Austin Winstead is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and four years of industry experience. He has worked with State Employees' Credit Union since 2018 and is also affiliated with SECU Life Insurance Company and SECU Brokerage Services. Credit Union Investment Services serves individual investors and trust clients in North Carolina, providing non-discretionary portfolio management, retirement and financial planning, and a wrap-fee program. The firm emphasizes low-cost, index-based mutual funds and ETFs, fixed-income products, and a goals-based, long-term planning approach.

Gerrit Van Schalkwyk is a financial advisor at Credit Union Investment Services with four years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and has worked at multiple firms including Members Trust Company and Complete Financial Solutions. He also serves as a financial advisory services specialist at State Employees’ Credit Union and as an agent with SECU Life Insurance Company. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors who reside in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and retirement planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, goals-based approach using low-cost index mutual funds and ETFs within a credit-union ecosystem.

Donald Delaria, Jr. is a financial advisor with Gradient Investments, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions with Brookstone Capital Management, Formula Folios Investments, and EQIS Capital. He is also the owner and president of Capital Consulting Group NC, where he manages marketing and sales of insurance products. Gradient Investments, LLC provides discretionary investment management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and various organizations. The firm employs a proprietary investment framework and offers a range of model and custom portfolios, managing assets on a discretionary basis without acting as a custodian.

Tory Klinedinst is a financial advisor at Great Valley Advisor Group, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. Klinedinst holds Series 66 and Series 63 designations and has worked with Gaines Financial Group, Inc. dba Balanced Investment Strategies and LPL Financial since 2014. Great Valley Advisor Group is an SEC-registered, multi-team investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, and other entities. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, emphasizing individualized portfolio construction and ongoing oversight through a combination of in-house strategies and third-party managers.

Chelsea Deese is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and seven years of industry experience. She has worked with Members Trust Company, SECU Life Insurance Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and State Employees' Credit Union, where she serves as a Financial Advisory Services District Manager. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors who reside in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and financial planning with a focus on long-term, goals-based investment strategies that rely largely on low-cost index funds and ETFs.

Rachel Liquori is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and four years of industry experience. She has worked at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2023 and previously gained experience at City National Bank, First Citizens Investor Services, and BB&T/Truist. Outside of her advisory role, she co-owns a consulting business that assists military veterans with disability claims, though she is not involved in its operations. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary manager relationships, supported by AI-enabled research tools and inter-affiliate integration through Truist’s affiliated broker-dealer and bank.

Peter Richon is a financial advisor at Brookstone Capital Management LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at Brookstone Capital Management since 2016. Outside of his advisory role, he produces a radio show and operates Richon Insurance Agency. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other business entities. The firm offers a range of investment strategies including dynamic asset allocation models, Unified Managed Accounts, and options-enhanced strategies, and serves as a sub-advisor to other advisory programs.

William Gilbert is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Holly Springs, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2005 and also has experience with Sunamerica Capital Services, Inc. since 2013. Valic Financial Advisors serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, consulting, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models and providing various overlay options.

John Passey is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial LLC, Good Life Advisors, LLC, Sterling Fox Financial, and Raymond James Financial Services. Passey is also a notary in North Carolina. Private Advisor Group serves a diverse client base including individuals, business entities, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting. The firm provides access to third-party asset managers, turnkey asset management platforms, and a firm-managed WealthSuite separately managed account program.

Jessica Lester is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and previously worked at Merrill and Wells Fargo. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based approach with globally diversified portfolios and offers a range of implementation options alongside financial planning and tax support services.

Crystal Fulton is a CFP® with 14 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Money Concepts Capital Corp since 2016. She also holds a role as a paraplanner at NorthPoint Tax, Wealth & Business Advisory, LLP, where she provides administrative support and analysis. Additionally, she serves on the AssetMark Operations Advisory Board in a non-investment capacity. Money Concepts Capital Corp is an enterprise firm with approximately 431 advisors managing around $3.33 billion for about 14,700 clients. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and corporations, utilizing a variety of managed programs and investment strategies.

Brian Dennis is a financial advisor at Oppenheimer with 16 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at several firms including Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Outside of his advisory role, he works as a Lyft driver and serves as a basketball tutor. Oppenheimer serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm provides a range of advisory and brokerage services with investment strategies tailored through both discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Ryan Schlick is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments and various credit union-related firms. Outside of finance, he serves as a certified flight instructor with the Kennebec Flying Club. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary model account for employees that uses algorithmic risk assessments and invests via approved model strategies with mutual funds and ETFs.

Thomas Gervase is a financial advisor at SPC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Parkland Securities, Grove Point Advisors, and Prudential Insurance. In addition to his advisory role, he conducts insurance sales focused on non-variable life, disability, and long-term care products. SPC serves a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA-related retirement services, delivering strategies primarily through discretionary management with options for nondiscretionary and direct-at-fund arrangements.

Joanna Ransom is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 65 and Series 63 credentials and nine years of industry experience. She has worked at Truist Advisory Services and its affiliates since 2021 and previously at Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and Wells Fargo Bank NA. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platform arrangements.

John Thomas III is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and bringing six years of industry experience. He has worked with Truist entities since 2011 and currently serves as treasurer for a local business networking group focused on lead sharing and business growth. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by advanced research tools and inter-affiliate integration.

H. Hughes is a CFP® professional with 14 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network. Their career includes five years at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. and multiple roles within Commonwealth Financial Network and Pathfinder Wealth Consulting. Outside of advisory work, Hughes is involved in fixed insurance sales through an activity called Cross Bridge. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of approximately 2,900 advisors and managing about $212.7 billion in client assets. The firm offers a range of advisory support services including managed-account programs, third-party asset manager access, and custody services.

Joshua Tirado is a financial advisor with J.W. Cole Advisors, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 25 years of industry experience. He has been with J.W. Cole Advisors and J.W. Cole Financial since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he manages Healthy Wealthy & Wise, a company providing marketing for educational webinar services focused on client life improvement. J.W. Cole Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, charities, corporations, retirement plans, and other entities through a national network of more than 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers portfolio management, fee-based financial planning, access to third-party managers, and multiple managed account solutions.

Stephanie Bruneau is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and six years of industry experience. She has worked with Ameritas and its affiliates since 2020 and was previously employed at 3D Systems for seven years. Bruneau is also a senior account executive at Boston 128 Insurancy Agency Inc., where she focuses on fixed annuities and insurance products. Ameritas Advisory Services provides fee-based investment management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of discretionary and non-discretionary programs, utilizing a platform that integrates in-house models, third-party managers, and partnerships with affiliated entities.

Joseph Uradnik is a financial advisor with AE Wealth Management, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and JDU Consulting. AE Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving a diverse client base that includes individual investors, retirement plan sponsors, trusts, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of services such as model portfolio solutions, discretionary asset management, financial planning, and ERISA plan services through a platform-centered approach that integrates AEWM-managed and third-party models.