Philip Johnson is a Senior Financial Advisor with the Bono & Kline Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In this role, he collaborates with team members to pursue optimal asset allocations tailored to clients’ objectives, cash-flow needs, and timeframes. He applies his quantitative skills to evaluate external investment managers and research market themes. His client focus areas include Family Wealth Management Strategies, Services for Endowments, Foundations, and Non-profits, Liquidity Management, Sports & Entertainment, and Tax Minimization. Philip holds a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Mercyhurst University and an M.S. in Finance from The Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) certificant. He is an active member of the CFA Society of Washington, DC, and participates in the Northern Virginia Estate Planning Council. Philip resides in Raleigh, NC. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, camping, football, reading, and spending time outdoors with his dog.

Simran Dhaliwal is a financial advisor at Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. with nine years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including SunTrust Investment Services and Pinnacle Bank. In addition to her advisory role, she is an associate with Pinnacle Asset Management, where she assists in client services and business development. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm offers non-discretionary planning tailored to client goals, supported by advanced analytical tools, and maintains specialized programs such as municipal advisory services and SIMPLE IRA employer consulting.

Andrew Applequist is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 license and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, he worked at Osaic and Steward Wealth Strategies. His background includes roles outside finance at FlyExclusive and Bass Pro Shop. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning and third-party asset management, and supports its large network of advisors with various investment and operational tools.

Thomas Whitehead is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously was with Wachovia Bank and Wells Fargo Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he serves on the finance committee of Mt Olive Baptist Church and coaches high school football at Hillside High School. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory solutions. The firm’s IPS-driven approach incorporates a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs, tailored to plan objectives and risk tolerances.

Mike Patti is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 20 years of industry experience. He has held positions at Bank of America, Merrill, and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Patti holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools supported by its Global Investment Committee.

Ward Marslender III is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he owns Marslender-West Asset Management, an investment-related business. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services, including retirement, education, risk, and wealth-transfer planning, delivering tailored recommendations supported by proprietary research and planning tools.

Collin Young is a financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at FlyExclusive, Weatherby Healthcare, Wells Fargo Clearing, Morgan Stanley, and Randstad Technologies, among others. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients through a network of Financial Advisors. The firm offers holistic, goal-based analyses addressing a wide range of financial planning topics, with options to combine planning and managed-account services under a consolidated billing structure called “WealthPlan.”

Sohan Shah is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation. He has been with Ameriprise since 2023 and has prior work experience in commodities and merchant funding sectors. His background also includes roles in education and hospitality. Ameriprise Financial Services is a large, diversified advisory firm serving both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a specialized Premier Retirement Income service that provides customized retirement planning advice focused on reliable income and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies.

Christian Kubista is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 30 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo entities since 2009, including seven years at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and ten years at Wells Fargo Clearing. Kubista serves as treasurer for the North Carolina Veterans Business Association. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm providing investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individual, corporate, and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and offers both brokerage and advisory solutions, relying on research and analytics to guide investment decisions.

Yahir Perez Lora is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise holding a Series 66 designation and no prior industry experience. His work background includes roles outside the financial sector such as positions at Bartaco and Besi Machining. LPL Enterprise provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, and corporate and charitable entities. The firm employs model-driven investment implementation, offers financial planning and consulting, and facilitates access to third-party asset managers and insurance products through affiliated entities.

Alyssa Potts is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with less than one year of industry experience. Her prior work experience includes roles in the United States Navy, retail, and the hospitality sectors. Equitable Advisors serves a broad range of clients, including individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, retirement consulting, and various asset management programs. The firm utilizes a network of Investment Adviser Representatives to deliver customized investment solutions, often implementing models through third-party managers and providing fiduciary services to qualified plans.

Jason Peck is a CFP® and Series 66 license holder with six years of industry experience, currently advising at Raymond James & Associates in Raleigh, NC since 2020. Prior to his current role, he worked seven years at Canvas Solutions, Inc. (d/b/a GoCanvas). Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $501 billion in assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension plans, and municipal entities, offering financial planning, advisory programs, and institutional consulting with a variety of portfolio management styles and affiliated research.

Nathan Goulet is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. He previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2009 to 2016. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting services to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services. The firm’s approach is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a broader set of financial product offerings that include insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Nicholas Ellingsworth Perez is a financial advisor with Mass Mutual Investors Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. He has worked at Mass Mutual Investors Services since 2017 and at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company since 2016, with prior experience at Metlife Securities from 2013 to 2017. Outside of advisory work, he is an independent insurance agent specializing in dental, group disability income, and life/accident/health insurance, and he owns an LLC managing operational expenses. MassMutual Investors Services is a broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides financial planning and asset management services to individuals, business owners, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employers. The firm emphasizes ongoing collaborative planning relationships and offers a range of event-driven planning programs, including recent additions such as divorce planning.

Jolene Miles is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 32 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has been with Robert W. Baird since 2010. She is part of The DDK Group, a team within Robert W. Baird’s Private Wealth Management practice that serves individuals, families, pensions, corporations, charitable organizations, and institutional clients. The group offers customized financial planning and portfolio management services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and manager options tailored to client goals and risk tolerances.

Mary Norton is a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors with 14 years of industry experience. She holds the CFP® designation along with Series 63 and 65 licenses. Her prior roles include positions at Vesta Wealth Advisors, Principal Securities Inc., and Waddell & Reed, Inc. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors is a large SEC-registered firm serving a wide range of clients including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services through a network of independent Financial Professionals, utilizing various portfolio management and model-based solutions tailored to client objectives.

Michael Harris is a financial advisor with LPL Enterprise, holding a Series 66 designation and 15 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Securities, LLC, Morgan Stanley, and Merrill. LPL Enterprise, LLC offers investment advisory and brokerage services to individual and high-net-worth investors, employer-sponsored retirement plans, banks, and corporate and charitable entities. The firm’s investment approach is model-driven, utilizing portfolios developed by LPL’s Research Department and third-party strategists, and provides access to third-party asset managers, financial planning, and insurance product sales through affiliated entities.

Brian McNiff is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience, currently with Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC. His prior experience includes positions at Bank of America, N.A., and Merrill. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo that provides investment and fee-based financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm offers a broad range of planning services, including retirement, education, and wealth-transfer planning, using proprietary research and tools to develop tailored recommendations.

Benjamin Graff is a financial advisor at Ameriprise in Cary, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with 18 years of industry experience. He has been with Ameriprise and its affiliate Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. since 2007. Ameriprise offers a retirement-income planning service targeted at individuals approaching or in retirement with substantial investable assets, providing written Recommendation Reports that address income sources, Social Security options, and tax-efficient withdrawal strategies. The firm combines research, modeling, and tax analysis in a structured approach delivered by a centralized consulting team, with a focus on assets held in Ameriprise Managed Accounts.

Samuel Harris is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wachovia Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as power of attorney for family members, managing investment-related matters. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s IPS-driven advisory process incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a range of investment options such as insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweeps.