John Stilley is a financial advisor at TrustStone Wealth Partners, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with six years of industry experience. He previously worked at Gordon Asset Management, LLC for ten years before joining TrustStone Wealth Partners in 2024. He is also the owner of Stilley Financial L.L.C., a holding company that owns TrustStone Wealth Partners. TrustStone Wealth Partners provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a range of investment strategies including fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis, and typically favors ETFs in portfolio construction.

Deborah Frazier is a financial advisor at Frazier Financial Consultants, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, with 9 years of industry experience. She has been with Frazier Financial Consultants since 1986. Frazier Financial Consultants provides personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation with a core-and-satellite approach, combining passive index funds and ETFs with selective active funds, and integrates tax and estate planning into its asset management services.

Trinity Panko is a financial advisor at Investors Mosaic with a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Investors Mosaic, Trinity worked at Royal Alliance / Osaic and Advanced Group Financial Services, among other firms. Investors Mosaic provides fee-based wealth management, investment management, and financial planning services primarily to individuals and families in the mass-affluent to high-net-worth range. The firm employs a combination of passive, low-cost ETF and mutual fund strategies along with an active, fundamentals-driven growth model, managing nearly $190 million in client assets with a small, personalized advisory team.

David Ollison is a financial advisor at Amphora Wealth Management, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, holding a Series 65 designation. He has one year of industry experience and previously served in the U.S. Army for 15 years. Amphora Wealth Management serves individuals, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans, offering investment management, financial planning, family office, and pension consulting services. The firm emphasizes a long-term, tax- and fee-sensitive investment approach that combines active and passive strategies with customized fixed-income solutions.

Marcus Fryar is a CFP® professional with 19 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Fryar Financial in Durham, NC. His prior roles include positions at Cetera Investment Advisers LLC and HD Vest Advisory Services. Outside of advising, he owns Fryar Management Group LLC, which provides accounting, tax, and payroll services to individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. Fryar Financial offers financial planning and asset management to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as retirement plan sponsors. The firm emphasizes tailored financial planning and non-discretionary portfolio management, with a focus on ERISA plan services including investment policy creation, monitoring, fee oversight, and participant education.

August Pye is a financial advisor with Integrated WealthCare, LLC and holds a Series 65 designation. He has been with Integrated WealthCare since 2024 and has prior experience with Home Tax Solutions LLC and involvement with the YMCA of the Triangle at Camp Sea Gull. Outside of his advisory role, he is a licensed insurance agent. Integrated WealthCare is an SEC-registered wealth management firm that primarily serves physicians and medical professionals, as well as high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory, using documented risk assessments and client-specific Investment Policy Statements to implement globally diversified portfolios.

Russell Kroeger is a CFP® professional with 10 years of industry experience. He is currently with Upstart Wealth Management, LLC and Paradigm Wealth, Inc. (Trayecto), where he is the Founder and CEO, focusing on designing and building technology products for financial advisors and consumers. His prior experience includes roles at Michael Powsner CPA, Paradigm Wealth Architects, LLC, and Yeske Buie Inc. Upstart Wealth Management provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs discretionary, asset-allocation strategies using model portfolios and a range of implementation vehicles, including derivatives and margin, which are uncommon among peer team firms.

James Brown is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with 15 years of industry experience. He currently works at Minerva Planning Group, where he has been since 2024, following 13 years at Vaughan-Brown Wealth Management. Minerva Planning Group serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as trusts, estates, and other investment advisors, offering discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term asset allocation approach using low-cost, diversified mutual funds and ETFs, particularly Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) funds, combined with fundamental analysis and selective use of individual securities.

Lisa Gabriel is a CFP® and ChFC® with 21 years of industry experience. She has been with Pinafore Wealth Counsel Inc. since 2014. Gabriel serves as a board member and occasional instructor at Duke University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, where she teaches classes on financial, retirement, and legacy planning. Pinafore Wealth Counsel provides investment management, financial planning, retirement consulting, and financial transition planning to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm manages approximately $174 million for about 100 clients, constructing tailored portfolios using a variety of securities and employing fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis, while also offering insurance products and Financial Transition Planning services.

Austin Brown is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in financial advising. He is currently with Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors LLC, where he has worked since 2023. Prior to this, he spent ten years at Woodward Financial Advisors, Inc. Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors is a fee-only firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates through comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment management. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach, focusing on diversified, low-cost funds and personalized allocation strategies developed through client risk assessment.

Joshua Stilley is a financial advisor at TrustStone Wealth Partners, LLC with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Gordon Asset Management, LLC for six years. He is also the owner of JVS Financial L.L.C., a holding company that owns TrustStone Wealth Partners. TrustStone Wealth Partners provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs tailored investment strategies primarily using ETFs, third-party managers, and model portfolios, applying various analysis methods and trading strategies to meet client objectives.

