Alicia Fitzsimmons is a financial advisor at Fidelity with 23 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked in various roles within Fidelity, including Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC and Fidelity Personal and Workplace Advisors. Fidelity’s Strategic Advisers LLC provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, utilizing a blend of proprietary fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction. The firm also serves multiple registered investment companies and employs systematic methodologies and AI tools in its investment processes.

Jennifer Curtis is Vice President and Wealth Planner at Fidelity Investments, a position she has held since 2018. She has been with Fidelity for 17 years, during which she has progressed through several roles including Financial Consultant, Investment Representative, Financial Representative, and Workplace Guidance specialist. Her experience encompasses partnering with clients and their families to navigate financial complexities and develop tailored plans to help achieve their goals. Jennifer emphasizes attentive listening to understand the specific needs and concerns of her clients, working collaboratively to create and execute personalized financial strategies.

Dylan Schaetzel is a financial advisor at Fidelity with three years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Fidelity Investments since 2022. Prior to this, he held roles at Elon University and various companies in different sectors. Strategic Advisers LLC, a Fidelity Investments company, provides investment management and advisory services to retail and institutional clients, including charitable funds and registered investment companies. The firm uses a combination of fundamental research, quantitative analysis, and algorithmic portfolio construction to manage discretionary and non-discretionary accounts and model portfolios.

Ryder Seiz is a financial advisor at Equitable Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 credential with three years of industry experience. Prior to joining Equitable Advisors in 2023, Ryder's work history includes various roles outside the financial sector, such as positions at DoorDash and UNC Aquatics. Equitable Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, high-net-worth clients, retirement plans, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients, offering financial planning, broker-dealer services, insurance distribution, and access to third-party asset management programs. The firm operates as both an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, utilizing program sponsors and third-party managers to deliver advisory and brokerage solutions.

Matthew Conroy is a financial advisor with Charles Schwab in Cary, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at TD Ameritrade Investment Management, LLC and TD Ameritrade, Inc. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. serves primarily high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through its Schwab Wealth Advisory wrap fee program and affiliated managed-account and financial planning services. The firm combines a large-scale, integrated structure with a client relationship model that blends non-discretionary advisory recommendations and access to discretionary separately managed accounts.

Cynthia Ward is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 26 years of industry experience. She has been with Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016 and previously worked at Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC from 2014 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 advice. The firm’s IPS-driven approach incorporates modern portfolio theory and includes a broad range of investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Nancy Ayers is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC. She holds Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and has worked at Wells Fargo Bank since 1993. Her experience at Wells Fargo Clearing began in 2026. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, wrap-fee programs, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and combines brokerage and advisory solutions, relying on research from Wells Fargo Investment Institute and third-party databases to guide investment selections.

Anthony Dowling is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and with 27 years of industry experience. He has been with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network since 2009. Dowling serves as a trustee for a 401(k) plan and owns Raleigh Wealth Management Inc. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is a large broker-dealer and registered investment adviser affiliated with Wells Fargo that offers investment and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of planning services, including niche areas such as business-owner transition and special-needs analysis, with recommendations developed using proprietary research and tools.

Morgan Litchfield is a CFP® with six years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing in Raleigh, NC. Prior to this role, Morgan worked at Wells Fargo Private Bank and U.S. Trust, accumulating over a decade of experience within the Wells Fargo organization. Morgan is a co-trustee for family trusts established for his children. 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 investment options, including insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep programs.

Matthew Brinkley is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at firms including Robinhood Markets and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Brinkley is based in Raleigh, NC. 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 advisory process is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Christopher Diaz is a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Clearing with Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Bank, Belk, and Vision NC. Wells Fargo Advisors is a national securities firm serving individual, corporate, and institutional clients with investment advisory services, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm manages approximately $671 billion in assets and provides both brokerage and advisory solutions across a broad client base.

Bradley Hipps is a financial advisor at Robert W. Baird & Co. with 8 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Truist Advisory Services, BB&T Securities, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. He is part of The DDK Group, a team within Baird’s Private Wealth Management department that serves individuals, corporate and business clients, pensions, profit-sharing plans, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of financial planning and portfolio management services, employing a combination of manager-traded and model-traded SMA strategies along with tax-management and direct-indexing capabilities.

