Carter Collins is a financial advisor at Advisory Services Network with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. He previously worked at DSP Wealth Strategies and Trading Composure. Outside of his advisory roles, he works as a gym attendant at Ballantyne Country Club in Charlotte, NC. Advisory Services Network serves individuals, families, corporations, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans through a network of independent advisers. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and investment consulting, managing approximately $8.6 billion in client assets with a range of investment strategies and implementation options.

Peyton Pounds is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Advisory Services Network in Charlotte, NC, and has one year of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Adhesion Wealth, SilverRock Wealth, and Williams Wealth Advisors. Outside of finance, he was involved with Queen City Grill Cleaning from 2020 to 2022. Advisory Services Network offers investment advisory and planning services to individuals, families, corporations, and retirement plans through a large network of independent representatives. The firm’s approach includes discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and the use of diverse securities and third-party managers to meet client objectives.

Andrea Swope is a financial advisor at Blueprint Financial Advisors with 16 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms including Maplewood Investments, Kingswood Capital Partners, and Quint Capital. In addition to her advisory role, she owns and operates Emerson Cress, a real estate consulting firm. Blueprint Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered, multi-advisor firm serving individuals, trusts, pension and ERISA plans, and nonprofit entities. The firm manages approximately $1.4 billion in assets and employs a strategic-and-tactical investment approach using price-driven trend-following and momentum rules across diversified global portfolios.

Michael Ortiz is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at United Capital Financial Advisors. His prior roles include positions at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Mercer Allied, and The AYCO Company, L.P. United Capital Financial Advisors provides national financial planning and discretionary investment management to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth households, retirement plans, and corporate or institutional accounts. The firm offers a range of services such as sub-advisory and consulting, supported by the FinLife Partners platform, which assists independent investment advisors.

Andrew Barnett is a financial advisor with AlphaStar Capital Management, holding a Series 65 credential and six years of industry experience. He has worked at AlphaStar Capital Management since 2020 and concurrently serves as Director of Technology Innovation at Financial Independence Group, LLC, where he leads software engineering efforts to develop solutions for financial professionals. AlphaStar Capital Management manages approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, small businesses, and other investment advisers. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, employing a strategic asset-allocation approach combined with quantitative analysis and tactical methods.

Andrew Smith is a CFP® with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving as a managing partner at Cornerstone Wealth Group, LLC. He has held roles at Mutual Securities, Inc. and Cornerstone Financial Advisors, among others. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in management activities through CWG Management Group, LLC. Cornerstone Wealth Group is an SEC-registered multi-team advisory firm managing approximately $2.1 billion in client assets. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, retirement plans, and corporate clients, offering portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to alternative investments and affiliate private funds.

Sara Milam is a Series 65 licensed financial advisor with three years of industry experience, currently with AlphaStar Capital Management. Her prior work includes roles at Financial Independence Group, Ann Taylor LOFT, and Target Corporation. She is also a licensed insurance agent. AlphaStar Capital Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.84 billion for a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, small businesses, and pension plans. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and subadvisory services, utilizing both predefined model portfolios and custom strategies based on quantitative analysis and tactical asset allocation.

Rebecca Hoover is a financial advisor at Waverly Advisors, LLC with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at McShane Partners and KPMG. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as president of Windsor Partners, LLC, a consulting firm focused on financial matters. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individual clients, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private market allocations and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management.

Michael Proud is a CFP® professional with 27 years of industry experience, currently serving at Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Clearing, and he is a co-owner of Nine Bridge Financial Partners, a firm based in Charlotte, NC. Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC provides wealth management, investment management, and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans. The firm employs a primarily long-term, portfolio-driven investment approach using ETFs, mutual funds, and selected securities, supporting over 13,000 clients across multiple offices.

Natalia Ruiz is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Dallas, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Wells Fargo Bank. She currently serves as a retirement consultant, providing one-on-one investment advice to Principal retirement plan participants. Principal Advised Services offers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party tools and proprietary models to deliver both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, integrating affiliated products and services with robust governance and supervision.

