William Smith is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing nine years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at MML Investors Services LLC, MassMutual Life Insurance Co., First Citizens Bank, and Northwestern Mutual. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to a diverse clientele including individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers portfolio management, model portfolios, a Guided Investing platform, and financial planning, utilizing both fundamental and quantitative analyses to manage assets primarily through non-discretionary client arrangements.

Daniel Knox is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 23 years of industry experience. He has worked at VALIC Financial Advisors since 2002 and has been associated with Agia since 2022, where he acts as an agent for 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.

John Passey is a financial advisor with Private Advisor Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and 18 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at LPL Financial, Good Life Advisors, Sterling Fox Financial, Raymond James Financial Services, and Edward Jones. He is also a notary in North Carolina. Private Advisor Group serves individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses, and retirement plans by providing portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to various advisory programs. The firm employs a fiduciary-based model that uses a range of investment strategies and technology platforms, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services.

Haley Mckenna is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with 12 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has worked at firms including Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and SVB Wealth, LLC. Haley also serves as a Senior Compliance Analyst at First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, and businesses, using a client-focused process that incorporates fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis across various investment products.

Tyler Zieker is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network and holds a Series 65 designation. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at Pathfinder Wealth Consulting, United Bank, and several hospitality and educational institutions. Commonwealth Financial Network is a dual-registered broker/dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser serving a national network of nearly 2,900 advisors and hundreds of thousands of clients, managing approximately $212.7 billion in assets. The firm offers a range of managed account programs, third-party asset manager access, and back-office support services.

Daniel Mccall is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC. His prior roles include positions at BB&T and its affiliates from 2006 through the present, covering various investment and securities functions. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, businesses, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools to assist in manager selection and portfolio oversight.

Jane Watson is a CFP® professional with 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is currently with Truist Advisory Services and previously worked at Wachovia Securities, LLC. Watson holds a Series 63 license and is based in Raleigh, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to a broad range of clients including individuals, corporate entities, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm offers asset allocation, fiduciary support, and manager-selection programs, using a combination of discretionary and non-discretionary strategies supported by proprietary research and third-party platforms.

James Contino is a CFP® professional with 33 years of experience in the financial industry. He is affiliated with Valic Financial Advisors and has worked at AIG Valic since 2003 and Agia since 2022. Outside of advisory work, he is involved in non-securities insurance product sales. Valic Financial Advisors serves primarily U.S. individuals, including high net worth clients and employer-sponsored retirement participants. The firm offers portfolio management, financial planning, and discretionary unified managed accounts through a large network of advisors, utilizing centralized technology and model solutions to manage roughly $29.2 billion in assets.

Travis O'quinn is a Series 66 credentialed financial advisor with 23 years of industry experience. He is currently with Truist Advisory Services and has previously worked with BB&T Securities, SunTrust Advisory Services, and Truist Investment Services. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as Chair of Finance and Trustee for St. Peter Church, a nonprofit faith-based organization. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by third-party platform arrangements.

Edward Harris is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 27 years of industry experience. He is currently with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., where he has worked since 2019. Prior to this, he spent 19 years at Valic Investment Services Company. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate/business entities, offering advisory and brokerage services through a variety of portfolio management solutions and financial planning. The firm’s client process focuses on assessing financial needs, risk tolerance, and time horizon to allocate assets using fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Amanda Cox is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 10 years of industry experience. She has worked within First Citizens Bank and its investment services affiliate since 2007. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm employs a client process led by investment adviser representatives that includes financial needs assessment and diversified portfolio allocation using fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis.

Jeffrey Marko is a financial advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, LLC with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked previously at DMJ & Co., PLLC, where he is a partner, and Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP. He serves on the finance committee of Housing for New Hope, a nonprofit organization. Beacon Pointe Advisors provides investment advisory and consulting services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a manager-driven investment approach using third-party platforms and sponsors proprietary investment vehicles and private funds.

John Eason II is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Fidelity Investments, Equitable Advisors, and served in the U.S. Navy Reserve for 15 years. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC manages approximately $110 billion in client assets and serves a diverse clientele including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and municipal clients. The firm offers a range of brokerage, financial planning, and advisory services supported by both in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Virginia Lee is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 19 years of industry experience. She has been with First Citizens in various capacities since 2007. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm emphasizes IAR-led financial assessments and employs fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios across various asset classes.

Robert Scholes is a financial advisor at Allworth Financial, L.P. in Durham, NC, with six years of industry experience. He holds the CFP®, CFA®, and Series 63 credentials. Prior to joining Allworth Financial in 2025, he worked at Investors Trust Company, Cook Wealth Management Group, Park Avenue Securities, and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Scholes also spent nine years at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Allworth Financial is a fee-based SEC-registered adviser serving individuals, qualified retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm implements customized portfolios using a range of model strategies and employs third-party sub-advisers, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and financial planning services.

Aagat Pandey is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing one year of industry experience. Prior to joining First Citizens in 2025, Pandey worked at Fidelity Investments and has held various roles outside the financial industry. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides advisory and brokerage services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and corporate entities. The firm emphasizes IAR-led assessments and uses fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis to manage portfolios that include equities, fixed income, mutual funds, and ETFs.

Tao Zhang is a financial advisor with Transamerica Financial Advisors, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 11 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at World Financial Group, Datalenty Inc., and International Medical Group, where he provides IT consulting and insurance services. Outside of advisory work, he is also involved in ride-sharing as a Lyft driver. Transamerica Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individual investors, pension plans, trusts, and charitable organizations, offering both advisory and broker-dealer services with access to proprietary and third-party investment models.

Benjamin Summers is a CFP® with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at Independent Financial Partners since 2019. He previously worked at LPL Financial for eight years. Summers also has involvement as a producing agent in the sale and service of fixed insurance products, including life, disability, long-term care, and fixed annuities. Independent Financial Partners offers investment advisory, financial planning, trust, and retirement-plan services through a nationwide network of independent advisers. The firm supports a multi-advisor platform and provides both discretionary and non-discretionary management options, with notable expertise in retirement-plan advisory and pension consulting services.

Tonja Womble is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 23 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has been with SunTrust Advisory Services since 2016 and SunTrust Investment Services, Inc. since 2013. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing both discretionary and non-discretionary approaches alongside third-party manager arrangements and AI-enabled research tools.

Steven Dinh is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and having eight years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Citizens Securities, Wells Fargo Clearing, and Wells Fargo Bank. He is based in Garner, NC. Truist Advisory Services offers investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a combination of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platform arrangements and AI-enabled research tools.