Austen Hawkey is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Creative Planning. His prior roles include positions at First Oak Wealth Management, Armor Investment Advisors, and Bank of America. Creative Planning offers investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm employs a financial planning–led investment process focused on low-cost indexing and buy-and-hold strategies, supported by a broad range of supplemental approaches and integrated retirement plan services.

Lupton Haigler is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Truist Advisory Services, Truist Investment Services, BB&T Securities, and BB&T Capital Markets. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that manages approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base, including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients, offering a range of brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and advisory services.

Jonathan Shimer is a financial advisor with Kestra Advisory, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Kestra Advisory since 2016 and also serves as a financial advisor and partner at Vigilant Financial, operating under Kestra Investment Services since 2005. Kestra Advisory Services provides investment advisory and retirement-plan consulting to a diverse range of institutional and individual clients, offering fiduciary consulting, plan design, and investment advice supported by due diligence and a broad selection of management platforms and third-party solutions.

Hayden Lewis is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with two years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 registrations and has worked at several firms including Fidelity Investments and State Employees' Credit Union. Outside of his advisory role, he has experience in property rental management. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm combines risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation with discretionary and non-discretionary management, supported by fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, and benefits from its affiliation with a bank holding company.

Wesley Shade is a CFP® professional with two years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Truist Advisory Services. His prior experience includes roles at Truist Investment Services and First Citizens Investor Services. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with non-discretionary consulting and employs AI-enabled tools to support its investment research and fiduciary oversight.

Stephen Kanoy is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Truist Advisory Services, BB&T, and related entities. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm offers portfolio management through wrap programs, an automated Guided Investing platform, tax-aware services, and financial planning, leveraging its affiliation with a bank holding company to integrate banking resources and operational support.

Douglas Foreman is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with one year of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at U.S. Bancorp, MUFG, and Bank of America. First Citizens Investor Services provides investment advisory, brokerage, and licensed insurance services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of strategic and tactical asset allocation techniques and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary management, with a focus on asset-based billing and tax-aware financial planning.

Ezekiel Powell is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with four years of industry experience. He is currently with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. and has previously worked at Fidelity Investments, Valic Financial Advisors, and Thrivent Financial. Outside of his advisory role, he provides janitorial services at a local church on a contract basis. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, trusts, estates, and pension plans. The firm combines risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation with discretionary and non-discretionary management, leveraging technology and bank affiliation to provide integrated financial solutions.

Carey Hunter Jr. is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Principal Securities Inc., Mid Atlantic Executive Benefits, and PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. Hunter also serves on the Poyner YMCA Branch Committee and the WakeEd Partnership finance committee. 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 consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Peter Adcroft is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 41 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2016. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse range of clients, including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services through various wrap programs and a centralized asset management platform.

Vincent Perry is a CFP® and ChFC® with 29 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, where he has worked since 2017, and previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2005 to 2017. Perry is also the owner and organizer of Mattocks Legacy Event Center LLC, a business unrelated to investment advisory. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, wealth coaching, and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a network model with advisory representatives offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, utilizing various investment strategies and technology platforms.

James Martin is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 18 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, Martin serves as Vice President and Committee Chairman at Walnut Creek Country Club, participating in board governance and operational oversight without compensation. First Citizens Investor Services provides investment advisory and brokerage services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm employs a client-focused approach combining risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation, discretionary management, third-party managers, and technology-driven model portfolios, supported by its affiliation with a bank holding company.

Joseph Broughton III is a financial advisor with Janney Montgomery Scott in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and 65 licenses and bringing 42 years of industry experience. He has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2017 and previously worked at BB&T Securities from 2013 to 2017. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with several limited liability companies, including Broughton Properties LLC, where he serves as managing member. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a wide range of clients and offers brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and advisory programs, combining in-house and third-party portfolio management across multiple platforms and providing custody and trustee services through a subsidiary trust company.

Sasha Steinbeck is a financial advisor at Principal Financial Services with 21 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Principal Securities Inc. since 2016 and at Principal Life Insurance Company since 2006. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a broad client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel outside the United States. 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.

Matthew Williams is a CFP® professional at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 26 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Northern Trust Securities, Inc., The Vanguard Group, Inc., and First Allied Securities. Mercer Global Advisors serves individuals, families, small business owners, plan sponsors, foundations, non-profits, and endowments, providing investment advisory, financial, tax, retirement, and estate planning services. The firm emphasizes globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios using low-cost ETFs, index funds, separate account managers, and other investment vehicles, supported by client education, specialized programs, and integrated service platforms.

Craig Osborne is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2016. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory, brokerage, and licensed insurance services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers portfolio management through model portfolios, separately managed accounts, wrap-fee programs, and an automated Guided Investing platform, employing strategic and tactical asset-allocation approaches supported by fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Charles Stratton is a financial advisor with First Command Advisory Services in Cary, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has five years of industry experience. Prior to his financial career, Stratton served 11 years in the U.S. Army. First Command Advisory Services is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, corporate, and charitable clients with a particular focus on active-duty service members and their families. The firm provides financial planning and multiple wrap-fee asset management programs managed by a centralized Investment Management Team and Wealth Portfolio Managers.

Azrealle Mcclain is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked for TD Ameritrade for seven years before joining Truist in 2023. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a mix of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by AI-enabled research tools and integrated inter-affiliate services.

Miles Costin III is a Series 65-licensed advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Brookstone Capital Management LLC and has held roles at Retirement Wealth Advisors, FormulaFolio Investments, LLC, and Innovative Advisors. Outside of advisory work, he owns and operates Innovative Advisors, where he sells life insurance and annuities and assists clients with college funding, financial aid, and structured cash flow planning. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other entities. The firm employs strategic and dynamic asset allocation models alongside a variety of investment vehicles and serves as a sub-advisor to other advisory programs.

Laura Frushone is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 33 years of industry experience. She has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 1998. Outside of her advisory role, she is a partner in Crowne Investments, LLC, a company established to manage rental property. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and businesses. The firm offers portfolio management through wrap programs, an automated Guided Investing platform, tax-aware overlay and transition services, insurance product distribution, and financial planning, combining fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis with access to banking resources through its affiliation with a bank holding company.