John Helmers is a financial advisor at 49 Financial with a Series 65 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining 49 Financial, he worked at Forward Wealth Management and Rinse N Repeat. He also has experience in fixed insurance sales. 49 Financial serves a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and fractional family office services, employing a model-driven, long-term diversified investment approach.

Michael Komara is a financial advisor at Blueprint Financial Advisors with 32 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and securities licenses Series 65 and Series 63. His prior roles include positions at Solas Wealth, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, and MKD Wealth Coaches, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as treasurer and board member for Grow Holdings, an affiliate of Grow Church, where he reviews investment accounts for policy compliance. Blueprint Financial Advisors is a multi-advisor firm offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, trusts, pension plans, and nonprofit entities. The firm employs a strategic-and-tactical investment approach based on price-driven trend-following and momentum rules, managing approximately $1.4 billion in client assets.

Audrey Blanke is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with nine years of industry experience. She is currently with Choreo, LLC and has previously worked at firms including Robert W. Baird and ATLATL Advisers. Choreo provides investment and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, family offices, endowments, and corporate clients. The firm focuses on strategic asset allocation and diversified model portfolios, managing assets through separately managed accounts, registered and private funds, and specialized consulting services.

Marcus Anderson is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. He has worked at Merit Financial Advisors since 2016 and previously at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments and LPL Financial, LLC. Merit Financial Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser with over 260 advisors serving approximately 20,000 clients across 66 offices. The firm offers coordinated wealth management services and employs a long-term, diversified investment approach overseen by an internal committee, allowing advisors to customize portfolios using fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis methods.

Jennifer Muckley is a CFP® certificant with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Bragg Financial Advisors Inc since 2018. Prior to joining Bragg, she worked for three years at Wells Fargo Bank dba Abbott Downing. Bragg Financial Advisors, Inc. is a family-owned SEC-registered investment adviser managing over $4.6 billion for individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and investment-company clients. The firm focuses on strategic asset allocation with broad diversification and periodic rebalancing, offering discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and managed-account services.

Jeremy Fisher is a financial advisor at Choreo, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with RSM US Wealth Management LLC since 2012. Choreo provides investment and advisory services to a diverse client base including individual investors, family offices, endowments, foundations, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm emphasizes strategic asset allocation and diversified model portfolios managed by a centralized team and overseen by an Investment Committee.

Casey Hepburn is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked with Principal Financial Services, Principal Bank, and Truist Financial. Hepburn provides investment advice to retirement plan participants regarding their distribution options. Principal Advised Services offers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party tools like Morningstar with proprietary models. The firm is part of the Principal Financial Group family, providing access to affiliated mutual funds, bank products, and trading services through integrated operations.

Jacob Stevenson is a financial advisor with Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc., holding Series 66 and Series 63 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Larson Financial Securities, LLC and Larson Financial Group, LLC from 2015 to 2022. In addition to his advisory role, Stevenson is involved in outside insurance sales as an agent and partner at Mint Hill Insurance. Ausdal Financial Partners serves individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, and business entities, managing approximately $3.73 billion for over 16,000 clients through a large network of advisors. The firm offers a wide range of services, including advisor-managed and separately managed accounts, retirement-plan advisory, and financial planning, with investment strategies tailored at the advisor level to meet client-specific objectives and risk tolerances.

Michael Ziemer is a CFP® professional with 23 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has worked at Modera Wealth Management, LLC since 2023 and previously spent 19 years at Parsec Financial Management, Inc. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a board member for Ziemer Funeral Homes. Modera Wealth Management, LLC provides fiduciary, fee-only advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm employs an allocation-driven investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers a range of services including portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, financial planning, and tax-related services.

Lewis Kayes is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cary Street Partners and has previously worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors and Willingdon Wealth Management Inc. Lewis is based in Charlotte, NC. Cary Street Partners serves a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, corporations, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and access to proprietary strategies supported by AI tools and a range of affiliated services.