Anessa Custovic is a financial advisor at Cardinal Retirement Planning, Inc. in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 credential with six years of industry experience. Her prior experience includes roles at Tower Street Associates and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Outside of financial advising, she works as a part-time dog trainer. Cardinal Retirement Planning, Inc. offers financial planning, portfolio management, and econometric consulting primarily for pre-retirees, retirees, high-net-worth individuals, businesses, and non-profits. The firm employs a top-down macroeconomic approach combined with quantitative models and fundamental analysis, providing a range of services including discretionary and non-discretionary asset management as well as ERISA retirement-plan management.

Evan Mccormick is a financial advisor at Investors Mosaic with 12 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Investors Mosaic since 2013. The firm provides fee-based wealth management, investment management, and financial planning services to individuals and families, primarily in the mass-affluent to high-net-worth spectrum. Investors Mosaic uses a blend of passive, low-cost asset-allocation strategies alongside an active Growth equity model for legacy clients, serving a small client base with approximately $148.4 million in assets under management.

Joseph Marques is a financial advisor at Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, holding the CFP® and Series 66 designations with 14 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Woodward Financial Advisors, Inc. for eight years before joining his current firm in 2023. Bolin Creek Wealth Advisors is a fee-only firm serving individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates with comprehensive financial planning, discretionary investment management, and consulting services. The firm’s investment approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing diversified, low-cost mutual funds and ETFs with periodic rebalancing and personalized allocation targets.

Michael Ruffing is a financial advisor with Integrated WealthCare, LLC in Durham, NC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses. He has 28 years of industry experience, including nine years at Capital Wealth Management, Inc. and Triad Advisors, Inc. He hosts a financial podcast and serves on the industry advisory council for the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Integrated WealthCare is an SEC-registered wealth management firm that primarily serves physicians and medical professionals, as well as high-net-worth individuals, families, business owners, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary portfolio management and financial planning, utilizing documented risk assessments and globally diversified model portfolios with a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.

Jacob Doser is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Rosewood Wealth Management. Prior to joining Rosewood, he worked at JN Financial LLC and JB Capital, LLC for five years, and has held roles at KeyBank, Key Investment Services LLC, and Citizens Bank. He is also an insurance agent involved in the sale of life insurance and fixed annuities through an affiliated insurance company. Rosewood Wealth Management serves individual clients and families with a focus on retirement planning and income needs. The firm combines financial planning with portfolio implementation through third-party managers, insurance product sales, and tax and bookkeeping services.

Brenton Smith is a financial advisor at Gibert Wealth Management in Chapel Hill, NC, with 23 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Kestra Investment Services and Merrill. Outside of his advisory role, he has performed analyst duties involving securities trading through Kestra Investment Services. Gibert Wealth Management provides discretionary wealth management and retirement plan advisory services primarily for retirement plan sponsors, business entities, and fiduciary clients such as trusts and non-profits. The firm manages portfolios on a discretionary basis with a range of securities and employs both quantitative and qualitative analysis in its investment process.

Samson Benen is a financial advisor at SJBenen Advisory, LLC in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with 10 years of industry experience. He has been with SJBenen Advisory since 2016. SJBenen Advisory serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, small businesses, pension and profit-sharing plans, and nonprofit organizations with portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA plan advisory services. The firm employs a tiered management approach incorporating passive, long-only active, and long-short active strategies, using fundamental, technical, cyclical, and quantitative analysis, and offers a regular client newsletter called “The Benen Report.”

Amy Jo Mc Elfresh is a CFP® professional with eight years of experience in financial advising. She has been with Amphora Wealth Management, LLC since 2018 and previously worked at Guardian Pointe Private Wealth Management. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in management activities with Gratitude, Inc. and serves as president of AJM Consulting, Inc., a consulting and insurance-related business. Amphora Wealth Management serves individuals, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing investment management, financial planning, and specialized consulting services such as divorce and estate-plan analysis. The firm employs an evidence- and risk-based investment approach, using diversified portfolios guided by Modern Portfolio Theory and conducts ongoing account monitoring and reviews.

Samuel Mcchesney is a financial advisor with Incline Investment Advisors, LLC in Durham, NC. He holds a Series 65 designation and has five years of industry experience. Prior to joining Incline Investment Advisors, he worked at Hyatt Lake Tahoe and Sierra Nevada University. Incline Investment Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and integrated financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, employing a blend of systematic quantitative models, technical trend signals, and value-oriented stock selection to construct risk-managed portfolios. The firm is notable for its affiliation with a Commodity Trading Advisor/Commodity Pool Operator, offering a range of commodity and futures strategies alongside equity and fixed-income programs.