Mariana Vega Ortega is a financial advisor at Arete Wealth Advisors, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Arete, she worked at H & Co LLP for four years. Outside of her advisory role, she is the owner of Blackbull Holding Group LLC, a business involved in the import and export of classic cars. Arete Wealth Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of advisor-driven and proprietary model allocations, third-party sub-advisers, and acts as an ERISA fiduciary when applicable.

William Richmond is a financial advisor with Cary Street Partners, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Luxe Lifestyle Magazine. Richmond has been with Cary Street Partners since 2020. Cary Street Partners serves a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, trusts, retirement plans, and institutional clients. The firm offers a range of services such as portfolio management, financial planning, and fiduciary services, utilizing proprietary strategies and AI tools alongside human oversight.

Jordan Nichols is a financial advisor with Credit Union Investment Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with Members Trust Company since 2015, SECU Life Insurance Company since 2014, and State Employees’ Credit Union since 2011. Outside of his advisory roles, Nichols owns The Wooden Nickel Woodworking LLC, a business focused on woodworking projects and children's furniture. Credit Union Investment Services primarily serves individual investors residing in North Carolina, offering non-discretionary portfolio management, asset allocation advice, and retirement and financial planning. The firm emphasizes a long-term, goals-based approach using low-cost index mutual funds and ETFs, operating within a credit union ecosystem as a wholly owned subsidiary of State Employees’ Credit Union.

Jonathan Faynik is a financial advisor at Earned Wealth Advisors, LLC with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Schenley Capital and Northwestern Mutual. His background also includes roles outside finance, such as teaching at Denfeld High School and Robert Morris University. Earned Wealth Advisors serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and employer-sponsored retirement plans, focusing particularly on doctors, dentists, and their practices. The firm provides financial planning, discretionary wealth management, and retirement-plan advisory services, employing a diversified, buy-and-hold investment approach supported by an internal Investment Strategy Committee and third-party consultants.

Andrew De Angelis is a CFA® charterholder with 19 years of industry experience. He is currently with Venture Visionary Partners LLC and previously worked at KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. and Sidoti & Company, LLC. Venture Visionary Partners LLC offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, trusts, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and modern portfolio theory approaches to customize portfolios and provides both discretionary and non-discretionary management alongside retirement-plan consulting and implementation.

William Newton Jr. is a CFP® with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving at Archer Investment Corporation since 2011. He also operates Newton Wealth Management and has been a CPA since 1976. His additional business activities include involvement in fixed insurance, life, and annuities. Archer Investment Corporation provides investment management primarily to individual clients, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth investors, offering services through separately managed accounts and proprietary mutual funds. The firm employs a multi-branch, independent-contractor model and manages approximately $1.01 billion in discretionary assets.

Christopher Kemper is a financial advisor with Blueprint Financial Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Kingswood Capital Partners and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Outside of advisory roles, he is a fitness instructor at Fitness Connection and serves as president of Fulcrum Wealth Advisors, a firm involved in life insurance and long-term care sales. Blueprint Financial Advisors is a multi-advisor firm that provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting to individuals, trusts, pension and ERISA plans, and nonprofit entities. The firm manages approximately $1.4 billion in assets, employing a proprietary strategic-and-tactical framework to build globally diversified portfolios across multiple asset classes.

Graham Jones is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving at Blueprint Financial Advisors in Charlotte, NC. His prior roles include positions at Securities America Advisors and Deep River Capital Advisors. Outside of his advisory work, he is a foster care parent with the local Department of Social Services, housing foster children through a private agency. Blueprint Financial Advisors is a multi-advisor, SEC-registered firm managing approximately $1.4 billion in client assets. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting for individuals, trusts, pension and ERISA plans, and nonprofit entities. Its investment approach employs a proprietary strategic-and-tactical framework across diversified asset classes with a focus on trend-following and momentum rules to optimize after-tax outcomes.

Paige Hardaway is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with four years of industry experience. She has held roles at Principal Financial Services and Principal Life Insurance Company, and her background includes positions at Amerit Fleet Services and Reliance First Capital. Hardaway also serves as a Retirement Consultant, providing one-on-one investment advice to retirement plan participants on their distribution options. Principal Advised Services offers investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients. The firm utilizes a blend of third-party methodologies and proprietary models to provide both non-discretionary recommendations and discretionary investment management, supported by its affiliation with Principal Financial Group and its related entities.

Derek Vasko is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. He is currently with Choreo, LLC and has prior experience at RSM US Wealth Management LLC, London Stock Exchange Group, and LPL Financial. Choreo provides investment and advisory services to a diverse client base including individual investors, family offices, endowments, foundations, retirement plans, and corporate clients. The firm’s investment approach focuses on strategic asset allocation and diversified model portfolios managed by a centralized team and overseen by an Investment Committee.

