Charles Leapley is a financial advisor at OSAIC in Raleigh, NC, with 16 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and previously worked at FSC Securities Corporation for 12 years. Outside of advising, he operates as an independent licensed insurance agent. OSAIC serves a diverse client base including individual and institutional investors, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services. The firm employs asset-allocation tools, risk-tolerance assessments, and automated rebalancing to manage portfolios that may include a range of asset types across discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

Charles Brinkman is a financial advisor at Merrill with 15 years of industry experience and holds the Series 66 designation. He has worked at Merrill since 2010 and has been affiliated with Bank of America, N.A. since 2013. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate fiduciaries.

Kari Flores is a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Clayton, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 20 years of industry experience. She has been with Ameriprise and its affiliated entity since 2011. Ameriprise provides retirement-income planning services targeting individuals approaching or in retirement with significant investable assets, combining research, modeling, and tax-efficiency analysis to generate written recommendation reports. The firm offers a broad range of advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions typical of a large institutional firm.

Dharma Patel is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at BlackRock and Merrill. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a range of advisory programs including tailored financial planning and estate planning services. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and employs a structured financial planning process supported by firm-approved tools and quantitative models.

Robert Willauer is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial since 2011 and at Ohio National Financial Services since 2007. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Vice President of Operations at Adolos, LLC, a tax preparation and accounting firm, where he oversees technology and operational matters. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, credit unions, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers financial planning, advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services with access to model portfolios, third-party research, and various investment strategies.

Katherine Anders is a CFP® with 16 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. She has held roles at Vesta Wealth Advisors and Principal Life Insurance, among others. Anders is also active as an insurance agent with various independent companies through Vesta Wealth Advisors. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and trusts, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan advisory services. The firm offers tailored investment strategies via multiple platform arrangements and maintains proprietary and unaffiliated model strategies.

James Hoke is a Series 66-licensed financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management, where he has worked since 2015. He has 10 years of industry experience and serves as a board member for several local organizations, including the Kenly Area Chamber of Commerce, the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, and the Johnston County Tourism Authority. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits, offering holistic, goal-based financial planning that covers a wide range of topics without direct portfolio management or discretionary trading authority.

Scott Macdonald is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and the founder of the Special Needs Team. He has dedicated over thirty years to providing financial advice and guidance tailored to the unique needs of disabled, special-needs, and elder-abuse victims and their families. His team collaborates closely with attorneys, caregivers, trustees, fiduciaries, and benefits counselors to address both the near- and long-term financial requirements of their clients. Scott has extensive expertise in managing Special Needs Trusts, court-supervised trusts, probate investing, and understanding the California Probate Code and the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. He employs sophisticated modeling tools and analytics to support the financial and quality-of-life goals of special-needs populations. His approach is collaborative and firmly centered on client well-being. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the California State University system and carries the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. Scott has been recognized by Forbes as one of the Best-in-State Wealth Advisors from 2020 through 2025. He is active in his community through involvement with the Rotary Club of Tahoe Incline, the Society for disAbilities, and the Tahoe Fire Helicopter Project. Outside of work, Scott enjoys boating, fishing, hiking, skiing, and spending time with his family.

Nichola Agins is a financial advisor at Raymond James & Associates with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Bank of America. She is based in Raleigh, NC. Raymond James & Associates provides financial planning and investment consulting to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and government clients. The firm offers tailored financial plans and investment recommendations, with both non-discretionary and discretionary portfolio management options, and has notable capabilities in public finance and municipal advisory services.

Lyben Hizkias is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill and Bank of America, Hizkias held positions at Fidelity Investments and other firms. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering model-based and discretionary investment strategies to a broad client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional fiduciaries.

Anastasia Council is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 11 years of industry experience, currently serving clients at Edward Jones since 2014. She holds a Series 66 license and is based in Raleigh, NC. 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 strategies. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and operates through a nationwide network of more than 23,700 financial advisors and over 15,000 branch offices.

Joshua Filyaw is a Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, where he collaborates with clients to develop comprehensive financial plans tailored to their unique goals and preferences. He began his role as a Financial Consultant in 2024, having previously served as a Planning Consultant at Fidelity from 2022 to 2024. Prior to joining Fidelity, Joshua worked as an Investment Resource Consultant at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2021 to 2022 and as a Personal Banker at Wells Fargo Bank from 2019 to 2021. Outside of his professional work, Joshua has interests in baseball, cars, football, running, singing, and traveling.

Matthew Cracchiolo is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining LPL Financial, he held positions at Protronics Inc. and Chick-fil-a, and has also been involved in non-investment activities such as producing content as a YouTube Google Adsense partner and volunteering as a backstage helper at Louisburg College. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs and financial planning services, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by in-house research and third-party subadvisors.

Cameron Pait is a financial advisor at J.P. Morgan Securities with 18 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America, and Merrill. Outside of his advisory role, he is a minority owner of a real estate business that manages properties inherited from his late father. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC provides institutional consulting services to corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

Quinn Angel is a financial advisor at Merrill with a Series 66 credential and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining Merrill, Quinn held various roles including positions at Chickfila and educational institutions. Merrill provides managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, offering a range of model-based and discretionary investment strategies to individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate fiduciaries.

Luke Hopkins is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Mass Mutual Investors Services, MassMutual Life Insurance, Intervest International Equities Corp, and First Command Advisory Services. He has a 25% ownership interest in Legacy Vault App LLC, where he is involved in marketing. Wells Fargo Clearing provides retirement plan consulting to qualified ERISA plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services. The firm’s advisory process is IPS-driven and incorporates a broad range of financial products, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options.

Scott Blanchard is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Raleigh, NC. He holds the Series 66 designation and has been active in the industry since 2024. Prior to joining LPL Financial, he was associated with Charles Schwab and Steward Wealth Strategies. Outside of finance, his background includes roles in education and the restaurant industry. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations through a national network of investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, retirement plan consulting, and brokerage services, providing both discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by internal and third-party research.

R. Grove Jr. is a Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management with over 32 years of experience. He specializes in working with a select number of high-net-worth families and businesses, developing, executing, and tracking sophisticated financial management and portfolio strategies. His approach combines investment management with personalized financial services to help clients achieve financial security by simplifying complex financial landscapes. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina and is a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® designee. Grove takes a goals-based approach to wealth management that integrates his team's certifications with detailed knowledge of each client's family priorities and resources to design customized strategies. His areas of client focus include college education planning, divorce transition planning, family wealth management strategies, personal retirement planning, portfolio management services, and socially responsible, values-based, and ESG investing. Outside of his professional duties, Grove lives in Cary, NC with his wife and has three adult children. He enjoys golfing, running, and spending time with his family. He is the co-founder and Vice President of The Continuous Blessings Foundation and has served on the finance committee at his church, as a board member for the Y Guides of the Triangle, and Life Experiences, Inc.

Trevor Lawson is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with 13 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with OSAIC since 2018. Prior to joining OSAIC, he worked at Jhfn Sii from 2013 to 2018. He volunteers as an instructor, teaching courses on financial preparation for widowhood to individuals aged 50 and over. OSAIC serves a broad range of retail and institutional clients through a large network of advisors, offering integrated brokerage and advisory services along with various managed account solutions and access to third-party money managers. The firm employs a range of asset-allocation tools and maintains multiple platform relationships to support diverse client needs.

Erik Williams is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses with four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments, Kreative Intelligence LLC—where he also served as an officer consulting and packaging custom goods—and Wells Fargo. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves both individual and institutional clients, offering a wide range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning supported by structured discovery processes and firm-approved tools.