Garland Homes Jr. is a financial advisor at Merrill with Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 46 years of industry experience. He has been with Merrill since 1980 and has also worked at Bank of America since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an advisory board member for the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina and is a general partner and managing member of Corked & Screwed Inc. 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 both model-based and discretionary strategies for individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional investors.

Jason Taylor is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial with 25 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. since 2001. Outside of his advisory role, he is the owner of J. Taylor Investments, LLC. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning, investment consulting, and advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored non-discretionary planning and consulting using analytical tools and supports a broad advisor network with specialized municipal and public finance services.

Angela Moss is a financial advisor at LPL Financial with 18 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and previously worked at Crescom Bank and First South Bank in North Carolina. Outside of her advisory work, she manages an inherited rental property through an agency. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser providing advisory and brokerage services to individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of financial planning and investment management solutions, utilizing model portfolios, third-party subadvisors, and customized strategies.

Wesley Strandberg is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience. He has worked at Stifel since 2021 and previously spent nine years with Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the finance committee of St Andrew's Episcopal Church and holds board or advisory positions with several local nonprofit organizations, including the N.E.W. Salvation Army of Rocky Mount, Rocky Mount Little League Legacy Fund, and the DeLeon Carter Foundation. Stifel serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, institutional investors, and nonprofit entities, offering brokerage and investment advisory services. The firm uses a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group to provide asset allocation and planning analyses, supporting clients in their financial decision-making.

Adam Ward is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he has been serving since 2023. Prior to this role, he worked as a Planning Consultant at Fidelity Investments from 2021 to 2023. Before joining Fidelity, Adam was a Senior Financial Services Officer at State Employees' Credit Union from 2016 to 2021. Adam focuses on comprehensive financial planning tailored to clients' goals. He works closely with clients to provide education and recommendations on appropriate strategies and helps them adjust their plans in response to life's changes. His approach involves identifying the purpose behind clients' assets and utilizing Fidelity's offerings to build effective financial plans. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Adam enjoys family activities, social events with friends, golf, music, outdoor adventures, and tennis.

Gentry Buchan is a Financial Advisor with the BTE Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Wilson, North Carolina. She specializes in retirement planning, wealth preservation, multi-generational strategies, and personalized financial guidance tailored to reflect her clients' unique goals and values. Gentry serves individuals and families across eastern North Carolina, providing clarity and confidence in navigating complex financial decisions. She was named to the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list in 2025 as a member of the BTE Group. Gentry holds a Bachelor's degree from Montreat College and a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development from Barton College. She has earned the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Gentry is actively involved in her community, serving on the Dress for Success Advisory Board and supporting organizations such as Barton College and the Friends of the Wilson County Public Library. Outside of her professional work, she spends time with her husband Sanborn, their son Thomas—a student at the University of South Carolina—and their three Labrador Retrievers.

Jonathan Colston is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Rocky Mount, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 31 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2005. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeted at individuals near or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing written Recommendation Reports that incorporate income sources, Social Security options, and tax-smart withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis in delivering these services through a centralized consulting team, emphasizing managed accounts and algorithmic support in its recommendations.

Jake Wetherington is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services and holds a Series 66 designation. He has been with Ameriprise since 2020. Prior to his advisory role, he worked in cleaning services and education. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified firm serving individual and institutional clients, offering a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides written recommendation reports and ongoing annual retirement-income planning advice focused on dependable income sources and tax-aware withdrawal strategies.

Jacob Davis is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, focused on serving individuals and businesses with a comprehensive approach to investment management and retirement planning. He works closely with clients to develop personalized financial strategies aimed at pursuing their long-term goals. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Jacob spent ten years as a commercial real estate lender with Truist and Fulton Bank. He holds a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from East Carolina University. He also carries professional designations including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Jacob is involved in his community as a member of The Greater Wilson Rotary Club. Outside of work, he enjoys baseball, cooking, fishing, football, golfing, racquetball, reading, softball, tennis, and traveling.

Roscoe Speight Jr. is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Rocky Mount, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and possessing 33 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2001. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets through a large network of advisors and branch offices nationwide.

