Neil Ramirez is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Equity Services, Inc. in Hickory, NC, beginning his industry career in 2025. Prior to entering finance, he spent five years with Major League Baseball. Neil is involved with Elite Performance Wealth Management LLC as an owner. Equity Services, Inc., doing business as ESI Financial Advisors, provides financial planning, consulting, and asset management services to individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm offers multiple advisory platforms, frequently utilizing third-party asset managers and combines long-term strategies with options for shorter-term trading and specialized instruments.

Vincent Johnson is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His career includes over 20 years with BB&T Investment Services, Inc. and its affiliates before joining Truist in 2021. He serves as a board member for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, participating in regional housing program coordination and providing guidance to graduates of a family self-sufficiency program. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, combining discretionary and non-discretionary management with third-party platform support and AI-enabled research tools.

Ian Williams is a financial advisor at NewEdge Advisors with a Series 65 credential. He has diverse work experience including positions at Mercury Tech Partners, Piper Aircraft, Textron Aviation, and service in the United States Army. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad range of portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to sponsored advisory programs, utilizing a combination of in-house and third-party strategies supported by technology and centralized due diligence.

William Mode is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 21 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Wells Fargo Advisors LLC. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm offers a range of fee-based wrap programs, financial and retirement planning, and investment management consulting, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary strategies across multiple asset classes.

Matthew Cook is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at NewEdge Advisors and has previously worked at Edward Jones, LPL Financial LLC, Greenstone Ventures LLC, and Blue Ridge Realty & Investments. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser that serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad suite of services and multiple program structures, combining in-house manager selection with third-party model portfolios and advisor discretion, supported by centralized due diligence and technology tools.

Alice Scarborough is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with 27 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc, Broyhill Asset Management, and SagePoint Financial. Scarborough also serves as a notary public in Hickory, NC, providing notary services to clients as needed. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of fee-based wrap programs and investment strategies, combining custody and execution services with oversight by an Investment Strategy Committee.

Charice Biggins is a financial advisor with Empower Advisory Group in Conover, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 21 years of industry experience. She has previously worked with First Citizens Investor Services and currently advises through Advised Assets Group, LLC and GWFS Equities, Inc. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and participants, as well as Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm uses an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and focuses on long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning services.

Bailey Sigler is a financial advisor at TLG Advisors, Inc. with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at The Leaders Group Inc. since 2021. Prior to that, he was associated with Premier Planning NC Group and was self-employed in 2019. Outside of his advisory role, he is also an independent insurance agent specializing in life insurance sales. TLG Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors, offering services such as portfolio management, financial and estate planning, and ERISA fiduciary services.

Grant Rembert is a financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Stifel Nicolaus & Co Inc and Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of advising, he owns and manages Athletes Lab, LLC, a performance training facility, and serves as a director for the Athletes Lab Foundation, which provides scholarships for athletes. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, pension plans, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and institutions. The firm offers a range of investment management and consulting services, including fee-based wrap programs with strategies managed internally and by third-party managers.

Keith Holtsclaw Jr. is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services. His career includes roles at Truist Investment Services, Truist Bank, TD Ameritrade, and Scottrade. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a trustee on the Lenoir Rhyne University Alumni Board and as an associate trustee for the Piedmont Education Fund, where he is involved in alumni engagement and scholarship fundraising. He is also a partner in a company specializing in disposable children’s cups and dinnerware. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary management and consulting supported by third-party platforms and research tools.

Cassandra Smith is a financial advisor with NewEdge Advisors, holding a Series 65 designation and beginning her industry career in 2026. Her prior work experience includes roles at Dean Financial, Planet Fitness, and Family Video. NewEdge Advisors is an enterprise-scale registered investment adviser serving individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a broad suite of services including portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party managers, utilizing centralized due diligence and technology tools to support advisor and client needs.

John Setzler is a financial advisor with TLG Advisors, Inc. based in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 36 years of industry experience. He has held roles at The Leaders Group Inc, LifeBridge, Premier Planning Group NC, LLC, and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp and Ameritas Investment Corp. Setzler is also president of Premier Planning Group NC, LLC and Optimus Life Designs, both involved in insurance business and client consulting. TLG Advisors, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $2.0 billion in discretionary assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and institutional investors, offering investment supervisory services, financial and estate planning, ERISA fiduciary services, and a direct-to-consumer program called Starlight Portfolios.

Kathy Kuczenski is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing eight years of industry experience. She has worked at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021 and previously at Bbtis and Lincoln County Schools. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platform arrangements and an Equity Research team that employs AI-enabled tools.

Jody Delvechio is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and 23 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2010. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, employing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by research and model portfolios.

Steven Sparks is a financial advisor with Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, holding a Series 66 credential and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors since 2016 and has provided services under Capital Concepts since 2004. Sparks is also a board member of Hickory Christian Academy. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving individuals across wealth levels, pension plans, charitable organizations, and other clients. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, retirement plan advisory, and financial-wellness services through a network of independent Financial Professionals, using a variety of portfolio management strategies and platform arrangements.

Todd Ashworth is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Hickory, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and 17 years of industry experience. He has previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services and has been involved with Renaissance Financial Partners of NC, LLC since 2016. Outside of advisory roles, he is a partner in a local rental real estate business where he manages property maintenance and bookkeeping. LPL Financial serves a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, advisory programs, and retirement plan consulting through a national network of investment adviser representatives.

Beth Deal is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Hickory, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 33 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its predecessor since 1992. Outside of her advisory role, she manages BRM Management Group, a business established to support her practice operations. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeting individuals approaching or in retirement with substantial investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to provide written recommendations. The firm serves a broad client base through advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions typical of large institutional firms.

Michael Durham is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Hickory, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 16 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, Durham serves as the head varsity golf coach at Hickory Christian Academy. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving more than four million individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs and investment solutions. The firm is notable for its extensive national network of financial advisors and branch offices, as well as its affiliated capabilities including a trust company and proprietary mutual funds.

Christopher Johnson is a financial advisor at Edward Jones in Hickory, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward Jones since 2012. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets under management and offers a range of advisory services including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

Metin Kurkcu is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 21 years of industry experience and a Series 66 designation. His prior experience includes roles at Bank of America, Merrill, Raymond James Financial Services, and the International Franchise Professionals Group. Fidelity's Strategic Advisers LLC, where Kurkcu is based, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, employing a blend of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage diversified portfolios and fund advisory services.