Roy Mattox is a financial advisor with Exodus Wealth, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Integrated Financial Strategies, LLC, Uwharrie Investment Advisors, and Darvas Investment Management LLC, as well as experience as a self-employed trader. Exodus Wealth serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and pension/profit-sharing plans by providing asset management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm manages several hundred million dollars in discretionary assets with a tailored investment approach that combines fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis across various securities and strategies.

Janet Correll is a financial advisor at Arkadios Wealth Advisors with 10 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked with Kalos Capital and SouthPark Capital. In addition to her advisory role, she serves as President and Directing Member of Janet Long LLC, providing independent investment advisory services. Arkadios Wealth Advisors offers investment and wealth management services to individuals, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans through a combination of advisor-managed accounts, wrap programs, third-party money managers, and financial planning. The firm’s integrated operating model includes an in-house portfolio team that supports advisors with model strategies and trade execution across various asset classes.

Dale Mingledorff is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Capital Analysts. He previously worked at Horace Mann Companies and Horace Mann Investors, Inc. He also serves as an instructor at the U.S. Army Reserve Command & General Staff College, holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Capital Analysts serves a diverse client base including individual and high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, trusts, and corporate clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, utilizing an in-house investment management and research team alongside multiple advisory options and a range of service arrangements.

Tammy Le June is a financial advisor at Modera Wealth Management, LLC with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Parsec Financial and the Archdiocese of Galveston Houston. Modera Wealth Management 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, utilizing diversified portfolios of mutual funds, ETFs, individual securities, and selected alternative strategies tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.

Patrick Duggan is a financial advisor at Leavell Investment Management, Inc. in Mobile, Alabama, with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and previously worked at Cambridge Associates and 1919 Investment Counsel. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a soccer referee for the Alabama Soccer Association. Leavell Investment Management manages approximately $3.0 billion in discretionary assets and offers portfolio management, financial planning, and family-office services to a broad client base including individuals, families, businesses, and institutional entities. The firm emphasizes fundamental investment strategies focused on diversification, risk control, and long-term compounding, with client accounts managed by dedicated teams and oversight that includes quarterly reviews and periodic rebalancing.

James Hardison IV is a financial advisor at Stephens with 46 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Stephens since 2010. His prior experience includes roles at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and Citigroup Global Markets. He serves on the board and finance committee of the Ronald McDonald House of Winston Salem. Stephens provides investment advisory and wealth-management services to individuals, pension plans, foundations, corporations, and other institutional clients, focusing on tailored portfolio programs and committee-based oversight. The firm combines broker-dealer and investment banking activities alongside advisory services, offering a range of solutions including portfolio management, financial planning, and institutional equity research.

Andrew Dilz is a financial advisor at Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. He has worked at Fifth Third Wealth Advisors since 2021 and was previously employed at Fifth Third Bank from 2015 to 2021. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC offers discretionary investment management, separately managed account access, performance reporting, and financial planning to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, pension plans, charitable organizations, governmental entities, and institutional investors. The firm employs tailored strategic asset allocation frameworks and typically manages portfolios on a discretionary basis, utilizing third-party managers, affiliated model strategies, and ongoing advisor oversight.

Eric Smith is a CFP® professional with one year of industry experience, currently serving at Ritholtz Wealth Management. His prior work includes roles at Corient Services LLC, CIPW Service Company, and Brightworth. Outside of financial advising, he has experience with Miami Ice Snowcones, a business he was involved with for five years. Ritholtz Wealth Management advises individual and institutional clients, offering comprehensive portfolio management and financial planning services. The firm uses a goal-based investment approach that incorporates behavioral finance principles, diversified ETFs, tactical overlays, and alternative investments, supported by both advisor-led services and digital platforms.

Luke Gentry is a financial advisor with Ally Invest Advisors in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and five years of industry experience. He has been with Ally Invest Advisors since 2022 and also supports Ally Invest Securities LLC in a dually licensed capacity. Ally Invest Advisors serves a large retail client base with discretionary portfolio management through automated web-based services and advisor-led advice, using ETF-based model portfolios grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory across multiple risk tiers. The firm integrates digital automation and detailed performance reporting while managing tens of thousands of client accounts.

Matthew Mc Nabb is a financial advisor with IP Financial Advisory Services LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Innovation Partners LLC, The Vanguard Group, Inc., Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life Insurance. IP Financial Advisory Services LLC primarily serves individual retail clients, focusing on comprehensive portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services. The firm employs a range of analytical approaches and offers personalized portfolio construction with discretionary management, catering mainly to non–high-net-worth investors and retirement plan participants.