Penny Paugh is a financial advisor with Inspire Advisors, LLC, holding the ChFC® designation and Series 63 and 65 licenses, and has 28 years of industry experience. Her prior work includes positions at CWM, LLC dba Carson Wealth, IFG Advisory, LPL Financial, Merrill, and Banc of America Investment Services. She serves as a board member of the Statesville Chamber of Commerce. Inspire Advisors, LLC manages approximately $1.33 billion in discretionary client assets, primarily serving individual and high-net-worth clients as well as institutions and charitable organizations. The firm incorporates Biblically Responsible Investing through proprietary tools and employs a variety of investment methods, often delegating management to sub-advisors and utilizing proprietary ETFs.

Thomas Walsh Jr. is a CFA® charterholder with 11 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Mariner Independent. His prior roles include positions at Chilton Trust Company and Bessemer Investor Services, Inc. Mariner Independent serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and access to alternative investments through a network of investment adviser representatives using firm-built and customized discretionary portfolios.

Donabel Triplett is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Troutman, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. She has worked with Principal Bank, Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Financial Services, and Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Outside of her advisory role, she manages a real estate rental property. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, using a combination of third-party tools and proprietary models. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, offering integrated access to affiliated products and discretionary investment management through its SimpleInvest program.

Simon Hawkins is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at several firms, including Dean Financial and Aldi. Outside of finance, his background includes roles in campus recreation and food service. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients by providing discretionary investment management, financial planning, participant account management, and subadvisory services. The firm manages approximately $2.5 billion in assets across a broad client base using model portfolios and advisor-directed strategies that combine strategic and tactical approaches.

Matthew Conrad is a financial advisor at Inspire Advisors, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 66 and Series 65 licenses. His prior roles include positions at Carson Wealth, Calvary Chapel Lake Norman, the Social Security Administration, and Edward Jones. Inspire Advisors, LLC manages approximately $1.33 billion in discretionary client assets, serving individual clients, high-net-worth individuals, institutions, charitable organizations, broker-dealers, and other investment advisers. The firm integrates Biblically Responsible Investing through proprietary tools and employs a combination of fundamental, technical, quantitative analysis, and modern portfolio theory in portfolio construction.

Joseph Gilleland is a financial advisor at CreativeOne Securities, LLC with 36 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has worked at several firms including Royal Alliance Associates, Inc and Signator Investors, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an assistant high school cross country coach at Iredell-Statesville Schools and Statesville Senior High School. CreativeOne Securities, LLC is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm combines project-based planning with ongoing asset management, utilizing both fundamental and cyclical security analysis alongside model asset allocations through its proprietary advisory platform.

Dee Buckminster is a CFP® professional with 26 years of industry experience, currently serving at Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC. Prior to joining Kestra in 2023, she held roles at Bank of America and Merrill from 2006 to 2023. She is a partner in Destination Wealth Advisors and the sole owner of Nichols-Coe LLC. Kestra Private Wealth Services, LLC provides investment advisory services through a network of independent advisors and multi-advisor teams, serving individuals and institutional clients with a diverse range of investment products and specialized offerings.

Ernest Ceccato Jr. is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance and LPL Financial since 2015. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and regular portfolio monitoring, and offers a flat-fee family-office style program combining management, planning, and tax analysis.

Connor Bain is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, currently advising with StoneX Advisors Inc. He has four years of industry experience, including prior roles at TIAA and Capital Investment Brokerage. His background also includes positions at North Carolina State University and Robert Bosch Tool Corp. StoneX Advisors Inc. serves individuals, corporations, retirement plans, and charitable organizations with portfolio management, financial planning, and ERISA plan consulting services. The firm uses a combination of independent advisors and in-house teams, employing various managed portfolios and third-party money managers supported by advanced platforms for portfolio implementation and oversight.

