Stephanie Burks is a CFP®-designated financial advisor with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, with 10 years of industry experience. She has been with Voya Financial Advisors since 2016 and is also the owner of Burks Financial Management, LLC, which offers financial services. Additionally, she is an independent insurance agent involved in the sale of fixed insurance products. Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. is a dual-registered SEC investment adviser and broker-dealer serving individual and institutional clients, including both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals. The firm provides financial planning, portfolio management through various managed account programs, and brokerage and insurance product distribution, utilizing both affiliated and third-party investment strategies.

Nahed Alsous is a financial advisor with Valic Financial Advisors in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 22 years of industry experience. She has been with Valic Financial Advisors since 2003 and also serves as an agent with Agia, focusing on 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, offering managed-account programs, financial planning, and brokerage services.

Richard Kagan is a financial advisor with Commonwealth Financial Network, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 44 years of industry experience. He has been with Commonwealth since 2000. Outside of his advisory role, Kagan serves as CFO and shareholder of two non-investment related companies, Adessence Marketing, Inc. and Right Brain Media, and is also a squash coach. Commonwealth Financial Network is a registered investment adviser supporting a national network of approximately 2,950 advisors and their clients through a range of advisory programs and services. The firm provides operations, trading, technology, compliance, and practice-management support, with discretionary portfolio construction and model portfolios managed by its Investment Management and Research team.

Erica Korol is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC. She holds a Series 66 designation and has 11 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at VALIC Financial Advisors and Empower Advisory Group. First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. provides investment advisory and brokerage services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, estates, and institutional entities. The firm employs a client-focused approach combining risk- and outcomes-based asset allocation, discretionary management, and third-party managers, supported by integrated banking resources through its affiliation with a bank holding company.

Thomas Miller is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has worked with SunTrust and its successor firms since 2005. Miller serves on the Board of Directors at the Chapel Hill Country Club, where he oversees club administration and activities. 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 platforms and AI-enabled research tools.

Elliot Williams is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with one year of experience, currently with Cerity Partners LLC. He previously worked at Cook Wealth, LLC and HDWK LLC, and has a diverse background including roles in regional development and real estate. Cerity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser serving individuals, families, institutions, and corporations with a range of services including investment management, financial planning, and access to alternative investments. The firm emphasizes diversified asset allocation and offers both proprietary and third-party investment solutions alongside affiliated consulting and private-market capabilities.

Blake Cason is a ChFC® credentialed financial advisor with 12 years of industry experience, currently with Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC. Prior to joining Steward Partners in 2026, he worked for Edward Jones for 12 years. Outside of his advisory role, he owns a vacation rental property in Beaufort, North Carolina. Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC is an enterprise-scale SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $36.7 billion in assets. The firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension plans, corporations, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations, offering various investment advisory and financial planning services.

Haleh Moddasser is a financial advisor at Hightower Advisors with 14 years of industry experience. She holds the Series 65 designation and previously worked at Stearns Financial Services Group for nine years before joining Hightower Advisors in 2020. Hightower Advisors provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse range of individual and institutional clients. The firm’s approach emphasizes manager selection and multi-manager solutions utilizing both affiliated and third-party managers, combined with proprietary research and portfolio construction techniques.

John Rumsey is a financial advisor at Sanctuary Advisors, LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Bank of America and Merrill. He serves on the advisory board of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, participating in fundraising activities. Sanctuary Advisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, and retirement plans. The firm offers customized investment programs through various account types and utilizes a network of independent advisors and affiliated entities to deliver a broad range of solutions.

Eugenia Grimmer is a financial advisor with First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses and bringing 12 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at TIAA and Wells Fargo, and she is a board member of the Pender Sheriff's Charitable Foundation. Grimmer also co-manages rental properties through Grimmer Getaways LLC. First Citizens Investor Services provides 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 offers portfolio management, wrap-fee programs, an automated investing platform, and financial planning services.

Lee Hopper is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 29 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Principal Life Insurance Company, The O.N. Equity Sales Company, and Financial Independence Planning Group, Inc. Hopper is also the owner and vice president of operations at Hopper Financial Group, Inc., a family corporation involved in accounting and expense management for him and a relative. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager solutions through both adviser and promoter arrangements.

Stephen Engelson is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 33 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has been with Truist Advisory Services since 2016, also affiliated with Truist Investment Services since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved in purchasing homes for flipping in Durham, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations, utilizing a mix of discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting supported by advanced research tools and inter-affiliate integration.

Alexander Brese is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Raleigh, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has five years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Eagle Strategies LLC, NYLIFE Securities LLC, Legacy Private Client Services, and Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse client base, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services through a large network of affiliated advisers. The firm works with individual investors and institutional clients, emphasizing tailored recommendations and non-discretionary asset management within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

John Corcoran is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with two years of industry experience. Before joining First Citizens in 2024, he worked at CrossCountry Mortgage and spent nine years in full-time education. First Citizens Investor Services provides investment advisory, brokerage, and insurance services to individuals, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations, utilizing a combination of strategic and tactical asset-allocation approaches across discretionary and non-discretionary engagements.

Tara Hulse is a financial advisor with Principal Financial Services in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 24 years of industry experience. She has been with Principal Securities Inc. and Principal Life Insurance Company since 2019 and previously worked at Princor Financial Services Corporation and Principal Life Insurance Co. for two decades. Principal Securities provides brokerage and registered investment advisory services to a diverse client base, including individual investors, retirement plans, trusts, and charitable organizations. The firm offers direct advisory programs, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and access to third-party money manager asset allocation and separately managed account solutions.

Gordon Grimes II is a financial advisor at Truist Advisory Services with 20 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® designation and Series 66 license. Mr. Grimes has worked at SunTrust Advisory Services since 2016 and SUNTRUST INVESTMENT SERVICES, Inc. since 2005. Outside of advising, he is involved in real estate renovation and sales as the owner of a second home rental property in Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporations, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships with consulting services and employs AI-enabled equity research tools, serving clients through integrated inter-affiliate platforms.

Thomas Schaffer is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (New York Life) in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 credentials with 18 years of industry experience. He has been affiliated with New York Life Insurance Co. since 2007 and has operated Transitions Financial Strategies, LLC since 2014. Schaffer serves as a board member of the Financial Planning Association of the Triangle and the XPX of the Triangle, local professional organizations related to financial planning and business succession. Eagle Strategies provides financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services to a diverse client base that includes individual investors, corporate, charitable, and institutional clients. The firm emphasizes tailored advice and primarily manages assets on a non-discretionary basis within an integrated New York Life affiliate structure.

Michael Uhland is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. He has worked at Janney Montgomery Scott and its affiliated entities since 2019, following over a decade at Investors Title Insurance Company. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is a large broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser managing approximately $110 billion in client assets. The firm serves a wide range of clients, including individuals, families, trusts, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, and municipal clients, offering brokerage, financial planning, consulting, and advisory services.

Stanley Godwin is a financial advisor at First Citizens Investor Services, Inc. with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has previously worked at Merrill and Bank of America. He is based in Greensboro, NC. 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 businesses. The firm uses a range of asset allocation strategies and third-party managers, combining fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis with technology-driven solutions and tax-aware services.

Jocelyn Mc Bride is a financial advisor with Truist Advisory Services in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and eight years of industry experience. Her career includes roles at Truist Investment Services and its predecessor firms, dating back to 2017. Truist Advisory Services provides investment consulting and advisory services to individuals, corporate clients, retirement plan sponsors, and charitable organizations. The firm combines discretionary manager relationships and non-discretionary consulting, supported by third-party platforms and AI-enabled research tools, to deliver its investment solutions.