Benson Milburn is a financial advisor at Principal Advised Services with a Series 66 designation. He began his career in the financial industry in 2026 and has held roles at Principal Advised Services, Principal Bank, Principal Life Insurance Company, and Principal Securities, Inc. Prior to this, he worked at Truist Bank and has experience outside finance including positions at Carolina Golf Club and DoorDash. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm leverages proprietary and third-party models and integrates with affiliated entities within the Principal Financial Group to offer access to proprietary funds and related products.

Stephen Norton is a financial advisor with Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Belmont Capital Advisors, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC, Kalos Management, and Centermark Capital Management. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved as an agent in the insurance and human resources sector. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC, operating under Fusion Investment Advisors, provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plan participants, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm uses an open-architecture platform to implement tailored investment strategies with continuous monitoring and rebalancing.

Katherine Pepper is a financial advisor at First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. with 13 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked with various First Citizens entities since 2006. Pepper serves as a board member for the Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Center. First Citizens Asset Management provides investment advisory and sub-advisory services to individuals, trusts, corporations, institutional accounts, and municipal entities. The firm manages global, multi-asset model portfolios using a multi-team platform and integrates both quantitative and qualitative research in its discretionary management approach.

Richard Adams Jr. is a financial advisor with CG Advisory Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and nine years of industry experience. He has worked with Capital Asset Advisory Services LLC, Geneos Wealth Management, and CG Financial Services of North Carolina. CG Advisory Services is an SEC-registered firm managing approximately $4.02 billion for a diverse client base, including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and consulting through proprietary model portfolios, third-party managers, and customized private equity and hedge fund access.

Alixis Roccia is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Principal, Roccia worked with American Security Mortgage Company and has coached lacrosse and basketball at Marvin Ridge High School. Principal Advised Services provides retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients with investment advice, combining third-party tools like Morningstar and proprietary models through its SimpleInvest program. The firm operates as part of the Principal Financial Group family, offering integrated access to affiliated financial products and services.

Cole Wickersham is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 credential and has one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, Principal Bank, Principal Securities, Inc., and various other positions before joining the financial services industry. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm integrates third-party and proprietary models and operates as part of the Principal Financial Group family, enabling access to affiliated banking, insurance, and asset management products.

Sandra Carlson is a financial advisor with Waverly Advisors, LLC, holding CFP® and Series 66 designations and bringing 21 years of industry experience. She has been with Waverly Advisors since 2024 and previously worked at Rinehart Wealth Management, where she also serves as Chief Compliance Officer. Carlson teaches a tax planning course for the CFP program at Queens University and is a director of programs for the Financial Planning Association. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations and offers a range of investment management, financial planning, and multi-family office services.

Daniel Brackett is a CFP® with four years of industry experience currently advising at Choreo, LLC. He previously worked at Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC. His background also includes time at UBS Financial Firm Inc. and roles in education and other industries prior to entering financial services. Choreo, LLC serves a diverse client base that includes individual and high-net-worth investors, family offices, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, endowments, and institutional clients. The firm employs a quantitative, committee-approved investment process and offers a range of advisory services such as portfolio management, wealth consulting, outsourced CIO solutions, and specialized services including 1031 like-kind exchange and Opportunity Zone consulting.

John Aprill is a CFA® charterholder with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Everett Harris & Co in Charlotte, NC since 2012. Everett Harris & Co provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management services to individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable institutions, foundations, and endowments. The firm employs fundamental analysis and a predominantly buy-and-hold strategy, investing across U.S. and foreign equities, fixed income, commodities, and options.

Phillips Bragg is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 29 years of industry experience. He is affiliated with Bragg Financial Advisors Inc, where he has worked since 1996, and previously spent 20 years at Queens Road Securities, LLC. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as treasurer of Edgemont, Ltd., a fishing club located in North Carolina and Tennessee. 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 emphasizes strategic asset allocation with written Investment Policy Statements, broad diversification, and a longer-term investment approach, managing client accounts through portfolio models directly or via independent managers.

John Matthews is a financial advisor with Brookwood Investment Group, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 11 years of industry experience. He has held roles at several firms including Redwood Private Wealth LLC and Matthews & Co Private Wealth Advisors, where he serves as Managing Member and CEO. Outside of finance, Matthews owns The Cut Barbershop in Charlotte, NC. Brookwood Investment Group is a multi-advisor registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.06 billion for over 3,100 clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and supporting tailored portfolios with negotiated fee arrangements.

Michael Van Ness is a CFA® charterholder with eight years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Waverly Advisors, LLC and has concurrent experience at Rinehart Wealth Management dating back to 2010. Waverly Advisors is a multi-team registered investment adviser managing portfolios for individuals, retirement plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm combines traditional equity and fixed-income strategies with alternative and private-market allocations, serving a diverse client base including non-HNW and high-net-worth clients.

Luis Dieguez is a financial advisor at Blueprint Financial Advisors in Charlotte, NC, with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at firms including Hornor, Townsend, & Kent LLC and Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. Outside of his advisory role, Luis coaches his son’s 9U baseball team. Blueprint Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered, multi-advisor firm that serves individuals, trusts, pension and ERISA plans, and nonprofit entities. The firm manages approximately $1.4 billion in client assets using a globally diversified, strategic-and-tactical investment approach that emphasizes trend-following and momentum rules across multiple timeframes.

Vernon Moses is a financial advisor with PNC Wealth Management in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 12 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Fidelity Investments, Truist Investment Services, BB&T, Bank of America, and Merrill. PNC Wealth Management offers retail brokerage and advisory services through model-based programs, including an invitation-only digital discretionary account that uses algorithm-driven risk assessment and invests via approved models managed by PNC or third-party strategists.

Paul Short is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been with TIAA-CREF and its related entities since 2009. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs primarily to individuals connected to TIAA-administered retirement plans, as well as to trusts, estates, and other entities. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management with a fiduciary standard applied to its registered investment adviser services.

William Wright is a financial advisor with TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has one year of industry experience. Prior to joining TIAA-CREF, he worked at Equitable Advisors, LLC and has been involved with organizations such as Furman University and E2D - Eliminate the Digital Divide. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC provides financial planning and discretionary managed account programs to individuals, trusts, estates, and small retirement plans, often serving clients with existing relationships through TIAA-administered employer retirement plans. The firm offers both point-in-time planning and ongoing portfolio management, applying a fiduciary standard within its vertically integrated advisory model.

Kyle Gensrick is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Creative Planning since 2022 and previously at Wipfli Financial Advisors and Hewins Financial Advisors. He attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Creative Planning provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, and retirement plans. The firm manages approximately $217 billion in client assets and emphasizes a financial planning-led investment process with a range of portfolio management and retirement plan services supported by a large advisory team and centralized infrastructure.

Suzanne Dean is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 31 years of industry experience. She has been with Truist Advisory Services and its affiliated entities since 2015, including roles at Bb&T Investment Services and Bb&T Securities prior to the firm’s rebranding. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary manager relationships, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools, and its integrated structure includes affiliated broker-dealer and banking services.

Kendra Gray is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 24 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at firms including LPL Financial and Hornor, Townsend and Kent, LLC. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, pension and profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a multi-manager approach with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, incorporating both affiliated and third-party managers alongside proprietary research and a range of investment vehicles.

Edward Smyth is a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. with 18 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and previously worked at Kingfisher Capital, LLC and Perennial Research LLC. Mercer Global Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach featuring globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts, tax management, and a range of implementation options such as ETFs, mutual funds, separate accounts, and direct indexing.