Deana Spainhour is a financial advisor at Credit Union Investment Services with 11 years of industry experience. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Members Trust Company, SECU Brokerage Services, SECU Life Insurance Company, and State Employees' Credit Union, where she has provided financial advisory services since 2003. Spainhour is also co-owner of a restaurant in Lincolnton, NC, where she supports administrative operations and staff management. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and retirement planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, goals-based investment approach that relies on low-cost index funds and ETFs, with investment representatives as salaried employees of the parent credit union.

Jeffrey Chapman is a financial advisor with First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Resilience Wealth Advisors, LLC, Resources Investment Advisors, LLC, and BB&T RIS Investment Management. First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. provides investment advisory and sub-advisory services to individuals, trusts, corporations, institutional accounts, and municipal entities. The firm manages approximately $167 million on a discretionary basis through a multi-team platform of 33 advisors, offering global, multi-asset model portfolios across various implementation frameworks with an emphasis on dynamic asset allocation and manager research.

David Lentz is a financial advisor with SVB Wealth in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Merrill and First Citizens Investor Services and Asset Management. SVB Wealth LLC provides wealth management, portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate and pension clients. The firm utilizes a due diligence process to select third-party managers and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary account management, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company.

Claude Corbett is a financial advisor with Royal Fund Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Royal Fund Management since 2020 and previously spent four years at Horter Investment Management and ten years at Corbett Insurance Services. Outside of advising, he is an independent insurance agent with I65PLUS, where he assists clients in meeting their health, life, disability, long-term care, and annuity insurance needs. Royal Fund Management serves individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting. The firm employs fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis across a range of investment strategies and offers specialized services including participant account management and access to select non-traded REITs and an options-writing overlay.

Russell Cearley is a CFA® charterholder with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at SignatureFD, LLC in Charlotte, NC. He has been with SignatureFD since 2010. SignatureFD provides wealth management services to individuals, business entities, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm manages client portfolios primarily on a discretionary basis using mutual funds, ETFs, and independent managers, complemented by ongoing financial planning and periodic reviews.

Ciji Fisher is a financial advisor with First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having 16 years of industry experience. She has worked with various entities within the First Citizens organization since 2007. Fisher serves on the Cabarrus County Hospice Advisory Board, which supports people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families. First Citizens Asset Management provides model-based sub-advisory and direct investment advisory services to individuals, institutions, and municipalities, employing a multi-asset class investment approach that combines fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Scott Cislo is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Mariner Independent with three years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC and TIAA, with a career break between 2020 and 2024. Mariner Independent provides investment advisory, financial planning, and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm’s platform offers portfolio management, model portfolios, and third-party manager access, with notable integration of institutional and retirement plan resources through affiliated entities.

Kathleen Kowkabany is a financial advisor at Cary Street Partners with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Her prior work history includes roles at Merrill, Rhodes Branding, and Nemours Children's Health. Cary Street Partners serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional clients, providing portfolio management, financial planning, and access to proprietary investment strategies and third-party managers. The firm integrates AI tools into its investment process while maintaining human oversight.

Charles Agnew is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and having 10 years of industry experience. He has been associated with State Employees’ Credit Union since 2012 and concurrently holds roles at SECU Life Insurance Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and Members Trust Company. Agnew serves as a Financial Advisory Services District Manager at State Employees' Credit Union, overseeing financial services for eligible members. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors residing in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and comprehensive retirement and financial planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, goals-based investment approach using low-cost mutual funds and ETFs within a credit union ecosystem.

Alex Joseph is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential with one year of industry experience. He also serves as a retirement consultant and assistant vice president focused on advice, education, and sales within the Principal Financial Group. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm integrates proprietary models with third-party methodologies and operates within the broader Principal Financial Group, leveraging affiliated entities to deliver its services.