Robert Pike is a CFA® charterholder with 20 years of industry experience. He is based in Winston Salem, NC, and currently serves as an advisor at Sheets Smith Wealth Management. Prior to joining his current firm, he worked for 16 years at Stratford Advisors, Inc. Sheets Smith Wealth Management serves individuals, families, trusts, foundations, endowments, and retirement plans. The firm customizes investment strategies based on each client’s risk tolerance and time horizon, typically employing a long-term, buy-and-hold equity approach combined with tactical fixed-income and alternative investments.

Stephan Shipe is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 65 registered advisor at Scholar Financial Advising, LLC with seven years at the firm and a total of five years in the industry. His prior experience includes roles at Wake Forest University, the University of New Hampshire, and Innovative CE LLC. Scholar Financial Advising serves high-income and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, providing comprehensive financial planning primarily through digital channels. The firm focuses on long-term, goal-driven planning with an emphasis on asset allocation, tax-aware asset location, and diversification, offering project-based and flat-fee advisory services without discretionary portfolio management.

James Davenport is a Series 65-licensed advisor with JT Stratford, LLC in Winston-Salem, NC, with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining JT Stratford, he worked at Coffee Park AIrstream and Twin City Hive, and he operates a sole proprietorship focused on graphic art design and the sale of online art and NFTs. JT Stratford provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporations. The firm employs a range of strategies from long-term buy-and-hold to active trading, incorporating fundamental, technical, and charting analysis, and also integrates emerging technology such as AI tools in its processes.

Austin Childress is a financial advisor at Three Magnolias Financial Advisors with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has a background that includes roles at Fuller Theological Seminary and Gardner-Webb University. Outside of financial advising, he serves as an Enrollment Communications Coordinator at Fuller Theological Seminary. Three Magnolias Financial Advisors serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, portfolio management, and consulting services. The firm manages approximately $487 million across roughly 600 clients and develops tailored investment plans utilizing a range of assets and strategies.

Ryan Gehsmann is a financial advisor with AdaptFirst Investments LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and with 10 years of industry experience. Prior to joining AdaptFirst in 2019, he worked at Hornor Townsend & Kent Inc and Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, Gehsmann owns a lawn care business and coordinates lacrosse tournaments and events in the Greensboro area. AdaptFirst Investments provides ongoing portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals and businesses. The firm employs a valuation-focused investment approach and offers additional services such as outsourced CIO support, CFO-level consulting, bookkeeping, and in-house tax preparation.

Ross Strickland is a financial advisor at Scholar Financial Advising, LLC in Winston-Salem, NC, holding a Series 65 designation. He joined the firm in 2026 and has prior experience at Forvis Mazars US, Wake Forest University, ROSS Stores, and Wake Forest Banking. Scholar Financial Advising serves high-income and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, providing comprehensive financial planning and ongoing advisory support through primarily online processes. The firm emphasizes a long-term, goal-driven approach focused on asset allocation, tax-aware asset location, rebalancing, and diversification, and operates without direct portfolio management or percentage-of-AUM fees.

Mauricio Galindo Vega is a financial advisor with Scholar Financial Advising, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential. He has one year of industry experience, including prior roles at Polaris Laboratories and High Point University. Scholar Financial Advising serves high-income and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, providing comprehensive financial planning primarily through online platforms. The firm focuses on long-term, goal-driven strategies and offers advisory services without taking custody or discretionary authority over client accounts.

Walter Lasley is a financial advisor at AdaptFirst Investments LLC with 43 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has previously worked at Momentun Independent Network, Neidiger, Tucker, Bruner, Inc., and Linsco/Private Ledger Corp. Outside of advising, he manages a resort residence unit in Garden City, SC. AdaptFirst Investments serves individuals and small businesses with portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services including outsourced CIO and CFO roles. The firm employs a value-oriented approach using both technical and fundamental analysis and offers additional services such as bookkeeping, tax preparation, and financial coaching.

Scott Walker is a financial advisor at Horizon Financial Services, LLC in Winston Salem, NC, with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 registrations and has been with Horizon Financial Services since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, Walker is also an insurance agent involved in insurance product sales and services. Horizon Financial Services provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA 3(21) plan advisory, donor-advised fund management, and co-advisor services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a combination of charting, fundamental, and technical analysis with both long- and short-term trading strategies and distinguishes itself through public education seminars and its multi-channel implementation approach.