Leslie Moise is a financial advisor with Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 20 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Arete Wealth Management LLC in 2022, Leslie worked at National Securities Corp for 11 years. Outside of investment advising, Leslie is the owner and president of LIANMAC, Inc., a small accounting and tax-related business. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm primarily manages assets on a discretionary basis using both advisor-driven and proprietary model allocations, and integrates with affiliated financial businesses and product channels.

Katherine Burak is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Choreo, LLC. Her prior roles include positions at Vanguard Marketing Corporation and Cleary University. Choreo serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, family offices, and institutional clients. The firm’s investment process emphasizes strategic asset allocation combined with quantitative screening and due diligence, implementing portfolios through a variety of managed accounts and specialized advisory services.

Brett Shanklin is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. He has held roles at several Principal Financial Group affiliates, including Principal Bank, Principal Life Insurance Company, and Principal Securities, Inc. Prior to joining Principal, his work experience spans multiple industries including banking and staffing. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, combining third-party methodologies with proprietary models. The firm leverages its affiliation with Principal Financial Group to offer a range of advisory services and investment products supported by dedicated governance and supervision.

Lauren Martinez is a financial advisor at Choreo, LLC with nine years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Verum Partners LLC, Novare Capital Management, LLC, and Staton Financial Advisors, LLC. Choreo serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, family offices, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, endowments, and institutional clients. The firm employs a quantitative and committee-approved investment process, offering a broad range of services such as portfolio management, wealth management consulting, outsourced CIO, and retirement plan consulting.

Carolyn Balzano is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC since 2021. She previously worked at Fifth Third Bank from 2014 to 2021. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing approximately $7.8 billion in discretionary assets for a range of clients, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, and institutional investors. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and access to alternative investments, leveraging both in-house resources and third-party managers within an integrated framework affiliated with Fifth Third Bank.

Christopher Elliotte is a Series 65 credentialed advisor with 16 years of industry experience, currently with Colony Family Offices, LLC since 2014. He is based in Charlotte, NC and is part of a team of six advisors at the firm. Colony Family Offices provides comprehensive wealth management and financial planning primarily to ultra-high-net-worth families, managing approximately $3.32 billion in discretionary assets. The firm employs a priorities-based, customized planning approach combining passive and active investment strategies, and utilizes third-party managers alongside independent research to support client portfolios.

Lance Bryan is a financial advisor with Cary Street Partners in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Matrix Private Capital Group and Neuberger Berman, LLC. Cary Street Partners provides discretionary and non-discretionary wealth management and advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm offers portfolio management, financial and retirement planning, access to alternative investments, and integrated lending and insurance solutions.

John Bly is a financial advisor with Aprio Wealth Management, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Aprio Advisory Group and related Aprio entities since 2019 and previously held roles at HK Financial Services, Proequities Inc, and L B & A, CPA, PLLC. Bly is also a partner at a CPA firm where he engages in speaking activities. Aprio Wealth Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services to individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm employs asset allocation, technical analysis, and a range of trading strategies, and is known for its affiliation with a third-party administrator and pension consulting business, advising approximately $1.57 billion in assets under advisement.

Katrina Hayes is a CFP® with 25 years of industry experience, currently serving at Prospera Financial Services, Inc. since 2013. She holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Matthews, NC. Outside of her advisory role, she is a member of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Republican Women's Club, chair of the Charlotte chapter of Ellevate, a global professional networking association, and president and treasurer of Cru Inc., a nonprofit wine tasting social club. Prospera Financial Services, Inc. is an enterprise-scale firm with approximately 207 advisors managing about $12.4 billion. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, charitable entities, and retirement plans, offering investment advisory and financial planning services across multiple platforms and delivery vehicles.

Anthony Montanari is a financial advisor with Prospera Financial Services, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Prospera since 2012. Outside of his advisory role, Montanari is involved in several private business activities, including ownership and management roles in multiple LLCs. Prospera Financial Services, Inc. is an enterprise-scale adviser and dually registered broker-dealer serving a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporate and charitable entities, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $12.4 billion across about 207 advisors and offers a range of investment advisory and financial planning services through multiple platforms and customizable portfolio approaches.