Meghan Mclain is a financial advisor at Goldman Sachs Wealth Services with 14 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC since 2021, following a decade at The AYCO Company, L.P./Mercer Allied. Goldman Sachs Wealth Services offers financial planning, investment management, and advisory support to a wide range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and institutions. The firm combines centralized investment resources with tailored client solutions and operates within a large integrated financial group providing diverse services and products.

Chad Kupreanik is a CFP® and Series 66 licensed financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. He has been with Janney Montgomery Scott since 2003. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a board member for Javesca Feeds, a nonprofit focused on addressing hunger. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large enterprise firm managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs.

Stephen Swingle is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Waxhaw, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and possessing 14 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company since 2017 and a one-year position at LPL Financial in 2016. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as a bank officer at Principal Bank and Principal Trust Company to support retirement plan account management and also works part-time as an Amazon Flex driver. 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 military personnel abroad. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions under various advisory and promoter arrangements.

Sarah Pifer is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 18 years of industry experience. She has worked at Hightower Advisors since 2019 and previously spent seven years at Fieldpoint Private Securities, LLC. Hightower Advisors serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, offering investment advisory and planning services that include discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting. The firm’s approach focuses on manager selection and multi-manager solutions, utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers alongside proprietary research and custom portfolio construction.

Haley Brehm is a financial advisor with Rockefeller Financial LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. Her background includes roles at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Ayco. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, as well as institutional clients and corporations. The firm provides portfolio management, financial planning, and brokerage services through a Private Advisor model and a consolidated investment platform.

Clay Thompson is a financial advisor at Empower Advisory Group with 30 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation as well as Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. His previous roles include positions at GWFS Equities, Inc. and Prudential Insurance Company of America. Empower Advisory Group provides financial planning and investment management primarily to employer-sponsored retirement plan sponsors and their participants, offering services integrated with Empower’s recordkeeping and administrative platforms. The firm emphasizes long-term portfolio returns and annual rebalancing in its planning approach and serves a large participant base relative to its advisor headcount.

Robert Russo is a financial advisor with Independent Advisor Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has been associated with LPL Financial since 2007. Outside of financial advising, he owns a restaurant called Philly's Phinest (Lee's Hoagie House) and operates a technology business, We Handle Tech, LLC. Independent Advisor Alliance serves a diverse client base including individuals, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm offers a range of services such as asset management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting, implementing portfolio strategies through discretionary and non-discretionary management supported by various analytical techniques and technology platforms.

Jason Cross is a CFP® professional with 12 years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Corient. His prior work includes roles at Ci Brightworth and CIPW Service Company. Corient provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and institutional entities. The firm utilizes a goals-based, team investment approach that combines in-house strategies with third-party managers, employing risk management tools and alternative investments to align portfolios with client objectives.

Bert May Jr. is a financial advisor with MAI Capital Management, LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding a Series 66 credential and 24 years of industry experience. He has worked at The Leaders Group since 2014 and maintains a long-term role with Learfield Communications, Inc. as a radio analyst for UNC football. MAI Capital Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, and institutional clients. The firm manages multiple asset classes and investment strategies through in-house and third-party managers, and also serves as adviser to a registered mutual fund and several private investment vehicles.

Brandon Phillips is a CFP® professional with 11 years of experience in the financial advisory industry. He has worked at MAI Capital Management, LLC since 2021 and previously spent 12 years at Solamere Advisors. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in Charlotte, NC. MAI Capital Management, LLC provides discretionary and non‑discretionary investment management, integrated wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and family-office services to a diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals, families, sports professionals, trusts, and institutional clients. The firm manages a broad range of investment strategies and offers trust and insurance administration through affiliated entities.

Joel Gardner is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with eight years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at Park Avenue Securities and Guardian Life Insurance since 2017. Gardner also conducts outside insurance sales focused on fixed health, life, and annuities. Guardian Life, through its subsidiary Park Avenue Securities LLC, provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, retirement plan sponsors, and organizations. The firm offers a range of financial planning and consulting services, combining advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and access to proprietary and third-party investment platforms.

Benjamin Murray is a financial advisor at Valic Financial Advisors with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and served in the United States Coast Guard for 20 years before entering the financial services industry. Murray is also appointed as an agent to sell non-securities insurance products for AGIA. 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.

Kelsey Dietzman is a financial advisor with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and four years of industry experience. She has worked at Fifth Third Securities and Fifth Third Bank since 2023 and previously held roles at Credit Union Investment Services and Secu Life Insurance Company. Fifth Third Securities, Inc. serves a diverse client base including individual, high-net-worth, and institutional clients through advisory and brokerage services. The firm offers multiple investment programs via the Passageway Managed Account platform and operates as a broker-dealer, SEC-registered investment adviser, and municipal advisor.

Austin Lewis is a CFP® with 12 years of industry experience, currently advising at Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC in Charlotte, NC. His prior roles include positions at The Vanguard Group and AssetMark Financial Holdings. Outside of his advisory work, he is a managing partner and co-founder of Southpark Family Tax, a firm specializing in seasonal income tax preparation for individuals and families. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services provides financial planning, asset management, and retirement-plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and retirement plans. The firm manages over $122 billion in assets and employs a diversified investment approach blending passive and active strategies, supported by an internal Investment Committee and a suite of implementation tools.

Darren Parson is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 21 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing, Merrill, and Banc of America Investment Services prior to joining Truist. He is based in Charlotte, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting, financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, corporations, plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines traditional research and AI tools in its advisory process and leverages its affiliation with Truist Financial and various broker-dealer and banking entities.

Courtney Williams is a financial advisor at Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC with 16 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 66 designation and previously worked at Raymond James Financial Services and Edward Jones. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise-scale RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in regulatory assets. The firm serves individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering a range of portfolio management and financial planning services through both proprietary and third-party solutions.

Margaret Keith is a financial advisor at Janney Montgomery Scott with 15 years of industry experience. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has worked at Janney Montgomery Scott and Wells Fargo Clearing. 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, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage services, financial planning, and advisory programs through a combination of in-house and third-party portfolio management.

Benjamin Beeson is a financial advisor at Rockefeller Financial LLC in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Truist Investment Services, Principal Securities, Wells Fargo Clearing, and New York Life Insurance Company. Rockefeller Financial LLC serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, institutional clients, retirement plans, foundations, and corporations. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting, operating both as a registered broker-dealer and provider of placement and investment banking services within an integrated Private Advisor model and consolidated investment platform.

Charles Stegall is a financial advisor with Guardian Life in Charlotte, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and over 35 years of industry experience. He has worked at Guardian Life since 1990 and at CP Advisory Services, Inc. since 1991. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in multiple business ventures including a financial advisory practice and a passive ownership interest in an HVAC installation company. Guardian Life’s Park Avenue Wealth Management offers brokerage and advisory services to individuals, retirement and corporate plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm integrates advisor-led discretionary management with model-based strategies and provides access to proprietary and third-party investment platforms, alongside various financial planning and consulting solutions.

Chason Trahan is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with nine years of industry experience, currently with Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC. He has worked with multiple firms including Carroll Financial, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Dixon Wells, and LPL Financial. Trahan serves as trustee, executor, and guardian for immediate family member estates. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC is an SEC-registered enterprise advisory firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and retirement plans through a network of hundreds of advisors. The firm offers financial planning, asset management, and specialized retirement plan consulting, utilizing a strategic investment process that combines passive and active management guided by an internal Investment Committee.