Kenneth Hill is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with a career in financial services that began in 1983. He joined Merrill Lynch in 1998 after a career in private banking. Ken focuses on building sustainable lifetime income streams and risk management strategies tailored to clients' needs. His expertise includes liability management, insurance, alternative investment strategies, and overseeing his team's client service model. As a specially qualified Senior Portfolio Manager, Ken constructs and manages personalized investment strategies that may include individual stocks and bonds, Merrill model portfolios, and third-party investment options. He manages portfolios on a discretionary basis within the Firm's Investment Advisory Program and may manage assets for clients of other Merrill Advisors after meeting additional requirements. Ken holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®), CERTIFIED PRIVATE WEALTH ADVISOR® (CPWA®), and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™). Ken has served in various community leadership roles, such as president of the Wilson Rotary Club and chairman of the board of trustees of Greenfield School. He also volunteers in economic development focused on the revitalization of downtown areas. Ken and his wife, Kim, reside in Wilson and have a daughter named Kenan.

Lisa Taylor is a financial advisor at Stifel with a Series 66 designation and 11 years of experience at the firm. She is based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. 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, providing asset allocation and planning analyses intended to support client decision-making.

Tom Bardin Jr. is a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 44 years of industry experience. He has worked with Equitable Advisors since 2015 and previously with Axa Advisors, LLC and Osaic FS, Inc. Mr. Bardin is based in Wilson, North Carolina. Equitable Advisors serves individual clients across wealth levels, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The firm’s approach involves assessing risk tolerance and matching clients to program models or discretionary managers, utilizing a range of investment products and advisory platforms without sponsoring its own wrap fee program.

John Mebane Jr. is a financial advisor with Stifel, holding a Series 66 designation and 21 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the Building & Grounds Committee of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd and is a board member of Downtown Renaissance, Inc., a nonprofit focused on promoting Downtown Rocky Mount, NC. Stifel serves a broad range of clients including individuals, institutional investors, and charitable organizations, providing brokerage and investment advisory services supported by a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

Cathy Porter is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Rocky Mount, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and possessing 26 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 1984. 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 and offers a range of advisory services, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, supported by a nationwide network of over 23,700 advisors.

Michael Wetherington is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Wilson, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entities since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a Wilson County Commissioner and is a member of the KRMW Airport Board of Directors. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax analysis in its advisory approach and supports a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions.

Robert Edmondson serves as a Senior Resident Director and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. He began his career in the investment arena in 1991 and joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in the Wilson, North Carolina office as a Financial Advisor in 2004. His expertise includes education planning, family wealth management strategies, liquidity management, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, and retirement income. Rob holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master's degree in Business from Wake Forest University. He completed the Certified Investment Management Analyst® Program at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, and holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) designation as well as the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) credential. Prior to his financial advisory career, he held corporate positions including corporate treasurer and vice-president of finance, and spent 14 years as an Associate Professor of Finance. Rob resides in Wilson with his wife and is active in the First Presbyterian Church, where he has served in multiple leadership roles. His personal interests include biking, gardening, golfing, hiking, hunting, photography, reading, scuba diving, tennis, and traveling. He also participates in community organizations such as the Wilson Arts Council and the Wilson Botanical Garden.

Elvie White IV is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Wilson, North Carolina. He specializes in helping clients navigate financial decisions related to executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, services for endowments, foundations, and non-profits, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, tax minimization, and retirement income. He is a member of the Blair White Group, a team with extensive combined experience in wealth management. Elvie holds a Bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University and has completed accredited certificate programs from the College for Financial Planning, the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), and the Yale School of Management. His professional designations include Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). These credentials are supported by FINRA registrations including Series 3, 7, 9, 10, and 66. He is involved in the Wilson Industrial Air Center community and in his personal time enjoys golfing, running, and soccer.

Michael Strickland is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Wilson, NC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license with 11 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2015. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs, discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, and affiliated investment products. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates a large national network of advisors and branch offices.

Susan Worrell Bridgers is a financial advisor at Edward Jones with 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Edward Jones since 2007 and holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations. 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 programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds, operating under a fiduciary standard.