisory services and access to discretionary separately managed accounts. The firm’s integrated model provides centralized custody and brokerage services alongside multi-asset investment guidance supported by dedicated research and alternative investment options.

Dennis Lehman is a CFP® with 36 years of industry experience, currently serving at OSAIC since 1991. He previously worked with Financial Planners Of Cleveland, Inc. dba NCA Financial Planners for 30 years. Lehman is also the owner of Heritage Financial Planners, an S Corporation involved in security sales, and holds a life insurance license. OSAIC Wealth serves a diverse range of retail and institutional clients through a multi-advisor platform offering brokerage and advisory services, including financial planning, managed portfolios, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a model-based investment process with various strategies and maintains multiple custodial and affiliate arrangements.

Alan Morgan is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Mooresville, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at IFG Advisory, LLC and Carolina Planning Consultants, LLP. Outside of advising, he serves as a FINRA arbitrator and works as an ice hockey official. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides a range of advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers various financial planning and portfolio management solutions, utilizing both proprietary research and third-party strategies.

Aunika Allen is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors with four years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Equitable Advisors since 2021, with prior experience at Loomis, Planet Fitness, O'Charley's, and Belk. Outside of her advisory role, she operates an Amazon online storefront promoting twin baby products and retail arbitrage. Equitable Advisors serves a range of clients including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and asset management programs through a network of Investment Adviser Representatives. The firm’s approach involves assessing client risk tolerance and matching them to program models or discretionary managers, utilizing a variety of investment products and third-party asset managers.

Nicholas Bernick is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise and holds a Series 66 designation. He has one year of industry experience and has previously worked at Northwestern Mutual, Johnson Brothers Mutual, and Prudential Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, Bernick volunteers with the Miracle League of Greater Charlotte. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individual investors, retirement plans, and charitable entities. The firm’s investment approach is largely model-driven, utilizing portfolios developed by LPL’s Research Department and third-party strategists, and offers access to financial planning, third-party asset managers, and insurance products through affiliated entities.

Jermile Hayes is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Fidelity. His prior experience includes roles at The Vanguard Group, Inc. and Carolina Talent. He serves as an advisory board member for Elon University’s Love School of Business, assisting with student career opportunities and engagement. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage model portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

Timothy Neu is a financial advisor at Fidelity with nine years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at several firms, including The Vanguard Group, PNC Financial Services, and JP Morgan. Outside of advising, he has experience in property management through Revival Property Management LLC. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC offers investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including retail and institutional investors. The firm uses a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage a variety of investment products and model portfolios.

John Mc Grail is a ChFC® and Series 66 holder with 10 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Edward Jones since 2016. He is based in Salisbury, NC. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients with approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management. The firm offers a range of advisory services including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.

Summer Sprouse is a financial advisor with Primerica Advisors in Huntersville, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and eight years of industry experience. She has worked with PFS Investments Inc. and Primerica Financial Services since 2017 and previously at Shapiro and Ingle. Outside of investment advising, she is involved in sales of loan products and home-related services through affiliates of PFS Investments Inc. Primerica Advisors manages a wrap-fee asset management program serving individual, corporate, and charitable clients, with approximately $15.5 billion in assets under management. The firm delivers advisory services primarily through model-based strategies developed by third-party asset managers.

Kenneth Hoffman is a financial advisor with Edward Jones, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and 37 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 1988. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth households and corporate clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a broad network of advisors and branch offices, offering a range of advisory programs, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds under a fiduciary standard.

Mitchell Gatewood is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 11 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Wells Fargo Bank, Edward Jones, First Citizens Investor Services, and SunTrust Investment Services. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including charitable funds and registered investment companies. The firm employs a combination of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and systematic portfolio construction using mutual funds, ETFs, and ETPs.

John Miano is a Series 66-registered advisor with Merrill in Huntersville, NC, where he has worked since 2014, accumulating 12 years of industry experience. He is involved in rental property investment activities outside of his advisory role. 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 a range of individual and institutional clients.