Ryan Pope is a CFP® with 10 years of industry experience, currently affiliated with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC. He has held roles at Hunter & See Wealth Management and Mid Atlantic Executive Benefits, among others. Outside of his advisory work, he serves on the finance committee of Bethlehem Baptist Church and is treasurer of the Coats Area Chamber of Commerce, and he is also involved in athletic officiating locally. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and business entities. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Brian Cook is a CFP® professional with 23 years of industry experience. He is currently with Cerity Partners Retirement Plan Consultants and previously worked at Cook Wealth Management Group LLC and LPL Financial, LLC. Cerity Partners Retirement Plan Consultants advises plan sponsors of defined contribution and defined benefit plans, providing ERISA fiduciary services, participant advice, plan design, and administrative support. The firm focuses on asset-allocation driven model portfolios, investment policy statements, and ongoing monitoring, serving a wide range of institutional clients with both discretionary and non-discretionary asset management.

Benjamin Guyton is a financial advisor with Brookstone Capital Management LLC holding a Series 65 designation. He has eight years of experience at Amerilife and previously worked for four years at Bonefish Grill. Brookstone Capital Management provides fee-based asset management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement plans, corporations, trusts, and other business entities. The firm utilizes strategic and dynamic asset allocation models, a turnkey asset management platform, and a variety of investment vehicles including ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, and options-enhanced strategies.

Bradley Williams is a CFP® with 29 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC since 2017. He previously worked at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2005 to 2017. Independent Advisor Alliance works with a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans, providing asset management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services. The firm employs a network model of advisory representatives and utilizes discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management strategies supported by technology platforms and third-party resources.

Kenneth Marsh is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. since 2011. He also has concurrent experience with First Citizens Bank. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm combines IAR-led client assessments with risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation, utilizing discretionary management, third-party managers, and automated model portfolios, while leveraging its affiliation with a bank holding company to provide integrated banking resources and operational advantages.

Frances Hymiller is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Mercer Global Advisors Inc. since 2022. She also has a long tenure at Wrenn Financial Strategies, Inc., where she has worked since 1997. Mercer Global Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth families, small business owners, corporate plan sponsors, foundations, and nonprofits. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory-based investment approach, utilizing globally diversified, risk-appropriate portfolios with multi-factor tilts and a range of implementation options.

Angela Smelcer is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 24 years of industry experience. She has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2005 and also works with SVB Wealth, LLC, an affiliate of First Citizens Bank. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. offers investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, and pension plans. The firm’s approach combines client goal assessments with risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation, discretionary management, and tax-aware strategies, supported by its affiliation with a banking institution that provides integrated resources and operational advantages.

Nicholas Powell is a CFP® and Series 66-licensed financial advisor with 19 years of industry experience. He has been with VALIC Financial Advisors since 2007 and also holds an agent position with Agia, where he is involved in non-securities insurance products. VALIC Financial Advisors primarily serves U.S.-domiciled individual investors, including high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate and retirement-plan participants. The firm offers discretionary managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services, utilizing Envestnet-developed UMA models for portfolio construction and management.

Nikolas Pry is a financial advisor at Davenport & Company LLC with two years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Raymond James Financial and Edward Jones. Outside of his advisory role, he is the CEO of Pry Athletics LLC, a business that provides individual pitching lessons and manages youth travel baseball teams. Davenport & Company LLC is a privately held, employee-owned firm offering investment management and brokerage services to individual and institutional clients. The firm provides a broad range of services including asset management, financial planning, and public finance, with investment decisions made by dedicated portfolio management teams supported by regular committee oversight.

Timothy Sumner is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Clinton, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and possessing 19 years of industry experience. He has been with First Citizens Investor Services since 2014. Outside of his advisory role, Sumner serves as a board member of the Sampson County Soccer Club and is president of the Clinton High School Booster Club. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, pension plans, and business entities. The firm combines IAR-led client assessments with a variety of portfolio management options, including discretionary management and third-party managers, and benefits from its affiliation with a bank holding company to offer integrated banking and investment resources.

Kerolous Botros is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having 16 years of industry experience. His work history includes roles at NCDI Doctors and Principal Life Insurance Company, where he remains active. Outside of his advisory duties, he owns Botro Enterprise, LLC, a business established to track income and expenses. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and active-duty U.S. military personnel abroad. The firm offers financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager programs under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Matthew Johnson is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience currently serving at Truist Advisory Services. He previously worked at BB&T Securities before joining Truist in 2016. Johnson holds a Series 66 license and is based in Raleigh, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation and investment policy analysis, fiduciary support, and a manager-selection program that integrates discretionary and non-discretionary approaches supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

David Weiss is a financial advisor at Allworth Financial, L.P. in Durham, NC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses with 29 years of industry experience. His prior work includes positions at Scottrade, Inc. and Weston Banks Wealth Partners. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm offers customized portfolios using various model strategies and employs technology to manage held-away employer retirement accounts without client login credentials.

Andrew Sullivan is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 24 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Wells Fargo Clearing for 15 years. Outside of his advisory work, he plays lead guitar in a tribute band that performs locally in Raleigh, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm utilizes a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting to implement advice, supported by AI-enabled research tools and integrated inter-affiliate service arrangements.

Jon Jester is a CFP® and Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Brown Advisory since 2016, based in Chapel Hill, NC. Brown Advisory manages approximately $124.3 billion for a diverse client base, including institutions, high-net-worth individuals, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs a bottom-up, fundamental research process across equity and fixed-income strategies and integrates active and passive approaches alongside sustainable investing and alternative asset exposure.

Shira Katsir is a CFP® professional with nine years of experience in financial advising, currently serving at Hightower Advisors since 2020. Her prior roles include positions at Stearns Financial Group and CAPTrust. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm emphasizes a manager selection approach with multi-manager solutions, combining affiliated and third-party managers, and offers services such as discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting.

Lauren Harper is a CFP® professional with 12 years of experience, currently advising clients at Janney Montgomery Scott in Raleigh, NC. She has been with Janney since 2014. Janney Montgomery Scott is a large, dually registered broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, and institutional clients, offering a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services.

Cindy Marvin is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 27 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at RBC Capital Markets, Jpmorgan Chase Bank NA, Morgan Stanley, and Fcg Advisors LLC. Outside of finance, she is involved with McManus Appraisal Group as a certified residential appraiser and also works part-time in produce at Harris Teeter. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools, with a focus on integration across affiliated entities.

William Norman IV is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and eight years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at First Citizens Asset Management, First Citizens Bank, and Abacus Planning Group. He serves on the Board of Directors for The Fisher Oil Company, a natural gas and oil lease operator in Wexford, PA. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. offers investment advisory, brokerage, and licensed insurance services to individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a mix of strategic and tactical asset-allocation approaches and provides portfolio management through various platforms, including model portfolios and separately managed accounts.

Jane Yarborough is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience, currently serving at Truist Advisory Services in Chapel Hill, NC. She has been affiliated with SunTrust Advisory Services and related SunTrust entities since 2006. Yarborough serves on the Board of Directors for Duke Memorial United Methodist Church’s Memorial Church Fund, a non-profit foundation account overseeing investment decisions for the church. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate and business clients, retirement plan sponsors and participants, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with non-discretionary consulting and utilizes third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to support its investment strategies.