Jonathan Spatz is a financial advisor at Foundations Investment Advisors LLC with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at several firms, including LifeWorks Advisors LLC, Brookstone Wealth Advisors LLC, and Retirement Wealth Advisors, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in insurance services through ownership and management roles at Epic Income Advisors, Spatz Delmonico LLC, and Benefit Solutions Inc. Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC provides financial planning and portfolio management to individual and high-net-worth clients, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and registered investment companies. The firm delivers services through a large network of affiliated offices, employing a mix of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis alongside model portfolios and an asymmetric rebalancing approach.

Douglas Frye is a financial advisor with Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Brookstone Capital Management and Spinnaker Financial, Inc. Frye is also involved in personal finance education through his ownership and hosting of TheMoneyClassroom.com, a platform that generates social media content on financial topics. Hornor, Townsend & Kent serves individuals, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans with advisory programs, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm operates both advisory and broker-dealer services, offering a comprehensive platform that includes access to third-party asset managers and both discretionary and non-discretionary account options.

Jason Beckley is a financial advisor at Farther with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at Advisory Services Network, LLC and Omnistar Financial Group. Outside of his advisory role, Beckley serves as board chair of the Ore Bank Pumpkin Center Volunteer Fire Department and chairs the endowment board for Ashure Ministry, a nonprofit providing crisis assistance in Catawaba County. He is also the treasurer for the Denver Lake Norman Rotary Club and Foundation. Farther provides discretionary investment management and related advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a combination of digital platforms and in-person meetings. The firm’s approach is based on Modern Portfolio Theory, using proprietary model portfolios and algorithmic rebalancing across a range of asset types, supplemented by advisor judgment and AI tools.

Amanda Rembert is a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc. with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Stifel and Wells Fargo Clearing. Outside of her advisory role, she serves on the boards of Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry and Ashure Ministry, assisting with charitable fundraising events. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company is an integrated broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients through over 500 advisors. The firm offers a range of services including wrap-fee advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and both discretionary and non-discretionary managed investment solutions.

Evangeline Lodwick is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 28 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 credentials. Her prior roles include positions at Valic Financial Advisors, TIAA-CREF, and Encompass Investments. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s services feature an integrated model linked to Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms, emphasizing long-term portfolio returns and consistent rebalancing within established plan lineups.

Robert Steele is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has worked with Truist Advisory Services since 2023 and previously served in related roles at Truist Investment Services, BB&T Securities, and BB&T Investment Services. 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 manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supplemented by AI-enabled research tools, and is notable for its integration across affiliated entities and its AMC Advantage manager-selection program.

Kathy White is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 22 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at various Truist-affiliated firms since 2006. 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 platforms and AI-enabled research tools to manage client portfolios and oversee investment selections.

Kyle Thomas is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC and holds a Series 66 designation. He has 12 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Bank of America and Merrill from 2014 to 2023. Kyle also operates Founders Private Wealth, LLC, an investment advisory business affiliated with his current firm. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base, including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, offering asset management, financial planning, wealth coaching, and retirement plan consulting. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management with a technology-driven approach and maintains a unique network model supported by its partial ownership by LPL Financial.

Amanda Dowell is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor at Farther with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Farther in 2026, she worked at Advisory Services Network and The Corner Table. Farther provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individual investors, trusts, and estates through a web and mobile platform as well as in-person meetings. The firm employs an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, using proprietary model portfolios and algorithmic rebalancing, and incorporates AI tools alongside advisor judgment.

Joshua Mcneil is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses, and has six years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at Truist Advisory Services and Truist Investment Services since 2021, as well as previous positions at The Vanguard Group, Northwestern Mutual, and Online Trading Academy. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm employs both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches, utilizing third-party platforms and manager arrangements to support its investment programs and ongoing due diligence.

Justin Baldwin is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. Prior to joining Empower Advisory Group, Baldwin worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank, NA, and has experience in both educational and retail sectors. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, as well as to Empower Premier IRA and certain retail brokerage account holders. The firm’s services are integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms and focus on long-term portfolio returns, annual rebalancing, and clients’ savings rates.