John Helmers is a financial advisor at 49 Financial in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 credential. He has one year of experience in the industry and previously worked at Forward Wealth Management, Rinse N Repeat, and Aptive. Outside of advisory roles, he is also a licensed fixed insurance agent. 49 Financial serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals and retirement plans, offering comprehensive financial planning, advanced planning, and investment management. The firm utilizes a disciplined, long-term diversified asset allocation strategy and provides tiered fractional family office services.

Michael Komara is a ChFC® with 32 years of industry experience and currently serves at Blueprint Financial Advisors. His prior roles include positions at Solas Wealth, Prudential Insurance Company of America, and Merrill. He serves as treasurer and board member of Grow Holdings, a church-affiliated organization focused on investment oversight. Blueprint Financial Advisors is a multi-advisor SEC-registered firm managing approximately $1.4 billion in assets. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting to individuals, trusts, pension and ERISA plans, and nonprofits, using a proprietary strategic-and-tactical investment framework to manage globally diversified portfolios.

Audrey Blanke is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 10 years of industry experience. She is currently with Choreo, LLC and has previously worked at firms including Robert W. Baird and Carolinas Investment Consulting LLC. Choreo serves a diverse client base ranging from individuals to institutional investors and offers a range of advisory services including portfolio management, financial planning, and outsourced CIO consulting. The firm employs a strategic, quantitative investment process and provides specialized services such as 1031 exchange advisory and Deferred Sales Trusts™ consulting.

Ryan Zutter is a CFP® professional with 19 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked at Ally Invest Advisors since 2021 and previously spent 12 years at Robert W. Baird & Co. His background includes roles at Ally Invest Securities LLC beginning in 2020. Ally Invest Advisors serves a broad retail client base, including both individual and high-net-worth clients, by providing discretionary portfolio management through web-based automated services and advisor-led guidance. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment process with model portfolios across multiple risk tiers, combining passive and actively managed ETFs and utilizing digital automation to manage a large volume of client accounts.

Marcus Anderson is a financial advisor with Merit Financial Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 22 years of industry experience. He has held roles at Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, LPL Financial, and Uvest Financial Services Group. Anderson is also licensed to provide fixed insurance advice tailored to client needs. Merit Financial Group is a multi-team SEC-registered advisory firm serving individual investors, retirement plans, ESOPs, and institutional clients. The firm employs a long-term, diversified asset allocation strategy managed through centrally coordinated models and supports both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts.

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.

Kamden Gaines is a financial advisor at Ally Invest Advisors with nine years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and previously worked at Ernst & Young LLP and The Vanguard Group, Inc. Gaines supports both Ally Invest Securities and Ally Invest Advisors as Director of Client Services, overseeing customer support for self-directed and advisory clients. Ally Invest Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients through web-based and virtual solutions, offering ETF-based Robo Portfolios and advisor-delivered Personal Advice services. The firm uses model portfolios based on Modern Portfolio Theory with multiple risk tiers and focuses on retail and high-net-worth individuals.

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 licenses and bringing 15 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Larson Financial Securities, LLC and Larson Financial Group, LLC from 2015 to 2022. Outside of his advisor role, Stevenson is involved in 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. The firm offers a range of services including advisor-managed accounts, separately managed accounts, unified managed accounts, and retirement-plan advisory, with investment strategies tailored at the advisor level based on client-specific goals and risk profiles.

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.

Sarah Khan is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with Ally Invest Advisors in Charlotte, NC, where she has worked since 2021. She has five years of industry experience, including six years at Grant Thornton prior to joining Ally Invest. Khan also holds a regulatory oversight role supporting compliance functions across Ally Invest Advisors and Ally Invest Securities. Ally Invest Advisors serves a broad retail client base with discretionary portfolio management that combines automated and advisor-led services. The firm employs a model-driven investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing ETFs across multiple risk tiers and strategy variants while integrating digital tools for portfolio management and reporting.

Lewis Kayes is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience. He is currently an advisor at Cary Street Partners, having joined the firm in 2026. Prior to this, he worked at Exencial Wealth Advisors for three years and at Willingdon Wealth Management Inc. for 17 years. Cary Street Partners provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, retirement plans, trusts, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm utilizes a broad investment menu and proprietary strategies, serving both retail and specialized institutional niches such as state and municipal government entities.

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.

Thomas Braun is a financial advisor at Gradient Investments, LLC with 13 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and has worked at firms including Goldenguard Wealth Management, GoldenGuard Financial, Thrivent Investment Management, and Worth Financial Group. He is also the owner of GoldenGuard Financial, an insurance services business based in Matthews, NC. Gradient Investments, LLC provides discretionary investment management services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, institutions, and various entities. The firm uses a proprietary Wright Investment Strategies framework and offers a variety of model and custom portfolios managed on a discretionary basis.

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.