John Brais is a financial advisor at Horizon Financial Services, LLC with 17 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Horizon Financial Services since 2011. Outside of his advisory role, he is president and CEO of New Horizon Financial Services, Inc., an insurance sales and services business. Horizon Financial Services provides discretionary asset management and financial planning for individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm typically serves individuals and families with approximately $1 million in investable assets, employing a combination of proprietary model portfolios, sub-advisors, and a range of analytical methods.

Robert Masten is a financial advisor with AdaptFirst Investments LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 17 years of industry experience. He was previously with Masten Capital Management for 13 years before joining AdaptFirst in 2021. Outside of advising, he is a co-owner of a solar farm. AdaptFirst Investments serves individuals and small businesses with portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services including outsourced CIO and CFO roles. The firm uses a value-oriented investment approach combining technical and fundamental analysis, and provides additional services such as bookkeeping, tax preparation, and financial coaching.

William Hollan is a CFP® with 14 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has been with Arbor Investment Advisors since 2011. Hollan holds a Series 65 license and is based in Winston Salem, NC. Arbor Investment Advisors serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, business entities, trusts, and charitable organizations, providing discretionary and non-discretionary investment management along with financial planning and consulting services. The firm’s investment approach focuses on asset allocation and modern portfolio theory, utilizing exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, closed-end funds, and individual securities as appropriate.

Phu Roy O is a financial advisor at Sheets Smith Wealth Management in Winston Salem, NC, with 12 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has been with Sheets Smith Wealth Management since 2012. Sheets Smith Wealth Management serves individuals and families, including high-net-worth clients, as well as foundations, endowments, and retirement plans. The firm offers investment management, wealth preservation, and financial planning services, using tailored asset allocation strategies and a long-term, buy-and-hold approach to equities.

Carter Lievens is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with five years of industry experience. He has worked at JT Stratford, LLC since 2020 and has prior experience in tax services and retail. JT Stratford, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $815 million for individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporations through a 14-person team. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, employer retirement plan services, and access to third-party model portfolios and sub-advisory strategies.

Samuel Merrick Jr. is a financial advisor at Horizon Financial Services, LLC in Winston Salem, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Horizon Financial Services, he spent 11 years at Summit School. Horizon Financial Services provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA 3(21) fiduciary services, and consulting for individuals, families, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm typically serves clients with approximately $1 million in investable assets and implements portfolios using variable annuity subaccounts, mutual funds, and donor-advised fund accounts.

Scott Cawood is a CFP® and CFA® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving at Arbor Investment Advisors since 2003. He holds the position of Chairman of the Board at Piedmont Federal Savings Bank. Arbor Investment Advisors provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, business entities, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs an investment approach based on asset allocation and modern portfolio theory, utilizing a range of investment vehicles including ETFs, no-load mutual funds, and individual equities.

Thomas Cartee Jr. is a financial advisor with Sheets Smith Wealth Management in Winston-Salem, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Sheets Smith Wealth Management since 1997. Sheets Smith Wealth Management serves individuals and families—including senior corporate executives and heirs—along with trusts, foundations, endowments, and retirement plans, providing investment management, financial planning, and wealth-preservation strategies tailored to each client’s risk tolerance and time horizon.

Jonathan Kacmarcik is a financial advisor at Three Magnolias Financial Advisors with 12 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. Outside of finance, he has limited involvement in a family entertainment business that provides gaming equipment to various venues. Three Magnolias serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations by providing financial planning, portfolio management, and project-based consulting. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to construct portfolios and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management.

Erika Mielke is a CFP® with 11 years of industry experience and currently serves as an advisor at Arbor Investment Advisors in Winston Salem, NC. She has worked at Arbor since 2018 and previously at Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2018. Arbor Investment Advisors provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services and financial planning to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, business entities, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients, using an investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory with allocations to ETFs, no-load mutual funds, and independent managers when appropriate.

Jared Gibbs is a financial advisor at AdaptFirst Investments LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at American Federal Mortgage as a Mortgage Loan Officer, where he assisted borrowers with loan applications and financial document analysis. AdaptFirst Investments serves individuals and small businesses by providing portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services including outsourced CIO and CFO roles. The firm employs a value-oriented investment approach and offers additional services such as bookkeeping, tax preparation, and financial coaching.