John Matthews is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 39 years of industry experience. He has been with Raymond James & Associates since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, Matthews serves as a part-time professor with the North Carolina Wildlife Commission. Raymond James & Associates provides financial planning and investment consulting through its Wealth Advisory Services Program to a diverse client base, including individuals, employer-sponsored retirement plans, corporate and charitable entities, and government clients. The firm also offers institutional consulting and specialized public finance and municipal services.

Matthew Szymanski is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Since beginning his career at Merrill Lynch in 2003, he has provided traditional financial advice and guidance as well as built and managed custom investment strategies. His approach includes selecting from a wide range of Merrill model portfolios and third-party investment options, with the ability to manage strategies on a discretionary basis for clients participating in the firm's Investment Advisory Program. Matthew holds several professional designations, including Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). He earned a Bachelor's Degree from Vanderbilt University and completed his secondary education at St Joseph's Collegiate Institute. Matthew, along with his wife Emily and their son Barrett, reside in downtown Raleigh and are actively involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2023, Matthew was named to Forbes' "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list, a recognition developed by SHOOK Research based on factors such as industry experience, credentials, client retention, and firm nominations.

Andrew Blanchard is a Series 66-credentialed financial advisor with Thrivent Investment Management in Raleigh, NC, with two years of industry experience. Prior to his financial advisory role, he served nine years in the U.S. Air Force and was a homemaker for five years. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved as an actor represented by a talent agency and serves as a board member for the Apex Public School Foundation. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, offering comprehensive financial planning focused on goals such as retirement, tax, estate, and special needs planning. The firm combines planning with managed-account programs under consolidated billing while maintaining separate planning and investment services.

Melinda Poulton is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor at Thrivent Investment Management with four years of industry experience. She has worked at Thrivent Financial and Thrivent Investment Management since 2022. Outside of her advisory role, she acts as a brand ambassador for nutritional supplements and wellness products in a limited capacity. Thrivent Investment Management provides Dedicated Planning Services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit clients, focusing on holistic, goal-based analyses across various financial planning topics. The firm offers a planning service separate from portfolio management and allows clients to combine planning with managed-account programs under consolidated billing.

Omid Bonakdar is an Investment Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2024. He collaborates with individuals and families to understand their goals, values, and concerns in order to co-create financial plans aimed at pursuing their lifelong objectives. Prior to his current role, Omid gained experience at Fidelity Investments as a Workplace Planning Consultant from 2022 to 2024, progressing through multiple levels in that capacity. Before joining Fidelity, he worked at Guidehouse in 2021 as a PPP Loan Analyst and ERAP Manager. Outside of his professional career, Omid has interests that include the beach, cooking and baking, movies, music, snowboarding, and traveling.

Robert Frye is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at Wells Fargo Clearing since 2016. Prior to this, he worked at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC from 2010 to 2016. He holds the Series 66 designation and is based in Raleigh, NC. 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 advisory process is IPS-driven and grounded in modern portfolio theory, with a notable inclusion of insurance-related vehicles and bank deposit sweep options among its investment offerings.

Shelley Bennett is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley with 14 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Morgan Stanley since 2014, including a role with Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association since 2015. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management serves individual and institutional clients by providing a range of advisory programs and tailored financial planning. The firm manages approximately $2.74 trillion in client assets and utilizes structured planning tools and comprehensive investment resources as part of its services.

Wallace Suggs II is a financial advisor with Merrill in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 66 and Series 63 licenses and three years of industry experience. His previous roles include positions at Bank of America, New York Life, Thrivent Financial, and Wells Fargo Bank. Outside of advisory work, he serves as a Branch Launch Manager for Grameen America, a nonprofit focused on providing microloans and financial education to women in poverty. Merrill offers managed account services to Bank of America fiduciary clients through the Select Portfolio Solutions program, employing model-based and discretionary investment strategies across a diverse client base that includes individuals, high-net-worth clients, pension plans, and charitable organizations.